By HUNTER O. LYLE
lyleoleanstar@gmail.com
BRADFORD, PA – Coming into opening night, the question lingered of how Port Allegany’s offense would fare given their deep losses at the line of scrimmage. However, they would answer with an emphatic ‘just fine’ as the Gators manhandled Bradford 70-25 to christen the 2025 campaign.
Port graduated seven letterwinners from last year’s state championship appearance, five of which were linemen, including former Big 30 Player of the Year Carson Neely and his heavy weight counterpart Juuso Young. Typically playing with a run-laden schematic, they entered preseason looking for ways to continue to utilize star running back Aidan Bliss despite the voids on the line.
Against the Owls, it wouldn’t take long for Port to figure it out. Starting on offense and on their own 20-yard-line, it would take just one snap for the Gators to find the endzone, with Bliss opening the night by bursting through a right-side gap and streaking 80 yards downfield.
“First of all, (our line) is willing to get coached and I love that about them. They get coached pretty hard,” said Port Allegany head coach Justin Bienkowski. “We liked our start and we liked our energy and effort. I told them pregame, that this team has a contagious energy about them and we like where it’s heading.”
There were, however, noticeable changes in the Gators’ offense, mostly revolving around where and how they would get the ball in Bliss’ hands. After that very first score, Bliss would step into the pocket on a reverse, throwing a pass to Brennan Fillhart for the successful 2-point conversion. Following his second touchdown of the night, a 54-yard run on the very next drive, Port would take Bliss out of the backfield and instead find him downrange on several occasions as a part of a red hot offense that found five consecutive touchdowns through the opening 16 minutes of play.
“(The offensive creativity you get with Bliss) is fun. I actually messaged our offensive coordinator today and told him our first 2-point play is going to be a toss pass with Aidan,” said Beinkowski. “These kids are playing a game, working their tails off and if we can throw them a bone and have some fun, lets have some fun”
Having such an effective weapon in their arsenal also opened up the Gator’s other options. Shuffling in some action through the air, Fillhart started his sophomore quarterback season by racking up three passing touchdowns, finding Bliss and Nick Wilfong in the endzone as the Gators broke out to a 49-6 lead with just over six minutes left in the first half.
Meanwhile, Bradford was struggling to survive. Moving away from their usual ‘air raid’ offense, the Owls leaned into the run game to open the season. Although their first drive showed grit, marching up the field and on the cusp of the red zone, the Gator’s constant pressure on the line couldn’t be contained. Despite eventually switching from the ground to the air, they continuously faced blown up plays and men in their own back-field, ultimately failing to get another first down in the first half.
“We were struggling with the blitz, the interior blitz early. We thought we could get some balls, some short passes to try to loosen that up, it was just a little bit too much,” said Bradford head coach Jeff Puglio. “They were sending a lot of pressure and this is something with the Wing-T that, with experience, we’ll get better at it.”
To make matters worse, errors piled up in the form of three consecutive turnovers, all of which resulted in Port touchdowns immediately after, wild snaps and three-and-outs. Their one bright spot of the first half would be Logan Kohler, whose impeccable speed produced a 97-yard kick return that kept the Owls from going scoreless through the first two quarters. Instead, they entered the break down 63-6.
In the second half, Bradford would find some steam, albeit, giving up another turnover on their first drive that once again led to Port waltzing into the endzone.
Kohler once again showcased his speed on the Owls’ second drive, zig-zagging 65-yards down field and through pockets of defenders as he notched his eleventh career score. Then, facing the Gators’ reserves, Bradford’s defense began to control the game, forcing Port off the field on back-to-back possessions.
As the running clock wound down, Bradford would score three more times. After stripping and recovering a punt, Bentley Evans bruised his way into the endzone for a two-yard score before Lucas Wallace, who came in at quarterback, scrambled eight yards to the right pylon for his first rushing touchdown. Evans’ number was then called again, putting the finishing touches on the night with another short gain, this time a four-yard dash which was followed by a successful 2-point-conversion carry from Max Gow.
In all, Bliss would end the night with four touchdowns, two on the ground, where he tallied 181 yards on seven carries, and two in the air during his three receptions and 39 yards. Fillhart’s three passing touchdowns came on an 8-for-10 night while Wilfong and Kellen Veilleux combined for four scores. For the Owls, Kohler led the way with two touchdowns and 165 all-purpose yards.
“The takeaway is that I just love our energy and I love our effort, which is what we preach all the time,” said Bienkowski. “But we all have to work together. We want to be chugging along in the same direction. Everyone’s working towards a common goal and we have a lot of work to do but we like the direction we’re heading.”
UP NEXT:
Moniteau at Port Allegany, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m.
Otto-Eldred at Bradford, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m.
