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Photo for the Mirror by Jeremy Boland. Bishop Guilfoyle’s Hamilton Gates reaches the end zone against Bald Eagle Area at Mansion Park on Saturday.
By John Hartsock
The 2024 high school football season couldn’t have started much better for Bishop Guilfoyle Academy on Saturday night.
And things couldn’t have started much worse for Bald Eagle Area.
Veteran quarterback Chase Kissell completed 9 of 13 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns, and veteran wideout/running back Hamilton Gates scored twice on a 3-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a 24-yard touchdown pass from Kissell in the fourth quarter. BG got some revenge for its elimination to the Eagles in last season’s District 6 Class 2A playoffs, as the Marauders posted a 21-0 Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference victory at Mansion Park.
To make matters worse for Bald Eagle Area, Eagles star quarterback Carson Nagle suffered an apparent head/neck injury late in the fourth quarter and was carried off the field on a stretcher after the game.
The extent of the injury was unknown and BEA coach Jesse Nagle – Carson’s father – was caring for his son and was unavailable for comment to the media.
After BG coach Justin Wheeler and his Marauders lost twice to BEA last season, they had already marked Saturday’s game on their calendar.
“Last year they got us twice, so the message to our players during the offseason was that it wouldn’t happen again,” Wheeler said. “Our players are very proud and tonight they beat a quality team that has one of the best quarterbacks in the state. We came out and played well, and that feels good.”
Gates caught four passes from Kissell for a total of 85 yards, including three spectacular passes. None were better than the 24-yard touchdown catch he made with six minutes left in the game, skillfully managing to keep his feet in the front left corner of the end zone while making the play.
“We were disappointed after losing to them last year and worked really hard tonight to come back, beat them and start the year with a big win,” Gates said.
The Marauders launched a nine-play, 83-yard touchdown drive late in the first quarter, which Gates capped off with a 3-yard touchdown run over the left end with 9:46 left in the second quarter.
Later in the second period, Kissell found senior wide receiver Braden Reilly completely free in the middle of the field and threw a pass near the BEA 30-yard line that went 54 yards for a touchdown with 6:47 left in the first half, giving the Marauders a 14-0 lead at halftime.
“We kept running the ball before that play, and they blitzed their safety, and I was completely free in the seam,” said Reilly, who ran into the end zone unchallenged. “I didn’t expect to be so free.”
An interception by junior defensive back Tyson Lestochi near the 15-yard line stopped a BEA drive late in the second quarter after the Eagles had marched all the way to the BG 17 late in the first quarter before losing the ball on one down.
“We wanted to focus on our defense — our defense played so well during our state championship seasons,” said Wheeler, whose Marauders won four PIAA Class 1A state titles from 2014-2021 and are back playing at the Class 1A level this season. “Our defensive coaches (Joe) Thomas and (Bret) Geishauser came up with a good game plan tonight, and we didn’t allow a big play all night.”
Saturday was a good team win for BG.
“We have a lot of talent in many places and I’m glad all of our players performed tonight,” Wheeler said.
Play of the game: Kissell’s second-quarter touchdown pass to Reilly stood out and gave the Marauders a 14-0 halftime lead.
Player of the Game: Kissell had a good night as a pitcher for BG and Gates, who scored twice, had a good night as a catcher.
Unsung Heroes: Guilfoyle’s defense managed a shutout against an impressive BEA offense.
BG Senior Defensive End Connor McElheny: “I think we were a little nervous in the first half and were just getting used to everything. In the second half it was go, go, go.”
Noteworthy: Jesse Georgiana, Taurean Consiglio and Connor Okanak recovered fumbles for BG.
Records: Bald Eagle Area (0-1 overall and in the Laurel Highlands Conference); Bishop Guilfoyle (1-0, 1-0).
Next Friday night: Bishop Guilfoyle travels to face McCort-Carroll while Bald Eagle Area hosts Central Cambria.
RESULT AFTER QUARTER
Bald Eagle Area 0 0 0 0 — 0
Bishop Guilfoyle 0 14 0 7 — 21
Second quarter
BG–Gates 3 run (Boland kick), 9:46.
BG–Reilly 54 pass from C. Kissell (Boland kick), 6:47.
Fourth quarter
BG–Gates 24, pass from C. Kissell (Boland kick), 6:00.
TEAM STATISTICS BEA BG
First Downs 16 14
Total yards 198 266
Rush Yards 34-140 29-109
Yards passed 58 157
Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 6-12-1 9-13-0
Punts/Average 2-29.5 3-34.8
Fumbles-lost 4-3 1-0
Penalty yards 6-59 10-105
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING–Bald Eagle Area, Houck-Leitzell 6-50, Shirk 11-29, Nagle 6-19, Taylor 4-19, McCully 4-15, Cunningham 2-14, Fisher 1-(-6). Bishop Guilfoyle, Consiglio 8-46, Gates 11-40, C. Kissell 8-20, Reilly 1-2, J. Kissell 1-1.
PAST – Bald Eagle Territory, Nagle 6/12/58. Bishop Guifoyle, C. Kissell 9/13/157.
RECEIVING – Bald Eagle territory, Spackman 2-13, Taylor 2-2, Cunningham 1-25, Fisher 1-18. Bishop Guilfoyle, Gates 4-85, J. Kissell 3-17, Reilly 2-55.
