Complete effort leads Bald Eagle Area past Richland in District 6-2A title contest
Nov. 19—ALTOONA — The Richland High School coaching staff and players improvised throughout a season that took the Rams to the District 6 Class 2A championship game on Saturday night.
But the "next man up" mentality that helped coach Brandon Bailey's second-seeded team win 11 of its first 12 games only could take a team so far.
Even at full strength, Richland would have held the underdog role against top-seeded juggernaut Bald Eagle Area in the title game at Mansion Park Stadium. With nearly half of their original 22 starters either out or fighting through injuries, the Rams couldn't keep pace with a Bald Eagle Area team that has scored 506 points this season.
Senior back Cameron Dubbs' four-touchdown night led the Eagles past Richland, 49-0, for the program's fourth district title overall and third since 2018.
"They're a great football team. They're well-coached," Bailey said of 12-1 Bald Eagle Area, which advances to face District 4-2A champion Southern Columbia next week.
"We've been putting it together with duct tape all year," Bailey added. "I'm so proud of this team for getting to this point. It's been the next man up all season long. Tonight, we had eight or nine out of our top 22 out. It's just hard to continue. I think we just ran out of duct tape."
Bald Eagle Area encountered no such problems.
The Eagles produced 407 total yards on offense, including junior quarterback Carson Nagle's 16 of 25 effort that produced 284 passing yards and two TDs.
Coach Jesse Nagle's defense limited the usually potent Richland offense to four first downs in the game and 136 total yards (60 rushing, 76 passing) while coming up with four interceptions.
"I thought that we definitely had the upper hand," Coach Nagle said. "I thought that we were definitely going to confuse them offensively. I thought that defensively, we knew they were very young. We wanted to give them multiple looks so we gave them six different coverages."
The Rams once again missed leading rusher and defensive back Evan McCracken, who has been out since Week 10. Top lineman Ethan Janidlo was lost in the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference championship game at Central.
End/defensive back Dugan Chase and lineman Landen Meyers also are injured. Two-way starter Jude Mugerwa missed Saturday's game due to an illness, Bailey said.
Those injuries allowed many underclassmen to gain valuable experience. Freshman quarterback Grayson Mahla, who led the area in passing before missing a month with an injury to his throwing arm, is among those.
Mahla returned for the playoffs and battled, even though his throwing arm injury had him at less than 100%.
"When you get to play 13 or 14 games, your young kids — whether they're on the field or off the field — get all that extra practice and all those extra opportunities," Bailey said of his 11-2 squad.
"We had a lot of young kids get to play this year. We'll be back."
Bald Eagle Area scored five touchdowns for a 35-0 halftime lead that put a running clock into motion in the second half.
The Eagles posted first-half advantages in first downs (10-1), rushing yards (67-26) and passing yards (195-24). Bald Eagle Area picked off three Richland passes in the half and four in the game.
"I think our defense has played outstanding all year, but it kind of evolved," Coach Nagle said. "I think the puzzle didn't get put together until Week 7 or 8. We have a lot of young guys playing. I think they just needed to get more mature as the season went on."
Dubbs scored the game's first four touchdowns on runs of 6, 7, 1 and 7 yards. Camron Watkins caught a 3-yard touchdown pass to convert a fourth down with 18 seconds remaining in the opening half.
"Right now, a lot of people try to stop our pass," Coach Nagle said. "(Dubbs) just is that other answer.
"I think that we're very balanced on offense. Coach (offensive coordinator Brett Umbenhouer) said in the first quarter, 'Hey, they're trying to take away our pass. Let's pound the rock.' That's what we did. Our line did an outstanding job and took care of business."
Carson Nagle teamed with Gavin Burns on a 71-yard TD pass, and Nick Wible scored on a 1-yard run in the third quarter to cap the championship performance.
"We had one in 30 years," Coach Nagle said of the Eagles' district crowns in 1988, followed by gold medals in 2018 and 2019. "Our coaching staff came in and we have three in the last five years. I told them this is something that three years ago, after we won the last one, I thought it would happen every year and it doesn't.
"This is special. I told them to take care of it. Understand the moment is big and enjoy it because this doesn't come along very often."
