But that didn’t matter. There were still 40 minutes.

Even as the time it trailed grew from ten minutes to 20, then to 30, that mentality remained. And ultimately, it would pay off at the perfect time.

With just over ten minutes to go in regulation, Stabinger found a gap in the Eagles’ wall of defense, jetting towards the opening and capitalized once senior midfielder John Servant got him the ball with a shot to the left side of the net. Six minutes later, the pair connected for the go-ahead goal to grant the Red Raiders the 2-1 win in the rivalry bout.

“At halftime, our coaches turned us up. They were just like, ‘Let’s go after it and let’s get the win,'” said Stabinger. “It’s a rivalry game under the lights. Why not try to win this? It’s only 1-0.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte's John Servant (6) dribbles the ball while Bald Eagle Area's Blake Wagner (9) defends him during a boys soccer game on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, at Rogers Stadium. The Red Raiders won 2-1.

“The biggest thing that we found out was the kind of character this team has,” said Bellefonte head coach Scott Martz on the win. “We underwent some adversity, and I think this game here is going to show us where we can go and what we can be.”

In terms of rivalry games, Thursday’s battle at Rogers Stadium on Thursday night was about as intense as they come, especially through its last 20 minutes. Each team brought their A-game, and the result was a nailbiter that truly came down to its final moments.

Following Stabinger’s first of two goals, it was giving hints of repeating last year’s outcome, which saw the squads tie in a similarly hard-fought bout. It had taken 13 shots on goal for Bellefonte to break through Bald Eagle Area’s barrier.

But after seeing just one go through, it’d take just two more for the Red Raiders to strike again. Servant got the ball to Stabinger at the box, Stabinger turned, assessed and fired towards the bottom-left corner of the net, scraping it past BEA goalkeeper Henry Bacon’s dive to give the team its first and final lead of the game.

“I saw there weren’t too many people on me, so why not try to shoot at the bottom corner?” said Stabinger on the moment.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bald Eagle Area's Easton Grimes (11) dribbles the ball downfield as Bellefonte's Ian Orr (11) tracks him down during a boys soccer game on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, at Rogers Stadium. The Red Raiders won 2-1.

“It feels good, that’s the whole goal, but I don’t want all the glory for myself. It’s not just me, and I think it means a lot bringing this home because we tied last year. I wanted to win this time at our home field.”

That want was displayed across the board, on both sides of the field. While Bellefonte dominated the first ten minutes in terms of opportunities and shots on goal, it was Bacon and BEA’s back line that were the stars of the show throughout that span.

Through the first half, Bacon logged ten of his 14 saves while the Eagle defenders came up with multiple clutch clear outs in crucial moments. Though it ultimately broke down late, those efforts drew praise from both sides.

“They just weren’t giving us good shots at all,” said Martz. “They were doing a good job not letting us inside the 18. The little bit of adjustment we made when we put John (Servant) up with Conelle, I think that helped.”

“We withstood the first half. Second half, they just kept driving and driving and eventually, if you keep them on your defensive end, you’re in trouble,” said BEA head coach Scott Bair on the effort. “(Bacon), up until that last, played lights out. He was outstanding.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte's Gage Rankin (9) collides with Bald Eagle Area goalkeeper Henry Bacon during a boys soccer game on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, at Rogers Stadium. The Red Raiders won 2-1.

With that effort, it was able to keep the game knotted up through the first 30 minutes despite trailing in shots by double figures. And when an opportunity did present itself, the Eagles made the most of it, in highlight-reel fashion no less.

Past the ten-minute mark, Kayson Tice lined up for a free kick from the left hash on the 45-yard line and kicked it all the way to the box, right in position for Connor Maney to make something happen. With a heel flick – a move where a soccer player uses the back of their heel to hit the ball upward, he was able to do just that, getting the ball over and to the right of Bellefonte goalkeeper Elijah Davis’s outstretched hands for the lead-earning goal.

“When he came up to me, I just said, ‘Nah-nah-nah, nah-nah-nah,'” laughed Bair, referring to the SportsCenter theme. “That was highlight-reel, it was an awesome shot.”

For Bald Eagle Area (5-2-1), the final outcome was disappointing, as it fell ten minutes short of ending Bellefonte’s streak in the matchup that dates back to 2019. But in terms of overall performance, Bair was more than proud of the guys and looks forward to what lies ahead for the team.

“Our guys fought hard. There’s a lot of good things to take away from tonight,” said Bair on the performance. “We want to learn from it, and we want to continue to get better. And we have a lot more games to go.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bald Eagle Area's Connor Maney (10) performs a heel kick on an eventual goal during a boys soccer game against Bellefonte on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, at Rogers Stadium. The Eagles fell 2-1.

For Bellefonte (7-1), its quest to build off last year’s District 4 Class AAA continues it hot start, with the Red Raiders having won four straight since suffering their first loss of the season at Bedford. Confidence remains high for the team it looks to build off the win.

“I think we have the potential to go back-to-back at districts, but we’re just going to have to keep working at practice, keep working hard every day,” said Stabinger. “And when we get down, we’ve just got to keep pushing through and keep striving to win.”

“A game like this is going to propel us to the next level,” said Martz. “It just gives the guys confidence.”

Bellefonte 2, Bald Eagle Area 1

BEA – Connor Maney (Kayson Tice), 30:32. BEL – Conelle Stabinger (John Servant), 69:25. BEL – Stabinger (Servant), 76:08.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bald Eagle Area celebrates a goal during a boys soccer game against Bellefonte on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, at Rogers Stadium. The Eagles fell 2-1.

Shots: BEA 11, BEL 31. Shots on goal: BEA 6, BEL 18. Corners: BEA 2, BEL 5. Saves: BEA 14 (Henry Bacon); BEL 4 (Elijah Davis).

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte's Austin Larson (27) and Bald Eagle Area's Connor Maney (10) prepare to chase the ball during a boys soccer game on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, at Rogers Stadium. The Red Raiders won 2-1.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte's Desmond Grindley works to control the ball during a boys soccer game against Bald Eagle Area on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, at Rogers Stadium. The Red Raiders won 2-1.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bald Eagle Area goalkeeper Henry Bacon (29) waits for action to resume during a boys soccer game against Bellefonte on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, at Rogers Stadium. The Eagles fell 2-1.