The lights were shining bright for the first-ever home night game in girls flag football history at Pope John Paul II, and the Golden Panthers made sure it was a night to remember. On senior night, Pope John Paul II delivered an impressive win over Perkiomen Valley by a score of 37-13.

PJP came out fast, taking a 12-0 lead after the first quarter before both teams traded scores in the second and third quarter.. The Golden Panthers closed the game strong with another 12-point fourth quarter to seal the convincing win.

Leading the offensive attack was quarterback Julia Colasanti, who put together a tremendous performance through the air. Colasanti completed 20 of 29 passes for 332 yards and five touchdown passes while also contributing two tackles defensively.

Her favorite target on the night was Lourdes Armstrong, who exploded for 112 receiving yards and three touchdowns while also recording seven tackles on defense.

Delainey Cathers added another big-play performance with 89 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Casey Schuler chipped in 57 receiving yards and seven tackles.

Brinley Steele showcased her versatility all over the field, finishing with 50 receiving yards, 30 rushing yards, and completing both of her pass attempts for 24 yards. Defensively, Steele was a game changer with five tackles and two interceptions.

Additional contributions came from Miriana Michinok, who totaled 27 receiving yards, 10 rushing yards, and a touchdown while adding three tackles and two pressures on defense.

Kailey Hudy hauled in a touchdown reception and added three tackles with a pass breakup, while Abby Hamilton anchored the defense with eight pressures and a pass block.

Defensively, Pope John Paul II consistently pressured the quarterback and created turnovers, helping control the momentum throughout the night. Lindey Quintero also contributed defensively with a tackle.

The historic evening combined celebration, energy, and strong execution as Pope John Paul II capped off senior night with a memorable victory in front of the home crowd.

FAIRLESS HILLS, PA — It was a few years ago, yet they can remember almost every detail, from their go-ahead touchdown, to the devastating feeling of being sprawled on the ground left crying on a last-play touchdown.

Conwell-Egan juniors Sarah Beck and Brianna Jackson were freshmen on that team, which lost on the final play of the 2024 Catholic League game against Archbishop Wood.

So, on Wednesday, in front of a good crowd on an overcast day, Beck and Jackson got their revenge, combining to score all three Eagles’ touchdowns in a thrilling 20-14 overtime victory over a very good Wood team in the Philadelphia Catholic League semifinals.

Conwell-Egan, the No. 1 seed in the Philadelphia Catholic League (PCL), will now play Archbishop Ryan for the PCL 2026 flag football championship on Monday, May 11, at 6 p.m. at Cardinal O’Hara High School. Ryan, 13-7 winners in the other semifinal game over defending PCL champ Lansdale Catholic, will be playing in the finals for the first time.

This will be the second trip for Conwell-Egan in three years to the PCL championship, with the first coming in 2024, when Wood beat Conwell-Egan, 20-19, on the final play of the game.

“Oh, I remember it, they had the ball on the 15, and they won it on the last play of the game,” said Beck, who scored the Eagles’ two touchdowns against Wood in regulation. “I scored (the go-head) touchdown with 40 seconds left (in the 2024 PCL finals), and Wood came right up the field. There was 7 seconds left when they beat us on the last play of the game. We were all in tears. We were that close. We were determined to come into this game ready.”

It was a back-and-forth game, with Conwell-Egan striking first, when Olivia DellaVecchio flung a pass down the middle of the field that was snatched up by Beck for a 35-yard touchdown.

Wood came right back, when the Vikings tied it on a 38-yard TD pass from Angella Kiss to Paige Savage with 1:17 left in the first half. It looked like Conwell-Egan would break the game open after a Dora Reddington interception at the outset of the third quarter, but the Vikings’ defense held at the Wood five.

Taking advantage of good field position, the Eagles went ahead on Beck’s second touchdown, a 5-yard pass from Fran Simeone, which put Conwell-Egan ahead, 14-7, with 8:15 left in the third quarter.

Again, Wood responded.

After being inside its five, Kiss found Brigid Johnston for a 38-yard reception, setting up Savage’s second score, an 18-yard pass from Kiss in the corner of the end zone for a 14-14 tie with 2:09 left in the third.

That set the stage for Jackson, a standout guard and two-year starter for Conwell-Egan’s basketball team.

The Eagles had been winning this season on their ground attack. Conwell-Egan coach Dan Friscia mixed his plan up on Wednesday.

“We all got together after we lost to Ryan (during the regular season) and we have come together so much more,” Jackson said. “We trust each. We didn’t have as much confidence earlier this season as we do now.”

Conwell-Egan managed to cause the Wood defense to drift right, while Jackson snuck below and came out on the left side of the end zone wide open. Simeone dropped it in and the celebration was on.

“I was the intended receiver on that play,” Jackson said. “We tried the same play before and I was open then, too. We just couldn’t complete the pass, because the wind blew the ball. We did well my freshmen and sophomore years, and I definitely remember losing to Wood with 7 seconds left. This win was a lot more than just a win. There was a little revenge involved, and it felt very nice.”

Beck, a soccer player, was introduced to flag football out of curiosity her freshman year. She has taken to flag very well. She’s been the Eagles’ go-to receiver this season.

“I was crying after that loss to Wood (in the PCL finals), because we were that close,” Beck said. “We thought we had the game won. There were zero seconds left on the clock and I remember (Wood) scoring in the right corner of the end zone.”

The semifinal loss ended a highly successful season for Wood, which received very strong performances from Savage and Johnston.

Wood won the PCL in 2024, and lost to Lansdale Catholic in the PCL championship last year. It’s the first year the Vikings will not be in the PCL finals.

“It’s always a street fight with Conwell-Egan, and Dan has done a really nice job in his first year,” Wood coach Jim Savage said. “All the girls play hard, and it’s impressive to see. It was a great battle, but we were on the wrong end of it this year. Sometimes, that’s what happens.”

What happens next for Friscia and his team is a date in the PCL championship next Monday.

“The strength of our game has been running the ball, and throwing over the top, and we really don’t change anything regardless of opponent,” Friscia said. “We stick to what we do, and make other teams adjust to us. That was a designed play with Brianna in the corner. We had to wait for it to develop, and Fran made the throw.

“Ryan is a top team. The difference in this game was Nana (Anna Zoryea, who had six sacks). She’s the MVP of our defense, and she was out the first time we played Ryan. She makes a difference in every game we play, and she’s the reason why we are able to float around on defense.

“Our main concern was watching Johnston and Savage. Those girls are great players, and they made great plays. We just had to limit the great plays they made. I was fortunate to come into a program with established stars and the goal has been since Day One to win a Catholic League championship.”

The Eagles are in a position to do just that next Monday night.

Scoring Summary

Archbishop Wood  0 7 7 0 0-14

Conwell-Egan 0 7 7 0 6-20

2nd Quarter

CE – Sarah Beck 35 pass from Olivia DellaVecchio (Beck pass from Fran Simeone), 6:00

AW – Paige Savage 38 pass from Angella Kiss (Brigid Johnston pass from Kiss), 1:17

3rd Quarter

CE – Beck 5 pass from Simeone (Beck pass from DellaVecchio), 8:15

AW – Savage 18 pass from Kiss (Savage pass from Kiss), 2:09

OT

CE – Brianna Jackson 18 pass from Simeone

Joseph Santoliquito is a hall of fame, award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball [twitter.com].

Spring-Ford (Offensive and Defensive stats)

Pope John Paul II  (Offensive and Defensive stats)
05/07/26
Miriana Michinok
27 yds rec., 10 yds rush, 1 TD
3 tackles and 2 pressures

Brinley Steele
50 yds rec, 30 yds rush, 2 for 2 passing for 24 yards
5 tackles and 2 INTs

Kailey Hudy
6 yds rec, 1 TD
3 tackles, 1 pass break up

Delainey Cathers
89 yds rec, 1 TD
3 tackles

Casey Schuler
57 yds rec
7 tackles

Lourdes Armstrong
112 yds rec, 3 TD’s
7 tackles

Julia Colasanti
20 for 29 passing, 332 yards, 5 TD’s passing
2 tackles

Abby Hamilton
1 tackle, 8 pressures, 1 pass block

Lindey Quintero
1 tackle

From the opening drive, Palisades established control behind a high-powered offense led by quarterback Izzy Carson. Carson put together an outstanding performance, completing 17 of 23 passes for 286 yards and four touchdowns while adding a rushing score. Her ability to stretch the field and make quick decisions kept the Lancaster County Christian defense on its heels all game long.

Felicity Houghton complemented the attack with an efficient outing of her own, completing 11 of 15 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown, while also finding the end zone on the ground. The dual-quarterback approach gave Palisades versatility and kept the offensive tempo high.

The receiving corps was equally impressive, highlighted by a breakout performance from Ani Brewer, who hauled in three catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns, showcasing big-play ability. Jane Salva added two touchdown receptions, while Gabby Brader and Sadie Chilton each contributed receiving scores. Luca Wilson and Houghton also chipped in with key catches to keep drives alive.

On the defensive side, Palisades continued to dominate. Sadie Chilton led the way with four flag pulls, two pass breakups, and a momentum-shifting pick-six that further widened the gap. The defense consistently applied pressure and forced mistakes, never allowing Lancaster County Christian to gain any rhythm offensively.

With strong performances across all phases of the game—offense, defense, and execution—Palisades showcased why they are a force to be reckoned with in girls flag football.

The final score was 67–7.

Palisades Stats
Passing Attempts Completions Yards TD Int
Izzy Carson 23 17 286 4 0
1 rushing TD
Felicity Houghton 15 11 87 1 0
1 rushing Td

Receiving. Catches yards. TDs
Jane Salva 3 28 2
Gabby Brader 2 14 1
Sadie Chilton 2 30 1
Luca Wilson 2 21
Felicity Houghton 1 5
Ani Brewer 3 123 2

Defense:
Sadie Chilton 4 flag pulls,    2 pass breakups, 1 Pick 6

Spring-Ford (Offensive and Defensive stats)
04/27/26
Senior Tochi Okere had 9 catches for 137 yards. 8 tackles and 2 interceptions.

Senior Lauren Weimer had 6 catches for 60 yards and 2 tackles for a loss.

Senior Lila Olsen had 3 catches for 56 and 4 tackles.

Sophomore Ava Sweeney came off the bench to throw 19 for 23 with 259 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Senior Naiima Bess had 6 tackles and 34 all purpose yards while seniors Sara Ford and Sadie Klein each had an interception in the win.

Palisades (Offensive and Defensive stats)
04/27/26
Offense:
Isabella Carson 17 – 23 passing 286 yards 4 TDs, 1 Rushing TD
Jane Salva 5 receptions 80 yards 1 TD
Felicity Houghton 2 receptions 78 yards 1 TD, 3 rushing 14 yards 1 TD
Sadie Chilton 4 receptions 51 yards 1 TD
Ella Salva 4 receptions 31 yards 1 TD
Molly Haubert 1 Rushing TD

Defense:
Ella Salva 13 flag pulls, 2 pass breakups
Gabrielle Brader 9 flag pulls 2 pass breakups 1 sack 1 INT

04/30/26 67-7 over Lancaster County Christian School

Passing:
Attempts Completions Yards TD Int
Izzy Carson 23 17 286 4 0
1 rushing TD

Felicity Houghton 15 11 87 1 0
1 rushing Td

Receiving:
Catches yards. TDs
Jane Salva 3 28 2
Gabby Brader 2 14 1
Sadie Chilton 2 30 1
Luca Wilson 2 21
Felicity Houghton 1 5
Ani Brewer 3 123 2

Defense:
Sadie Chilton 4 flag pulls, 2 pass breakups, 1 Pick 6

Interboro (Offensive and Defensive stats)
Michaela Ripoli a junior running back at Interboro. In two games this week, she had a 70 yard touchdown reception, a 50 yard touchdown reception, 168 overall receiving yards, 89 rushing yards and also added a rushing touchdown to her week.

Pennsbury (Offensive and Defensive stats)
Sydney Becker (Sophomore)
11 Receptions / 2 TDs/ 1 interception and 3 flag pulls
13-12 Pennsbury win over Abington in the SOL playoffs

The Monarchs surpassed Abington’s area-record 18-game win streak earlier this week with a victory over Villa Joseph Marie and added another win Thursday with a 42-13 victory over Boyertown to make it 20 wins in a row.
The reigning Pennsylvania state champions haven’t lost a game since a title game loss in 2024 and are gearing up for another deep postseason run as they wind down their regular season, striving to become the first back-to-back champs in the half decade of girls flag football.

“We just keep rolling because we have that fight,” said senior co-captain and quarterback Keira Quinn. “We love how we felt last year, and we just want to repeat. … I think that our fight is harder this year. We really see the opportunity in front of us, and we just want to go get it.”

Quinn, who was honored the Maxwell Football Club 2025 Girls National Flag Football Player of the Year in January, passed for six touchdowns in Thursday’s game, including five in the first half when she found five different receivers for scores.
Short touchdowns passes to sophomore Ava Lapotosky and junior Lily Walker put the Monarchs ahead 14-0 after a quarter of play. Quinn started the scoring in the second quarter by intercepting a pass and going 58 yards for a touchdown.
She found sophomore Shiloh Okiro (15 yards), sophomore Reilly Graham (35 yards) and senior Sophie Caufield (21 yards) before half to make it 42-0 Gwynedd at the break. Quinn added another 23-yard touchdown pass to Graham in the third quarter.

“I just trust all of my teammates,” Quinn said. “If I put the ball in their hands, I know they’re going to score. I just have a lot of confidence in them.”

“Different people step up all the time,” added junior co-captain Rowan Cunningham, who caught one of the conversions.

“Every girl understands that they’re here to play a role, and we all fit into a role on this team. And I think it’s so nice to see everyone step up in different ways each game.”
Defensively, Quinn and Lapotosky were the top flag pullers for Gwynedd with Okiro, Quinn and Caufield each intercepting passes.

The Monarchs are now 7-0 this season following last year’s 13-0 undefeated campaign and a 12-1 mark the season before that included 12 straight victories before a loss to Archbishop Wood in the Pennsylvania championship.
Thursday’s dominant result was par for the course as Gwynedd has outscored its opponents 306-45 on the year with the closest margin of victory a 41-14 win over Spring-Ford.

“We’re not result focused,” Monarchs coach Tim Quinn said. “We’re not focused on the score. What we’re focused on is trying to be better every day, every rep in what we’re doing. … The girls are motivated by the streak, they’re motivated in that they want to be the champs. They want to be there again.

“It’s not what everyone else is looking at. They understand the personal reward in trying to be great.”
Boyertown (4-4) scored on its first drive of the second half after forcing a Gwynedd three-and-out. Freshman Paige Stankina caught a 12-yard score from senior Callie Wieber. Senior Karolina Jaronski snagged a 14-yard touchdown pass from Wieber in the fourth. The Bears, who came in having won four of their last five, also got strong outings from senior Zoey Quay and sophomore Alexis Shimukonas.

The Bears close out their regular season Monday night at Norristown. The Monarchs finish their regular season at home against Pennridge.

“It’s focus and preparation,” Cunningham said. “Everyone makes mistakes. We gotta fix even the tiny ones, and then hopefully we come out strong Monday, finish our regular season at home strong.”
~~~
Scoring Summary
Gwynedd Mercy 14 28 7 0-49
Boyertown 0 0 7 6-13
1st Quarter
GM – Ava Lapotosky 1 pass from Keira Quinn (Ava Lapotosky pass from Keira Quinn)
GM – LIly Walker 1 pass from Keira Quinn (Rowan Callahan pass from Keira Quinn)

2nd Quarter
GM – Keira Quinn 58 INT return (pass fail)
GM – Shiloh Okiro 15 pass from Keira Quinn (Quinn run)
GM – Reilly Graham 35 pass from Keira Quinn (Ava Lapotosky pass from Keira Quinn)
GM – Sophia Caulfield 21 pass from Keira Quinn (Reilly Graham pass from Keira Quinn)

3rd Quarter
BT – Paige Stankina12 pass from Callie Webber (Makayla Piazza pass from Callie Webber)
GM – Reilly Graham 23 pass from Keira Quinn (Lily Walker pass from Keira Quinn)

4th Quarter
BT – Karolina Jaronski 12 pass from Callie Webber (pass fail)

OREFIELD – Palisades delivered an explosive offensive performance and a strong defensive effort to defeat Parkland, 39–13, in girls flag football action Thursday night.

After a scoreless first quarter, Palisades took control in the second, putting up 12 points and never looking back.

A dominant third quarter, where they added 20 more points, broke the game open before closing it out in the fourth.

Offensive Explosion Led by Carson

Quarterback Isabella Carson led Palisades, putting together an outstanding performance through the air. She completed 25 of 34 passes for 291 yards and threw six touchdowns, consistently finding open receivers and keeping Parkland’s defense on its heels.

Balanced Contributions in the Run Game

While the passing attack led the way, Palisades mixed it up with the ground game:

– Dakota Wizeman added 19 rushing yards on seven carries
– Carson contributed 13 yards on three carries
– Felicity Houghton chipped in 13 yards on two carries

Receiving Corps Shines

Carson’s success was fueled by a deep and productive receiving group:
– Jane Salva led the way with 8 receptions for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with 2 extra points
– Gabrielle Brader added 5 catches for 21 yards and 2 touchdowns
– Felicity Houghton recorded 4 receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown
– Sadie Chilton contributed 3 catches for 24 yards and a score
– Aniela Brewer (27 yards), Dakota Wizeman (25 yards), and Luca Wilson (17 yards) also made key contributions

Defense Sets the Tone

Palisades’ defense played a major role in limiting Parkland’s opportunities:
– Ella Salva led the team with 9 flag pulls
– Felicity Houghton added 7 flag pulls and a pass breakup
– Abbey Schmidt recorded 6 flag pulls
– Gabrielle Brader added 5 flag pulls
– Jane Salva contributed 4 flag pulls, a pass breakup, and an interception
– Aniela Brewer and Isabella Carson each recorded interceptions, helping shut down Parkland’s passing attack

Complete Team Effort

With a dominant quarterback performance, multiple scoring threats, and a defense that consistently made plays, Palisades showcased a complete team effort. Their ability to score quickly and create turnovers proved too much for Parkland to overcome.

Palisades will look to carry this momentum home against Emmaus and Parkland looks to rebound on the 28th against Emmaus.

Scoring summary:

1st:
No Score

2nd:
Parkland: Sienna Mobilio to Sarah Gohman 11:23
Palisades: Isabella Carson to Gabrielle Brader 1:55
Palisades: Isabella Carson to Felicity Houghton 4.3

3rd:
Palisades: Isabella Carson to Gabrielle Brader 7:50
Palisades: Isabella Carson to Sadie Chilton 3:25
Palisades: Isabella Carson to Jane Salva 1:35

4th:
Parkland: Sienna Mobilio to Avrie Arnfeldt 8:40
Palisades: Isabella Carson to Jane Salva 5:30

Pope John Paul II (Offensive and Defensive stats)

Casey Schuler
45 yards receiving
5 tackles
6 points

Kailey Hudy
18 yards receiving
2 tackles 1 blocked pass

Delainey Cathers
15 yards receiving
7 points

Lourdes Armstrong
123 yards receiving
1 interception and 2 blocked passes
6 points

Julia Colasanti
336 yds passing and 3 td passes

Abigail Hamilton
2 tackles 4 pressures
1 blocked punt

4/22/26

Julia Colasanti
Threw for 249 yards and ran for 13
4 tackles and made an INT

Brinley Steele
71 yards receiving and 42 yards rushing
5 tackles

Lourdes Armstrong
27 yards receiving
4 tackles and an extra point

Casey Schuler
79 yards receiving and a TD
5 tackles and 1 blocked pass

Delainey Cathers
30 yards receiving
3 tackles

Kailey Hudy
7 yards receiving
7 tackles and 1 blocked pass

Mirianna Michinok
35 yards receiving
2 tackles and and a sack

Abbey Hamilton
4 pressures and 2 tackles

Spring-Ford (Offensive and Defensive stats)
04/20/26
Lila Olsen with 8 receptions for 225 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Tochi Okere had four catches for 100 yards and a touchdown.

Brooke Ellis had 7 catches for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Sadie Klein had a touchdown to close out the scoring.

Ava Sweeney with 432 yards and 8 touchdowns on 20-25 throws.

MaryGrace Foulke had 12 tackles and Lily Ritter had 8 tackles.

Ritter, Foulke, Olsen and Okere each had an interception.

Spring Ford over PJP at PJP 40-7.
5 games in a row over 40. Clinched PAC

Ava Sweeney threw for 276 yards going 27/30 with 5 TDS
Now has 70 plus tds for the year with 120 plus lifetime as a sophomore.

Senior Lila Olsen caught 3 for 41 with a TD
Tochi Okere scored twice in 3 catches for 41 yards
Senior Brooke Ellis caught 5 for 49 with a td.
Junior Alexandra Sullivan had 2 tds including a 20 yard pick six.

West Chester Rustin (Offensive and Defensive stats)
4/20 vs Coatesville
Offense:
Sydney DeMarco (QB) – 24/34 for 239 Yards, 5 TDs
Charlotte DeStafeno (HB) – 4 Catches, 127 Yards, 2 TDs
Mary Cordaro (WR) – 4 Catches, 105 Yards
Hannah Yost (WR) – 2 Catches, 10 Yards, 2 TDs
Pearl Donnelly (RB) – 35 Yard Touchdown Run

Defense:
Erin McCune – 13 Flag Pulls
Madison Blair – 10 Flag Pulls
Juliana Gonzalez – 2 INTs, 8 Flag Pulls
Jae Jefferson– 1 INT

Pennridge (Offensive and Defensive stats)
4/20/26
Offense:
Arianne Lauf- 6 catches, 1 TD
Emma Shaeffer- 6 catches
Gabriella Howley- 18 catches, 5 TDs, 4- 1 pt conversions, 1- 2 pt conversions
Madison Lapp- 7 TD passes, 1 Rushing TD
Peyton Rabinowitz- 2 catches
Gia Trischitti- 1 catch
Molly Fannon- 7 catches
Mylia Leonidas- 1 catch
Maddy Allebach, 1 catch, 1 TD

Defense:
Arianne Lauf- 6 Flag Pulls
Emma Shaeffer- 10 Flag Pulls
Gabriella Howley- 6 Flag Pulls
Madison Lapp- 4 Flag Pulls, 2 INTS, 1- int return for TD
Molly Fannon- 6 Flag Pulls
Ella Kocher- 1 Flag Pull
Mylia Leonidas- 1 Flag Pull
Maddy Allebach- 3 Flag Pulls
Ella Ricci- 3 Flag Pulls

Archbishop Wood (Offensive and Defensive stats)
vs. Bonner 4/20/26
Defense:
Sr DB Brigid Johnston – 3 interceptions
Fr DB Allison Riotto – 1 interception for a pick 6

vs. St Hubert’s 4/22/26
Offense:
So QB Angella Kiss – 5 TD

Defense:
Sr DB Brigid Johnston – 4 interceptions including 1 pick 6, 1 offensive TD
Fr DB Paige Savage – 2 interceptions, both pick 6’s.

West Chester East (Offensive and Defensive stats)
4/20/26
vs. WC Henderson

Offense:
Maeve Crossin 23/31 205 yards 2 TDs
Mariska Bernad 104 Total Yards
Tess Mullen 62 Total Yards, 2 Tds
Siena Sweeney 6 Rec. 44 Yards
Sloane Beaver 4 Rec. 40 Yards

Defense:
Siena Sweeney 7 Fps
Mariska Bernard 6 Fps, 1 INT
Madison Macciocca 6 Fps
Aviana McLean 5 Fps, 3 Sacks

Parkland (Offensive and Defensive stats)
Varsity Stats: 04/20/26
Offense:
QB Sienna Mobilio (Freshman) 25 completions, 2 TDs
WR Zoey Kellogg 8 receptions
Sarah Gohman 6 receptions, TD, and XP (Player of the game)
Julianna Gavirati 5 receptions
Avrie Arnfeldt 3 receptions, TD

Defense:
Zoey Kellogg 12 flag pulls

(Defense player of the game)
Marie Oswald 6 flag pulls

JV Players of the game:
Parkland 19 Palisades 6

Offense:
QB Sienna Mobilio 3 TD passes. XP
WR Juliana Gavirati 4 receptions, TD, XP

Defense:
CB Bri Mironov 4 flag pulls, INT
INTs also by Chelsea Miller, Claire Brundage, and Jade Salazar

Palisades (Offensive and Defensive stats)
04/20/26
Offense:
Isabella Carson completed 25 of 34 passes for 291 yards and threw six touchdowns
Jane Salva led the way with 8 receptions for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with 2 extra points
Gabrielle Brader added 5 catches for 21 yards and 2 touchdowns
Felicity Houghton recorded 4 receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown
Sadie Chilton contributed 3 catches for 24 yards and a score
Aniela Brewer (27 yards), Dakota Wizeman (25 yards), and Luca Wilson (17 yards) also made key contributions
Dakota Wizeman added 19 rushing yards on seven carries
Carson contributed 13 yards on three carries
Felicity Houghton chipped in 13 yards on two carries

Defense:
Ella Salva led the team with 9 flag pulls
Felicity Houghton added 7 flag pulls and a pass breakup
Abbey Schmidt recorded 6 flag pulls
Gabrielle Brader added 5 flag pulls
Jane Salva contributed 4 flag pulls, a pass breakup, and an interception
Aniela Brewer and Isabella Carson each recorded interceptions, helping shut down Parkland’s passing attack

vs. Emmaus
04/23/26
Isabella Carson 28-48 255 5 Tds 1 Int
Sadie Chilton 10 catches 106 yards 3 Tds
Felicity Houghton 3 Ints on defense

Bensalem (Offensive and Defensive stats)
4/20 – 4/24
Offense:
Kamiya Alexander – 4 TDs 222 yards rushing 300 yards receiving
Journei Lee- 2 Tds 154 yards rushing 123 yards receiving
Kylie Smith – 7 Passing Tds 777 yards passing
Angelica Sumbillo- 1 Td 142 yard rushing 90 yard recieving
Keanna rodriguez – 23 Yards receiving Extra Point
Lexi W- 1 TD 98 yards receiving

Defense:
Journei Lee – 1 Int
Keanna Rodriguez – 3 Sacks
Lejna M – Several flag pulls
Makiyah Robinson – Several flags pulled
Aaliyah Sellers – Sever flags pulled
Kayla Taylor – Several flags pulled
Ester Pacal – Several flags pulled
London Taylor – Top Flag Puller
Angelica Sumbillo – Several flags pulled

Izzy Balisalisa, Ali Kaltenbacher, Londynn Laney

LANSDALE, PA — The pieces were there. They just had to be found and fit. Lansdale Catholic, the defending Catholic League champions, had its struggles early this season—and still won, save for one loss to Conwell-Egan.

Crusaders’ coach Brandon Reese was searching for some chemistry, starting with a quarterback. Halfway into this season, it looks like he found one in freshman Londynn Laney, who had a background in flag football at the grade school level.

Ever since then, the Crusaders have been humming.

Lansdale Catholic scored two fourth-quarter three-yard touchdowns when Laney hit sophomore Izzy Balisalisa and freshman Molly Flavel with the winning score to spell a 13-7 victory over previously undefeated Archbishop Ryan.

Ryan was the last team in the Catholic League undefeated. The Raiders loss creates a three-team logjam atop the Catholic League, with Ryan, Lansdale and Conwell-Egan each with one loss. Conwell-Egan defeated Lansdale Catholic earlier this season, without Laney at quarterback, while Ryan beat Conwell-Egan a few weeks ago.

Ryan and Lansdale Catholic are each 8-1, with both teams having two more games to play, while Conwell-Egan is 6-1 with five games left to play.

If the season were to end in a three-way tie, a point-differential is the first tie-breaker, and that may go to Conwell-Egan thanks to its 25-6 victory over Lansdale Catholic back on March 21.

But the Crusaders have wedged their way into the picture, thanks to interception by Lansdale Catholic U.S. national flag team player Ali Kaltenbacher’s interceptions and huge 30-yard catch that set up Lansdale Catholic’s first score, and Laney leading Lansdale Catholic to consecutive fourth-quarter touchdowns with her ability to run and pass.

“Londynn has really come through for us midway in the season,” Kaltenbacher said. “Ryan is very good, and this was huge, because we’re a young team. Our team is mostly freshmen. They have figured it out and I think we can make a big run this season. This was a big confidence booster.”

Laney has adjusted to the speed of the varsity level. A starter on Lansdale Catholic’s junior varsity basketball team, Laney has settled the Crusaders’ offense. This is her third year playing flag.

“This is a very big step for me, and I had to learn the ball better, more efficiently, and getting the ball out fast helps,” she said. “I’m really enjoying this season. Ryan is really good and going into this game, I had to put my emotions aside. I was anxious. Our coaches were telling us this is the biggest game, so far, this season.”

It turned to be an exciting game. Ryan scored its lone touchdown on a long drive that ended on a 30-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Bree Gavaghan to Kayla Morris, with big defensive stops on interceptions from Ansleigh Lapacinski and pretty nifty diving interception by Amber Rothley.

But with the game on the line, Lansdale Catholic took control, started to take control with Laney hit Kaltenbacher for a 30-yard reception, which seemed to awaken the Crusaders’ offense. Lansdale Catholic reached the Ryan three, when Laney found Balisalisa in a maze of players for the Crusaders’ tying score with 9:23 to play.

“I just turned my head, and the ball was right there,” said Balisalisa, who also missed the Conwell-Egan game. “I was running my route and saw an opening. I didn’t the ball was thrown until I turned around. Ryan is really good. This was big for us. This is a huge confidence boost. Ryan was the hardest team we saw all year.”

Reese feels sure Lansdale Catholic will see Ryan again.

“Londynn has made a difference,” Reese said. “This was our first year when we went into the season without a starting quarterback. Londynn has natural athleticism, and her ability to adapt running has been behind this team’s revival. Every game we have gotten better after the Conwell-Egan loss. And we have Ali, and we know when we need something big, we can go to Ali. She’s our driving force.”

Ryan did not go away easily.

With 3:51 to play, Gavaghan found Morris for a big gain, and with 27 seconds to play, the Raiders were sitting on the Lansdale Catholic 3. But two incompletions meant the end for Ryan.

“I think we needed this,” Raiders’ coach Sue Dutka said. “We fought again. But we let our foot off the gas in the second half. I have no doubt we will still make our run for the Catholic League championship. Kayla has a knack or big plays, and I feel really strong we’ll see LC again.”

Morris seems certain of it.

“We’ll learn from this, and it is good for us, because it is humbling and we need to lock in and stay focused for the whole game,” said Morris, a Ryan cheerleader who runs track. “Lansdale Catholic is really good. I don’t think there is much of a difference between us. It was great that we came back and made it close.”

Scoring Summary

Archbishop Ryan (8-1) 6 0 0 0-6

Lansdale Catholic (8-1) 0 0 0 13-13

1st Quarter

AR – Kayla Morris 30 pass from Bree Gavaghan (pass failed)

4th Quarter

LC – Izzy Balisalisa 3 pass from Londynn Laney (pass failed)

LC – Molly Flavel 3 pass from Laney (Jenna Kovacs pass from Laney)

Joseph Santoliquito is a hall of fame, award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball [twitter.com].