BEA boys start strong but falls to veteran Mauraders
Jan 29, 2025

By Kenny Varner

WINGATE- The young Bald Eagle Area boys basketball team came out early and gave the 11-3 Bishop Guilfoyle Mauraders all they could handle in the first half of their Laurel Highlands match up as the Eagles trailed the Mauraders by nine points going into the second half.

But in the third, Bishop Guilfoyle’s defense tightened and they were able to work the transition game en route to the 74-41 victory.

However, Bald Eagle coach Kris Glunt was proud of his team’s first half performance tonight.

“I thought we played 16 minutes of really outstanding basketball. I thought we challenged them. I thought we moved the ball really well. I thought we played at their pace,” said Glunt. “I was really pleased with the first 16 minutes. The second 16 minutes is where we have to learn from.”

The Marauders were led by Taurean Consiglio’s 26 point effort. He also finished with 10 rebounds for a double double performance.

Teammate Tyson Lestochi followed with 10 points on the night.

Offensively, Bald Eagle was led by James Cowan and Kane Wolf who both posted 10. Wolf hit three from downtown for threes.

The Eagles got the game off and running taking it directly to the veteran Mauraders squad.

BG hit the opening bucket as Nick Foor stepped behind the three point line and sent it home for the three.

Bald Eagle scored on their first possession as well as Wyatt Spackman hit a bucket in the lane, cutting it to a one-point Maurader’s advantage.

Bishop Guilfoyle notched the next four points, all were by Tyson Lestachi. He would hit a jumper and then followed with two from the charity stripe, making it a 7-2 advantage.

But the Eagles battled back when Cowan pulled down an offensive board and then a put back, cut it to three.

Consiglio retaliated with a smooth bucket.

Trailing 9-4, the Eagles battled back to tie things at nine thanks to another putback by Cowan and then a triple by Wolf.

Hamilton Gates put the Mauraders back up by one, hitting 1-of-2 from the line.

But the Eagles got the ball back to Wolf two more times and he was automatic both times from three, putting Bald Eagle up 15-10.

Consiglio cut the contest to just one by the time the buzzer sounded ending the opening stanza.

The game remained close in the second.

Consiglio opened the second with a jumper to put his team ahead by one.

Bald Eagle Luke Hosband put his team back ahead by hitting a clutch jumper in traffic.

Bishop Guilfoyle got the ball back in the hands of Jake Kissel twice in consecutive trips hit jumpers from inside the lane, upping their lead to 20-17.

Hosband stopped the run with a shot inside of his own.

Consiglio followed with yet another jumper in the key, making it a 22-19 contest.

Bald Eagle took back the lead 23-22 on a 4-0 run. Both buckets came from Cowan.

Bishop Guilfoyle ended the first half on a 13-2 run, giving the Mauraders a 36-25 advantage.

Things started slow for the Eagles as Bishop Guilfoyle’s defense tightened its grips in the second.

The third quarter belonged to the Mauraders as they outscored the Eagles 17-3 taking a 63-28 advantage into the final stanza.

Despite being down going into the period, the Eagles battled to the last buzzer, outscoring the Mauraders 13-11.

Bisho Guilfoyle  74, Bald Eagle Area 41

BG   14 22 17 11 – 74

BEA 15 10   3 13 – 41

Scoring: BG –  Hamilton Gates  2 2-4 6, Tyson Lestochi   4 2-2 10, Taurean Consiglio  13 0-0 26, Troy Ruggery  4 0-0 8, Nick Foor 1 1-2 Jake Kissel  1 0-0 3, Troy Naughtman   1 0-0 2, Grant Okonak  2 0-0 6, Totals 31 8-10 74. BEA –  Jackson Millwood  2 1-2 7, Luke Hosband  3 0-0 6, Ethan Hoover  1 0-0 3, Kane Wolf 3 1-2 10, James Cowan  4 2-5 10, Wade Habovick 1 0-0 3, Wyatt Spackman 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 4-9 41.

Played but didn’t score: BG –  Jake Morasco 0 0-0 0, Connor Okonak 0 0-0 0, Michael Cacciotti 0 0-0 0, BEA –  None.

Three-point shots: BG –  Foor, Krimmel . BEA –  Wolf 3, Habovick, Hoover 2, Millwood.

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