Tyrone (3-1) at Bellwood-Antis (3-1)
Memorial Stadium
Friday, September 25, 2026
Last Time Out: TYRONE – earned a win it had to have against Bald Eagle Area, defeating BEA 15-6 at Gray-Veterans Memorial Field. The Golden Eagles exploded for 15 points in a span of three minutes in the fourth quarter to break open a 0-0 tie. Ben Walk connected twice with Mason Emigh for long touchdown passes of 81 and 54 yards, bookending a sack in the endzone by Dylan Robinson that resulted in a safety. Tyrone’s defense sacked BEA quarterback Chase Cane four times and recorded 12 stops behind the line of scrimmage. BELLWOOD-ANTIS – suffered its first loss of the season, falling 28-26 to Central at Roaring Spring Athletic Field. B-A turned the ball over on its first three possessions, including a pair of pick-sixes that put them down two scores early. Bradyn Partner ran for 124 yards and a touchdown and Alex McCartney added 131 yards and another score, to get the Devils close, but two failed conversions ultimately were the difference.
Series: While the series between Tyrone and Bellwood-Antis had bizarre beginning unmatched by any of the other regional rivalries, the long-time foes were never truly rivals until they had been playing for almost 10 years.
In 1897, in a game between amateur teams from Tyrone and Bellwood played in Bellwood, Tyrone resident Benjamin Rich was killed after being trampled in a scrum, and the sport of football was banned for Tyrone High School students for the next 24 years.
Tyrone was finally allowed to form a high school squad in 1921, but the teams would not meet again on the gridiron until 1934, a game the Orange and Black won 12-0. The Eagles would take two more from Bellwood before the school consolidated with Antis Township High in 1939.
By then, Tyrone was at the peak of its early 20th century success, and it won eight more before B-A broke through with a victory in 1946.
It was then that the game truly grew into a rivalry because a) B-A had finally won one and b) Huntingdon, Tyrone’s first true rival, dropped off the schedule after officials from Tyrone began crying foul over the Bearcats’ rough play.
Since then, the series evolved from rivalry, to true dislike, to the spirited, but friendly, rivalry it is today.
Neither team has ever matched the 10 straight wins Tyrone managed at the start of the series, but each has had their share of success. B-A’s best streak came from 1987 through 1994 when the Devils took eight in a row, while the Golden Eagles went without a loss over eight games from 1955 through 1964, with one game – 1959 – ending in a 0-0 tie. Tyrone won six straight from 2003 through 2008.
The teams have faced each other once in the postseason, an epic matchup in the District 6 2A finals in 2000. After the Blue Devils had dominated Tyrone 19-0 in the season opener in the Eagles first game after capturing the 1999 PIAA championship, Tyrone rebounded to win 11 straight games, including a 24-3 victory in the title game.
Including games against Bellwood High, Tyrone leads the overall series with 54 wins and 32 losses. Only the game in ’59 ended in a tie.
Coaches: TYRONE – Jason Jones (3-1, 1st season); BELLWOOD-ANTIS- Nick Lovrich (64-29, 9th season)
Last Meeting: Tyrone turned the ball over four times, with three leading directly to scores, and was pulverized for 253 rushing yards in a 26-7 loss to B-A at Gray-Veterans Memorial Field on Friday, September 19, 2025.
After the Golden Eagles fumbled the opening kickoff, Alex McCartney scored on a 3-yard run, and soon after Chase Plummer made it 14-0 with a 28-yard pick-6.
McCartney added two more touchdowns in the second half on runs of 12 and 16 yards, and finished with 150 yards on 21 carries. Plummer added 74 yards on 9 carries.
The Golden Eagles ran for only 54 yards and got their only score on a 68-yard completion to Brayden Parsons in the third quarter.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: TYRONE – Caleb Whitby (RB-DB) 47 carries for 208 yards, 1 TD, 2 Ints. … Ben Walk, (QB) 30-for-66 for 416 yards, 6 TDs … Mason Emigh (WR-DB) 15 receptions for 314 yards, 6 total TDs … Carter Gwinn, (WR-DB) 6 receptions for 48 yards … Jon Stroup (WR-DB) 8 receptions for 62 yards, 13 tackles … Kyler Suhoney (OL-DE) 38 tackles, 8 TFL, 2 sacks … Dylan Robinson (RB-LB) 22 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks … Connor Zupon (QB-LB) 27 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 Sack … Reid Starr (RB-LB) 47 carries for 189 yards, 2 TDs, 19 tackles. BELLWOOD-ANTIS – Alex McCartney (RB-LB) 78 carries for 529 yards, 7 TDs, 5 TFL … Chase Plummer (RB-LB) 28 carries for 148 yards, 3 TDs … Bradyn Partner (QB-RB-SB) 31 carries for 286 yards, 1 TD, 71 passing yards, 1 TD, 7 receptions for 138 yards, 2 TDs … Ethan Shawley (WR-DE) 7 receptions for 131 yards, 1 TD, 4 TFL, 2 sacks … Jeffrey Waite (WR-DB) 7 receptions for 75 yards, 1 TD … Curtis Shedlock (WR-DB) 24 tackles, 3 ints.
TYRONE – went without a takeaway for the first time last week against BEA … has recorded 29 TFL … is allowing just over 100 yards rushing per game … has two punters (Caleb Whitby and Tytus Novak) averaging more than 40 yards per kick.
BELLWOOD-ANTIS – is 5-3 against Tyrone under Coach Nick Lovrich … has four backs averaging more than 5 yards per carry … is averaging 256 rushing yards per game … kicker Miles Smearman has recorded 4 touchbacks this season.
Hidden Stat: KR JD Dorminy is averaging 22.7 yards per kick return and 30.5 yards per punt return for the Devils.
