Last-second field goals lifts Maryland over Pennsylvania in Big 33

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, June 16, 2018 | 10:09 PM

HARRISBURG – Perhaps, when thinking of All-Star games, sports fans expect big offensive scores. But the players on defense are all-stars as well, and that was never more apparent than in the Big 33 Football Classic on Saturday night.

Maryland defeated Pennsylvania, 9-6, at Central Dauphin High school in a game that had no touchdowns, no 100-yard rushers and no 100-yard receivers.

Cooper McGeehan's 39-yard field goal with 5 seconds left provided the final margin for Maryland, which is 2-4 against Pennsylvania in Big 33 games.

The contest was tied 6-6 after the first half. Vlad Hilling of Hollidaysburg had field goals of 20 and 56 yards for Pennsylvania. The 56-yarder, with came with 1:26 left in the half, was a Big 33 record.

McGeehan had successful kicks of 42 and 33 yards in the first half.

A couple of WPIAL defenders made their mark. South Fayette's Ray Eldridge made back-to-back sacks in the third quarter, the second of which forced a fumble that McKeesport's Layton Jordan recovered and returned to midfield.

“Probably when I forced that fumble,” Eldridge said was his most memorable moment of the game. “I was so hype. I ran to the bench, and the crowd got me so hype. That and the other sack … I'll remember those forever.”

Eldridge had two additional tackles, and Jordan also had a tackle and a tipped punt.

Penn-Trafford's Will Mayr made three tackles, including a key third down tackle on the last Maryland possession. However, Maryland quarterback Kendell Bonner ran for five yards on the next play to help set up the winning field goal.

Despite the defeat, Mayr and the Pennsylvania defenders were able to walk away saying they never let Maryland's top offensive players cross the goal line.

“I think mostly we had to just keep our heads straight,” Mayr said. “We just told ourselves that we had to stop them.”

For both Eldridge and Mayr, the game was only part of the Big 33 experience.

“I had a great host family,” Mayr said. “They treated me like their own son. This was just a great experience.”

“It's kind of like a camp week, but with all these all stars,” Eldridge said. “I'm going to camp next week at Richmond. It's a good experience.”

David Green of Pittsburgh Central Catholic and Noah Plack-Tallerico of South Fayette had one tackle each.

Offensively, Eric Neill of Central Valley and Derek Devine of North Allegheny were on the offensive line for roughly half of Pennsylvania's offensive snaps.

Naszhir Taylor of Woodland Hills made one catch for 11 yards.

Carlinos Acie of McKeesport ran the ball three times for minus-seven yards and made one catch for 15 yards.

The two teams combined for 101 rushing yards, 241 passing yards and 123 penalty yards. Pennsylvania turned the ball over three times, while Maryland only did once.

The longest play of the game was a gadget play by Pennsylvania in the third quarter, when Jahan Dotson of Nazareth Area threw a halfback option pass to Jose Barbon of Conestoga Valley for a 46-yard gain to the 4-yard line. But three plays later, Luke Emge of of Manheim Township was intercepted in the end zone by Brandon Savage.

Pennsylvania did have an apparent touchdown called back on a penalty in the second quarter when one of McGeehan's field goal attempts was blocked. The penalty that took both the block and 69-yard return by Avery Young of Coatesville was for illegal procedure. Charles Katshir of Cumberland Valley did block another second-quarter attempt of McGeehan's legally.

David Bohr is a freelance writer.

Tags: Central Catholic, Central Valley, McKeesport, Penn-Trafford, South Fayette, Woodland Hills