Both teams struggled to break through in a scoreless first quarter, but the game heated up in the second. Marian Catholic, starting freshman quarterback Gregory Tirpak, drew first blood early in the quarter. On the Colts' first play of the second, running back Rory Dixon powered through the defense for a 4-yard touchdown. Jah Bushati's extra point made it 7-0 in favor of the Colts.
Mahanoy Area wasted no time responding. Just two minutes later, quarterback Levi Terry exploded for a 64-yard touchdown run, though the Bears missed the extra point, keeping Marian Catholic ahead by a point at 7-6.
Mahanoy's defense then held strong, stopping Marian on a critical 4th down at the Colts' 2-yard line. The Bears drove the ball deep into Marian territory, but a turnover halted their progress. A concerning moment came with 4:02 left in the second quarter when Marian's Julian Hermany went down with an injury, later being transported to a nearby hospital.
Mahanoy’s defense stepped up again late in the second quarter, as Brian Gallagher intercepted a pass with 17 seconds left. The Bears were unable to capitalize before halftime, but momentum seemed to shift.
The second half belonged to Mahanoy Area. With 10:30 left in the third, Terry connected with Michael Oblas for a 31-yard touchdown pass, giving Mahanoy their first lead of the night at 12-7. A failed two-point conversion left the game tight, but Marian struggled to respond, even after bringing in senior quarterback Dylan Rodino for the fourth quarter.
In a key play, Gallagher recovered a Marian fumble and returned it to the Colts' 12-yard line. Faced with 4th and goal, the Bears turned to Oblas once again, and he delivered with a rushing touchdown. Terry followed with a pass to Oblas for the two-point conversion, extending the lead to 20-7.
With just over six minutes left, Marian's offense faltered again, and Rodino fumbled the ball with 3:33 remaining, giving Mahanoy possession. Oblas put the game out of reach with a 5-yard touchdown run with just under two minutes left. Gallagher added the extra point to make it 27-7.
This victory marks the first of the season for the Golden Bears and a milestone for new head coach Dave Holman. Mahanoy Area (1-4) will look to build on this momentum as they host Pine Grove next week in Week 6 action.
Marian Catholic (3-2), after a hard-fought game, will regroup and prepare to face the Minersville Battlin’ Miners on the road next week.
Story / Photos by J. Reed / Skook News
