At 1-2 heading into Friday, the Bellefonte football team holds a record under .500 for the first time since 2023. But that doesn’t mean it has much reason to be disappointed coming off its Week 3 loss.

Despite being shutout, the Red Raiders put together a defensive masterclass against Bishop Guilfoyle (2-1), holding the Marauders to their lowest point total since 2023 in what ended up being a 7-0 loss. Not only did Bishop Guilfoyle score 41 points on Bellefonte last season, but it also went on to win a state championship at the Class A level. And it carried over some key pieces from that team.

Defense wins championships, and Bellefonte’s bend-but-don’t-break attitude through Week 3’s outing is worth keeping an eye on as it heads into future matchups. On Friday, the first test there comes against a young Clearfield team, a tough opponent but one it held its own against in 2024.

The biggest question heading into Friday is fairly obvious, a question of whether the Red Raiders can put points on the board. Through their last three games, they managed to score more points (14) in the last two minutes against Tyrone than they have in the remaining 142 (7), which is certainly concerning.

In each of his first three games under center, sophomore quarterback Brennan Huntsinger has completed over 50-percent of his passes, but turning those into yards has been a different story. Coupled with a run game that’s averaged under 2.5 yards per carry in its last two games, Bellefonte is still searching for answers offensively.

Look for junior Ashten Howell to potentially open things up for the Red Raiders there, who’s primed for a big game after a breakout sophomore season. Freshman Parker Jodon may be a name to watch out for as well, producing a 60-yard reception against the Marauders, by far the team’s biggest play.

Defensively, the primary task will be shutting down the run. Over 75 percent of Clearfield’s offensive production has come on the ground, with senior running back Colton Ryan being the by-and-large standout with almost 400 yards and quarterback Xavier Curry adding 140. Both have averaged over 6.5 yards per carry to start the season.

With a two-game skid now overshadowing its exciting Week One win, each game garners added importance as Bellefonte works to get back on track. Vying to compete for a District 6 Class 4A title, another setback would put it in a rough spot with tough matchups still to go.