Eagles looks to set tone against growing Huntingdon program
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Last season's home opener against Huntingdon foreshadowed Bald Eagle football's 2025 ups and downs. It foreshadowed the offensive issues that would plague the Eagles through the first half of the season, as it struggled to capitalize and scored six points. And it also foreshadowed its strengths on defense and special teams.
This year, the Eagles are hoping for a bit more balance in what should be a tough opening rematch against a growing program. They're also hoping to take home a victory to set the tone more effectively than last season, where they eventually started 1-3.
"Huntingdon's a great opponent. They'll be in contention for a District 6 Class AAA title this year," said Bald Eagle football head coach Jesse Nagle on the Bearcats. "They return a bunch, they're a very good football team and they're very well coached."
"The first two weeks are going to tell us a lot about our kids and a lot about where we are at," he added, referencing a two-week stretch featuring Huntingdon and Penn Cambria.
After a rough three-year stretch that featured two winless seasons and a 19-game losing streak, Huntingdon turned things around in a big way in 2025. It opened the season with a 14-6 win over the Eagles and went on to finish 8-4, winning its first playoff game since 2017 and making it to the District 6 Class AAA final.
It will be key contributors that made last year's team special, including its top three rushers, second leading receiver, and five of its top seven tacklers. Landon Erdman was a two-way force that surpassed 1,100 rushing yards and compiled 18 tackles for loss. And Evan Edmiston had 104 tackles while forming a tough two-man punch with Erdman.
However, it certainly doesn't lack returning talent, especially when it comes to the pass game and on the defensive end.
Huntingdon returns two of its three leading receivers from last season and senior starting quarterback Reese Hughes. And defensively, it's led by two all-state defensive backs in Kobe Carthen and Javaughn Dodson, who combined for six interceptions and 15 pass deflections last season. Coupled with a strong linebacking core led by Cole Lane and Gavin Norris, it could certainly be a challenge to score on the Bearcats.
With key skill positions featuring new starters on both sides, there's a lot of mystery surrounding both teams' offensive game plans for Week One. Expect the Eagles to operate with a more run-heavy approach as first-year starting quarterback Chase Cane figures things out. And keep an eye on how BEA's seasoned line affects things on both ends.