With the sun setting over the Silver Bowl and comfortable temperatures welcoming the start of the high school football season, the Hurricanes and Red Tornadoes created a storm of their own Friday evening.
Mount Carmel outlasted Schuylkill Haven 48-41 in a Week 1 shootout that marked the first-ever football meeting between the two programs.
The Hurricanes struck first when Bradyn Diehl connected with freshman Noah Runkle for a 48-yard touchdown. The extra-point attempt failed, leaving Schuylkill Haven with a 6-0 lead.
Mount Carmel quickly answered behind Jaylen Delaney, who broke free for a 60-yard touchdown run. A kick by Joshua Miller gave the Red Tornadoes a 7-6 advantage.
Gabe Higgins extended Mount Carmel’s lead with a 12-yard touchdown run, but Schuylkill Haven responded with an 80-yard scoring run by Colton Reber. A failed 2-point conversion left the Hurricanes trailing 14-12 at the end of the first quarter.
Delaney scored his second touchdown on a 3-yard run during the second quarter. Diehl and Runkle then connected again, this time for a 20-yard touchdown, and Grayson Fessler’s extra point brought Schuylkill Haven within 21-19 at halftime.
The back-and-forth scoring resumed during the third quarter when Jason Klokis raced 42 yards for a Mount Carmel touchdown. The extra point failed, giving the Red Tornadoes a 27-19 lead.
Reber answered with a 38-yard touchdown run. Diehl then found Runkle for the two-point conversion, tying the game at 27.
The tie did not last long. Cooper Karycki broke loose for a 60-yard touchdown, and Miller’s kick put Mount Carmel back in front, 34-27.
Delaney opened the fourth-quarter scoring with a 45-yard touchdown run. Although the extra-point attempt failed, Mount Carmel held its largest lead of the night at 40-27.
Schuylkill Haven needed only one play to respond as Reber erupted for his second 80-yard touchdown of the game. Fessler’s kick cut the deficit to 40-34.
Delaney delivered the decisive response with a 44-yard touchdown run—his fourth score of the game. He also ran in the two-point conversion to extend Mount Carmel’s lead to 48-34.
The Hurricanes continued battling as Diehl connected with Chase Yoder for a 20-yard touchdown. Fessler added the extra point, but Mount Carmel held on for the 48-41 victory.
According statistics recorded by T102 Sports Now, the teams combined for 1,056 yards of offense, with Schuylkill Haven finishing with 551 yards and Mount Carmel recording 505.
Reber led the Hurricanes’ ground attack with 302 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. Diehl completed 11 of 15 passes for 168 yards and three touchdowns without an interception while adding 37 rushing yards.
Runkle caught three passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Yoder recorded three receptions for 37 yards and a score.
Mount Carmel did not complete a pass but accumulated all 505 of its yards on the ground. Delaney led the Red Tornadoes with 241 yards and four touchdowns on 16 carries. Karycki added 151 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts, while Higgins rushed for 57 yards and a score. Klokis contributed 56 yards and a touchdown.
Mount Carmel finished with 22 first downs compared with 20 for Schuylkill Haven. The Red Tornadoes improved to 1-0, while the Hurricanes fell to 0-1 following the high-scoring season opener.
Mount Carmel will travel to Schuylkill County next Friday night for Week 2 when they are scheduled to face the Pottsville Area Crimson Tide (0-1).
Schuylkill Haven will continue Week 2 on the road when they travel to play Tamaqua Area (0-1).
