Abington Heights vs. Hollidaysburg

Recap

HOLLIDAYSBURG 24, ABINGTON HEIGHTS 23

Unbeaten Hollidaysburg blocked a potential tying extra point with 3:42 remaining, then ran out the clock to defeat Abington Heights, 24-23, in a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 5A state playoff game Friday night at Milton.

The Comets trailed by 14 points three times in the game, including as the fourth quarter started, but rallied behind quarterback Shawn Theodore.

Theodore, the team’s season leader in receiving yards and touchdowns as well as interceptions, returned to the position he held for much of the 2022 season.

Nick Bradley, who threw for 2,076 yards and a 26-2, touchdown-to-interception ratio, left last week’s District 2 championship game with an injury. He missed the second half of that game, in which Theodore ran for the winning touchdown in a 20-14 victory over Delaware Valley, and was unavailable Friday night.

Theodore passed for 207 yards and one touchdown and ran for the other two Abington Heights touchdowns to lead the comeback effort. He completed 19 of 30 attempts and was the team’s leading rusher for the second straight game with 23 yards on seven carries.

The Comets ended their season at 8-5.

Hollidaysburg (13-0) advances to the state quarterfinals behind Brayden Berkheimer’s blocked kick. The Golden Tigers have not lost in Pennsylvania and have received a forfeit for a game against a Maryland school that was ruled to have used an ineligible player against Hollidaysburg.

That combination of results allowed for Friday’s win to set a school record for victories in the season. It also sends Hollidaysburg into a meeting with Philadelphia Roman Catholic, which defeated East Stroudsburg South, 41-13, Friday night.
Early on, it did not look like the Golden Tigers would need the late drama to advance.

Mitchell Barroner ran 6 yards for a score late in the first quarter and Maddox Bainey found Brady Steiner with a 60-yard touchdown pass early in the second for the first 14-point Hollidaysburg lead.

Steiner wound up with four catches for 118 yards and Bainey threw for 175 yards.

Jack Farrell’s 29-yard field goal brought Abington Heights to within 14-3 with 5:17 left in the half.

Hollidaysburg returned the ensuing kickoff into Abington Heights territory and answered with its own field goal to restore the two-touchdown advantage.

Theodore began leading the Comets back with a 14-yard touchdown run with eight seconds left in the second quarter to make it 17-10 at the half.

Bainey’s 7-yard touchdown run was the only score of the third quarter, but the Comets immediately went on the move and opened the fourth quarter at the Golden Tigers 5.

Theodore found Shane Brower with a touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Abington Heights was able to stop a balanced Hollidaysburg attack, which had churned out first downs and yards for most of the night.

With the help of penalties on the Golden Tigers, the Comets were able to drive for Theodore’s 1-yard touchdown that set the stage for the saving extra-point block.

Bainey, who ran for 93 yards, and Barroner, who added 89, helped run out the clock.

Brower led Abington Heights receivers with eight catches for 85 yards. Cayd Sespico had five for 42 yards and Gavin Anders four for 75 yards.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Quarter

HOL – Mitchell Baronner 6-yd run (Paul Wedel kick) – Hollidaysburg 7-0

2nd Quarter

HOL – Brady Steiner 60-yd pass from Maddox Bainey (Wedel kick) – Hollidaysburg 14-0

AH – Jack Farrell 29-yd field goal – Hollidaysburg 14-3

HOL – Wedel 35-yd field goal – Hollidaysburg 17-3

AH -Shaun Theodore 14-yd run (Farrell kick) – Hollidaysburg 17-10

3rd Quarter

HOL – Bainey 7-yd run (Wedel kick) – Hollidayburg 24-10

4th Quarter

AH – Shane Brower 5-yd pass from Theodore (Farrell kick) – Hollidaysburg 24-17

AH – Theodore 1-yd run (Kick failed) – Hollidaysburg 24-23