Grayson Mahla Leads #6 Richland To Nail Biting Victory over #3 Bishop Guilfoyle

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Baron Dionis | August 30, 2025

The #6 (2A) Richland Rams won an absolute thriller against the defending state champions in #3 (1A) Bishop Guilfoyle with a final score of 28-18 at Mansion Park.

This game was neck and neck all night long. Bishop Guilfoyle had the edge in the first half, but Richland came alive in the second frame, forcing three turnovers and scoring 21 points. They fired off all cylinders, leading to an excellent victory.

“We talked about this being a heavyweight fight,” Richland Head Coach Brandon Bailey explained. “We have a ton of respect for Bishop Guilfoyle and Coach Wheeler. At halftime we were like the first two rounds were up and it was kind of an even fight.”

“Our kids played very emotionally on defense and on offense we played with precision and managed to get the win.”

The first half between the two teams was a defensive battle. In the first, both offenses were moving the ball well, but couldn’t exactly capitalize, turning into big defensive stops.

Richland started with the ball and Bishop Guilfoyle stopped them quickly. The Marauders immediately drove down the field from the legs of Jake Kissell, accounting for 33 yards and a one yard rushing touchdown.

Richland marched right back down with a big 52 yard pass from Jacob Regan to Arnold Mugerwa. A few plays later, Regan found Alex Bond for a 20 yard score, tying the game at seven apiece.

Justin Wheeler responded with a 54 yard kick return, but the Rams held strong, limiting the Marauders to a field goal. Carter Boland drilled it from 20 yards out.

Bishop Guilfoyle drove right back down the field. Kissell took the snap in the red zone and Joey Ragno ripped the ball out. Grayson Mahla jumped on it and the Rams put together a big goal line stand.

Coming out of the half, Richland got a quick stop and their offense picked up right where they left off. Joe McAneny accounted for 39 yards before Grayson Mahla ran it in from seven yards out to put the Rams ahead.

Mahla wasn’t done just yet, making a big hit on the kickoff and then following that with an interception that he took all the way back to the six yard line.

Bishop Guilfoyle held strong and forced a turnover on downs at the one yard line. The Marauders got the ball back, but Brayden Knepper got a strip sack and Richland got the ball right back on the one yard line.

Two flags set them back, but they managed to get back up to the goalline for McAneny to punch it in from a yard out.

The Marauders responded fast with a strike from Wheeler to Tyson Lestochi for a 49 yard touchdown. They followed with a two point conversion from Kissell to Connor Okanak.

Richland ran the ball right back down the field and once again, Mahla punched it in for his second score of the night. 

“Grayson played quarterback for us the last two years and he is such an emotional leader,” Coach Bailey said. “We made the decision to move him to running back and middle linebacker just so we could get him on the field for all 48 minutes. After two weeks it looks like I made a good move.”

Mahla finished the night with 53 rushing yards, two touchdowns, an interception, and a fumble recovery.

“I think it was an all around good game,” Mahla stated. “I train for this kind of stuff and I think about this every day. Making those big plays is something I love to do. I feel like it’s in my blood to come out here and play as hard as I can and try to help my team as much as I can.”

Jamere Christian sealed the deal with a big interception late in the game and Rams were able to run the clock down from there.

Overall, the Richland defense was the big difference maker tonight, forcing four turnovers. Without them, the game could have very well gone a different way.

“We had chances in the red zone and turned the ball over a little bit,” Bishop Guilfoyle Head Coach Justin Wheeler said. “Opportunity to take a big lead in the first half, but we let it get away a little bit. They battled to the end. I loved the way we fought. If we don’t get the turnovers in those positions we think we could have won.”

Richland (2-0) will host Westmont Hilltop next. Bishop Guilfoyle (1-1) heads to Bellefonte.

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