ELCO

Football: ELCO Shows Heart and Relentless Effort in Tribute to Coach Carley

by
Dan Rau
August 31, 2025

Photos by Heather Daub

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For the ELCO Raiders, Thursday night’s matchup at Conrad Weiser was about more than football. Just days after the passing of long-time assistant coach John Carley, the team took the field with heavy hearts but a clear mission: to honor his memory with the kind of effort and fight he embodied. Prior to the national anthem, both teams paused for a moment of silence in his honor.

From the start, the Raiders showed they were ready to battle. Conrad Weiser, coming off a season-opening win and fresh off a 10-1 campaign a year ago, was expected to control the game. Yet ELCO’s young roster delivered a spirited performance that kept the Scouts on edge until the final minutes.

“We’re so close to being a team that reaches their full potential,” Coach Miller said afterward. “The scoreboard doesn’t dictate who those men are. For 48 minutes, they honored the game and Coach Carley with their heart, relentless effort, and emotion.”

The Scouts opened the scoring with a first-quarter passing touchdown, but ELCO quickly answered. Junior Griffin Kreider scooped up a fumble and rumbled 32 yards for the tying score. Minutes later, junior Nathaniel Zimmerman notched his second interception of the young season, as the Raiders’ defense made it clear they were not going to be intimidated.

That defense continued to shine in the first half, forcing four turnovers—including three forced fumbles from senior Paul Williams, who also tallied 11 tackles and a sack. Thanks to their grit, the Raiders held the high-powered Scouts to just one touchdown in the first two quarters, going into halftime tied at 7-7.

The second half saw both teams trading punches. Weiser regained the lead with a third-quarter rushing score, but ELCO responded in the fourth when quarterback Brinley Donmoyer broke free for a 35-yard touchdown run to knot things at 14-14. Donmoyer finished with 98 rushing yards on 15 carries while also throwing for 54 yards.

The game remained deadlocked until the closing minutes, when Conrad Weiser surged ahead on a short rushing touchdown with just 1:11 left. On ELCO’s final drive, a desperation throw was intercepted and returned for a touchdown, cementing the 28-14 final.

Though the loss dropped the Raiders to 0-2, the night felt less about the scoreboard and more about progress. Led defensively by Dalton Pyszka (14 tackles), Jonathan Zimmerman (13 tackles), and Williams, alongside balanced contributions from Gavin Yeiser, Ellis Gensamer, and Matthew Gass on offense, the Raiders showed flashes of a team capable of much more.

“We just need to clean up little mistakes, the things that stopped some key drives,” Miller said. “I’m really proud of them.”

ELCO returns home on Friday, September 5, to host Lancaster Catholic—still seeking their first win, but with a growing belief that it’s just around the corner.

Conrad Weiser 28, ELCO 14

ELCO Stats

Passing

- Brinley Donmoyer – 6/11, 54 yds, 2 INT

Rushing

- Brinley Donmoyer – 15 carries, 98 yds (53 long), TD
- Gavin Yeiser – 8 carries, 32 yds (18 long)
- Ellis Gensamer – 4 carries, 14 yds (13 long)

Receiving

- Gavin Yeiser – 2 receptions, 26 yds
- Ellis Gensamer – 1 reception, 10 yds
- Matthew Gass – 1 reception, 8 yds
- Kaden Tillison – 1 reception, 5 yds
- Hunter Showalter – 1 reception, 5 yds
- Dalton Pyszka – 1 beautiful reception (negated by penalty)

Defensive Leaders

- Dalton Pyszka – 14 tackles, 1 TFL
- Jonathan Zimmerman – 13 tackles
- Paul Williams – 11 tackles, 5 TFL, 3 forced fumbles, 1 sack
- Avery Shenk – 10 tackles, 2 TFL
- Riley McDonald – 10 tackles, 1 TFL
- Griffin Kreider – 10 tackles, 1 TD
- Ethan Bretzius – 10 tackles, 1 TFL
- Cody Landis – 7 tackles
- Blake LeGrande – 5 tackles
- Nathaniel Zimmerman – 3 tackles, 1 INT
- Conner Showalter – 3 tackles
- Cameron Tillison – 3 tackles
- Gavin Yeiser – 3 tackles
- Alejandro Weister – 3 tackles
- James Kuhne – 2 tackles
- Cooper Eberly – 1 tackle, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery
- Hunter Mehaffey – 1 tackle
- Kayden Wagner – 1 tackle