Steel-High Heading to Hershey @RollersFootball @Thelandlord2003

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Tristan Klinefelter | November 21, 2020

The Steelton-Highspire Steamrollers and Bishop Guilfoyle Marauders faced off in the PIAA 1A State Semi-Final Saturday evening with the Steamrollers winning 16-14, Saturday, November 21, 2020 photo by Danette Bartholomew

The Steelton-Highspire Steamrollers punched their ticket to the PIAA 1A State Championship Saturday evening in a back and forth battle against the Bishop Guilfoyle Marauders with a final score of 16-14. Kicker Bryan Hernandez stepped up and nailed a huge 34-yard field goal with 42 seconds left in the game to send the Steamrollers to the championship game. The Steamrollers key player in the game was Junior receiver Mehki Flowers who hauled in 6 catches for 131 yards and a score as well as carrying the ball 7 times for 47 yards and another score. For the Marauders the workhorse on offense was Senior Keegan Myrick who touched the ball 29 times and accounted for 135 yards and a touchdown and a defensive touchdown to add.

The Marauders got a very early lead in Saturday’s game. The first snap was taken by Steamrollers Senior running back Odell Greene and fumbled to be recovered by Mrick and returned 45 yards to the house. The point-after attempt by Junior Deven Wyandt was good giving the Marauders a 7-0 lead on the first play.

Bishop Guilfoyle huge fumble return for touchdown 7-0 @PaFootballNews @BGMarauderFball pic.twitter.com/zG6a5LKuxV

— Tristan Klinefelter (@pfntristan) November 21, 2020

The Steamrollers were forced to punt the following drive and the Marauders were driving before being held to a fourth down on the 10-yard line. Wyandt attempted the 27-yard field goal but missed keeping the score at 7-0. The Steamrollers attempted to gain momentum off the missed kick and were driving. However, the drive was stalled after Steamrollers Senior receiver Damein Hammonds took a jet sweep 20 yards, and at the end of the run fumbled the ball recovered by the Marauders at the 14-yard line.

The Steamrollers would have another shot at the end zone after forcing a Marauders punt but when Freshman quarterback Alex Erby rolled to his right and heaved the ball to the endzone, Myrick was waiting and jumped in front of the ball for the interception at the three-yard line. The Marauders would drive into Steamroller’s territory but back-to-back sacks would cause a turnover on downs at the 34-yard line with 1:08 to go in the second quarter.

Bishop Guilfoyle Senior Keegan Myrick finished the game with 29 total touches for 135 yards and one touchdown. He also added a defensive touchdown on the night. Saturday, November 21, 2020 photo by Danette Bartholomew

The Steamrollers attempted to drive down the field but another Erby throw was intercepted by Marauders Karson Kiesewetter with 48 seconds to go. The Marauders would run two times to run out the clock making the halftime score 7-0 Marauders. Steamrollers head coach Andrew Erby commented about being down at halftime saying: “ Well to be honest we told our team as much as we’ve been through, death, losing close friends and even coaches. So this little bit of adversity is nothing compared to life and death. So we talked all week that we would face adversity today.”

And the Steamrollers answered the adversity they faced by coming out in the second half and scoring 16 points in the final quarter of the game. The third quarter was dominated by the defense as well as a long 12 play drive that extended into the beginning of the fourth quarter. The scoring started when Flowers found the end zone from three yards out just 57 seconds into the fourth quarter. Hernandez nailed the point after attempt, making the score a 7-7 tie.

The Marauders were forced to punt and the ball was downed at the 17-yard line. After a three-yard loss by Greene, Erby found Flowers on a short screenplay in which Flowers turned it into a huge 86 yard touchdown. After a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, the ball was moved back and the two-point conversion was no good making the score 13-7 with 6:28 to go in the fourth quarter. The Marauders would answer their very next possession when Myrick took a handoff six yards for the touchdown. The point-after attempt by Wyandt was good giving the Marauders a 14-13 lead with 3:54 to go.

Steel-High takes the lead on 86 yard touchdown two point conversion no good 13-7 6:28 left to go in the game @PaFootballNews @RollersFootball pic.twitter.com/JObPg1a2il

— Tristan Klinefelter (@pfntristan) November 21, 2020

The Steamrollers would get the ball back at the 42-yard line. The biggest play of the game occurred on this drive and it was a 4-12 from the 27-yard line. Erby threw the ball up and a Marauder defender was holding on the play pushing the ball to the 17-yard line and a fourth and two attempts. Head coach Andrew Erby decided to put his kicker in to attempt the 34-yard field goal. Hernandez trotted in and nailed the field goal giving the Steamrollers a 16-14 lead with 42 seconds to go. Erby said, “ Our kicker has been kicking, he didn’t even know how to kick two years ago and for him to step up and make that kick, and the team had confidence in him.”

The Marauders weren’t done just yet. With no timeouts, the Marauders had to get down the field and try to set up a field goal attempt. Marauders quarterback Konner Kiesewetter dropped back and delivered a strike to Haiden Garner for a gain of 45 down to the 19-yard line. Kiesewetter hurried to the ball and spiked it. Wyandt came out to attempt the game-winning 36-yard field goal but was wide left.

The Bishop Guilfoyle Marauders season has come to an end for the 2020 season. For the Steelton-Highspire Steamrollers, they punched their ticket to the PIAA 1A State Championship game next Friday the 27th against Jeannette.

Bishop Guilfoyle 36 yard field goal attempt no good Steel-High is going to Hershey 🍫 @PaFootballNews @RollersFootball pic.twitter.com/AIhMUwplqe

— Tristan Klinefelter (@pfntristan) November 21, 2020

Box Score- B- Bishop Guilfoyle S- Steelton-Highspire

Score by Quarters

Bishop Guilfoyle 7 0 0 7

Steelton-Highspire 0 0 0 16

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

B- Keegan Myrick 45 yard fumble return (Deven Wyandt pat)

Fourth Quarter

S- Mehki Flowers 3 yard rush (Bryan Hernandez pat)

S- Alex Erby 86 yard pass to Mehki Flowers (Two-point conversion no good)

B- Keegan Myrick 6 yard rush (Deven Wyandt pat)

S- Bryan Hernandez 34 yard field goal

Total Yards- B rushing, 42-118, S- 31-144, Passing B- 7-173, S- 8-154

Individual Stat Leaders, Rushing, B- Myrick 27-112, S- Greene 21-80, Flowers 7-47, Passing B- Kiesewetter 4-10-124, S- Erby 8-14-154 two interceptions and a touchdown.