Marauders escape Bedford in thriller
By John Hartsock, jhartsock@altoonamirror.comBEDFORD - Bishop Guilfoyle coach Marty Georgiana expected nothing less than a knock-down, drag-out struggle with winless Bedford Friday night, and that's exactly what went down for the Marauders at Bisons Stadium.
Guilfoyle scored the game-tying touchdown on quarterback Chris Brown's 3-yard off-tackle run with just 2:20 remaining in regulation, and a 2-point conversion pass from Brown to Andy Passonetti tied the game, 22-22, creating a need for overtime.
Bedford won the coin toss entering the overtime session, and deferred to the Marauders, who took a 29-22 lead on junior running back Huey Ehredt's 5-yard touchdown blast and Amanda James' extra-point kick.
Bedford responded with a 6-yard scoring pass from Mike Short to Kyle Deneen, and the Bisons elected to go for all the marbles on a 2-point conversion. Short rolled right and threw a pass that went over the outstretched hands of Jeremy McCormick in the back of the end zone, securing BG's heart-stopping 29-28 Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference Section I win.
BG improved to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the conference section. Bedford is 0-6 overall and 0-4 in the conference section, but Georgiana knows the Bisons' record is very deceiving.
"We watched them on film, and we knew this game was going to be a dogfight,'' he said. "[Bedford] is much better than their record, and a game like this shows it. Our kids fought hard tonight to come out on top.''
First-year Bedford coach Dan Smith had no qualms about going for the 2-point conversion in overtime after his team had dodged a defeat in the final second of the fourth quarter when Zach Hess - who played a fabulous all-around game for Bedford - blocked James' 20-yard field goal attempt that would have won the game in regulation for BG.
"We wanted to go for the win,'' Smith said. "It was a decision made by our coaches and players alike. We're usually pretty good with that 2-point play.''
Trailing, 14-8 at halftime, Bedford used Paul Detwiler's 40-yard interception return and running back Cody Shippey's 2-point conversion pass to McCormick to take a 16-14 lead after three quarters.
Bedford used a short field on its first possession of the fourth quarter to mount a 50-yard, 11-play scoring drive that Shippey - who gained 84 yards on 17 carries - capped off with a 3-yard touchdown burst. Shippey's point-after-kick was wide, however, leaving the Bisons with a 22-14 lead with 6:31 remaining and giving BG a chance to forge a tie.
The Marauders covered 60 yards on 11 plays, with Brown's fourth-down, eight-yard pass to wideout Justin Bimle keeping the drive alive. Brown's second 3-yard touchdown run of the night, and his conversion pass to Passonetti, created the 22-22 deadlock.
"This was a good, hard-fought high school game,'' said Brown, who completed six of 19 passes for 150 yards. "We were lucky to come out with a win tonight.''
The 5-yard overtime run by Ehredt - who also had a 25-yard touchdown jaunt in the second quarter and finished with 164 yards rushing on 22 carries - ignited BG's win, despite four Marauders' turnovers.
Hess returned a punt 61 yards for the first touchdown of the game, made an interception and recovered a fumble on defense for Bedford, and came up with a spectacular catch, while lying prone on his back, of Short's 38-yard pass that set up Shippey's fourth-quarter touchdown run.
The loss was a bitter pill to swallow for the Bedford players, many of whom were visibly upset on the playing field after a game that, unfortunately, one team had to lose.
"This is what it's all about, a great high school football game,'' Georgiana said. "Things weren't going well for our kids in this game tonight, but they never hung their heads. I'm really proud of them.''
Game notes: Brown and Matt Franco intercepted passes, while A.J. Kitt recovered a fumble for BG, which hosts Central Cambria next Friday night at Mansion Park ... Detwiler also recovered a fumble for Bedford, which visits Cambria Heights next Friday.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Bishop Guilfoyle0 14 0 8 7 - 29
Bedford8 0 8 6 6 - 28
First quarter
BED-Hess 61 punt return (Shippey run), 6:08.
Second quarter
BG-Ehredt 25 run (James kick), 5:22.
BG-Brown 3 run (James kick), 0:01.
Third quarter
BED-Detwiler 40 interception return (McCormick pass from Shippey), 1:53.
Fourth quarter
BED-Shippey 3 run (kick failed), 6:31.
BG-Brown 3 run (Passonetti pass from Brown), 2:20.
Overtime
BG-Ehredt 5 run (James kick)
BED-K. Deneen 6 pass from Short (pass failed).
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Bishop Guilfoyle-Ehredt 22-164, Kitt 7-49, Brown 14-21, Passonetti 2-8. Bedford-Shippey 17-84, Short 10-24, K. Deneen 5-9, Detwiler 3-(-2), Team 1-(-12).
PASSING: Bishop Guilfoyle-Brown 6-19-2-150. Bedford-Short 9-15-1-128, Hess 0-1-1-0.
RECEIVING: Bishop Guilfoyle-Passonetti 3-109, Bimle 2-20, Fiore 1-21. Bedford-Hess 6-99, K. Deneen 3-29.
INTERCEPTIONS: Bishop Guilfoyle-Franco, Brown. Bedford 2-Detwiler, Hess.
TEAM STATISTICSBGBED
First downs1412
Yards rushing45-24236-103
Passing (comp.-att.-int.)6-19-29-16-2
Yards passing150128
Total yards392231
Fumbles lost4-25-1
Penalties-yards7-626-43
Punts-avg.5-28.74-36.2
