Bellefonte begins two-game road stint to Bishop Guilfoyle
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ALTOONA - Fresh off a promising bounce-back win over Forest Hills, Bellefonte football's tough opening slate continues on Saturday. The Red Raiders begin a two-game road stint against a Bishop Guilfoyle team that has made back-to-back state championships at the Class A level, a team that has beaten Bellefonte in each of the last three seasons.
In a rematch of last year's 7-0 defensive slugfest, the Red Raiders will be looking to replicate that defensive success while better establishing their offense. They appear well equipped to do that behind the growth the unit has displayed since then. But injuries may hamper their efforts there.
Offensively, the team's well-established run game is expected to be its driving force on Saturday. The unit turned 47 carries into 331 rushing yards and three touchdowns in Week Two's 28-21 win over Forest Hills, averaging over seven yards per gain and giving the Rangers constant headaches through the first half.
Sophomore running back Bentlee Hall produced the first 100-yard outing of his young career, leading the team with 111 rushing yards and averaging 8.5 yards per rush. He has over 180 yards through two games as the team's lead back and is far from their only option.
Fellow sophomore Alten Howell turned 18 rushes into 88 yards and three first-half touchdowns. He also went 5-for-5 through the air for 48 yards. Howell and senior Quinn Park form a solid one-two punch at quarterback, and Parker Jodon and Ashten Howell have been factors in both the run and pass, giving the unit plenty of additional versatility coupled with a praised offensive line.
Defensively, the team saw injuries diminish a stout effort, as Forest Hills found its footing in the second half after being shut out through much of the first. Nonetheless, they've given up 17.5 points per game and could prove impactful if healthy.
For Bishop Guilfoyle, the team is led by dual-threat quarterback Justin Wheeler. Through two games, the junior has amassed nearly 400 yards of total offense, completing nearly 70 percent of his passes while averaging over seven yards per carry and two rushing touchdowns per game.
Other offensive standouts include Keegan Hewitt, who rushed for over 120 yards and three touchdowns against Penns Valley two weekends ago. Three separate pass catchers - Evan Schimminger, Connor Okonak and Jack Gioiosa - have logged five or more receptions, and Schimminger has a touchdown on the ground.
Defensively, the Marauders haven't given up the same average of points as Bellefonte and come off a performance where they held a prolific Richland offense to 21 on the road. That unit is led by defensive lineman Rocco Cacciota, who is coming off a 100-tackle junior campaign and heads into Saturday with two sacks.
Each team carries additional motivation into the game, with Bishop Guilfoyle looking to bounce back from last Friday's 21-16 loss at Richland and Bellefonte shooting to avenge prior losses and start 2-1. Saturday's game is set for 7 p.m. at Mansion Park.