ELCO

Football: Defense, Rushing Touchdowns Fuel ELCO’s Victory Over Catholic

by
Dan Rau
September 7, 2025

Photos by Heather Daub

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The ELCO Raiders entered Week 2 at 0-2, echoing their slow start from 2024. But on Friday night, in their first home game since the passing of longtime coach and mentor Coach Carley, the Raiders proved they could flip the script. Facing a Lancaster Catholic team that had scored 90 points in its first two games, ELCO delivered a complete performance, earning a 28-14 victory.

From the opening kickoff, the Raiders’ defense set the tone. They held the Crusaders scoreless for the first three quarters, relying on a mix of solo and assisted tackles. Freshman Alejandro Weister led the way with 10 solo stops and a tackle for loss, while Griffin Kreider added 9 solo tackles, 3 assists, and a pass breakup. Avery Shenk (7 solo, 4 assists, 2 TFL) and Riley McDonald (5 solo, 3 assists, 2 TFL) anchored the middle, and Ethan Bretzius contributed 4 solo tackles, 5 assists, 2 TFL, and a sack.

Paul Williams continued to disrupt Catholic’s offense, recording 2 solo tackles, 2 assists, and a sack. His presence drew extra attention from opposing blockers, opening lanes for teammates and making his impact felt well beyond the stat sheet.

Offensively, ELCO struck early. Ellis Gensamer (#5) finished a first-quarter drive with a 28-yard rushing touchdown to put the Raiders up 6-0. In the second quarter, Gavin Yeiser (#25) added a 24-yard rushing touchdown, and Kaden Tillison converted a two-point pass to extend the lead to 14-0. Quarterback Brinley Donmoyer (#2) also made his presence felt on the ground, finishing with 21 carries for 111 yards and two late-game touchdowns, including a 32-yard dash to the end zone. Yeiser also added 73 yards on six carries, while Gensamer contributed 52 yards on seven attempts.

Lancaster Catholic finally broke through in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 14-7 with just over nine minutes to play. Donmoyer responded with a touchdown run six minutes later to make it 21-7, but the Crusaders answered again, narrowing the gap to 21-14 and setting up a tense finish.

It was in that closing stretch that Nathaniel Zimmerman made the play that sealed the victory, intercepting a pass late in the game to halt Catholic’s comeback attempt. Zimmerman finished the night with two interceptions, bringing his season total to four.

Donmoyer added an insurance touchdown with just 30 seconds remaining, ending the night at 28-14 and giving the Raiders their first win of the season. The formula was clear: a dominant defensive effort combined with four strong rushing touchdowns.

“It was a game about facing adversity and leaning on each other,” Coach Bob Miller said after the contest. “Yesterday we read a chapter from a book about facing adversity and never trying to go it alone. Adversity can be a blessing — it reveals who truly has your back and builds bonds. It teaches you to dig deeper. We faced that in the second half, and these players rallied and responded. It made us stronger. We’re proud of their effort from start to finish.”

With the win, ELCO improves to 1-2 and looks ahead to challenging matchups against Twin Valley and Wyomissing. Friday night’s victory demonstrates that, honoring the legacy of Coach Carley, this Raiders squad has the resilience, talent, and unity to compete with anyone.

ELCO 28, Lancaster Catholic 14

ELCO Stats

Passing: Brinley Donmoyer – 3/5, 2 INT

Rushing: Brinley Donmoyer – 21 carries, 111 yards, 2 TD (long 32), Gavin Yeiser – 6 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD (long 24), Ellis Gensamer – 7 carries, 52 yards, 1 TD (long 28)

Receiving: Gavin Yeiser – 2 receptions, 99 yards (long 70), Kaden Tillison – 1 reception, 2-point conversion

Defensive Leaders: Alejandro Weister – 10 solo tackles, 1 TFL; Griffin Kreider – 9 solo tackles, 3 assists, 1 PBU; Ethan Bretzius – 4 solo tackles, 5 assists, 2 TFL, 1 sack; Paul Williams – 2 solo tackles, 2 assists, 1 sack; Nathaniel Zimmerman – 4 assists, 2 INT; Avery Shenk – 7 solo tackles, 4 assists, 2 TFL; Riley McDonald – 5 solo tackles, 3 assists, 2 TFL; Dalton Pyszka – 5 solo tackles, 2 assists, 1 TFL; Jonathan Zimmerman – 1 solo tackle, 6 assists; Cody Landis – 3 solo tackles, 3 assists; Gavin Gass – 3 solo tackles, 1 assist; Blake LeGrande – 2 solo tackles, 1 assist; Conner Showalter – 1 solo tackle, 2 assists; James Kuhne – 1 solo tackle, 1 assist; Cameron Tillison – 2 assists