The Beca Train keeps rolling

ALLENTOWN – Bethlehem Catholic’s Michael McDaniel rushed for 191 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-28 win over previous unbeaten Crestwood in a PIAA Class 3A first round playoff game Friday night at J. Birney Crum Stadium.

“He has been great for us all year and he continues to do a great job running the ball,” said Bethlehem Catholic head football coach Joe Henrich. “You can’t forget what our offensive line did tonight. They did a good job opening up holes tonight.”

With the win the Golden Hawks advance to play Somerset out of Distinct 5 who defeated Selinsgrove 42-14.

“We new it was going to be a war tonight,” said Freddie Simmons. “We beat a good Crestwood team tonight.”

Last year the Golden Hawks were in the same spot against a District two team. They lost a tough game against Berwick 29-27.

“We remembered the feeling of losing that game last year,” said Henrich. “We worked real hard this year to get back to this game.”

Bethlehem Catholic won the toss and elected to take the ball. It was a good choice.

Before fans even had a chance to sit down, on the first play of the game, McDaniel took the handoff and went untouched for 61 yards and scored.

Crestwood’s second play from scrimmage was a fumble that was recovered by William Schroeder on the Comets 29.

On the next play McDaniel went 29 yards for the score. The Golden Hawks led 14-0 early in the first quarter.

McDaniel had two rushes for 90 yards and two touchdowns.

“He just hit the hole and went,” said Henrich. “When he gets in the open field he just goes.”

The Golden Hawks made it three-for-three on scoring drives in the first quarter. Quarterback Julian Spigner hit Elijah Fineran for a 40-yard touchdown pass with    2: 40 left in the first quarter.

The only blemish of the quarter was a missed extra point. The Golden Hawks led 20-0 after one.

Crestwood would answer the Golden Hawks drive with an impressive 78-yard drive. They took advantage of an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that put the ball on the 15. Tanner Kahlau’s 15-yard run made the score 20-7.

Crestwood’s John Macri recovered a Golden Hawks fumble and they took over on the 32.

The Comets took advantage of the turnover. Frank Aigeldinger powered in from one-yard out with 7:53 remaining in the first half. They trailed 20-14.

The Golden Hawks high-powered offense was on the move again late in the half. Spigner’s short pass to Freddie Simmons extends the Golden Hawks lead.

At the half Bethlehem Catholic led 27-14. The Golden Hawks scored on four of their five drives in the first half.

The turnovers and penalties continued to hurt the Golden Hawks. The Comets recovered another Golden Hawks fumble on their 27. Three plays later Aigelidinger went in from two yards out to cut the lead to 27-21 with 7:39 left in the third quarter.

The momentum seemed to carry onto their defense. For the first time tonight Crestwood stopped the Golden Hawks offense not because of a turnover.

The biggest play of the night at this point was a fake punt by the Comets to the Golden Hawks 33 with 4:27 left in the third quarter. Quarterback Dave Popson’s six-yard run and Connor Keenan’s extra point gave the Comets their first lead of the night, 28-27.

“It was good for us to face this kind of adversity and to overcome it,” said Henrich. “That’s playoff football.”

The Comets tried to surprise the Golden Hawks on an onside kick. Bethlehem Catholic recovered the ball on their 44. They took advantage of the short field when McDaniel’s 27-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion put them up 35-28 with :38 seconds left in the third quarter.

“I was a little bit surprised they went for the onside kick,” said Henrich. “I think they were just trying to capture the momentum they had on us.”

Crestwood’s drive mid-way through the fourth quarter ended when Popson tried to throw a deep pass, but was picked off by Simmons.

The Golden Hawks had momentum and time on their side. They started to take time off the clocks as they drove right down the field.

At one point they were facing a 4^th down and 2 at the Crestwood 25 when McDaniel went right up the middle for the first down as the clock continue to tick away.

With the ball on the 20, the Golden Hawks were in pass formation. Damian Diaz took the handoff and sprinted right up the middle for the 20-yard run with 2:26 left putting the Golden Hawks up 42-28.