Oct 10, 2025 By Jerin Steele 4 min read

It is a game that’s been circled on Fort Cherry’s schedule for the last three years.

Sometimes twice.

Fort Cherry and Bishop Canevin have faced off three times in the last two years, including in a WPIAL semifinal, and the Rangers have won all three times.

It’s not a surprise that the two teams will again settle the Class A Black Hills Conference title when they meet at 7 p.m. tonight at Jim Garry Stadium. Fort Cherry is 4-0 in the conference and 7-0 overall. Bishop Canevin is 3-0, 5-2.

“It’s a game that we’ve become pretty used to in terms of the type of game it’s going to be,” Fort Cherry coach Tanner Garry said. “The last couple of years have been nothing but shootouts, back and forth all game, so we’ll need to be able to match the level of pace they bring.”

Fort Cherry beat Bishop Canevin 49-34 last year.

Many of the cast of characters in what has become a recent rivalry are still involved, including Penn State recruit Matt Sieg, who is set to break another WPIAL record tonight. He needs 32 yards to set the all-time WPIAL total yardage record, which is held by former Sto-Rox quarterback Lenny Williams.

Sieg has 710 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, but has only thrown 24 times this season.

As a team Fort Cherry has attempted only 32 passes. Part of that is because they’ve been able to dominate in the run game, but Sieg has also been dealing with an injury, which has limited the passing game.

“He has a little shoulder soreness going on that’s limited his ability to throw,” Garry said. “We haven’t really had a reason to throw in recent games. Getting him back to full strength is a big part of what we’re trying to do, because to get to where we were last year we’re going to need him to be going at full strength. We’re getting close. Last week was a perfect example of playing a good team in Cornell, but having to rely on the run. We ended up getting to 514 yards rushing last week, between Matt, our running backs and a couple of guys on jet sweeps. The run is always what we’re going to lean on regardless, but it is obviously good to be able to balance it out with the pass.”

Last week, Fort Cherry used a halfback pass from Ryan Huey to Evan Rogers for a 28-yard touchdown, so there’s some built-in ways to keep teams off balance.

“We do need to find ways to keep people honest,” Garry said. “If people know you’re going to run all the time, they’re going to load up the box, so we have to get the ball in the air and Ryan is a good enough athlete to do that. It’s a good thing to have in our back pocket.”

One newcomer to the series is Crusaders coach Rod Steele, who’s in his first season.

Steele led Steel Valley to two WPIAL titles and a state title in 2016.

Bishop Canevin’s leading rusher is Myontae Mott, who has 598 yards and 10 touchdowns. Quarterback Brady Wagner has thrown for 597 yards and 10 touchdowns to five interceptions. Wagner’s top targets are Damar Olds (19 receptions and eight touchdowns) and Justin Melvin (12 receptions).

Garry said that Bishop Canevin has run its offense under center this year way more than in the past.

“They are a little bit more on the power running side now, opposed to trying to spread you out and run at you that way,” Garry said. “That’s a big difference. They still get to some of their spread stuff and get the ball out to different players.

The Crusaders defense has stood out on film for Garry this week. Steele was known for having punishing defenses at Steel Valley. The Crusaders have allowed only 21 points in three conference games.

“There’s a lot of team speed and physicality on their side of the ball,” Garry said. “That’s something we pride ourselves on as well, so it’s going to be a good matchup of two teams trying to be the most physical.”

If Fort Cherry wins tonight, it will secure a third consecutive conference title. It’s the first step toward a WPIAL three-peat.

“It would be special to be able to cap that off,” Garry said. “When you’ve had the success we’ve had the last couple years, people start talking only about WPIALs and even State runs, but we still have to accept the wins when we get them and it all starts with a conference championship.”