Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School celebrated its football team’s state championship berth with a spirit parade Wednesday morning.

Students, teachers, administrators, family and friends gathered throughout the school for a mobile rally celebrating the culmination of the Marauders’ 2021 football season — a PIAA state championship game. The Marauders play Redbank Valley for the PIAA Class 1A championship today at 1 p.m. at Hersheypark Stadium.

“We’ve changed a lot since the beginning of the year,” said senior offensive and defensive lineman Colin Butler, noting a self-described slow start with a couple of losses. “But now we’re coming out and playing our best game.”

Junior running back Cooper Rother echoed Butler’s analysis of the season so far.

Members of the Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School football team are all smiles as they prepare to board the bus to Hershey on Wednesday at the school. The Marauders play Redbank Valley for the PIAA Class 1A championship today at 1 p.m. at Hersheypark Stadium. Mirror photo by Hannah Pollock

“We’ve battled through some strong adversity. We opened up one and two, that’s not something our program has really done,” Rother said. “I think instead of getting away from each other and pointing fingers, we really came together and battled as a team, and that’s why we’re here today.”

When asked about his expectations for today’s matchup, Rother said, “We’re gonna play as best as we can, as a team, play together and never give up on winning a state championship.”

Karson Kiesewetter, junior quarterback and defensive back, agreed, adding that the season was exciting and full of surprises and fun with his friends. As for today’s game, he said he is looking forward to “winning another for BG.”

The parade began in the gym with the football team, student council, cheerleaders and band members before winding throughout the school, picking up classes of students along the way. Motivational posters, signs and football-shaped balloons lined the hallways.

With gold and purple pom poms in hand, sixth, seventh and eighth graders greeted the parade in the cafeteria before parents and family members cheered outside the school where the bus was waiting for the team’s trip to Chocolatetown.

Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School students lead a spirit parade to send off members of the school’s football team as they head to the state championship game today. Mirror photo by Hannah Pollock

The band continued playing as football players took photos and hugged their family members before gathering for a series of chants and boarding the bus.

Athletics Director Joe Landolfi shared in the team’s excitement of a state championship appearance.

“It is truly exciting to see the kids succeed to this level. It is really just a thrill,” he said.

Landolfi said the level of competition Bishop Guilfoyle plays during its regular season schedule prepares the team for the playoffs.

“We play difficult competitions. We’re always playing up every week,” Landolfi said. “And when it comes time for the playoffs, we’re much better prepared for those games because of what we do in the regular season.”

Members of the BG football team prepare to board a bus on Wednesday for the state championships in Hershey today. Mirror photo by Hannah Pollock

For Butler and the other Marauder seniors, the championship game is “a good game to end it on (high school football careers).”

For complete coverage of Bishop Guilfoyle’s appearance in the PIAA Class 1A championship, pick up a copy of Friday’s Mirror.