ELCO

Football: Raiders Refuse to Fold, Rally Late for Win Against Octorara

by
Dan Rau
October 5, 2025

Photos by Heather Daub

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Following last week’s victory over Daniel Boone, the ELCO Raiders looked to keep their momentum rolling in Week 7 against Octorara — a familiar foe they defeated twice last season, including a District 3 Playoff matchup. Entering Friday night at 2-4 after a front-loaded schedule, the Raiders knew a win would put them back on a postseason trajectory similar to last year. The 3-3 Braves, coming off consecutive losses to Twin Valley and Lampeter-Strasburg, were ready for a battle.

Octorara struck first, jumping ahead 7-0 in the opening quarter. ELCO’s defense, led by Griffin Kreider with 15 solo tackles, 4 assists, and a pass breakup, held strong the rest of the half, giving the Raiders a chance to respond. That chance came in the second quarter when quarterback Brinley Donmoyer, who also rushed 10 times for 113 yards and a touchdown, powered in to tie the game at 7-7 heading into halftime.

The second half remained a defensive battle. Octorara managed to edge back in front at 13-7 heading into the fourth quarter, but ELCO refused to fold. “We posed the question, ‘Who do you think you are?’ to them this week,” Coach Bob Miller said. “We want these kids to know they are loved—no matter the scoreboard, their record, or any mistake they make in a game. This group needs to stop listening to people talk about our opponents or our record. We as coaches know they are warriors and that they can elevate this program to the point where negative people outside of it will no longer have a word to say about these kids.”

With eight minutes remaining, sophomore running back Gavin Yeiser — the reigning LebCo Athlete of the Week — powered into the end zone to tie the game at 13-13. Yeiser finished the night with 24 yards on 10 carries, while Chandler Gass added 54 yards on 8 carries, including the successful two-point conversion that put ELCO in position to take the lead.

The Raider defense continued to shine, with Ethan Bretzius contributing 3 solo tackles, 6 assists, a sack, and a forced turnover that helped keep Octorara off the scoreboard in the final minutes. Donmoyer once again took matters into his own hands late in the game, punching in his second rushing touchdown with just 1:14 left to give ELCO a 21-13 advantage. On the receiving end, Kaden Tillison had a key 35-yard catch, while Ellis Gensamer added two receptions for 16 yards, helping sustain critical drives.

“We put it on them—they need to be who we think they are: loved, men of character who can be champions. Champions can’t be champions if they can’t handle adversity,” Miller added. “These kids showed they have it in them, and their best football has still yet to be played.”

With the hard-fought win, ELCO improves to 3-4 and has now won back-to-back games, echoing last season’s late-season surge. Next Friday, the Raiders will face a tough road test against Lampeter-Strasburg.

ELCO 21, Octorara 13

ELCO Stats

Coach Miller’s Postgame Thoughts

“We posed the question, ‘Who do you think you are?’ to them this week. We want these kids to know they are loved—no matter the scoreboard, their record, or any mistake they make in a game. And we want them to know they are more than any of those things.

This group needs to stop listening to people talk about our opponents or our record. We as coaches know they are warriors and that they can elevate this program to the point where negative people outside of it will no longer have a word to say about these kids.

We put it on them—they need to be who we think they are: loved, men of character who can be champions. Champions can’t be champions if they can’t handle adversity. These kids showed they have it in them, and their best football has still yet to be played.”