Karns City football’s Cole Johnston rips ball, heart out of Central Clarion in big District 9 win
KARNS CITY — Cole Johnston wasn’t going to let Central Clarion football knot it up on his watch a second time.
Three minutes after the Wildcats’ Briggs Beckwith picked him off and ran it back for a third-quarter touchdown that tied matters at 14 points apiece, the Karns City junior quarterback, who moonlights as a safety, flipped the script.
Johnston tracked down Jackson Mravintz at the Gremlins’ 12-yard line and dug the ball out of his grasp after a 47-yard passing gain, allowing Ronald Sczygiel to jump on it and deflate the air from the big play.
Nathan Hess’ 45-yard scoring burst and Hunter Scherer’s 1-yard surge bookended the momentum-swinging takeaway during what ended as a 35-14 Karns City home field win Friday night.
“I was waiting for it. I was gonna try to make a play,” Johnston said. “Our corner didn’t chase because he saw somebody coming in the flats, and I saw him. And actually, the first time I tried to go punch the ball, and he juked me out. … He got pulled up and he got hauled up, and I just ripped it.”
Johnston finished the night 2 for 12 for negative-2 yards through the air. Along with his 70 rushing yards and 1-yard score on a tush push with time winding down in the first half, the defensive play demonstrated perseverance.
“I’m sure we’ve won a game passing for 0 (yards),” Johnston said.
The Gremlins’ defense got off the field on downs four times, including twice in the red zone and once backed up to their 1-yard line. That came as Central Clarion (2-4, 1-1 District 9 Region 1) quarterback Carter Hindman fired a pass to Logan Bish, who couldn’t reach it across the plane to give his team a score that would’ve made it 13-0 early in the second quarter.
Two Karns City (4-2, 4-2) possessions later, Scherer barged in from 5 yards out for the first of his three ground scores. The Gremlins forced a three-and-out, then marched 58 yards downfield for Johnston to burrow in five seconds before halftime.
Johnston threw a pick-six with 2:12 to go in the third frame.
“I just shouldn’t have threw it,” Johnston said. “He saw it coming. They stopped it two times earlier, and he was sitting there ready for it.”
“Right after that happened, he said, ‘I’m good,’” Sherwin said. “He kept his head up. There was a lot of game left at that point. … No need to hang your head. Just keep playing, and that’s what he did.”
The Wildcats had 6 yards from scrimmage in the final 11:13 after Johnston’s forced fumble.
“They held our guy up,” Central Clarion coach Dave Eggleton said. “It looked like his forward momentum was stopped and he was just suspended in air as they’re ripping at the ball, and it did come out. I mean, I guess it was a judgment call. It definitely hurt us.”
Junior Bryce Galan had a 42-yard punt return to set up Karns City’s first points. He also had two interceptions and a muffed punt recovery.
Central Clarion 7 0 7 0 — 14
Karns City 0 14 7 14 — 35
First quarter
CC — Alex Love 7 run (Logan Bish kick), 0:56
Second quarter
KC — Hunter Scherer 5 run (Brock Dittman kick), 4:34
KC — Cole Johnston 1 run (Dittman kick), 0:05
Third quarter
CC — Briggs Beckwith 31 interception return (Bish kick), 2:12
KC — Nathan Hess 45 run (Dittman kick), 0:46
Fourth quarter
KC — Scherer 1 run (Dittman kick), 7:43
KC — Scherer 5 run (Dittman kick), 2:46
Individual statistics
Rushing: Central Clarion, Alex Love 10-34, Carter Hindman 7-7, Briggs Beckwith 1-0, Thalen Allison 1-0, Jackson Mravintz 1-(-2). Karns City, Nathan Hess 14-136, Cole Johnston 10-70, Hunter Scherer 13-52, Owen Heginbotham 8-47, Riley Hamilton 1-39, Bryce Galan 1-7.
Passing: Central Clarion, Carter Hindman 13-26-226-1, Briggs Beckwith 0-1-0-1. Karns City, Cole Johnston 2-12-(-2)-1.
Receiving: Central Clarion, Mason Burford 6-79, Jackson Mravintz 2-62, Logan Bish 2-53, Brady Guth 2-25, Charlie Hepfl 1-6, Briggs Beckwith 1-1. Karns City, Carter Farren 1-1, Owen Kaufman 1-(-3).
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Karns City's Sean Slaugenhoup (52) celebrates after a win over Central Clarion on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City's Bryce Galan (25) returns a punt against Central Clarion in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City quarterback Cole Johnston (7) avoids Central Clarion's Briggs Beckwith (14) in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City Hunter Scherer (23) tries to shed a tackle by Central Clarion's Briggs Beckwith (14) to reach the end zone in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City's Owen Heginbotham (22) runs the ball in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's Cole Johnston (7) makes a pass in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's Conrad Dunlap sings the National Anthem before the football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's Brock Dittman (84) kicks the extra point in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's Nathan Hess (9) with a breakaway run in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City Cheerleader Jasmyn Bellon entertains the crowd during the football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City Students cheered on their team during the football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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The Karns City Marching Band entertained the crowed during halftime of the football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's Nathan Hess (9) with a run play in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City Marching Band Members and Sequinettes entertained the crowd during halftime of the football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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The Karns City Marching Band entertained the crowed during halftime of the football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's head coach Joe Sherwin goes over strategy with the team during halftime of the football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City Marching Band Sequinettes entertained the crowd during halftime of the football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's Hunter Scherer (23) celebrates his touchdown with Sean Slaugenhoupt (52) in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City Hunter Scherer (23) tries to shed a tackle by Central Clarion's Briggs Beckwith (14) to reach the end zone in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City High School celebrate the win over Central Clarion with a fireworks display after the football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's Owen Kaufman (24) checking with the officials that he is on the line in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's game captains; Jackson Feicht (57), Sean Slaugenhoupt (52), Hunter Scherer (23), and CJ Emrick (51) head out for the coin toss before the football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
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Naomi Venesky was crowned Homecoming Queen, and Owen Heginbotham was crowned Homecoming King before the football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Karns City High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Butler Eagle
