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Tigers Win Battle of Defending PIAA Champs

Tagged under: District 4, District 6, Gameday Hub, News, Playoffs

| November 26, 2022


Full Gallery by Greg Ricupero HERE

Southern dominated Bishop Guilfoyle in second half

What was a tied 7-7 game at the half, Southern Columbia turned into a Mercy Rule victory. Once junior Louden Murphy returned an interception 98 yards for a touchdown, the five-time defending PIAA Class 2A Tigers went up 42-7 with 2:28 left in the game on their way to beating defending Class 1A gold medalist Bishop Guilfoyle 42-14.

Murphy also had an interception in the first half after missing last week’s District 4 Championship win due to being ejected in the previous game at Troy.

The Tigers avenged a regular season loss by winning at Mount Carmel 48-18 last Friday, setting up a meeting of two defending state champs on the day after Thanksgiving.

For as talented as both teams have been all season on offense, it was SCA’s dominant defense effort that highlighted the win in Altoona’s Mansion Park as the program is thankful for what they were able to do against a Bishop Guilfoyle team that was averaging nearly 50 points per game.

“I am very pleased with our defensive play during the playoffs. In the regular season, we struggled at times to get stops but something has clicked in a great way these past few games,” Southern head coach Jim Roth said.

Southern used a strong defensive effort, led by junior kicker Isaac Carter who just started playing on the defensive line a month ago, to force four turnovers and force two missed field goals including one blocked.

 

“They are an incredible team, but we were confident coming in. The difference was in the turnover margin,” said Marauder head coach Justin Wheeler whose team finished its first season in Class 2A with a District 6 championship. “You always wish that you could play your best game in a game like this, but they took advantage of our mistakes.”

In the fourth quarter, the Marauders still had a chance to make things interesting with more than half of the quarter to play. At the time, SCA was leading 21-7. Bishop Guilfoyle ran a fullback draw that fooled the defense as Kaden Wyandt ran for a big gain and had one man to beat to make it a one-score game.

That defender was Southern’s Braeden Wisloski, who pick-pocketed the junior at the 25-yard line. As if he had scripted it, the Southern senior simply stole the football from the runner.

“Braeden is slick. He has made that strip two or three times in his career. It was like he was supposed to take the ball away from him because he just reached out and took it in full stride. Then when he is out in the open, he is nearly impossible to stop with his speed,” said Roth.

The Maryland commit took the ball and ran 75 yards to pay dirt, turning what could have been a tight game into a 28-7 lead.

 

“I was coming in to try and lay down the boom stick, but he kind of just ran to me and didn’t lower his shoulder. I bumped into him and he wasn’t holding on to the ball tight so I ripped it out and took it for six,” said Wisloski.

Karson Kiesewetter finished his outstanding high school career for the Marauders with a one-yard touchdown run and a late 34-yard touchdown pass against the Tiger reserves to Dominic Yanoshak.

Wisloski finished with 117 rushing yards and two more touchdowns while senior fullback Wes Barnes ran for 145 yards and a pair of TD’s including one early in the third quarter to give SCA the lead for good.

”After halftime, we knew what we had to do. It started with our defense and we just continued to wear them down,” said Barnes.

Southern will enter its record 22nd Eastern Final next week when the battle with Trinity for a state title berth. The Tigers are 20-1 all-time in PIAA semifinals.

“We just have to keep playing aggressively. If we give a full effort all over the field, we know we can win against any team we play,” Carter said.

 

Southern Columbia: 0-7-6-29 — 42

Bishop Guilfoyle: 0-7-0-7 — 14

Scoring

First Quarter

None.

Second Quarter

SC –Wes Barnes 1 run (Isaac Carter kick) 9:33

BG — Karson Kiesewetter 1 run (Michael Cacciotti kick) 3:02

Third Quarter

SC-Braeden Wisloski 20 run (kick blocked) 10:49

Fourth Quarter

SC — Barnes 5 run (Tyler Arnold run) 8:10

SC — Wisloski 75 fumble return (Carter kick) 6:24

SC — Wisloski 23 run (Carter kick) 4:50

SC — Louden Murphy 98 interception return (Carter kick) 2:28

BG — Dominic Yanoshak 34 pass from Kiesewetter (Cacciotti kick) 1:30

Individual Statistics

Rushing — Southern Columbia: Wes Barnes 19-145, 2 TD’s; Braeden Wisloski 12-117, 2 TD’s; Carter Madden 6-62; Louden Murphy 3-11; Tyler Arnold 1-3; Brayden Andrews 1-(-1). Bishop Guilfoyle: Karson Kiesewetter 18-50, TD; Kaden Wyandt 4-29; Cooper Rother 4-9.

Passing — Southern Columbia: Blake Wise 1-2-0, 10 yds. Bishop Guilfoyle: Karson Kiesewetter 11-26-2, 249 yds, TD.

Receiving — Southern Columbia: Wes Barnes 1-10. Bishop Guilfoyle: Dominic Yanoshak 4-99, TD; Cooper Rother 3-84; Hamilton Gates 2-40; Trent Adams 1-23; Wyandt 1-3.

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