Jake Kissell helps keep Bishop Guilfoyle rolling in victory over Huntingdon

It was certainly expected that all-state talent Taurean Consiglio would be a huge factor in whether Bishop Guilfoyle Academy could defend its PIAA Class 1A state football championship this season.

But in sports, as well as in life itself, hopes and expectations often don't translate into reality.

Primed for another monster year after a banner junior season in 2024, the BG fullback-linebacker star suffered a torn triceps that ended his senior football season quite prematurely.

Consiglio's absence has also left the Marauders with a huge void to fill on both sides of the ball, but on Saturday night, they emphatically served notice that they will be up to the task.

With rugged senior running back/tight end Jake Kissell rushing for 158 yards and four touchdowns on nine carries, including scoring runs of 44 yards in the first quarter and 68 in the fourth, BG racked up 420 yards in total offense and rolled past previously unbeaten Huntingdon, 38-14, in a Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference matchup at Mansion Park.

Kissell and the rest of his Marauders' teammates hope to honor Consiglio by bringing BG (3-1) another state football title later this year, and they certainly looked like a driven, focused unit on Saturday.

"Taurean is my best friend, and it killed me to see him get hurt,'' Kissell said. "We're all thinking about Taurean, and we all want to win another state championship for him this season.''

Kissell also scored on an 8-yard run in the second quarter and a 1-yard burst in the third period for BG, whose offensive line of senior center Trenton Murphy, senior guard/tackle Jesse Georgiana, junior guard Rocco Cacciotti, sophomore tackle Declan Peterson, and tight end Kissell dominated the line of scrimmage all evening, as the Marauders picked up 370 of their 420 total yards via the rush.

"My teammates did a great job blocking tonight,'' Kissell said. "I certainly wasn't able to do what I did all by myself.''

BG coach Justin Wheeler praised the Marauders' offensive line, and noted that several of the Marauders' skill position players are developing and improving with each passing game.

"Our offensive line has been outstanding for four consecutive weeks, and a bunch of our skill guys stepped up and contributed tonight,'' Wheeler said.

Besides Kissell, the Marauders got solid contributions from sophomore quarterback Justin Wheeler -- the coach's son -- who rushed for 70 yards on nine carries and a touchdown, while completing five passes for 50 yards. Junior wideout Evan Schimminger made four catches for 44 yards, freshman back Keegan Hewitt rushed for 57 yards on 11 carries, and junior back Jack Gioiosa grinded out 52 rushing yards on 12 carries.

"We like the skill guys that we have, and we want to get multiple guys involved in our offense,'' Coach Wheeler said. "The teams that we play will notice that we have several guys who can run and throw the ball, and that will make us a harder team to defend.''

Play(s) of the game: After Huntingdon scored first on a 26-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Reese Hughes to sophomore wideout JaVaughn Dodson, Kissell's 44-yard TD run off left tackle promptly put the Marauders back on even footing. Kissell's 68-yard scoring run up the middle in the fourth quarter, in which he slipped a tackle at the Huntingdon 45, also deserves mention in this category.

Player of the game: Kissell.

Unsung heroes: The Marauders' offensive line took over the game, particularly in the second half.

Most vital statistic: BG enjoyed a considerable measure of statistical domination, limiting Huntingdon to just 17 total second-half yards.

Justin Wheeler on Kissell: "People can come out to the games and watch him, and realize that he's a player. He's a Division I athlete who has several FCS offers already. Offensively and defensively, he makes plays.''

Huntingdon coach Tim Lucko: "You've got to execute perfectly when you're playing very good teams, and tonight, every time that we would do something positive, we'd turn around and do something negative to lose our momentum. At the end of the day, that's on me. I have to have these guys ready to play.''

Injury report: Huntingdon junior linebacker Connor McGraw suffered a broken bone below his knee during the opening kickoff, and was carried off the field on a stretcher. BG senior lineman Hayden Hosgood suffered an elbow injury early in the game and spent the rest of the night on the sidelines with his arm in a sling.

Notable: Quarterback Justin Wheeler ran 10 yards for a second-quarter touchdown for BG, which also got a 31-yard field goal from junior placekicker Carter Boland in the third quarter ... Senior linebacker Evan Edmiston returned a recovered BG fumble 35 yards for a third-quarter touchdown for Huntingdon, which also got a fumble recovery from senior A.J. Rivello and a blocked extra point from senior Wyatt Querry ... BG honored its elementary school sixth-grade football players, band members, and cheerleaders on the field prior to the game.

Records: Huntingdon (3-1); Bishop Guilfoyle (3-1).

Next week: Huntingdon visits Clearfield, and Bishop Guilfoyle travels to Central on Friday night.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Huntingdon 7 0 7 0--14

Bishop Guilfoyle 7 13 11 7--38

First Quarter

H--Dodson 26 pass from Hughes (Mykut kick), 6:40.

BG--Kissell 44 run (Boland kick), 3:26.

Second Quarter

BG--Wheeler 10 run (Boland kick), 10:54.

BG--Kissell 8 run (kick failed), 0:41.

Third Quarter

BG--Kissell 1 run (Wheeler pass from Lestochi), 8:18.

H--Edmiston 35 fumble return (Mykut kick), 6:16.

BG--Boland 31 FG, 0:10.

Fourth Quarter

BG--Kissell 68 run (Boland kick), 11:24.

TEAM STATISTICS H BG

First downs 8 18

Total yards 98 420

Rushes-yards 20-(-9) 43-370

Yards passing 107 50

Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 5-11-0 13-24-0

Punts/avg. 7-36.8 3-34.7

Fumbles-lost 3-0 3-2

Penalties-yards 7-55 4-40

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Huntingdon, Guisler 2-16, Edmiston 4-9, Erdman 4-(minus 1), Hughes 9-(minus 6). TEAM 1-(minus 27). Bishop Guilfoyle, Kissell 9-158, Wheeler 9-70, Hewitt 11-57, Gioiosa 12-52, Lestochi 2-33.

PASSING–Huntingdon, Hughes 13-24-0-107. Bishop Guilfoyle, Wheeler 5-11-0-50.

RECEIVING--Huntingdon, Guisler 5-44, Dodson 3-37, Edmiston 3-17, Rutter 1-6, Erdman 1-3. Bishop Guilfoyle, Schimminger 4-44, Lestochi 1-6.