Kiski Cougars bring win back from Ireland, Peel and Porter shine

Tagged under: Gameday Hub, News, Non-PIAA

Billy Splain | August 25, 2025

Kiski School Cougars vs Irish JR Wolfhounds

22 August – Energia Park, Dublin, Ireland

The Kiski School Cougars (Saltsburg, PA) traveled to Dublin Ireland this week to play the National U19 team of Ireland, the Jr. Wolfhounds, as part of the Global Ireland Football Tournament (G.I.F.T), an annual international invitational tournament.

The Cougars entered the game under new Head Coach Aaron Smetanka coming off of an impressive turnaround season that saw Kiski win 6 of its final 7 games to finish 6-3. Kiski’s 32-man roster consists of players from 7 different countries and 4 US states. Kiski’s roster consists of prominent local players including 2028 QB Jaivin Peel (Midland, PA) and 2027 RB/LB Levi Porter from Indiana, PA.

The players participated in a number of Irish cultural activities throughout the week and enjoyed everything that Dublin had to offer before kickoff of their game on Friday afternoon. The teams came out to a raucous crowed, heavily favoring the host Irish team.

First Quarter

Kiski would receive the opening kickoff for a touchback. Ireland held Kiski and a bad punt gave the Irish the ball on Kiski’s 43 yard line. Kiski would hold Ireland the next series and Sergio DuBois (Mexico City, Mexico) would get a 35 yard punt return to set Kiski up at midfield. Kiski would lose a fumble, but get one back inside the Irish 20 yard line on a recovery by Hunter Richardson (Allison Park, PA). QB Jaivin Peel (Midland, PA) would then hit Noa Seyi (France) for a 15-yard TD pass (Seyi XP) and Kiski went up 7-0. As strong run game and dominant middle of the defense led to another Kiski score as Peel would again hit Seyi for a 17 yard score to send Kiski up 13-0 (XP missed).

Second Quarter

Kiski’s defense forced an Irish punt. On the next drive Peel would hit WR Recendo Holdrege (Weehawken, NJ) on a 30-yard score (XP good) to put Kiski up 20-0. A huge strip sack by Emanuel Safikhany (Oostend, Belgium) resulted in a 35 yard scoop and run by LB Mason Jones (Lower Burrell, PA). The Kiski offense then set up at the Ireland 20. Peel again hit Seyi for his third TD of the first half would put the Cougars up 26-0.  On the next possession, Levi Porter took a punt return 30 yards for a touchdown. A Seyi extra point would put Kiski up 33-0. A series of three consecutive dropped passes by Kiski’s receiving corps, combined with a clipping penalty by Kiski on a 60-yard punt return by Levi Porter would prevent Kiski from scoring again in the first half.

Third Quarter

Kiski would kick off the 2^nd half. Elan McCrorey (Denville, NJ) would intercept a deep pass, giving Kiski the ball right away. Mason Jones would take a handoff, and was seemingly stopped in the backfield. He shook off a tackle, cut back and got great blocking to find the end zone from 25 yards out. The extra point (Seyi) put Kiski up 40-0. More great defense and 50 yards of rushing by Adrian Valdez (New Kensington, PA) capped by a 20-yard TD run and Seyi kick increased Kiski’s lead to 47-0 at the end of the 3^rd quarter.

Fourth Quarter

Kiski’s relentless defensive line continued to live in the backfield, making it impossible for the Wolfhounds to move the ball. Kiski would add another rushing TD by dual-threat QB Machael Armstrong (Prairie Heights, IN), and a strip sack from the defense would result in a 20 yard scoop and score by freshman DL Ryan Chambers (Vandergrift, PA) to close out the scoring at 59-0.

Scoring Summary:

1^st Quarter:

• Peel to Seyi, 15 yards (Seyi kick) 7-0
• Peel to Seyi, 17 yards (XP missed) 13-0
• Peel to Holdrege, 30 yards (Seyi kick) 20-0

2^nd quarter:

• Peel to Seyi, 15 yards (XP missed) 26-0
• Porter, 50 yard punt return (Seyi kick) 33-0

3^rd Quarter:

• Jones 25 yard run (Seyi kick) 40-0
• Valdez 20 yard run (Seyi kick) 47-0

4^th quarter:

• Armstrong 22 yard run (Seyi kick) 47-0
• Chambers, 20 yard fumble return (XP miss) 53-0

Passing: 138 yards total

Peel 6/13, 138 yards, 4 TDs

Rushing: 260 yards total

Armstrong 3 carries, 42 yards rushing, 1 TD

Porter 2 carries, 7 yards

McMillan 7 carries, 97 yards

Jones 3 carries, 53 yards, 1 TD

Valdez 3 carries, 48 yards, 1 TD

Lagendyk 3 carries 13 yards

Receiving:

Holdrege, 2 / 45 yards, 1 TD

McCrorey, 1 / 43 yards

Seyi, 3 / 50 yards, 3 TD

Defense:

Jones 5 tackles, 2 TFLs

Safikhany-I 5 tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFLs

McMillan 5 tackles

Bjick 5 tackles 2 TFLs

Chambers 2 tackles, 1 FR, TD

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