Looking Back on Week 1 and Previewing Week 2 of Centre County High School Football

This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette .

This week’s story begins with Bellefonte’s stunning upset at Central Martinsburg on Friday, Aug. 23. The Raiders rallied in the fourth quarter to pull off an eye-opening 18-7 victory in the first game of the season for both teams.

Along with the Raiders, Philipsburg-Osceola and State College also came in with impressive wins, but both Penns Valley and Bald Eagle Area fell in LHAC games.
Here’s a closer look at those games and the upcoming schedules:

BELLEFONTE
Chestnut Ridge (1-0) at Bellefonte (1-0)
Friday, Aug. 30, 7 p.m.
Bellefonte

Before the season began, Bellefonte head coach Tony Confer said that the Raiders would be an improved team after a year under his system in 2023.

It may be only one game, but after going into perennial power Central and pulling out an 18-7 opening-night win, it would be hard to argue with him.

The Raiders went into the fourth quarter on Friday, Aug. 23, down 7-3 to the Dragons, but Bellefonte quarterback Liam Halterman scored two running touchdowns as time ran out and lifted his team to the victory.

Sharing the spotlight for the Raiders was the inspired play of their defense. The Dragons scored first with a touchdown 35 seconds into the game, but that would be all they would get.

The Raiders shut out Central for the rest of the game, forcing four turnovers in the second half and holding the Dragons to just 160 total yards.

After Central’s first touchdown, the Raiders did not break through until an Andy Gerasenko 30-yard field goal at the 5:28 mark in the third quarter.

Then in the fourth quarter, the Raiders recovered a fumbled punt inside the 10-yard line, and Halterman took it in from 2 yards out to finally give Bellefonte its first lead.

When the defense once more forced a dramatic three-and-out, Bellefonte drove again and Halterman scored again, this time from the 5-yard line with just 3:10 to play.

Halterman ran 17 times in the game for 101 yards and also completed seven of 14 passes for 43 yards.

Now, Bellefonte will take its 1-0 record and entertain 1-0 Chestnut Ridge on Friday, Aug. 30, at 7 p.m.

Chestnut Ridge romped over Somerset in its opener on Saturday, Aug. 24, at home, 33-7. Chestnut Ridge led 23-0 at the half, extended that to 33-0 in the third quarter, and then closed out the win from there.

Bellefonte and the Lions played last year, and Chestnut Ridge walked away with a 34-6 victory. But Chestnut Ridge is without its starting quarterback, running backs and top receiver, so there will likely be some growing pains.

This shapes up to be one of the best games of the week.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. in Bellefonte.

STATE COLLEGE
Altoona (0-1) at State College (1-0)
Friday, Aug. 30, 7 p.m.
Memorial Field, State College

The State College Little Lions played long-range offense and defense in their 49-14 non-league victory over Gateway on Friday, Aug. 23.

After taking an early 7-0 lead on a 4-yard run by Lamar Wilson, the Lions ran off four consecutive big-yardage scores that set them on the way to their first win of the season.

First, there was a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown by Cooper Brushwood, and that was followed by a 48-yard pass from Eddie Corkery to Brushwood that put the Lions ahead 21-0.

Midway through the second quarter, Ty Salazar got into the action with a 48-yard pass from Corkery that gave his team an imposing 28-0 lead.

Next, just two minutes into the third quarter, Michael Gaul caught another rainbow from Corkery, this one from 51 yards out, and the Lions were on their way to their first win of the new season.

The rest of the second half was played under the mercy rule, but still the two teams combined for five scores.

Corkery finished with 11 completions for 218 yards and two touchdowns, while Salazar had seven receptions for 97 yards and Brushwood had one for 48 yards and a touchdown.

In all, State College ran up 361 yards of offense, with 273 of that through the air.

Now the Lions will see Mid Penn rival Altoona (0-1) at home on Friday, Aug. 30.

Altoona began the season on a rough note in a 27-14 loss to cross-town foe Hollidaysburg.

Altoona scored first in the game and subsequently tied the game at 14-14 in the second quarter. But that was all the Mountain Lions would be able to get.

Hollidaysburg took a 21-14 halftime lead and then kicked two field goals and turned up the defense in the second half.

Altoona gained 210 yards, 98 on the ground, and was led by quarterback Mark Harrington who ran 20 times for 82 yards and threw for the Lions’ two touchdowns.

Last year, State College won twice over Altoona, once in the playoffs, but the two teams played a much tougher and closer game in the postseason.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at State College.

PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA
Penn Cambria (1-0) at Philipsburg-Osceola (1-0)
Friday, Aug. 30, 7 p.m.
Philipsburg

The Philipsburg-Osceola Mounties used a 95-yard kickoff return by Sam McDonald and a 65-yard bolt by running back Parker Lamb to storm past Huntingdon in a 30-17 victory on Friday, Aug. 23, in Huntingdon.

After falling behind 17-10 on a Bearcat field goal with just 30 seconds left in the second quarter, McDonald took the ensuing kickoff all the way home to tie the game at halftime.

Huntingdon later threatened to go ahead with a long drive that stretched into the fourth quarter, but Philipsburg-Osceola held and took over at its own 1-yard line. Three minutes later, Lamb broke free and scored from 65 yards out, giving his team the lead for the first time in the game, 24-17.

Philipsburg-Osceola followed that with another stop, got the ball back again and pushed in an insurance touchdown with just over a minute to play. Colton Chapman took that one in from 5 yards out, and the Mounties had their first win of the new season.

Lamb led Philipsburg-Osceola with 111 yards on six carries, while Chapman added 98. Quarterback Archer Baughman completed six of 12 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown.

This week, Philipsburg-Osceola will look for its second win over visiting Penn Cambria on Friday, Aug. 30.

Penn Cambria is 1-0 after a bigtime upset of Richland, 22-8, at home on Friday, Aug. 23, after scoring two second quarter touchdowns and then holding the Rams scoreless through the second half.

The Panthers ran up 200 yards rushing against Richland, with Gavin Harrold leading the way with 77 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns. He was also the top receiver with two catches for 27 yards.

Last season, Penn Cambria was 9-3 overall, with a 34-3 victory over the Mounties at home on Sunday, Sept. 1.

This year’s game, at Philipsburg-Osceola, with two 1-0 teams, should be far more competitive and likely go to the team with fewer mistakes.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. in Philipsburg.

BALD EAGLE AREA
Central Cambria (0-1) at Bald Eagle Area (0-1)
Friday, Aug. 30, 7 p.m.
Wingate

What at first was expected to be a high-scoring, up-and-down affair between Bald Eagle Area and Bishop Guilfoyle on Friday, Aug. 23, in Altoona turned into a gritty, defensive struggle.

And it was Guilfoyle’s defense that won the day.

The Marauders held Bald Eagle Area scoreless and under 200 total yards in a 21-0 victory in what was the opening game for both teams.

It was vindication in a way for Bishop Guilfoyle after the Bald Eagles won twice last year in what was a banner year for Bald Eagle Area.

Yet the Marauders scored two touchdowns in the second quarter and then added an insurance score in the fourth to take their first victory.

All the while, the Guilfoyle defense stood tall.

Bald Eagle Area will now have to rebound on Friday, Aug. 30, at home against 0-1 Central Cambria, which comes in after a heartbreaking 28-27 loss to Bishop McCort in Johnstown on Friday, Aug. 23.

Central Cambria took a 27-21 lead to open the fourth quarter after a 40-yard defensive touchdown. But the extra point was missed.

Then, with just over three minutes to play, McCort pushed across the tying touchdown and converted the extra point to take a 1-point lead.

Central Cambria subsequently drove to the McCort 30-yard line as time was running out but lost the ball on downs and the game ended.

Central Cambria gained over 300 yards of offense, led by running back Grady Snyder who ran for 122 yards on 16 carries.

On Friday, Aug. 30, the Red Devils will be another team looking to even things with Bald Eagle Area after a 35-0 loss last season, while the Bald Eagles will be trying to regroup after the Bishop Guilfoyle loss.

This one looks close and likely to go deep into the fourth quarter.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. in Wingate.

PENNS VALLEY
Bedford (1-0) at Penns Valley (0-1)
Friday, Aug. 30, 7 p.m.
Spring Mills

In the past two seasons, Penns Valley got the best of Bellwood-Antis, but not on Friday, Aug. 23.

Bellwood scored three first-quarter touchdowns, two more in the second quarter and then just kept going in a 51-12 win over the Rams at home.

At one point in the third quarter, the score was 44-6 and the game went into the mercy rule.

Penns Valley did gain 164 yards all told, including 137 yards passing, but Bellwood-Antis was ready for a big start to its season.

The Rams will now try to recoup on Friday, Aug. 30, at home against Bedford. It will not be easy.

Bedford is coming off a 28-7 win over Westmont-Hilltop at home on Friday, Aug. 23, in which it ran up over 300 yards of offense, including 215 on the ground.

Senior running back Quincy Swaim led the team with 131 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns.

Last season, Penns Valley got past Bedford, 27-13, in Bedford, but the rebuilding Rams will have to do some regrouping on defense if that’s to happen again.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. in Spring Mills.

The post Looking Back on Week 1 and Previewing Week 2 of Centre County High School Football appeared first on StateCollege.com .