BG runs for 332 yards and 5 TDs to hand Eagles second straight loss
There are plenty of ways to describe the running attack presented by Bishop Guilfoyle on a weekly basis.
The simplest way might be effective, but more accurately it’s relentless. The Marauders are going to run the ball, it’s going to wear you down, and it’s not going to stop.
Tyrone got a taste of it last night in a 44-14 loss to Guilfoyle at Gray-Veterans Memorial Field, when the Marauders ran the ball 44 times out of 54 offensive plays. The result was 332 yards on the ground, five rushing touchdowns, and two backs over 100 yards.
Quarterback Justin Wheeler had 101 yards and scored three times on 18 carries while athlete Even Schimminger, in an expanded role with starting running back Keegan Hewitt sidelined for most of the game, carried 14 times for 116 yards.
Those two had 11 of the 16 rushing plays that went for 11 yards or more against a Tyrone defense that has been generally stout against the run, but Guilfoyle’s relentlessness with its rushing attack begins with its guys on the line. and they had their way with the Golden Eagles’ defensive front.
“Our strength, we knew, was going to be our offensive line,” said BG coach Justin Wheeler. “We have a great group of guys there, and they’re strong. Four of six of those guys are benching over 300 pounds. So they’ve got size and strength, and they have been dominant every game.”
Jones recognized the same thing. While the game plan for BG may have been schemed on Sunday and executed on Friday, the foundation was laid months ago when its line was hitting the weights.
“Our defensive line has been one of our strengths, and we got pushed around a little bit tonight,” said Tyrone coach Jason Jones. “It’s the culture in the offseason we’re going to need to build with lifting and where we want to go with that to get our guys stronger. You’ve seen the last two weeks, we’re not at that level now.”
Tyrone fell to 3-3 and 0-3 in the Laurel Highlands East Section 1. Guilfoyle, meanwhile, won its fourth straight to improve to 5-1 and 2-0 in the section.
It was the most points Tyrone’s defense has given up this season and the second straight week the Eagles found themselves on the short end of a lopsided score, but as was the case in the loss the Bellwood-Antis last Friday, Tyrone’s offense took big steps forward, generating its some of its best single game numbers of the season.
Quarterback Ben Walk had a career game, completing 16 of 28 passes for 248 yards and a touchdown, and as usual Mason Emigh was at the center of the action. He had 3 catches for 137 yards and both scores, but what made Tyrone’s passing game so successful was Walk’s ability to spread the ball around to other receivers. He completed passes to six different receivers and had five completions that went for 14 yards or better. Senior Jesse Parks had his best game with 5 grabs for 49 yards.
However, as happened against the Blue Devils, a slow start had the Golden Eagles fighting from behind the entire night. On BG’s first series, three different backs combined on five runs of 11 or more yards, including two by Wheeler, who finished the drive with an 11-yard scoring run. Carter Boland kicked the first of five PATs to make it 7-0 early on.
After the Eagles first series netted just 2 yards, the Marauders took possession at their own 35 and moved 65 yards on nine plays, eight of which were runs. But the big play on the march came through the air when Landon Shellenberger completed a 30-yard pass to Shimminger on second-and-13 to get the ball to Tyrone’s 38. Later, Wheeler got free on a 15-yard run and eventually capped the advance with a 3-yard dash to make it 14-0 with 2:55 left in the first.
Tyrone’s offense began to get moving on its next possession, which went from the 20 to BG’s 29, thanks mostly to a 39-yard pitch-and-catch to Colton Frye, but after the drive stalled the Marauders went back to their running game to go 71 yards on 7 plays for another touchdown. The lone pass completion on the march was a 10-yard hookup from Wheeler to Monroe Gates. Wheeler ran for 13 yards, Schimminger broke loose for 22, and in the end Guilfoyle went back to its quarterback, who ran it in from the 16 to make it 21-0.
Tyrone answered back with a big play of its own, this one a 78-yard touchdown pass from Walk to Emigh on third-and-8 to get the Golden Eagles on the board with 5:45 until halftime and narrow the lead to 14 points.
When BG got the ball back, the Marauders got stuck behind the chains following a holding penalty and a tackle for loss by Connor Zupon and were bottled up at their own 25. It was the first time the Golden Eagles had forced a punt, but Boland, who uses the rugby-style roll out for punts, saw an opening on the edge and ran for 20 yards to convert on fourth-and-long.
“We knew they always have a trick or two up their sleeve, and they brought it out and used it, and they got us,” said Jones. “I’m going to give them credit. It was them. They called a good play.”
On the next play, Wheeler found Schimminger alone behind the defense on this 55-yard bomb to send Tyrone into the locker room down 28-7.
Coach Wheeler admitted afterwards that the fake punt was strictly a read made by Boland, but nevertheless it was a huge play that quelled Tyrone’s momentum at a crucial juncture.
“I told him that every media person who asked me, I was going to tell them I called it,” Coach Wheeler joked. “But absolutely not. It’s all on him. He’s a senior kicker who is one of the best in the state. We trust him. He’s done that in multiple games for us. He will punt it to a corner. He’ll run if he can. He’s just an incredible athlete, so we give him a lot of range.”
The Eagles remained engaged to start the third, and pieced together a 10-play drive that moved into BG territory before being derailed by a couple penalties. Then, after Guilfoyle had advanced to the Eagles’ 28, Zupon came free off the edge on a blitz and blindsided Wheeler for a sack and fumble. Zupon also corralled the loose ball to give Tyrone possession.
Four plays after the takeaway, Walk went back to Emigh, who weaved through the secondary on a 53-yard scoring play to make it 28-7 with 3:04 left in the third.
BG came back with more big plays, most of them on the ground. Wheeler ran for 14, after which Schimminger went for 17, and on third-and-17 Connor Okonak pulled in a 14-yard pass to set up a 36-yard field goal by Boland that made it 31-14 heading into the fourth quarter.
There, the Marauders got two more rushing touchdowns. Hewitt, who played only two series while nursing an injury Coach Wheeler said wouldn’t affect his status for next week, had the first on a 1-yard run to cap a 62-yard drive highlighted by a 35-yard run from Gates. Later, Okonak scored on a 1-yard run with 3:44 to play.
“Keegan’s a little banged up. We knew coming in it would be a physical game, so we wanted to have other backs ready,” Coach Wheeler said. “We have eight different packages that put different guys in different positions, and tonight we went with packages that had both Schimminger playing tailback and Okonak playing tailback. In a long season, there’s going to be moments when things happen, and we want to be prepared.”
The Marauders finished the night with 494 yards in total offense, led by Schimminger, who had 236 total yards. Tyrone netted 339, its best since piling up 354 against Westmont Hilltop in Week 2.
“We’re getting better,” said Jones. “We’re slowly getting to where we want to go. It’s not there yet. I’ll be honest, it was 28-14 and we’re right there with them, and our guys are believing. We just needed another stop and score. I’m happy with the way we battled. We just have to turn it around next week.”
Tyrone will now travel to Huntingdon in a game that will be crucial for the Eagles’ playoff hopes. The Bearcats are 2-4 after falling to Central last night 29-27.
BG, meanwhile, will host Bellwood-Antis at Mansion Park on Saturday in a game that will pit the two best rushing offenses in Blair County. Both teams are 4-1 following B-A’s 33-0 dismantling of Philipsburg-Osceola last night.
NOTES: Wheeler completed all 8 of his passes for 117 yards. He and Shellenberger combined to go 10-for-10 … Reid Star had 52 yards on 10 carries … BG has now scored over 40 in four of its six games … Maddie Harper was crowned Homecoming queen prior to the game.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Bishop Guilfoyle Academy 14 14 3 13 – 44
Tyrone 0 7 7 0 – 14
First Quarter
B – Wheeler 11 run (Boland kick) 8:45
B – Wheeler 3 run (Boland kick) 2:55
Second Quarter
B – Wheeler 16 run (Boland kick) 6:51
T – Emigh 78 pass from Walk (Novak kick) 5:45
B – Schimminger 55 pass from Wheeler (Boland kick) 2:49
Third Quarter
T – Emigh 53 pass from Walk (Novak kick) 3:04
B – Boland 36 field goal 32.2
Fourth Quarter
B – Hewitt 1 run (PAT kick blocked) 8:45
B – Okonak 1 run (Boland kick) 3:44
TEAM STATISTICS B T
First downs 25 10
Total yards 494 339
Rushes-yards 44-332 20-79
Yards passing 162 260
Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 10-10-0 18-31-0
Punts-avg. 0-0 4-35.5
Fumbles-lost 4-2 0-0
Penalties-yards 4-45 5-38
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Tyrone Starr 10-52, Walk 3-4, Kustenbauder 2-6, Frye 2-3, Emigh 1-1, Gummo 2-13. BISHOP GUILFOYLE – Wheeler 18-101, Schimminger 14-116, Hewitt 4-37, Gates 1-35, Boland 1-20, Okonak 4-25, Shellenberger 1-(-1), Team 1-(-1).
PASSING—Tyrone Walk 16-28-248, 2 TDs, 0 Ints.; Gummo 2-3-12. BISHOP GUILFOYLE – Wheeler 8-8-117, 1 TD, 0 Ints.; Shellenberger 2-2-45.
RECEIVING—Tyrone Emigh 3-137, Frye 3-46, Parks 5-49, Stroup 3-12, Robinson 1-1, Gwinn 1-3, Naylor 1-2, Harper 1-10. BISHOP GUILFOYLE – Schimminger 4-120, Okonak 1-25, Gates 3-15, Taddei 2-13.
