Late field goal pushes Steel-High past Bishop Guilfoyle, 16-14 to advance to the PIAA Class 1A championship

Andy Shay
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Late field goal pushes Steel-High past Bishop Guilfoyle, 16-14 to advance to the PIAA Class 1A championship

By Andy Shay: 

They danced and celebrated on Cottage Hill after the final whistle Saturday afternoon because for the first time since 2008, the Steel-High Rollers are going to play for a PIAA Championship.

The reason the Rollers are headed to Hershey is senior kicker Bryan Hernandez’s right foot. Yes, a kicker won a PIAA Class 1A semifinal for Steel-High with a 34-yard field goal inside the final minute.

Steel-High still had to hold its collective breath, though, in dying second. Bishop Guilfoyle hit on a 58-yard pass play and Marauders’ kicker, junior Deven Wyandt, had a chance to be the hero for his team with 11 seconds remaining.

Wyandt’s 36-yard field goal drifted wide left and Steel-High held on for a gritty 16-14 victory in a game dominated by tough defense.

“Snap was good, hold was good and I hit it perfectly,” Hernandez said. “I felt no pressure. I was confident the whole way through. This is amazing. We got one more to go.”

For the second week in a row it appeared as if the Rollers’ season was over in the final minute. Steel-High had fourth-and-13 from the Bishop Guilfoyle 28. Quarterback Alex Erby’s desperation heave was incomplete, but a flag on the play for defensive holding – the same exact penalty called a week earlier at Old Forge – moved the ball to the Marauders’ 18-yard-line.

Earlier in the fourth quarter when Steel-High took a 13-7 lead on a Mehki Flowers 87-yard touchdown catch-and-run, the Rollers were called for unsportsmanlike conduct. Rather than try a 35-yard extra point, Steel-High coach Andrew Erby opted not to try and kick the extra point.

Present with the exact same scenario again, coach Erby didn’t hesitate and sent Hernandez onto the field.

“Missing the two-point conversion the first time made my decision a lot easier to go win the game,” coach Erby said. “You know what’s special about Bryan Hernandez is he’s a soccer player who comes in and out. He started a t-shirt business, so he comes when he can but also works to support his family. He’s such a special kid.”

The final 42 seconds after taking the lead was a dicey proposition for the District 3 champions. Bishop Guilfoyle, a team that isn’t built to throw the ball, started at its own 36 with no timeouts remaining. 

For the first time all game the Rollers defense was asleep at the wheel.

Marauders quarterback Konner Kiesewetter hit Haiden Garner over the middle and Garner outran a couple Rollers defenders on the crossing route for a 58-yard strike that took the ball down to the Steel-High 19.

Kiesewetter spiked the ball quickly and Bishop Guilfoyle had a legitimate chance to win a game it led most of the afternoon.

The difference, Hernandez made his kick and Wyandt just misfired left for the second time in the game.

“I thought we’d be able to move the ball. Their defense surprised us a little bit, said Flowers, who finished with 151 total yards and scored both the Rollers’ touchdowns. “Turnovers was our main problem the first half, but our defense stayed grounded and kept us in the game.”

Steel-High scored all 16 of its points in the fourth quarter after falling behind 7-0 on the first offensive snap from scrimmage. Rollers’ running back Odell Greene fumbled on the first snap and BG’s Keegan Myrick scooped it up and raced 33 yards to put the Marauders up 7-0.

It was still 7-0 heading into the fourth quarter.

“We got pumped in the fourth quarter,” Flowers said. “I had so much confidence in Bryan. Everyone was hyped up and nervous on the sideline. I wasn’t worried. I knew he had it.”

ROLLERS 16, MARAUDERS 14

Bishop Guilfoyle  7-0-0-7 — 14

Steel-High                     0-0-0-16 — 16

First quarter

BG-Keegan Myrick 33 fumble return (Deven Wyandt kick), 11:38 

Fourth quarter

SH-Mehki Flowers 4 run (Bryan Hernandez kick), 11:03

SH-Flowers 87 pass from Alex Erby (pass failed), 6:28

BG-Myrick 6 run (Wyandt kick), 3:54

SH-FG Hernandez 34, :42

Team statistics                       BG                SH

First downs                             15                    12

Rush-yards                              44-122           33-177

Passing                                      185                151

Comp-Att-Int                           7-13-0           8-16-2

Fumbles-lost                           2-0                   2-2

Punts-Avg.                               4-27                 2-25

Penalties-yards                       8-45             10-83

Individual statistics

RUSHING: Bishop Guilfoyle, Keegan Myrick 28-117, Konner Kiesewetter 4-(minus-4), Haiden Garner 7-(minus-1), Dylan McNeely 2-5, Zach McCloskey 2-6, Deven Wyandt 1-(minus-1); Steel-High, Odell Greene 25-131, Mehki Flowers 6-29, Damien Hammonds 3-17, Team 1-0. 

PASSING: Bishop Guilfoyle, Kiesewetter 6-11-0—182, Garner 1-2-0—3; Steel-High, Alex Erby 8-16-2—151. 

RECEIVING: Bishop Guilfoyle, Garner 2-86, JT Johnston 1-14, Myrick 2-26, Karson Kiesewetter 1-58, Konner Kiesewetter 1-3; Steel-High, Flowers 6-132, Greene 1-4, Zaheim Lewis 1-15. 

News and Notes: Mid-Penn Commonwealth

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News and Notes: Mid-Penn Commonwealth

By Andy Shay: 

Each week during the 2020 season we’ll offer some news, notes, tidbits and opinions from each of the five divisions in the Mid-Penn Conference.

Cumberland Valley coach shares thoughts on 2020 season:

Getting a chance to chat on the High School Football Now show (Watch now for free exclusively on the Small Player, Big Play app) with Cumberland Valley coach Josh Oswalt was enlightening. First of all, he started a ton of underclassmen in the Eagles’ game against Cedar Cliff on offense. He talked about how the Eagles making the transition to his system in a pandemic world put them miles behind. The truly revealing part was when asked if he was surprised at the way this season played out, he hedged a bit about the competitor in him seeing games that slipped away, but overall his answer was “no” he wasn’t shocked. He’s rebuilding and putting in a whole new philosophy and offense for a tradition-rich program. The Eagles will look different under Coach Oswalt going forward, but you can bet they’ll be back in the big-game hunt sooner than later.

Little Lions close out season on a high note: 

After what State College has been through this season with the pandemic and being certain playing games wasn’t going to happen, seeing the Little Lions beat Hollidaysburg to close out the season in November was a huge plus.

Blanding earns Shay’s nod as Mid-Penn Commonwealth coach of the year: 

My vote for Commonwealth Division Coach of the Year goes to CD East skipper Aaron Blanding. His team struggled all season but found a way to be relevant or have a say in the outcome more weeks than not. And remember that early season schedule when the Panthers were eager to adjust to play anybody on the fly? Win numbers aside, Blanding and his staff kept their troops engaged all season, and that’s a difficult job.

News and Notes: Mid-Penn Keystone

Andy Shay
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By Andy Shay: 

Each week during the 2020 season we’ll offer some news, notes, tidbits and opinions from each of the five divisions in the Mid-Penn Conference.

The battle that didn’t happen: 

The Hershey vs. Bishop McDevitt game never happened in 2020 because of the pandemic. Both squads kept the game alive as long as possible, but in the end the virus called the shot. Hershey, despite the loss to Manheim Central to close out its season, earned this game with the Crusaders. It was going to be a tough road in this matchup for the Trojans, but it would have been nice to see them get the shot they earned. McDevitt was eager to play as well after missing the playoffs with an unbeaten record.

Colts wrap up roller coaster season: 

Cedar Cliff finished 4-4 in an up-and-down year, finishing with a late loss to Cumberland Valley on a pick-6. Hey, the fact Cedar Cliff played eight games in 2020 speaks volumes. Well done.

Chris Pope’s merits for Keystone coach of the year: 

My vote for Keystone Division Coach of the Year goes to Palmyra skipper Chris Pope. His troops started 0-4 with all the protocols and struggles just to reach the turf at The Buck on a Friday night, rallying to finish strong takes some heaving lifting. The Cougars finished 3-5, winning three of their final four games including closing out 2020 with a victory over playoff-qualifier Northern. That’s coaching.

News and Notes: Mid-Penn Capital

Andy Shay
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News and Notes: Mid-Penn Capital

Each week during the 2020 season we’ll offer some news, notes, tidbits and opinions from each of the five divisions in the Mid-Penn Conference.

Gritty Lions wrap up stellar season: 

After getting to see the Camp Hill Lions in person last week, it is clear why Tim Bigelow’s squad won the District 3 Class 2A championship. Sure, Daniel Shuster is a good quarterback, which helps, but the Lions’ toughness and grit stands out on so many levels. They dress like 20-something players a game and almost everyone plays both ways. Hard to believe wideout Cam Ochs is a first-year wide receiver. Watching the Lions battle a bigger, stronger and faster team up-and-down the field on almost equal footing was pure guts.

Freshman QB impresses: 

Talk about the final pass from Rollers QB Alex Erby to star wideout Mehki Flowers all you want — it was impressive. But what grabbed me was down 36-27 with 4:45 to play, Erby, a freshman, guided his team on drives of 63 and 92 yards to win a state playoff game on the road. That is telling to me.

News and Notes: Mid-Penn Colonial

Andy Shay
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News and Notes: Mid-Penn Colonial

By Andy Shay: 

Each week during the 2020 season we’ll offer some news, notes, tidbits and opinions from each of the five divisions in the Mid-Penn Conference.

Colonial Division champion to be crowned: 

We will have a Colonial Division champion in 2020. Mechanicsburg and Northern, a couple of District 3 qualifiers, will square off Thursday night at John H. Frederick Field. The winner will claim the division crown. Congrats to both programs for making the game happen when almost everybody else has closed up shop. Based on recent results, the Wildcats are the favorite. Polar Bears bring a three-game slide to the table.

Turkey Day tussle: 

Speaking of Mechanicsburg, if you remember a time when Cumberland Valley and Mechanicsburg played each and every year this will warm your heart. The Wildcats and Eagles are scheduled to play a Thanksgiving Day game at John H. Frederick Field at 10:00 a.m. High school football on Turkey Day has me all giddy. I hope the game survives COVID-19.

Andy Shay’s Elite 11 Rankings (8th Edition)

Andy Shay
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By Andy Shay: 

Each week, we’re scouring the Mid-Penn, Lancaster-Lebanon, York, and Berks conferences to determine the top 11 teams in the area regardless of classification. Take a look at which teams made the cut in our eighth and final edition of 2020.  Disagree, let us know on Twitter (@4thdownmag) and Facebook.

4th Down Magazine’s Picks and Predictions for the Week of November 19-21

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4th Down Magazine’s Picks and Predictions for the Week of November 19-21

Standings: 

Andy Shay: Last week 11-3; Overall 123-35

Jake Adams: Last week 8-6; Overall 117-41

Geoff Morrow: Last week 12-2; Overall 115-43

Andy Sandrik: Last week 12-2; Overall 114-44

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Regular Season

Northern at Mechanicsburg, 6

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 41, Northern 14: Wildcats are still a hungry team soaking in every chance to play and have a purpose. The Polar Bears are struggling.

Jake Adams: Mechanicsburg 42, Northern 14: This game won’t be as dramatic as it appeared to be at midseason. 

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 33, Northern 10: Rivalry games never go quite according to prediction, but Mechanicsburg has certainly earned the right to be called the favorite over Northern, which is stumbling in on a three-game losing skid. 

Geoff Morrow: Mechanicsburg 32, Northern 20: The Wildcats are clearly in a better position entering this rivalry contest, though I expect the Polar Bears will come out with a fire in their white, furry bellies.

FRIDAY’S GAMES

PIAA Playoffs

Class 4A Semifinal: 4-1 Jersey Shore at 3-1 Lampeter-Strasburg, 7

Andy Shay: Jersey Shore 27, Lampeter-Strasburg 21: The Bulldogs boast a 1,500-yard passer and a 1,000-yard rusher with plenty of options at receivers. Elco slowed the Pioneers offense last week, and that blueprint will be what Jersey Shore works off. Pioneers will have a say in the outcome, though.

Jake Adams: Jersey Shore 35, Lampeter-Strasburg 17: The Bulldogs can run. They can throw. They can get to the quarterback. They can force turnovers. They don’t have many holes. 

Andy Sandrik: Jersey Shore 28, Lampeter-Strasburg 20: Gotta believe Jersey Shore is scouring that Elco film from last week and looking to perfect the blueprint the Raiders used for holding L-S to a season-low 20 points. 

Geoff Morrow: Lampeter-Strasburg 29, Jersey Shore 26: I realize the Bulldogs from District 4 are the No. 1 team in the Class 4A state rankings, and the Pioneers (No. 2) are coming off a lackluster performance. But I choose to believe what happened with Elco last week was a challenge the Pioneers needed to face. Kudos to the Raiders, by the way. L-S, I believe, has what it takes, especially at home.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

PIAA Playoffs

Class 6A Semifinal: 10-1 McDowell vs. 3-1 Central York, at Altoona HS, 1

Andy Shay: Central York 42, McDowell 21: Having Beau Pribula at quarterback always helps, but, in these big games, it takes more to clear the hurdle. McDowell is gonna be rusty after back-to-back COVID-19 forfeits and could be overwhelmed by the pace of the CY offense.

Jake Adams: Central York 45, McDowell 20: Guys. The Panthers might just win the whole enchilada. How many enchiladas are there in York City? I hope it’s a lot. 

Andy Sandrik: Central York 45, McDowell 24: Because 2020 is being 2020, McDowell is one win away from a spot in the state championship game … without having yet played a single postseason snap. If CY can avoid COVID-19 (unlike McDowell’s last two opponents), the Panthers have a really good chance of carrying that York County flag into a PIAA title tilt. 

Geoff Morrow: Central York 38, McDowell 24: If 2020 is the year when big-school York County football emerges from the hinterlands, why not just march right to the finish line? Panthers are obviously a fantastic group, and, yes, the Trojans will likely be affected by the fact they haven’t played a legitimate down of football since before Halloween.

Class 5A Semifinal: 7-1 Pine-Richland vs. 3-1 Governor Mifflin, at Hollidaysburg HS, 1

Andy Shay: Pine-Richland 40, Governor Mifflin 38: This will be all about pass defense vs. run defense. And I’m not sure the defenses will have a whole lot of impact on the outcome. Offense steals the show.

Jake Adams: Pine-Richland 38, Governor Mifflin 21: This could fall on Ayden Martin and Eden Johnson anticipating some routes, jumping them and adding to their four and three interceptions, respectively, if the Mustangs hope to contain the Rams. 

Andy Sandrik: Pine-Richland 28, Governor Mifflin 21: How well can GM defend the pass? We’re going to find out really soon against P-R superstar slinger Cole Spencer, a Penn wrestling commit who has thrown 28 TD passes in nine games this season.

Geoff Morrow: Pine-Richland 43, Governor Mifflin 27: The Rams have been — and obviously still are — a fascinatingly dominant program. The Mustangs, meanwhile, potentially have the best team in rock-solid program history. So this is an outstanding matchup. I just think P-R has a bit more juice, but nothing would surprise me.

Class 3A Semifinal: 4-1 Danville at 3-1 Wyomissing, 1

Andy Shay: Wyomissing 35, Danville 7: They call it the football lean, and this Spartans team is exceptional at using that football lean to suck the life out of an opponent. I’m a big fan of the Wyo defense.

Jake Adams: Wyomissing 41, Danville 28: Wyo has allowed just 32 points all season. So, this score will be a win in its own right for Danville, which has a potent passing game. 

Andy Sandrik: Wyomissing 43, Danville 17: The Spartans have been surgical in the way they’ve handled their postseason competition. Wyomissing is a team you don’t want to pick against right now. 

Geoff Morrow: Wyomissing 48, Danville 14: The Ironmen are stars of one of those feel-good stories, a program uniting a community during difficult times, making dramatic strides on the field and sparking excitement off it. In fact, this is Danville’s best run since 2012 — when the Ironmen ran into Wyomissing and lost 52-0 in the state playoffs. Even happy stories end.

Class 1A Semifinal: 6-1 Bishop Guilfoyle at 3-1 Steel-High, 1

Andy Shay: Bishop Guilfoyle 30, Steel-High 28: In back-to-back playoff games, the Rollers needed a big lead and a final-play minor miracle to pull out shootout victories. They can’t keep winning like that. BG is a physical challenge, and, in order to pull the upset, the Rollers have to match them in the trenches. If that happens, the Rollers pull away.

Jake Adams: Steel-High 41, Bishop Guilfoyle 35: What’s it gonna be this time? A blocked punt return TD in the last 30 seconds to win it? Sure, why not?

Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 33, Bishop Guilfoyle 22: The Marauders, led by QB Konner Kiesewetter, have the weapons to turn this game into a touchdown-a-minute affair. That style of game seems to suit the Rollers just fine. 

Geoff Morrow: Steel-High 44, Bishop Guilfoyle 28: I’ve seen both of these programs in playoff games over the years. Picking against the Marauders feels weird because the kids in this program are always tough and know how to win. But if the previous two weeks taught us anything, it’s that the Rollers have something special brewing. Questions include IF the Rollers can put four solid quarters together and IF they can manage to not give head coach Andrew Erby heart palpitations every stinkin’ minute of the contest.

Regular Season

Newport at West Perry, 7

Andy Shay: West Perry 32, Newport 15: Each team is in peak form this season, and this matchup comes at a good time for both clubs. Mustangs have been pushed harder to get where they are in terms of competition, and that will be a key factor.

Jake Adams: West Perry 29, Newport 14: A sluggish start has given way to a nice couple of wins in recent weeks. These Mustangs … are a pain in the rear. It’s a good group Bob Boden continues to coach up. 

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 30, Newport 12: An old rivalry will resume Friday, and if the Mustangs can maintain the strides they’ve made, they’ll complete their season as Perry County’s best team. 

Geoff Morrow: West Perry 32, Newport 21: Buffaloes have put up a ton of points (as the Buffaloes tend to do) in two recent wins. But I like where the Mustangs are. Not geographically, though. Going to Elliottsburg sometimes feels like going to Neptune with endless hills and winding roads. Wait. Why do I think Neptune has hills and winding roads? I’ll shut up now.

4th Down Magazine’s Player of the Week: Palmyra’s Nick Wallaesa

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4th Down Magazine’s Player of the Week: Palmyra’s Nick Wallaesa

By 4th Down Staff: 

Winners of three of the last four, Palmyra has been on a roll lately. 

Perhaps it should be four of the last five after Nick Wallaesa was named the 4th Down Player of the Week. 

Wallaesa rumbled for 66 rushing yards, including a 20-yard TD. But he also connected on a gadget play, hooking up with Gage Miller for an 87-yard TD right after his scoring run. 

The senior has rushed for 458 yards on 82 carries and has totaled four rushing touchdowns this season for the 3-5 Cougars. 

His performance attracted plenty of fan support as he beat out State College RB Nehemiah Howell in a high-vote shootout, 1,492 to 1,215. Wallaesa picked up 37.8% of the 3,947 votes cast compared to Howell’s 30.8%. In third was Newport RB-LB Thomas Pyle with 346 votes (8.8%).

News and Notes: Mid-Penn Liberty

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News and Notes: Mid-Penn Liberty

By Michael Bullock: 

Newport hoping to play one more game

Piling up nearly 500 offensive yards in a 49-36 conquest of Halifax — its second victory and second straight impressive outing for its attack — Newport is hoping to conclude its campaign by turning back Perry County rival West Perry Saturday night in Elliottsburg. The game was pushed back one night due to a COVID-19 flare-up that cost the host Mustangs last weekend’s tussle with Trinity. Andrew Bates had a huge night for Todd Rothermel’s Buffaloes (4-2), rushing for a quarterback-record 210 yards and three touchdowns while adding 112 yards and another score through the air. Senior running back Thomas Pyle neatly complemented his junior teammate by piling up 161 rushing yards and three scores as the ‘Port led throughout. Pyle’s rushing output was just one yard fewer than the career-high 162 yards he posted the previous Monday in a 42-28 triumph over Upper Dauphin.

Line Mountain’s finale highlighted by one-two punch

Taking advantage of every yard piled up and every touchdown scored, the senior tandem of Garret Laudenslager and Jacob Feese closed out their Line Mountain grid careers by combining for 448 rushing yards and five touchdowns in a 42-34 victory over Mifflinburg. Laudenslager collected 232 yards and scored on runs covering 56, 29 and 80 yards, while Feese totaled 216 yards and authored touchdown runs of 29 and 78 yards for an Eagles team that trailed 14-13 at the break. Laudenslager’s rushing output gave him 1,154 yards and 14 touchdowns, while Feese cracked 1K (1,053) for the second straight season while totaling 17 scores. Feese also fired a 12-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Smeltz that helped the Mountain end a two-game slide. Laudenslager also paced the Eagles with 11 tackles, one more than Dominick Bridi. Bridi paced Brandon Carson’s club from his defensive end spot, racking up 66 stops, 11.5 for losses and a handful of quarterback sacks.

News and Notes: Schuylkill League

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News and Notes: Schuylkill League

By Michael Bullock: 

Pine Grove trio bounces off with record haul

While Pine Grove closed out its 10-game schedule last weekend with a 25-0 conquest of Columbia, the Cardinals dispatched a trio of seniors to the next level or elsewhere, their arms stuffed with an assortment of school records. We’ll start with wide receiver/defensive back Shea Morgan, who owns career (117), single-season (64) and single-game (10) marks for receptions. The explosive Morgan also set a single-season record for receiving yardage (1,019). QB/DB Josh Leininger claimed single-season records for passing yards (1,470), completions (93) and pass attempts (188), as well as single-game marks for completions (16) and passing yardage (264). And despite missing two games, Leininger’s passing yardage was part of Pine Grove’s single-season total (1,612). LB/RB Brody Robinson left his imprint on the Pine Grove history books by establishing a single-game mark with 26 tackles and a single-season record with 144 stops. Well done, guys. As for the season finale, Leininger rushed for 119 yards and one score, while Robinson added 67 ground yards and two touchdowns for Frank Gaffney’s club (4-6). Leininger (11-22-1) also passed for 146 yards, while Robinson’s 10 tackles paced the Cardinals. Morgan also made his presence felt, catching nine Leininger passes for 96 yards and rushing once for 10 yards. He also swiped a pair of Columbia pass attempts.

Williams Valley-Tri-Valley put on hold

Striking just days before they were scheduled to play the District 11 Class 1A championship game, a COVID-19 flare-up put the backyard scrap between Williams Valley (8-1) and Tri-Valley (5-1) on hold. As a result, these feisty rivals will try to play Nov. 27 at North Schuylkill High School. A noon kick is planned. While Williams Valley thrilled the U.S. 209 corridor by rallying for a 35-28 triumph in the regular-season meeting — the Vikings trailed 21-7 at the break — Tim Savage’s club downed Tri-Valley in last year’s 11-A final. Williams Valley is carrying a seven-game winning streak, a 27-22 win over Mahanoy Area stretching that run and propelling the Vikings into yet another 11-A championship. Tri-Valley has been the adversary in the last three 11-A title games, claiming District gold in 2018. Jeff Sampson’s Bulldogs fired up the Hegins-Valley View Metroplex by downing Nativity 28-14 in the 11-A semifinals at home.

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