Oct 17, 2025
Ryan
Bishop Guilfoyle Academy and Clearfield both went undefeated in the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference’s East Section last season, but the Marauders advanced to the championship game on a tie-breaker.
This season, they have a chance to play it out on the field, though that field was changed to Hollidaysburg’s Tiger Stadium on Monday for a Friday 7 p.m. kickoff.
BG is 7-1 with its only loss to Richland, and the Bison are 6-2 with losses to Bellwood-Antis and Huntingdon. The Marauders are coming off a statement win over Class 3A Forest Hills.
“I thought Forest Hills was a playoff-game type atmosphere, and I think we’re going to have the same type of atmosphere,” Bishop Guilfoyle coach Justin Wheeler said. “Clearfield is going to travel well. Everyone hoped we could have met up last year, so I think it brings a little extra to the end-of-year games.”
Clearfield doesn’t have the same team as it had last year with all-everything Brady Collins, but Colton Ryan has done a respectable job filling his shoes with 986 yards and 13 touchdowns on 150 carries.
“I think Colton Ryan has done a fantastic job at running back,” Clearfield coach Myles Caragein said. “We had Brady and Carter Freeland last year, who were our two main sources of offense. This year, Colton has stepped up. Cooper Broad has done a great job at wide receiver and Xavier Curry has done a great job at quarterback. Those three among other players have helped us spread the ball around and become a balanced team.”
Curry has passed for 983 yards and nine touchdowns, and Broad has caught 21 passes for 464 yards and five of those scores.
“They are a great program — a 3A school with a lot of wins and a lot of history. With that brings confidence,” Wheeler said. “They are definitely big up front and athletic at the quarterback and running back position. They are a heavy run team, but that is going to be a challenge with the size of the guys they have carrying the ball.”
Caragein said his team will be focused on BG’s Jake Kissell, who has rushed for 970 yards and 17 touchdowns on 140 carries.
“They are just a good team that can spread the ball around,” Caragein said. “They have a solid run game that we have to be prepared for.”
Kissell has proven to be a passing threat from the quarterback position the last few weeks.
“With Jake early in the season, we were just giving him the ball,” Wheeler said. “He wasn’t throwing the ball with Justin (Wheeler) doing most of that. The last couple weeks, teams started to play us in cover zero and get more guys in the box to contain Jake, and he’s shown the last couple weeks that he’s a really good quarterback. It makes our team more dangerous.”
The winner of the East Section will likely get undefeated McCort-Carroll in the LHAC championship game, which would be played at Saint Francis University’s DeGol Field if BG advances to the title game.
“No. 1 we need to stay healthy and continue to be balanced on offense,” Wheeler said. “We have gotten to the point where we were 85 percent run at the beginning of the year and now we’re closer to 65 percent. Defensively, we have to keep stopping teams from making big plays and forcing them to go a long way. We also have to keep continuing to play four quarters well.”
Clearfield is still focusing on improving prior to the District 9 postseason.
“I think they are taking steps forward each week and continue to get better,” Caragein said. “I’m excited to see what they can do this week. I want us to keep improving and establish a good running game. We have to work on our blocking, eliminate mental mistakes and keep pursuing the ball. We have to swarm tackle so we’re ready for the playoffs.”
CRESSON — The Penn Cambria boys soccer team improved to 6-12 with a 5-2 win over Cambria Heights in high school …
EBENSBURG — The Central Cambria girls volleyball team will play for the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference …
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