Inside Pennsylvania Game Night 2021 High School Football Preview

2021 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

T

his is a first for us: Inside Pennsylvania Game Night Magazine.

High school football has long been a staple in the United States and in the Valley. The state’s all-time winningest high school football program is here — Mount Carmel — along with the program with the most titles in PIAA history — Southern Columbia. Last year, Southern coach Jim Roth, a Shikellamy High grad, broke the state wins record for head coaches, and the loaded Tigers could make more history this year with their sights set on the longest win streak in state history.

Because of that tradition, because of the thousands who will likely flock back to high school stadiums this fall after missing out last season, we feel this Game Night magazine is a natural fit.

The Daily Item has long prepared fans for the upcoming season and matchups with our football preview and weekly Game Night editions. This magazine is an expansion of that coverage.

This year’s inaugural edition of Inside Pennsylvania Game Night features three all-state defenders on the cover who are returning to anchor Valley defenses. In a time when highflying spread offenses rule all levels of football, Southern Columbia’s Derek Berlitz, Lewisburg’s Owen Ordonez and Danville’s Mason Raup have made names for themselves.

Inside you will also find our picks for a preseason all-star team and dozens of can’t-miss games for the 2021 season.

There are team previews, photos, schedules and statistics for a dozen Valley programs. Because a magazine needs to be sent out earlier than an edition being slotted into the newspaper, we talked to coaches and players in early August, before preseason camp started. Some things might look different for your favorite team when the season begins in late August.

But we feel this is a can’t-miss edition for your football season.

If you have any suggestions for future editions of our high school football preview, reach out to us to at editor@ insidepamagazine.com.

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GAME NIGHT EDITOR’S NOTE: Cover photo of (L to R) Southern Columbia’s Derek Berlitz, Lewisburg’s Owen Ordonez and Danville’s Mason Raup by Robert Inglis.

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MILTON’S XZAVIER MINIUM (3) AND SHIKELLAMY’S COLTYN SEMPKO (27) WILL MEET AGAIN WHEN THE TEAMS CLASH ON OCT. 29 IN SUNBURY. SEE GAMES OF THE YEAR ON PAGES 8-9.

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AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

contents

DANVILLE ALL-STATE LINEBACKER MASON RAUP

34

Cover story

WITH TODAY’S HIGH-FLYING OFFENSES, ALL-STATE DEFENDERS CAN HOLD THEIR OWN IN 2021

6

SOUTHERN HALFBACK GAVIN GARCIA LEADS PRESEASON ALL-STAR FOOTBALL TEAM

8 28

CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE FOR THE CAN’T-MISS GAMES OF ’21 NEW LEWISBURG COACH ERIC WICKS BORN TO COACH

GAME NIGHT A publication of The Daily Item

GAME NIGHT: TEAM PREVIEWS 12 Danville Ironmen 16 Line Mountain Eagles 19 Lewisburg Green Dragons 22 Midd-West Mustangs 24 Mifflinburg Wildcats 26 Milton Black Panthers

Publisher

/InsidePA1 / @InsidePA1 www.insidepamagazine.com Inside Pennsylvania Magazine 200 Market Street Sunbury, PA 17801

Photo staff

Fred Scheller

Robert Inglis

Editor

INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA:

Dennis M. Lyons Magazine editors

Kurt Ritzman, Jean Knouse

CONNECT WITH US!

38 Mount Carmel Red Tornadoes 42 Selinsgrove Seals 48 Shamokin Indians 52 Shikellamy Braves 58 Southern Columbia Tigers 62 Warrior Run Defenders

Design editor

William Bowman Magazine advertising director

Lori Seebold

Writers/contributors

Todd Hummel, Harold Raker, Kurt Ritzman, Brett Crossley

(570) 988-5473 office (570) 988-5347 Advertising Sales (570) 988-5464 Subscriptions Inside Pennsylvania (ISSN 1935-4738) is published at 200 Market St., Sunbury, PA 17801.

Inside Pennsylvania magazine is not responsible for unsolicited submissions.

Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content in any manner, without permission, is prohibited. Copyright 2017 by Community News Group LLC. All rights reserved. Single issue: $3.95. Subscription: $10 annually (U.S. only). POSTMASTER: Send address change to Inside Pennsylvania magazine, 200 Market St., Sunbury, PA 17801. Advertising rates and specifications available online at InsidePaMagazine.com. Inside Pennsylvania was founded March 2007. A publication of The Daily Item, a member of Community News Group LLC.

INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT | AUGUST 2021

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Preseason Player of the Year: Southern Columbia’s Gavin Garcia

Preseason All-Star Team OFFENSE

POS NAME QB Brett Nye RB Gavin Garcia RB Braeden Wisloski RB Max Madden WR Carson Persing WR John Peiffer TE Owen Ordonez OL Matt Kelly OL Emmanuel Ulrich OL Chris Treshock OL Dylan Croner OL Justin Kutcher

SCHOOL Shamokin Southern Columbia Southern Columbia Shamokin Danville Shikellamy Lewisburg Mount Carmel Mifflinburg Southern Columbia Lewisburg Danville

CLASS Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Soph.

BRETT NYE

CAM MICHAELS

EMMANUEL ULRICH

6

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

DEFENSE

POS NAME DL Derek Berlitz DL Owen Ordonez DL Emmanuel Ulrich LB Brandon Hile LB Mason Raup LB Garrett Garcia LB Ethan Dominick DB Nate Aument DB Zach Gordon DB Cam Michaels DB Andrew Diehl K Isaac Carter

SCHOOL Southern Columbia Lewisburg Mifflinburg Selinsgrove Danville Southern Columbia Lewisburg Selinsgrove Danville Lewisburg Mifflinburg Sothern Columbia NATE AUMENT

CLASS Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Soph.

Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So.

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CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE Selinsgrove at Pottsville: Two of the top Class 4A programs on this side of the state and one of the many great games that were robbed

by COVID-19 in 2020.

Berwick at Southern Columbia: Speaking of games we didn’t get to see — the two teams did scrimmage at Crispin Field — but the state’s all-time winningest coach hosting the program synonymous with the previous record holder — George Curry — should bring a giant crowd.

North Schuylkill at Mount Carmel: One of the great rivalries in this area that not many people talk about, it will also be a return to the field for a Red Tornadoes team that played just three games last season due to a hazing incident.

SEPT. 3 Jersey Shore at Selinsgrove: These teams play a lot, typically twice in every season, but surprisingly not last season. The Seals opening two games will tell them quickly if the offense has improved enough to get

CAN’T-MISS GAMES OF 2021 the Seals into the district title hunt.

Warrior Run at Milton: Both teams will be road warriors this season as their new stadiums are built, so this game is in Danville. This matchip will be a strong measuring stick for two squads that struggled last season.

SEPT. 10 Mifflinburg at Midd-West: On the turf in Middleburg, it should be an interesting matchup for two teams that open the season with tough contests to see where they stand in relation to getting a playoff berth in District 4. t Selinsgrove at Shamokin: With last year’s adjusted schedule, and meeting in the playoffs, it will be the fourth meeting in 350 days between these two teams.

Holy Redeemer at Milton: The Tomato Bowl has a nonleague opponent this year, and if things work out for the Black Panthers, Milton could be 3-1 after this game and heading to

SHAMOKIN RUNNING BACK MAX MADDEN AND THE INDIANS HOST SELINSGROVE ON SEPT. 10.

Central Mountain.

Line Mountain at Middletown: A tough crossover game for the Eagles.

Middletown has been to two Class 3A state championship games and the District 3 Class

3A title game over the last three seasons.

SEPT. 17 Danville at Loyalsock: This always is a fun game between these two schools. It’s not out of the realm this would be the first of two meetings.

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AUG. 27

CAN’T-MISS GAMES OF 2021 Berwick at Selinsgrove: A traditional nonleague matchup that was lost to the coronavirus. Neither team lived up to its own lofty expectations last season.

Montoursville at Mount Carmel: The defending HAC-II champions and District 4 Class 3A finalist make a trip to the Silver Bowl. Should be a matchup with two of the top lines in the area.

— playing up a class — will be looking to get some allimportant power-rating points with a win over the Seals.

Danville at Jersey Shore: Two of the top offenses in the HAC clash. We were robbed of a matchup of the 4A and 3A district champs a season ago.

DANVILLE’S RECEIVER CARSON PERSING LEADS THE IRONMEN INTO A D4-3A CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH WITH MONTOURSVILLE ON OCT. 1.

OCT. 22 Shamokin at Danville: One might be saying, Danville’s on this list a lot, lately. Well, the Ironmen’s finishing stretch might be the toughest in the area.

SEPT. 24 Mount Carmel at Southern Columbia: Another strong test for the Red Tornadoes. Mount Carmel should have one of the top lines in the area, but can it get a handle on the Tigers’ speedy running backs? Rivals did not play a year ago.

Central Columbia at Danville: The Blue Jays almost pulled off the upset last season and besides, who wants to miss a battle of the Dennises?

Scott is the head coach of Central Columbia, while his son Roy is an assistant at Danville.

Seals and the Braves should be in the middle of a battle for a playoff berth in District 4 Class 4A. Jersey Shore at Shamokin: Speaking of the 4A district playoffs, this is a rematch of last year’s championship game. The Indians got a lot of monkeys off their backs last season, but two remain — beating the Bulldogs and winning the Coal Bucket. s Montoursville at Danville: A rematch of the Class 3A championship game from a season ago.

Montoursville won the regularseason matchup, but Danville used a second-half rally to come away with the district

OCT. 1 Shikellamy at Selinsgrove: The most anticipated game along this stretch of the Susquehanna River, both the

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title. No reason this couldn’t be another championship game preview.

Wyomissing at Southern Columbia: Maybe the most disappointing loss schedulewise was this matchup, set up for a Saturday afternoon in Wyomissing. The Spartans graduated plenty of seniors from last year’s team. The Tigers won the Class 2A title, and the Spartans made the 3A title game before falling to Central Valley in the title tilt.

OCT. 8

Danville at Mount Carmel: This will be Mike Brennan’s first trip back to the Silver Bowl as an opposing coach.

That alone makes this game intriguing.

Southern Columbia at Central Columbia: This game is here for one reason.

If the Tigers are undefeated entering this game, a Southern Columbia win would give them the state record for most consecutive wins at 67, breaking the record of 66 set from 2009 through 2013 by Clairton.

OCT. 29 Mount Carmel at Shamokin: The Coal Bucket is considered not played after last year’s hazing scandal canceled it. This might be the Indians’ best chance in a long while to break their 24-year losing streak.

Southern Columbia at Danville: Hey, here are the Ironmen, again. It’s another battle of district champions as the Ironmen wrap up a stretch where they play the Class 3A runner-up, the Class 4A champion, the Class 2A champion and the Class 4A runner-up in a five-week span. t Mifflinburg at Lewisburg (7:30 p.m.): The Little Brown Jug game had been dominated by Lewisburg, but the Wildcats won the last meeting in 2019.

OCT. 15 Central Columbia at Selinsgrove: Both teams should be in the middle of a playoff race. The Blue Jays

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INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT | AUGUST 2021

9

All-time PIAA Football Champions CLASS A 2020: Steelton-Highspire 2019: Farrell 2018: Farrell 2017: Jeannette 2016: Bishop Guilfoyle 2015: Bishop Guilfoyle 2014: Bishop Guilfoyle 2013: North Catholic 2012: Clairton 2011: Clairton 2010: Clairton 2009: Clairton 2008: Steelton-Highspire 2007: Steelton-Highspire 2006: Southern Columbia 2005: Southern Columbia 2004: Southern Columbia 2003: Southern Columbia 2002: Southern Columbia 2001: Rochester 2000: Rochester 1999: South Side 1998: Rochester 1997: Sharpsville 1996: Farrell 1995: Farrell 1994: Southern Columbia 1993: Duquense 1992: Scotland School 10

1991: Schuylkill Haven 1990: Marian Catholic 1989: Dunmore 1988: Camp Hill

CLASS 2A

s 2020: Southern Col.

2019: Southern Columbia 2018: Southern Columbia 2017: Southern Columbia 2016: Steel Valley 2015: Southern Columbia 2014: South Fayette 2013: South Fayette 2012: Wyomissing 2011: Lancaster Catholic 2010: West Catholic 2009: Lancaster Catholic 2008: Wilmington 2007: Jeannette 2006: Wilson 2005: South Park 2004: Lansdale Catholic 2003: Aliquippa 2002: Mount Carmel 2001: Washington 2000: Mount Carmel 1999: Tyrone 1998: Mount Carmel 1997: South Park 1996: Mount Carmel

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

1995: Bishop McDevitt 1994: Mount Carmel 1993: Dallas 1992: Valley View 1991: Aliquippa 1990: Hanover Area 1989: Hickory 1988: Bethlehem Catholic

CLASS 3A: 2020: Central Valley 2019: Wyoming Area 2018: Aliquippa 2017: Quaker Valley 2016: Beaver Falls 2015: Imhotep Charter 2014: Archbishop Wood 2013: Archbishop Wood 2012: Cathedral Prep 2011: Archbishop Wood 2010: Allentown CC 2009: Selinsgrove 2008: Thomas Jefferson 2007: Thomas Jefferson 2006: General McLane 2005: Franklin Regional 2004: Thomas Jefferson 2003: Manheim Central 2002: Hopewell 2001: West Allegheny 2000: Strath Haven

1999: Strath Haven 1998: Allentown CC 1997: Berwick 1996: Berwick 1995: Berwick 1994: Berwick 1993: Allentown CC 1992: Berwick 1991: Erie Strong Vincent 1990: Bethlehem Catholic 1989: Perry Academy 1988: Berwick

CLASS 4A 2020: Thomas Jefferson 2019: Thomas Jefferson 2018: Cathedral Prep 2017: Cathedral Prep 2016: Cathedral Prep 2015: Cathedral Prep 2014: St. Joseph’s Prep 2013: St. Joseph’s Prep 2012: North Allegheny 2011: Central Dauphin 2010: North Allegheny 2009: LaSalle COllege 2008: Bethlehem Liberty 2007: Central Catholic 2006: Upper St. Clair 2005: McKeesport 2004: Central Catholic

2003: North Penn 2002: Parkland 2001: Neshaminy 2000: Cathedral Prep 1999: Central Bucks West 1998: Central Bucks West 1997: Central Bucks West 1996: Downingtown 1995: Penn Hills 1994: McKeesport 1993: North Hills 1992: Cumberland Valley 1991: Central Bucks West 1990: North Allegheny 1989: Upper St. Clair 1988: Central Catholic

CLASS 5A 2020: Pine-Richland 2019: Archbishop Wood 2018: Penn Hills 2017: Archbishop Wood 2016: Archbishop Wood

CLASS 6A 2020: St. Joseph’s Prep 2019: St. Joseph’s Prep 2018: St. Joseph’s Prep 2017: Pine-Richland 2016: St. Joseph’s Prep SOURCE: PIAA

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DANVILLE | IRONMEN PIAA DISTRICT 4

CLASS 3A

HEARTLAND DIVISION 2 2021 SCHEDULE

Ironmen reloading after stars graduate

Aug. 27 at Mifflinburg* Sept. 3 Midd-West* Sept. 10 at Lewisburg* Sept. 17 at Loyalsock Sept. 24 Central Columbia* Oct. 1 Montoursville* Oct. 8 at Mount Carmel Oct. 15 at Jersey Shore Oct. 22 Shamokin Oct. 29 Southern Columbia *-PHAC-2 GAME

2020 RESULTS (9-2)

BY HAROLD RAKER

M

ike Brennan: You just led the Danville Ironmen to their best season in program history in your first year as the head coach.

So, what do you do for an encore?

Before you answer that, know that you no longer have the services of recordbreaking quarterback K.J. Riley, or big-play receivers Ian Persing and Jagger Dressler.

In a year of coronavirus restrictions, few fans in the seats, and schedules turned upside down, Danville beat Montoursville for the District 4 Class 3A championship and advanced to the PIAA semifinals. The Ironmen finished 9-2 after the state semifinal loss to Wyomissing.

Riley, who will play at Berkshire Prep in Massachusetts, a Patriot League/Ivy League prep school, threw for 2,402 yards and 30 touchdowns last year.

Persing and Jagger combined for 1,000 yards and 16 TDs. Yet Brennan, who took over the Danville program after successful stints at Mount Carmel (where he won a state championship) and Hazleton, is not talking about a rebuild.

He has plenty of talent looking to put its own stamp on the program.

12

ZACH GORDON ZACH GORDON

“We lose some really good seniors. It will be interesting to see how these young kids step up and play for real,” Brennan said. “You can’t replace (kids like) K.J. and Ian and Jagger. They were good players; they played banged up and they will be tough to replace.”

Poised to take over for Riley is junior Zach Gordon, who filled in for injured halfback Ty Stauffer last season, and played wide receiver and returned kicks and punts.

“Zach is a good runner, a natural runner,” Brennan said. “He’s a special player and he’s paid his dues backing up K.J. He gives us a whole new dimension at quarterback.”

Freshman Madden Patrick will be the backup for Gordon, Brennan said.

Fortunately for the Ironmen, they do not need to replace wide receiver Carson Persing. Ian’s younger brother led the Ironmen with 63 catches, 1,231 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore.

He will team with sophomore

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

wideout Hayden Winn, who started some games last year and hauled in 12 passes for 96 yards and two TDs. “Carson is dynamic, and Hayden has a big frame (6-3, 185) and runs good routes,” Brennan said.

Brennan knows that opponents will try to take Carson Persing out of the game, so “we have to be creative in how we use him.

We could be pretty good from the get-go or there could be some growing pains for a while.’’

The coach added that how the team reacts without Riley on the field will be a key.

“This will be the first time in four years that these kids have been in the huddle without K.J. Riley. He was a special kid,” Brennan said.

The Ironmen return the entire offensive backfield, minus the quarterback.

Returning to carry the ball is junior halfback Stauffer, the team’s leading rusher last year, and he will be joined CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

W W W L W W W

at Mifflinburg 49-7 Midd-West 55-22 Lewisburg 35-14 at Montoursville 42-28 at Central Col. 16-10 Bloomsburg 46-0 Mount Carmel FF D4 3A Semifinals W Athens 43-0 D4 3A Final W Montoursville 31-21 PIAA 3A Quarterfinal W Archbishop Carroll 41-21 PIAA 3A Semifinal L at Wyomissing 44-14 5-YEAR WIN TREND 9*

10*

9*&

7* 4*

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 *-PLAYOFFS; &-DISTRICT CHAMPION #-PIAA CHAMPION

2020 STAT LEADERS PASSING C-A Int TD Yds K.J. Riley 147-243 10 30 2,402 RUSHING Att Yards TDs Ty Stauffer 64 350 4 K.J. Riley 73 349 9 Zach Gordon 54 294 1 RECEIVING Rec Yards TDs Carson Persing 63 1,231 14 Jagger Dressler 37 639 11 Ian Persing 30 355 5 RETURNEES IN BOLD

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AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

DANVILLE LINEBACKER GABE BENJAMIN

by junior Mason Raup, who starts at middle linebacker but will play a lot in the offensive backfield as well as at tight end.

“Mason had a really good summer. He can run, block and catch and he’s up close to 200 pounds,” Brennan said. “Mason is a guy who people have not seen on the offensive side of the ball.”

Sophomore Aaron Johnson will also run the ball.

Returning up front to help keep Gordon upright will be 6-foot-8, 255-pound senior tackle Colin Findura, 6-2, 265 sophomore center Justin Kutcher, and 5-11, 190, senior guard Gabe Benjamin.

Brennan said, “Findura, a second-year player, did a great job in the offensive line, and Benjamin is one of the best linemen around, and also a very underrated linebacker.”

The defense should be solid as linebackers Stauffer, Raup and Benjamin return along with junior Cade Cush, and the secondary is intact

I like our work ethic and what the kids did in the offseason.

They are motivated.

DANVILLE COACH MIKE BRENNAN with Persing and senior Jack Smiley returning at the corners and Gordon back at safety. Sophomore Joe Shipe returns at defensive end.

“I like our work ethic and what the kids did in the offseason,” Brennan said.

“They are motivated, and we have some really good players.”

He said the team competed this summer at WilsonWest Lawn against some outstanding teams and played well.

“They were not intimidated. They are a confident bunch,” he said.

Brennan said winning some big games and the way the Ironmen won the district title game, rallying from a two-score halftime deficit, built a lot of

confidence.

“They never wavered, and I think that was the turning point for us and it really carried into the offseason and the expectation level this summer was just to pick up where we left off,” he said.

“I was really pleased with our progress in the summer.”

Brennan said he likes his team’s depth, and added that he has a 22-member freshman class coming up from an outstanding junior high season and some will see varsity time.

The Ironmen play all their Heartland Athletic Conference Division II games consecutively, starting with the opener versus Mifflinburg through

Montoursville in Week Six. “We know it’s a challenge.

Lewisburg gave us a tough game the first half last year; Central Columbia is a natural rivalry; and Montoursville still has some real good players back with (running back Rocco) Pulizzi and quarterback (Maddix) Dalena. And they always have good linemen on both sides of the ball.”

Brennan said the scrimmage against a good North Schuylkill team should get the Ironmen battle-tested and give them a good idea what they need to work on before the opener with Mifflinburg.

And the Ironmen faithful will have a better idea if they can expect an encore performance in 2021.

INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT | AUGUST 2021

15

LINE MOUNTAIN | EAGLES PIAA DISTRICT 4

CLASS 2A

Eagles in search of new skill players

L

2021 SCHEDULE

Aug. 27 at Juniata* Sept. 3 Susquenita* Sept. 10 at Middletown Sept. 17 at Boiling Springs Sept. 24 Camp Hill Oct. 1 Upper Daupin* Oct. 8 at Halifax* Oct. 15 at N. Penn-Mansfield Oct. 22 at Newport* Oct. 29 James Buchanan* *-MID-PENN LIBERTY GAME

BY HAROLD RAKER

osing not one but two 1,000-yard rushers to graduation leaves behind a lot of question marks for coach Brandon Carson and his Line Mountain Eagles.

Making it more challenging: One of them was the quarterback, Jacob Feese.

Now at King’s College, Feese posted his second 1,000-yard rushing campaign in a row last year (1,125 yards, 17 touchdowns). His backfield running mate, Garrett Laudenslager, who moved on to Misericordia University, ran for 1,128 and 14.

It also doesn’t help that, as preseason camp approached, there was still no heir apparent to succeed that dynamic duo.

A week before the team was to start its heat acclimatization program, Carson said, “I still literally have no idea who we are going to have to run the football.”

“We’ll see how camp goes and maybe even the scrimmage,” he said.

But he does have senior Beau Keim returning.

Despite injuries limiting his time on the field, Keim has experience running the ball the last two seasons. He had the only two rushing scores that didn’t go to Feese or Laudenslager last year.

16

MID-PENN CONFERENCE/Liberty

2020 RESULTS (5-3)

BEAU KEIM

“Beyond that, we’re going to have a competition at that position and at the receiver position, and some guys might be doing a little bit of both,” Carson said.

Battling to replace Feese in the preseason were sophomore Nick Snyder and freshman Blake Readinger.

Former quarterback Jace Hackenberg, who played wide receiver last season, may move into the backfield to take advantage of his skill set.

“He runs the ball well. He’s a tough kid and we’ve got to find ways to get him the ball,” the coach said.

Carson said Hackenberg and fellow senior Aiden Herb both have running back experience and good speed, and freshman Ian Bates is another candidate to run the ball.

“He’s going to play a little bit of running back and a little bit of receiver. He’s a nice athlete,” Carson said of Bates.

“Even our sophomores and juniors coming back have a lot of game experience,” Carson said, including sophomores Nolan Baumert

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

and Chandon Maurer. Also returning, after playing soccer a year ago, is Tharon Wagner.

The Eagles been successful running option and power football, with Feese getting much of his production out of the option last year, but Carson said this year, although they will have all the same plays available, they might not have as many choices.

“It’s all going to depend on who wins the battles and what people are good at,” he said.

The Eagles enter their second season as members of the Mid-Penn Conference’s new Liberty Division, which comprises the six remaining members of the disbanded Tri-Valley League, along with James Buchanan.

Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic turned everyone’s schedule into something more resembling a summer rec league, with teams picking up games on the fly, sometimes with little more than a few days’ notice.

No league champion was declared after the Eagles and

L W W W W L W

at Camp Hill 35-28 at Upper Dauphin 46-22 Halifax 48-21 at Northwest 47-20 Newport 44-21 Penns Valley 35-12 Mifflinburg 42-34 D4 2A Semifinals Southern Columbia 49-7

L

5-YEAR WIN TREND

7*

7* 4*

5* 3

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 *-PLAYOFFS; &-DISTRICT CHAMPION #-PIAA CHAMPION

2020 STAT LEADERS PASSING C-A Int TD Yds Jacob Feese 53-68 4 3 478 RUSHING Att Yards TDs G. Laudenslager 122 1,128 14 Jacob Feese 152 1,125 17 Beau Keim 63 268 2 RECEIVING Rec Yards TDs G. Laudenslager 12 136 1 Jace Hackenberg 4 80 0 Aiden Herb 4 73 1 RETURNEES IN BOLD

the Juniata Indians, whose scheduled Week-One game was canceled. Each finished 3-0 in the division and 5-3 overall.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

2021 Conference Alignments MID-PENN CONFERENCE

COMMONWEALTH Altoona Carlisle Central Dauphin East Chambersburg Cumberland Valley Harrisburg State College

Northern Shippensburg Susquehanna Township Waynesboro West Perry

PENNSYLVANIA HEARTLAND ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

DIVISION I

Central Mountain Jersey Shore Milton Selinsgrove Shamokin Shikellamy

CAPITAL

Big Spring Boiling Springs Camp Hill Middletown Steelton-Highspire Trinity

KEYSTONE

Bishop McDevitt Cedar Cliff Hershey Lower Dauphin Miff lin County Palmyra Red Land

DIVISION II

Danville Central Columbia Lewisburg Midd-West Miff linburg Montoursville

LIBERTY

Halifax James Buchanan Juniata Line Mountain Newport Susquenita Upper Dauphin

COLONIAL

East Pennsboro Greencastle-Antrim Mechanicsburg

DIVISION III

Bloomsburg Hughesville Loyalsock Mount Carmel Southern Columbia Warrior Run

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INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT | AUGUST 2021

17

Despite losing the guts of the offense, Carson hopes to assemble enough pieces of the puzzle to field a team that can compete in the league for a full season.

Carson and his staff just need to figure out the best positions for this year’s players, and he said many of the skill players will get time, at least in preseason, at both receiver and running back.

“We have to determine who the playmakers are going to be and find a way to get them the ball,” Carson said.

The Eagles are in better shape up front with threeyear starting tackle/guard senior Wyatt Shaffer, senior center Chase Miller, and sophomore guard Colby Rebuck all returning as starters. In addition, sophomore defensive tackle Yuri Johnson may also play up front on offense this season.

Shaffer believes he can be one of this season’s leaders.

“I think my role this year is to help the younger kids coming up and teaching them,” Shaffer said.

Shaffer said it will be important for the new and returning players to work together and continue the high standards that last year’s team set.

He said he wants to have a great season because it is his last, and he hasn’t decided if he will try to play in college.

Shaffer is excited to get the games started.

“I’m ready. I’ve been ready for a couple of months now,” he said.

Despite key graduation losses (Dominick Bridy, Cam Smeltz, Feese, Laudenslager and Seth Wolfe), both Carson and Shaffer are confident that the Eagles should be tough on defense.

All will be missed, but Carson said Smeltz was the team’s defensive player of the year.

“He was filling in everywhere. He was all 18

LINE MOUNTAIN LINEMAN WYATT SHAFFER (55)

We have to determine who the playmakers are going to be and find a way to get them the ball.

LINE MOUNTAIN COACH BRANDON CARSON over the field,” Carson said, but added that Feese and Laudenslager at linebacker and Bridi at end, will leave “tough shoes to fill.”

Nevertheless, Shaffer said, “We have a lot of starters back on defense.”

Shaffer also said he believes the team has a lot of momentum from the performance in the final stretch games of last season.

Besides the returning starters, Shaffer said, “There are some new kids coming up that are pretty talented, too.”

Shaffer, Johnson and junior Brayden Boyer return up front with Keim, joined by Hackenberg at linebacker.

Aiden Herb, Aidan Kritzer and junior Connor Finlan are back in the secondary

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

along with Baumert, who started several games last year. Potential starters on the defensive line include juniors Dylan Herb and Josh Scott and freshman Kohen Shingara.

Bates and Wagner are in the mix to start at cornerback and linebacker, respectively.

“Some kids might be moving up out of the secondary to linebacker,” Carson said. “We have 15 kids for eight spots (on defense), and we might be a little smaller in some areas, but I think we have some speed and toughness that we can use.”

Boyer returns as the kicker (he was 3 of 4 on field goals and 24 of 28 on PATs) with Aiden Herb and Baumert as kick returners. The punter

is usually the quarterback, but that position remains undetermined.

Former head coach Rodney Knock will join the staff along with former Shikellamy and Lewisburg assistant Jim Ermert (the latter as defensive coordinator).

Carson said longtime rival and 2019 TVL and District 3 Class 2A champion Upper Dauphin should be improved this season. Juniata, with outstanding quarterback Jacob Condo returning, and Halifax, with a good returning nucleus, should be tough opponents this season.

The Eagles will play crossover games with Middletown, Camp Hill and Boiling Springs and a nonleague contest with North PennMansfield.

LEWISBURG | GREEN DRAGONS PIAA DISTRICT 4

CLASS 4A

HEARTLAND DIVISION 2 2021 SCHEDULE

Plenty of changes coming for Dragons

Aug. 27 Sept. 3 Sept. 10 Sept. 17 Sept. 24 Oct. 1 Oct. 8 Oct. 15 Oct. 22 Oct. 29

at Shamokin at Montoursville* Danville* Jersey Shore at Midd-West* Central Columbia* Loyalsock Shikellamy at Milton Mifflinburg* *-PHAC-2 GAME

T

2020 RESULTS (2-6)

BY KURT RITZMAN

here are going to be a lot of changes for the Lewisburg football team in 2021.

The Green Dragons are coming off a 2-6 regular season, have a new coach, and will be without all-state running back Max Moyers, who graduated.

“Obviously last year wasn’t our best year,” Lewisburg junior Cam Michaels said.

“This year, our goal is really to play as a team.

“We have really good chemistry, so I think, for sure, it’s going to be a really good year. We need to stick together even if we lose, and pick each other up. We have to work together win or lose.”

L L L W L L L W ETHAN DOMINICK

That’s one of the things that first-year coach Eric Wicks has been focused on ahead of his inaugural season, and he said he’s liked the team chemistry and competitiveness early.

“We had more than 65% of the team show up for summer workouts,” Wicks said. “We’re making jumps.

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We want to be good. We’ll see how it all comes together, and we need to continue to band together as a team.

“We’ve been doing well at competing to get better.”

One of the first things Wicks did when he became coach was study his new team, which laid the initial groundwork for his first season.

“As soon as I got the job, I watched all the games,” Wicks said. “Then I went back and watched 2019. I got right on those. I took what I saw and used that to build my playbook. I also wanted to figure out who my players are and who does what well.”

Without Moyers — who rushed for 805 yards and six touchdowns on 147 carries last year — and with a new philosophy, Wicks said he wants to spread the ball around offensively.

“They did two things last year — triple option and spread,” Wicks said. “We are going to be a spread team.

7*

4*

4*

5* 2

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 *-PLAYOFFS; &-DISTRICT CHAMPION #-PIAA CHAMPION

2020 STAT LEADERS PASSING C-A Int TD Yds Ethan Dominick 32-81 5 5 397 RUSHING Att Yards TDs Max Moyers 147 805 6 Cam Michaels 69 409 4 Ethan Dominick 88 301 3 RECEIVING Rec Yards TDs Cam Michaels 15 232 3 Simeon Beiler 6 83 0 Jack Landis 8 77 2 RETURNEES IN BOLD

We’re looking to pass the ball.

“I look at it as a team game.

We’ll have a group of six or so to get the ball to, and CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT | AUGUST 2021

19

has been showing us really good athleticism; he can do some things. Another young guy, Jeremiah Davis, is an athletic stud.”

Part of Wicks’ plan is to create friendly competition at positions, so that one person succeeding will benefit the whole group.

“One thing I like to do is create positional depth,” Wicks said. “I never let them know who is starting, so everybody is working their butt off to be the starter.

“We’re also moving kids around. I like them to be able to play multiple positions, and I want the kids to like the position they play.”

That’s creating a lot of weapons for the Green Dragons offensively.

“We have a lot of good players, a lot of playmakers,” Michaels said. “We can really distribute the ball to any player on offense and they’ll make a play.”

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then the two running backs.”

Michaels is the leading returning rusher (409 yards) and receiver (232 yards), and he scored a team-high seven touchdowns last season.

“Cam Michaels is one of the best athletes that we have,” Wicks said. “He’ll be all over the field, and he can make any type of play.

“Ethan Dominick is another guy who is going to be key.”

Dominick played quarterback for the Green Dragons last season, and rushed for 301 yards and four touchdowns. This year, he’ll be playing a different skill position in an attempt to take advantage of his athleticism in space.

While there are plenty of positions available, Wicks said there were a couple other players who impressed him in the offseason.

“Trent Wenrich has really come on over the summer and has shown good things,” Wicks said. “Ryan Opperman

going to distribute the ball for Lewisburg. Perhaps the early leader is Wade Young, who was Milton’s leading passer last year, and has since transferred.

“Wade Young is an important kid in the quarterback mix,” Wicks said. “He looks pretty good slinging it.”

Senior Zander Walter and sophomore Derek Asche are also battling for reps at quarterback.

Along the offensive line, an incoming freshman has caught Wicks’ eye.

“Hayes Schumacher is a freshman lineman who really came to work,” Wicks said.

The new coach also said if things come together the way he hopes they will, the Green Dragons will be fun to watch when they have the ball this season.

“If we can get it the way we would like it, it’s going to be entertaining,” Wicks said.

“It’s going to be fun for the kids. They’re going to enjoy it, and they’re seeing that.”

There’s also going to be changes defensively for Lewisburg. Todd West returns to run the Green Dragons’ defense. West

LOGAN CALLISON (4)

was Lewisburg’s defensive coordinator before working with Wicks on the staff at Bucknell.

“We’re going to play a 3-3-5 — so it’s going to be different

— with some multiple stuff that we do,” Wicks said.

“Todd West is running the defense. I trust him, so I said, ‘Do what you want to do.’ It’s going to be exciting. There’s

some pretty tricky stuff.”

Defensively — even with a new formation — things start with lineman Owen Ordonez.

“Owen is a returning allstate kid, and he’s a major key for us,” Wicks said.

Jake Hernandez is also going to play on the defensive front with Ordonez.

“Hernandez has looked really good,” Wicks said. “He’s going to be dominant in the front for us.”

Jack Blough is expected to play a key role as a linebacker, and Michaels and Devin Bodden are important in the defensive secondary.

“Devin Bodden is going to be a lockdown cornerback,” Wicks said. “He’s really going to be big for us.

“We expect Cam Michaels to make some big plays. We’re going to use his athleticism.”

Wicks wants his team to be aggressive in all phases of the game.

“We want to attack the opponent on offense, defense and special teams,” Wicks said. “I think we’re going to be a pretty good team. We’ll be contenders, and we’re going to keep ourselves in games.”

INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT | AUGUST 2021

21

MIDD-WEST | MUSTANGS PIAA DISTRICT 4

CLASS 3A

HEARTLAND DIVISION 2 2021 SCHEDULE

Changes abound for Mustangs, Adams

Aug 27 at Central Columbia* Sept. 3 at Danville* Sept. 10 Mifflinburg* Sept. 17 Bloomsburg Sept. 24 Lewisburg* Oct 1 North Penn-Mansfield Oct. 8 at Juniata Oct. 15 Montoursville* Oct. 22 at Central Mountain Oct. 29 Halifax *-PHAC-2 GAME

L

ance Adams has had to deal with one major change since moving from assistant coach to head coach at Midd-West.

“Organization has been the biggest thing,” Adams said, noting he had to handle “essential but non-football things,” such as equipment handout, player physicals and team camp.

The biggest difference on the field will come on the defensive side.

“Defensively, we will change our scheme entirely,” Adams said.

“We’re going to play a 3-5, and be really aggressive out of it. We’re going to try to make things happen defensively.”

New defensive coordinator John Punako is directing the defense, and Adams said he’s pleased with the early returns.

“Coach Punako has done a really good job putting it in,” Adams said. “The players are enjoying it, and have to bought into not sitting back and being aggressive.”

The Mustangs defenders are getting prepared for a high-risk, high-reward defensive scheme.

“We’re going to be aggressive, so we’ve stressed to them that it’s a double22

2020 RESULTS (1-7)

BY KURT RITZMAN

CHRISTIAN REGESTER

edged sword,” Adams said.

“We’re going to make things happen, but with being aggressive, you can give up big plays. We need to have a next-play mentality on defense.”

Midd-West returns some key defensive pieces to take on new roles and assignments.

“Our secondary is pretty much a holdover from last year,” Adams said. “Our defensive line all played, and our linebackers have some experience. But linebacker is the biggest hole we have to fill.”

However, the Mustangs do return junior Austin Dorman at middle linebacker, one of the most important positions in a 3-5.

“He’s tenacious, and he has a competitive mentality that’s infectious to the rest of the team,” Adams said. “He stands all of 5-(foot)-6, so he’s not overly tall, but he’s built like a fire hydrant. He’s nonstop and downhill. He’s got a little edge to him, so he fits the role very well.”

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

He also has taken charge of the defense, and is helping his teammates learn the new system, according to Adams.

“He’s growing into a leader role,” Adams said. “I’m pleased with his maturity as a player and as a defensive leader.”

Offensively, the biggest question mark is how the Mustangs will replace the production of Hunter Wolfley. The 2021 graduate rushed for 1,364 yards and 13 touchdowns on 166 carries last year, good for 8.2 yards per carry. Wolfley was also Midd-West’s leading receiver a year ago.

“We’re not replacing him,” Adams said. “I don’t want anybody to be Hunter Wolfley. I want them to be the best versions of themselves.”

Adams said that means the Mustangs are going to take a more balanced approach in terms of ball distribution.

“We’re going to have to pick up the slack piecemeal, rather than trying to put it all on any one guy,” Adams said.

L L L L L W L L

at Montoursville at Danville at Central Col. at Lewisburg Mifflinburg Hughesville at Bloomsburg Shikellamy

56-7 55-22 42-20 35-28 35-33 30-10 28-2 27-6

5-YEAR WIN TREND

5* 4* 1 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 *-PLAYOFFS; &-DISTRICT CHAMPION #-PIAA CHAMPION

2020 STAT LEADERS PASSING C-A C. Regester 42-115 RUSHING Att Hunter Wolfley 166 Trey Lauver 48 Austin Dorman 10 RECEIVING Rec Hunter Wolfley 14 Eli Swann 18 Corey Reinard 3

Int TD 9 4 Yards 1,364 157 21 Yards 269 203 68

Yds 571 TDs 13 2 0 TDs 3 1 1

RETURNEES IN BOLD

“I told them it was like the parts of the body. Everybody has to do their own part, so the body as a whole can function.”

The offensive principles won’t look much different from last season.

“Our offensive scheme will remain the same,” Adams said. “I called the offense the last three years, and Dexter Herman will assume that responsibility this year.”

Herman, a Midd-West graduate, played tight end for Liberty University.

Adams did say there were things the Mustangs had to improve offensively.

“We have to do a better job throwing and catching,” Adams said. “So our line has to do a better job of protecting.

“We’ve got decent athletes on the perimeter to take pressure off the rest of the offense.”

Christian Regester is expected to return at quarterback to distribute the ball to those athletes.

Regester, a senior, passed for 571 yards and five touchdowns a season ago.

The kids are more than coachable.

MIDD-WEST COACH LANCE ADAMS

“He has great command of the offense,” Adams said.

“He’s entering his third year as the starter. We’re going to lean on that experience, that leadership. He has to step up and throw the ball with accuracy, and know when not to throw and to keep us out of trouble.”

Senior Ethan Schlief and Dorman are expected to start in the backfield, but Adams said there were a couple of other players who could “step up” and grab some playing time. Seniors Corey Reinard, James Troup and Everest Wilson are in the mix to start at wide receiver.

Adams said the Mustangs would likely turn to a freshman at tight end, Jasher Wolf.

“He’s worked extremely hard, and he has a good grasp of our offense,” Adams said. “He performed well at the junior high level. He just needs to adjust to what varsity game speed is like.”

The first-year head coach also has high expectations for the guys up front offensively.

“We return two of three starters — last year it was up and down because of COVID who started — on the line,” Adams said. “I’ve been super pleased with them. It’s a young group; we only have one senior lineman on the entire roster.

“I think that’s one of the strongest parts of our team.

Let’s see if they prove me right.”

As excited as Adams is

handcrafted

for what the Mustangs will put on the field, he’s been happiest with his kids off the field.

“The kids are more than coachable,” Adams said. “That’s one of the intangibles I’ve been really pleased with and proud of.”

The Mustangs have done community service together as a team, and took an unusual approach to their offseason team camp.

“We had our team camp at Camp Mount Luther,” Adams said.

“Usually teams go to a college, but we went away and did our own thing. It was a fantastic experience.

We worked on intangibles — teamwork, effort, leadership, enthusiasm.

Camp afforded us an opportunity to work on and hone those skills.

“Our focus has been on the mental part and emotional part of the game. That’s what I think will carry us.”

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23

MIFFLINBURG | WILDCATS PIAA DISTRICT 4

CLASS 4A

HEARTLAND DIVISION 2 2021 SCHEDULE

Mix of youth, experience leads ’Cats

Aug 27 Danville* Sept. 3 Central Columbia* Sept. 10 at Midd-West* Sept. 17 at Hughesvile Sept. 24 Shamokin Oct. 1 at Milton Oct. 8 at Montoursville* Oct 15 Central Mountain Oct. 22 Shikellamy Oct. 29 at Lewisburg* *-PHAC-2 GAME

BY BRETT R. CROSSLEY

A

big portion of Mifflinburg’s success in 2021 will hinge on players’ ability to transition to new positions and to lead a young group of guys behind them.

It sounds typical, but this year for Mifflinburg will be pivotal. Mifflinburg coach Jason Dressler says the Wildcats must attempt to rebuild the offensive line and protect two seasoned running backs and a new quarterback.

“We have quite a few guys returning with experience and that makes a world of difference,” Dressler said. “One of the parts we are concerned about is having a good offensive line. It’s important to have a good line in front of the experience.”

One area where Mifflinburg will have plenty of experience is running

2020 RESULTS (5-5)

EMMANUEL ULRICH

Danville 49-7 at Lewisburg 17-14 at Montoursville 53-0 Central Columbia 17-0 at Midd-West 35-33 at Warrior Run 49-14 at Hughesville 28-0 Shikellamy 13-7, OT at Line Mountain L, 42-34 D4 4A Semifinals at Jersey Shore 48-7

L

back. Andrew Diehl led the Wildcats in carries, rushing yards, and 100-yard performances in 2020. He finished the year with 552 yards and three scores on 102 carries.

His two years of experience in the offense will help players make the adjustment, including Carter Breed, who, Dressler said will have a stepped-up role within the offense. Breed finished with 105 receiving yards and 35 total tackles last year.

“Having Andrew coming

back with two years of experience, we are certainly looking to him in the backfield as well as Carter Breed,” Dressler said.

“Breed mainly played defense for us last year but we are looking to him to contribute big time on the offensive side of the ball.

We are looking for both of them to share time in the backfield this year.”

The running backs will have a new partner in the backfield.

Troy Dressler will be CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

We have quite a few guys returning with experience and that makes a world of difference. It’s important to have a good line in front of the experience.

MIFFLINBURG COACH JASON DRESSLER 24

L W L L W W W W L

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

5-YEAR WIN TREND

5* 3

2

5*

2

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 *-PLAYOFFS; &-DISTRICT CHAMPION

3

#-PIAA CHAMPION

2020 STAT LEADERS PASSING C-A Int TD Yds Jacob Reitz 91-163 9 3 1,101 RUSHING Att Yards TDs Andrew Diehl 102 552 3 Colin Miller 40 367 5 Jacob Reitz 93 284 8 RECEIVING Rec Yards TDs Colin Miller 22 253 1 Jacob Bingaman 15 156 0 Carter Breed 12 105 0 RETURNEES IN BOLD

ANDREW DIEHL

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league game.

Regardless of the outcome, players will likely benefit the most from the added encouragement.

“It will be wild and fun to have a crowd, band, cheerleaders, and a student section all cheering the team on,” Troy Dressler said. “It will be exciting to be able to play in front of a full stadium.”

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comfortable with it.”

Mifflinburg will get a boost as it opens the season at home against Danville.

It will be the first time the stadium will be at full capacity since 2019, which will surely give the Wildcats some extra juice as they take on the Ironmen.

“We are certainly hoping we can return to a traditional season this year,” Jason Dressler said.

“That’s the plan right now.

There’s really nothing like having a full crowd, the band, and the student section. It just creates such a great environment for not only the team, but the

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making a unique jump as he moves from offensive line to quarterback this year.

Dressler was a starting guard as a freshman in 2020.

From understanding the blocking schemes to standing behind the line will be a transition no doubt, but it will be one Dressler should be able to make. He is a gifted athlete that will have the backing of two experienced players running behind him.

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25

MILTON | BLACK PANTHERS PIAA DISTRICT 4

CLASS 3A

HEARTLAND DIVISION 1 2021 SCHEDULE

Milton looking to build on road

Aug 27 at Nativity BVM Sept. 3 Warrior Run Sept 10 Holy Redeemer Sept 17 at Towanda Sept. 24 at Cent. Mountain* Oct 1 Mifflinburg Oct. 8 Jersey Shore* Oct. 15 at Shamokin* Oct. 22 Lewisburg Oct. 29 at Shikellamy* *-PHAC-1 GAME Sept. 3 game at Central; Other home games tentatively scheduled at Danville

2020 RESULTS (1-6)

BY KURT RITZMAN

M

ilton closed a tough 2020 season with a 20-0 win over rival Warrior Run for its first victory of the season.

The Black Panthers scored only 32 points through their first six games, but coach Phil Davis said he thinks the offense will be better this season, as long as the squad improves along the line.

“We’ve got to get better up front,” Davis said. “We need to be more effective in our assignments, and physically be more aggressive. If we do that, we’ll be a lot more successful offensively.

“We need to clean up up front and be better there, and I think we will. If we don’t do that, we’ll struggle. If we do that, I think we’ll be fine.”

Ashton Canelo said he’s already seen enough to have him convinced that Milton’s offensive line will be improved.

“Our line is looking like something I would feel a lot more comfortable behind than years prior,” he said.

The good news for the Black Panthers is they return their two most explosive offensive weapons in Canelo, a senior, and junior Xzavier Minium.

“First and foremost, they bring a lot of experience,” 26

L L L L L L W

5-YEAR WIN TREND

XZAVIER MINIUM

Davis said. “Both have started on either one or both sides of the ball since they were freshmen.”

Canelo scored four of Milton’s eight touchdowns last year, and Minium scored a pair. Canelo rushed 52 times for 218 yards, and caught 13 passes for 113 yards. Minium carried the ball 18 times for 91 yards, and caught 14 passes for 265 yards.

“Obviously, they’re going to be our two main offensive contributors, along with Peyton Rearick,” Davis said.

“We need to find ways to get them the ball. I’m excited about having those guys, and I expect big years from them.”

Rearick, a sophomore, caught a two-point conversion pass last year, but will have a much larger role in the offense this year,

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

Selinsgrove 42-6 at Shamokin 37-6 Shikellamy 14-0 at Central Mountain 49-6 Shamokin 56-14 at Shikellamy 41-0 Warrior Run 20-0

according to Davis. Rearick’s expanded role and a new way to get the ball in Minium’s hands are part of Davis’ plan to deal with not returning a quarterback that gained varsity experience last year.

“I’m going to go with a two-headed quarterback monster,” Davis said. “Xzavier and Peyton are splitting reps there, and I’m planning to utilize both of them.”

One other challenge that the Black Panthers will face is none of their games will be played in Milton.

“We’ll be on the road the whole time,” Davis said. “It’s a unique challenge to be on the road for 10 weeks. It’s not anything we have control over, so we’re going to make the best of it.”

Davis said construction on Milton’s stadium will be done at the end of October at the earliest. The Black Panthers

3* 0 0 1 1 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 *-PLAYOFFS; &-DISTRICT CHAMPION #-PIAA CHAMPION

2020 STAT LEADERS PASSING C-A Int TD Wade Young 29-65 6 2 RUSHING Att Yards Jason Valladares 101 289 Ashton Canelo 52 218 Xzavier Minium 18 91 RECEIVING Rec Yards Xzavier Minium 14 265 Ashton Canelo 13 113 Noah Smith 1 45

Yds 263 TDs 0 2 0 TDs 2 2 1

RETURNEES IN BOLD

will play some of their “home” games at Danville, but the location for some of the games is still to be determined, according to the coach.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

We’ll be on the road the whole time. It’s a unique challenge to be on the road for 10 weeks. It’s not anything we have control over, so we’re going to make the best of it.

MILTON COACH PHIL DAVIS

“It is my senior year, and it is a shame we won’t be able to have any home games this year,” Canelo said. “To be honest, us seniors and many of the others have almost grown accustomed to things going wrong with the mold problem (delaying start of school) my freshman year, and the pandemic my junior year.”

Regardless of the circumstances, the Black Panthers are excited to play.

“Obviously, we’re glad to have a season,” Davis said.

“Hopefully it will be back to normal, whatever normal means anymore. Last year was rough with the COVID restrictions.”

Canelo said he was pleased with the work that he and his teammates put in over the offseason.

“I am especially excited for our season because as a team we put up great numbers in the weight room with around 17, 18 players who can bench at least 225 and squat 315,” he said.

Davis also said he expects his team to be improved defensively.

“We return a lot of guys defensively,” Davis said. “I think that should be good for us.”

The Black Panthers allowed 154 first-half points in seven games last season, but the team should be more experienced this year.

“Our secondary is all back,” Davis said. “Quadir Herbert, Dylan Reiff and Gehrig Baker all are back,” as is Minium.

While the secondary may be a strength, Davis said the Black Panthers will be relying on a group of players on the defensive front.

“The defensive line is going to be a rotation,” Davis said.

“Farrell Sipe is returning for his senior year, and he should be the leader there.”

Rearick and Canelo both played linebacker a season ago, but Davis said there were still some holes to fill at linebacker heading into preseason.

“We’ve got to figure out a couple things at linebacker,” Davis said. “There’s a couple kids we expect to step up at linebacker.”

Canelo agreed with his coach that the Black Panthers should be better defensively this season.

“We have been busting our butts this summer, and personally I think our linebackers are looking real nice, along with our line,” Canelo said. “The (defensive) backs have been putting in tons of work in the weight room, so all around we’re hoping to be a different breed this year.”

Canelo said the biggest goal for him was he wanted to close his Milton football career with a .500 record and a playoff berth.

ASHTON CANELO

INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT | AUGUST 2021

27

Born to coach New Lewisburg head coach Eric Wicks a standout at every level

E

BY KURT RITZMAN

ric Wicks was born to coach football.

From a childhood spent daydreaming about the game, to being a prep star in the Pittsburgh area, to being an allconference safety at West Virginia while earning a degree in athletic coaching education, to being on the staff at both Pitt and Bucknell, Wicks has been preparing to be a football coach.

So when the chance to take

over at Lewisburg came, Wicks jumped at it.

“I always wanted to be a high school coach,” Wicks said. “Once I started playing, it became more solidified.

When I was coaching in college, I definitely knew where I wanted to be.”

As a child, Wicks’ family often moved, so he got a bit of a late start on the field.

“I was always the best,” Wicks said. “I didn’t actually play until I was 12. ... I CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

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29

broke records every place I played until getting to West Virginia.”

That didn’t stop him from thinking about football, even before he began playing.

“I would sit in my room and draw plays for hours as a kid,” Wicks said. “I still do that. I have greaseboards around the house.”

That desire to coach carried on throughout his playing career, and impacted him as a player. Wicks said he struggled early during his time in Morgantown, West Virginia, but it was more of a mental challenge than a physical one.

“I needed to get knowledge and understand why things worked certain ways,” Wicks said. “I’ve always been a pretty good athlete.”

So he worked to acquire that knowledge, spending one-onone time with the strength coach and his position coach, and learning from the team’s graduate assistants.

AP FILE PHOTO New Lewisburg coach Eric Wicks was a three-time All-Big East player for West Virginia.

“I always spent extra time with my coaches,” Wicks said. “I believe that’s how you learn.”

That extra work paid off as Wicks was a three-year starter and three-year all-Big East honoree while with the Mountaineers. That’s something that impresses his

players.

“It’s pretty awesome having a guy who played college football at a big school,” Lewisburg junior Cam Michaels said. “He’s experienced it at a high level, and he’s been in our position before.”

Wicks’ final regular-season

game as a Mountaineer is not one he remembers fondly, though.

“We messed ourselves up by not winning the last Pitt game, which would have put us in the national championship game,” Wicks said. “We were ranked No. 2 at the time.”

A 13-9 upset in 2007 to Pitt cost West Virginia the outright Big East title, but the Mountaineers rebounded to beat No. 4 Oklahoma in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. Wicks had a pair of tackles and a pair of passes defended in the bowl game.

Wicks had hopes of being selected in the NFL Draft, but he said he felt he just missed that due to a less-thanoptimal performance at his pro day.

“Then at my pro day, I didn’t run 4.5 like I should have,” Wicks said. “I ran a 4.6 which meant I didn’t get drafted. A CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

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4.5 and I would have been drafted.”

He was signed as an undrafted free agent by Seattle, but severely injured his knee two days before the preseason opener and was cut.

After a brief foray into banking, substitute teaching and playing Arena football, Wicks was back in coaching — at Pitt, the team that likely cost him a chance at playing for the national title.

Wicks was a graduate assistant with the Panthers under both Todd Graham and Paul Chryst.

“I learned a lot from both staffs, but they were very different,” Wicks said.

Then Wicks joined the Bucknell staff under Joe Susan.

“Coach Susan was at Rutgers coaching the tight ends when I was at West Virginia playing,” Wicks said.

“When I applied for the job, he said, ‘I know this name.’”

Wicks spent five seasons with the Bison, mostly working the defensive backs, and soaking up knowledge at the same time.

“I had a great experience there learning from Joe,” Wicks said. “I learned how to be a head coach from Coach Susan.”

Susan, now the special assistant to head coach Greg Schiano at Rutgers, said he was pleased for his former assistant.

“Eric Wicks is an excellent football coach,” Susan said. “I was so happy for him when I heard he was the head coach at Lewisburg. I was equally happy for the Lewisburg High School program.”

Wicks’ years of coaching at the collegiate level has also made an impression on his players.

“It’s awesome to have a coach who comes from college, too,” Michaels said.

“He’s teaching us stuff that’s really high-level — college

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While Egleston is the and pro stuff. That’s making veterinarian, Wicks handles us better. It’s pretty awesome the business side, which he to have him — with all of his can do from home. experience — around.”

“Now I’m working with Now that Wicks has taken the Lewisburg kids, and I over the Green Dragons, don’t think they’re used to he’s been using football as having someone thinking a vehicle to help prepare about football full-time,” his players for not just the Wicks said. “If they message season, but the rest of their me and want to get in extra lives. work, I’ll say, ‘Meet you at “It’s about getting the kids the field in 10 minutes.’ I’ll to have a great experience,” take my speaker and play Wicks said. “I want them to AC/DC, and we’ll do some have a great experience that work.” they’ll look back on for the That has enabled Wicks to rest of their lives. already form connections “The things we talk about with his new players. areCome to help them the be Sewer’s better Dream Discover “Coach Wicks really came in people, better teammates. and has grown relationships We want them to have a Please join us for our AP FILE PHOTO with the players,” Michaels positive outlook. That’s New Lewisburg coach Eric Wicks was an assistant coach under Joe Susan nd said. been the biggest drastic at Bucknell University.

“He’s a great guy. He wants change; it’s been night and Friday, September 13th • 9am Animal Clinic, which is a As–a7pm first-year head coach, to make us better, and he’s day.” mobile veterinary service. relying not just on Saturday, 14th 9am is– 3pm willing to do anything for us.”

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DEFENDING THE VALLEY In today’s world of spread offense, Valley stars can hold their own

BY TODD HUMMEL

D

34

DEREK BERLITZ AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

efense can be an overlooked spot on a football team.

Media coverage and highlight reels mostly feature the offensive stars of the day, particularly in today’s world of high-flying, spread offenses.

However, the old football cliche is defense wins championships and it remains true. The three-returning allstate defenders in the area certainly have their fair share of gold medals

with their sights set on more in 2021.

Southern Columbia defensive end Derek Berlitz won a state title with the Tigers last season. Danville linebacker Mason Raup has a district championship medal, and though Lewisburg’s Owen Ordonez doesn’t have a football medal, he knows the Green Dragons’ defense is what’s going to get them back on track after a 2-6 record in the pandemicshortened 2020.

With more teams running the spread offense in high school, it has become more difficult to defend the 53 1/3 yards from sideline to sideline. Many defenses have taken an aggressive tone, attacking the offense rather than trying to defend it with a zone. The three all-state defenders combined for nearly 20 sacks last fall. As a 10th-grader, Raup made 26 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

Southern Columbia, while averaging nearly 46 points a game during last year’s 12-0 state title season, allowed less than 10. Only Loyalsock scored more than seven points on the Tigers during an abbreviated regular season, and only Richland — in the state quarterfinals — scored more than 20 all season. Southern still won by four touchdowns in the Richland game.

Danville, which advanced to the state semifinals for the first time in school history, allowed more than 20 points just once in the regular season — to Montoursville — and shut down the Warriors in the second half to win the District 4 3A title on the road.

The other thing the three all-staters have in common: They will all be expected to take on large leadership roles after the graduation of some pretty darn successful seniors.

“I feel like there are a couple of us that need to step up, and do the job of leaders,” Ordonez said. “We had some guys try to fill that role. I’m pretty confident we’ll have some solid leaders on the team this year.”

“I would say (I have to step up) in a CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

MASON RAUP INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT | AUGUST 2021

35

The biggest adjustment was my role. Where I was before, I did everything — offense, defense, special teams. There are so many good athletes here, they didn’t need me to do all that.”

SOUTHERN’S DEREK BERLITZ leadership role. Losing K.J. (Riley), Jagger (Dressler) and Ian (Persing),” Raup said, “they all played a major leadership role on the team.”

As the 2021 season opens, the three achieved their all-state successes in different ways. Berlitz came from Notre DameGreen Pond as a two-way star — he led the Colonial League in receiving yards in 2019 — and had to make an adjustment being a one-way player in a program like Southern Columbia’s.

Raup is a coach’s son, who’s shown a natural aptitude as a middle linebacker since he stepped on the field as a 140-pound freshman.

Meanwhile, Ordonez is a great athlete still learning at the defensive end, and has already verbally committed to play at Lafayette College.

THE ADJUSTMENT

Berlitz was one of the top two-way players in the Colonial League for Notre Dame-Green Pond back in 2019. He led the team with 48 catches for 746 yards, while recording 47 tackles and four sacks that season.

However, when he got to Southern Columbia last season, the Tigers wanted him to strictly play defense.

For somebody used to being in the middle of everything, 36

the previous season, Berlitz had to adjust to playing just one way. He didn’t catch a single pass for Southern’s explosive offense.

“The biggest adjustment was my role. Where I was before, I did everything — offense, defense and special teams,” Berlitz said.

“There are so many good athletes here (at Southern Columbia), they didn’t need me to do all that.”

A season after boasting a defense with three Division I recruits at linebacker, Berlitz anchored a Southern Columbia defensive line that coach Jim Roth called the best he ever had during last season’s run to the state championship. Berlitz and junior tackle Chris Treshock return to a defense that must replace seven other starters, including all three in the secondary.

Berlitz finished 2020 with 10 sacks in 12 games.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive end, had 60 tackles, including 10 for loss, and blocked two punts.

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THE ATHLETE

From the moment he joined the varsity team for the 2019 season, then Lewisburg coach Marc Persing had nothing but praise for Ordonez’s athletic gifts. He just wasn’t sure how best to take advantage.

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senior season, Ordonez has settled in at defensive end. College scouts have noticed with a few offers coming in already.

At 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, Ordonez has a prototypical physique for a high school edge player.

“He’s going to be a major key for us,” new Lewisburg coach Eric Wicks said as the Green Dragons prepare to go to a 3-3-5 defense Unlike Berlitz, Ordonez plays on both sides of the ball, where he is Lewisburg’s starting tight end. On defense, he led the Green Dragons with 85 tackles and 7.5 sacks in eight games.

THE PRODIGY

Raup has been around football his whole life. Raup’s father — Brian — was the defensive coordinator for the Ironmen under former coach Jim Keiser. Brian Raup is still on the Danville defensive coaching staff under coach Mike Brennan, who led the Ironmen to the District 4 title in his first season.

Mason Raup exploded onto the scene with 127 tackles and 12 for a loss as a freshman, despite giving away nearly 60-80 pounds to the offensive linemen trying to block him as a ninth-grader.

As an all-state sophomore linebacker — and still undersized — Raup had 123 tackles in just 11 games, including 26 for loss with two sacks. In the D4-3A semifinals against Athens, he had 19 tackles and blocked two punts.

Now as a junior, Raup’s physical statistics — he’s grown about three inches, and said he would like to be 205 pounds to start the 2021 season — are starting to catch up to his football acumen.

Daily Item photographer Robert Inglis shot the cover photo and inside photos for Inside Pennsylvania Game Night. He also created the photo illustrations on the preceding pages.

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MT CARMEL | RED TORNADOES PIAA DISTRICT 4

CLASS 2A

2021 SCHEDULE

Tornadoes ready to run ball again

I

Aug. 27 Sept. 3 Sept. 10 Sept. 17 Sept. 24 Oct 1 Oct. 8 Oct. 15 Oct 22 Oct 29

North Schuylkill at Hughesville* Shikellamy Montoursville at Southern Col.* Bloomsburg* Danville at Loyalsock* Warrior Run* at Shamokin *-PHAC-3 GAME

2020 RESULTS (2-5)

BY BRETT R. CROSSLEY

t might have only been three games for Mount Carmel last year, but it was clear what the Red Tornadoes wanted to do with the ball on offense.

Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania’s all-time winningest high school football program, has never been shy about its commitment to running the football. It has been a staple for the Red Tornadoes almost since the beginning of time. Well, at least as long as they’ve been playing football, which is longer than most.

“I don’t want to give away too much on our offense, but we obviously like to run the football,” Mount Carmel coach John Darrah said. “Our goals are always to protect the football and score touchdowns in the red zone.”

Mount Carmel rushed for 711 yards and passed for 170 on its way to a 2-1 record last season, before the rest of the season was shut down due to a hazing incident.

“I think our team looks very strong this year,” Mount Carmel junior Michael Farronato said.

“Our guys up front are going to be a big part of it.

Offensively, we have guys

38

HEARTLAND DIVISION 3

W L W L L L L

JULIEN STELLAR

Williams Valley at Bloomsburg Hughesville Southern Col. at Warrior Run Central Col. Danville

43-28 27-6 54-7 FF FF FF FF

5-YEAR WIN TREND

who can make a big play at anytime, which is good.”

The offense will need to execute throughout the season, but stay committed to getting better each week.

The Red Tornadoes, as is the case most years, will have a daunting schedule that will see teams like Southern Columbia and Danville. It also includes difficult road tests against Loyalsock and rival Shamokin.

Julien Stellar will return as the team’s leading passer.

He played in both of the Red Tornadoes’ wins last season and will look to build on that success.

Stellar completed 11 of his 26 attempts within the passing offense. That totaled 140 yards with a long of 19.

He also rushed for 70 yards on 19 carries with four touchdowns.

“We have made great strides over the summer and are excited to start fall camp,” Darrah said. “This summer we scheduled

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

more competitive events to get more competitive experience.”

That competitiveness has shown in the weight room, especially.

In early August, junior Matthew Scicchitano broke the program record for combined lift total with 1,700 pounds, and benched 395 pounds for another record.

Scicchitano is listed as a 6-foot-4, 260 pound tight end/ defensive end.

“Our guys have been putting a lot of work in this offseason,” Farronato said.

“A lot of weight room records were broken ... and a lot of guys are ready to get back onto the field with a chip on our shoulder with something to prove.”

That approach should help players build experience on the varsity side of the team.

By Darrah’s own admission, the team’s biggest classes are its freshmen and juniors.

This should give the team plenty of flexibility when

10*

10*

8* 5* 2 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 *-PLAYOFFS; &-DISTRICT CHAMPION #-PIAA CHAMPION

2020 STAT LEADERS PASSING C-A Int TD Julien Stellar 11-26 2 0 RUSHING Att Yards Damon Dowkus 34 233 Tyler Owens 24 199 Reed Witkoski 15 78 RECEIVING Rec Yards Michael Balichick 6 107 Tyler Owens 2 24 Damon Dowkus 2 22

Yds 140 TDs 2 3 1 TDs 1 0 0

RETURNEES IN BOLD

moving players into new roles or building for a future position.

“Our freshmen players have done a great job adjusting,” Darrah said.

“Several players on our team have taken on a leadership role. I feel we have several players that are fit to serve as captains.”

Replacement will be key for the Red Tornadoes as three of the top rushers and receivers will need to be replaced on offense. That will put even more pressure on Stellar, who will need to be stellar if Mount Carmel hopes to pick up some wins early in the season.

“Our goals are always the same — create strong, selfsufficient young men and to uphold the tradition of Mount Carmel football,” Darrah said. “The offseason is always important to any team.

We feel our transitions are smooth because of how our junior high team prepares our players for varsity by learning our system.”

Mount Carmel did not allow a first-quarter point last season, and held its opponents to 372 rushing yards.

“Defensively, I think we are gonna be a hard team to run the ball on,” Farronato said.

One thing that comes with being the winningest program in state history is high expectations, and this season is no different.

“Our goal is to win a district championship and go from there and get to the state championship,” Farronato said.

We have made great strides over the summer and are excited to start. This summer we scheduled more competitive events to get more competitive experience.”

MT. CARMEL COACH JOHN DARRAH

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39

2020 Statistical Leaders RUSHING

RECEIVING

Player, team Att Gavin Garcia, S.Col. 109 Hunter Wolfley, MW 166 G.Laudenslager, Line Mtn. 122 Jacob Feese, Line Mtn. 152 Max Madden, Shamokin 151 Max Moyers, Lewisburg 147 Wes Barnes, Southern Col. 82 Andrew Diehl, Mifflinburg 102 Braeden Wisloski, S. Col. 50 Cam Michaels, Lewisburg 69

PASSING

Player, team Comp K.J. Riley, Danville 147 Brett Nye, Shamokin 70 Jacob Reitz, Mifflinburg 91 Drew Balestrini, Shik 59 Liam Klebon, S. Col. 30 Christian Regester, MW 42 Jacob Feese, Line Mtn. 53 C. Bastain, Selinsgrove 40 E. Dominick, Lewisburg 32 Wade Young, Milton 29

Yds 1,906 1,364 1,128 1,125 872 805 775 552 504 409

TD 30 13 14 17 7 6 8 3 13 4

Avg 17.5 8.2 9.2 7.4 5.8 5.5 9.5 5.4 10.1 5.9

Player, team Carson Persing, Danville Jagger Dressler, Danville Billy Delbaugh, Shamokin John Peiffer, Shikellamy Ryder Zulkowski, Shamokin Ian Persing, Danville Hunter Wolfley, Midd-West Colin Miller, Mifflinburg Cam Michaels, Lewisburg Eli Swann, Midd-West

Rec Yds TD 63 1,321 14 37 639 11 24 549 8 17 372 2 21 356 4 30 355 5 14 269 3 22 253 1 15 232 3 18 203 1

SCORING Att Yds Int TD 243 2,402 10 30 143 1,284 2 14 163 1,101 9 3 142 939 4 5 53 688 3 9 115 571 9 5 68 478 4 3 116 419 6 0 81 397 5 5 65 263 6 2

Player, team TD 2pt PAT FG Gavin Garcia, S. Col. 35 0 0 0 K.J. Riley, Danville 9 0 42 3 Jacob Feese, Line Mtn. 17 0 0 0 Hunter Wolfley, MW 17 0 0 0 Braeden Wisloski, S. Col. 16 0 0 0 G.Laudenslager, Line Mtn. 15 1 0 0 Carson Persing, Danville 14 0 0 0 Jagger Dressler, Danville 11 0 0 0 Isaac Carter, Southern Col. 0 0 63 0 Wes Barnes, Southern Col. 9 0 0 0

Tot 210 105 102 102 96 92 84 66 63 54

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SELINSGROVE | SEALS PIAA DISTRICT 4

CLASS 4A

HEARTLAND DIVISION 1 2021 SCHEDULE

Early slate to show where Seals are

Aug. 27 at Pottsville Sept. 3 Jersey Shore* Sept. 10 at Shamokin* Sept. 17 Berwick Sept. 24 at Muhlenberg Oct. 1 Shikellamy* Oct. 8 at Central Mountain* Oct. 15 Central Columbia Oct. 22 Southern Columbia Oct. 29 at Montoursville *-PHAC-1 GAME

2020 RESULTS (4-4)

BY KURT RITZMAN

S

W L L L W W W

elinsgrove coach Derek Hicks knows this season will be a challenge for his

team.

“Our 10-game schedule, every week is a battle,” Hicks said. “It’s going to be brutal. ... We’re going to have to grow up if we want to do something.”

The Seals open on the road against Pottsville, and then host defending Class 4A state runner-up Jersey Shore. A trip to Shamokin, which beat Selinsgrove in last year’s district semifinal, and a home game with Berwick give the Seals four tough games in the first four weeks.

“Our schedule doesn’t really do us any favors,” Hicks said.

“We’ve got some freshmen and sophomores who have got to grow up fast. We’re going to throw them into the fire.”

That’s because Selinsgrove graduated several key pieces from last year’s team.

“There’s definitely optimism,” Hicks said.

“We have some great guys returning, but we’ll also have some new faces and young guys in key spots.

“There’s talent there, but a lot of it is young talent.”

Coy Bastian, who led the Seals in passing and rushing yards, graduated, leaving Hicks with a hole to fill at

42

at Milton Central Mountain at Shamokin Jersey Shore at Shikellamy Central Mountain at Shamokin D4 4A Semifinals Shamokin

L TEAGUE HOOVER

42-6 7-3 16-0 33-0 28-0 9-7 20-7 15-0

5-YEAR WIN TREND 11*&

quarterback between a trio of young players, Hicks said.

“That will be the battle,” Hicks said. “We’ve got a freshman, a sophomore and a sophomore. Those are the three guys we have. I said we’re going to be young in key spots, and that’s one of them.”

Hicks said he likes what he’s seen from all three of his potential quarterbacks.

“All three have the ability to become great passers, great leaders,” Hicks said. “Once we get into the season, we should be able to air it out to guys like Nate Aument with his speed on the outside.”

Brandon Hile and Teague Hoover are the leading returning rushers and are the only players back who gained 15 or more yards on the ground in the regular season last year. Ryan Aument and Nate Schon also graduated

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

after playing key roles in the rushing game, as well as defensively.

Hile and Hoover are “coming into camp as the main tailbacks,” but Hicks also has his eye on sophomore Tucker Teats.

“He had a heck of a year last year (on the freshman team),” Hicks said. “He’ll get some looks to see how he does on the varsity level.”

Three of the Seals’ top four receivers last season also graduated, leaving Nate Aument as the most experienced receiver after catching a second-best nine passes last year.

“Outside of Nate Aument, we’re going to have a lot of new faces at receiver,” Hicks said.

Selinsgrove is also looking for three new offensive linemen after Vance Metzger and Nic Young graduated,

8* 6*

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2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 *-PLAYOFFS; &-DISTRICT CHAMPION #-PIAA CHAMPION

2020 STAT LEADERS PASSING C-A Int TD Yds Coy Bastian 40-116 6 0 419 RUSHING Att Yards TDs Coy Bastian 70 214 2 Ryan Aument 40 202 4 Brandon Hile 50 191 1 RECEIVING Rec Yards TDs Ryan Aument 5 106 0 Brett Foor 16 157 0 Nate Aument 9 71 0 RETURNEES IN BOLD

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

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“Steven Miller is only a junior, and he’s been starting since he was a freshman at guard,” Hicks said. “He’s bumping out to tight end or even fullback.”

That means there will be plenty of competition to seize starting spots along the line.

“There’s going to be a lot of openings across the front for guys to step up and find themselves starting on Friday nights,” Hicks said.

Hicks said he’s liked what he’s seen in the offseason, especially what assistant coach Brent Bastian has done since taking over the Seals weight program.

“Our guys across the board — the linemen especially — are probably the strongest we’ve had in five or six years,” Hicks said.

Due to the inexperience at quarterback, Hicks said how the line develops early would

For me to really feel confident, we need five horses up front who can mash.

We want to run 40 times per game and pass as needed, especially early.

SELINSGROVE COACH DEREK HICKS be especially important.

“For me to feel really confident, we need five horses up front who can mash,” Hicks said. “We want to run 40 times per game and pass as needed, especially early.”

The story on defense is similar to offense heading into the 2021 season.

“We lost some key guys, and we have some key guys back,” Hicks said. “When you play a 3-5, you need three stud defensive linemen. We lost two of the three, and our

BRANDON HILE

46

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

middle linebacker. So the holes are in bad spots, but there are nowhere near as many holes as on offense.”

Miller is the only returning player with significant experience on the defensive line.

“I’m expecting good competition for the spots up front,” Hicks said. “We’re bigger and stronger, but it’s about who can translate that onto the field and become football players. We need to evaluate who has the instinct to get after people.

I’m talking about linemen especially.”

The back of the defense returns more players who were critical for Selinsgrove last year.

“It starts with Teague Hoover at free safety, which is certainly nice,” Hicks said.

The Seals also return Hile, Nate Aument and Corey Rumberger, who was a “pleasant surprise” last year as a freshman.

Aaron Rothermel and Logan Othoudt are among the returning linebackers.

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SHAMOKIN | INDIANS PIAA DISTRICT 4

Indians ready to take next step

CLASS 4A

HEARTLAND DIVISION 1 2021 SCHEDULE

Aug. 27 Lewisburg Sept. 3 at Central Mountain* Sept. 10 Selinsgrove* Sept. 17 at Nanticoke Sept 24 at Mifflinburg Oct 1 Jersey Shore* Oct. 8 at Shikellamy* Oct. 15 Milton* Oct. 22 at Danville Oct. 29 Mount Carmel

AARON FRASCH

*-PHAC-1 GAME

BY HAROLD RAKER

A

s a player, Henry Hynoski’s teams won four consecutive state titles.

As the fourth-year head coach at Shamokin, the Southern Columbia grad and Super Bowl champion is geared toward winning a District 4 Class 4A championship, and then winning as many state playoff games as possible.

And he wants to see progress.

As he approached the preseason, the Indians’ coach was happy with the progress the program has made, including advancing to the district title game in 2020.

The Indians lost to a strong Jersey Shore team which then went all the way to the state title game. “(The Bulldogs) gave Thomas Jefferson all they could handle in the championship,” Hynoski said. “And if we can keep progressing a district title would be the next step.

“I think we’re headed in the right direction,” he said.

“Our goal is to keep improving and finally get to that point where we are a well-oiled, established program like the school used to be. I think we’re on our way there, but good things take time.”

The former New York 48

2020 RESULTS (5-4)

L W W W L W L

Jersey Shore 41-7 Milton 37-6 Selinsgrove 16-0 Shikellamy 41-20 Central Mountain 41-27 at Milton 56-14 Selinsgrove 20-7 D4 4A Semifinal W at Selinsgrove 15-0 D4 4A Final L at Jersey Shore 54-0

Giants fullback said he believes his team has earned the respect of the coaches around the league, who no longer see Shamokin as an easy win.

“They know they’re going to be in for a battle,” he said.

Hynoski is pleased with the number and quality of the players returning from last year’s 5-4 squad.

Leading the way on offense is junior quarterback Brett Nye. “Brett is a complete team guy, a true natural leader,” Hynoski said. “He has all the intangibles you want in a quarterback: Tremendous athletic ability, arm strength, intelligence; he knows the ins and outs of the offense to a T. He’s primed for a pretty big year.’’

Nye said, “Last year, my first year as a starter, I think I became a good leader and I want to increase that this

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

year and become a good leader for my teammates.”

Nye threw for 1,284 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, but he has lost the three receivers who combined to catch all those TD passes. Wideout Billy Delbaugh and tight end Micha Miller graduated, and junior wide receiver Ryder Zulkowski has transferred to Archbishop Wood after his father took a job in the Philadelphia area.

“It will definitely be an adjustment not only for me but the whole team,” Nye said of the loss of Zulkowski, who also started at defensive back.

“But we have other players that we have faith in to get the job done,” he added.

Hynoski added, “t’s the nature of the sport. It’s a next-man-up mentality and our guys have really done a great job with that.”

Hynoski is eyeing several

5-YEAR WIN TREND

6*

5* 3*

1 1 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 *-PLAYOFFS; &-DISTRICT CHAMPION #-PIAA CHAMPION

2020 STAT LEADERS PASSING C-A Int TD Yds Brett Nye 70-143 2 14 1,284 RUSHING Att Yards TDs Max Madden 151 872 7 Aaron Frasch 61 286 3 Ian Paul 52 250 0 RECEIVING Rec Yards TDs Billy Delbaugh 24 549 8 Ryder Zulkowski 21 356 4 Aaron Frasch 7 144 0 RETURNEES IN BOLD

potential receivers to allow Nye to show his talents.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

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“We have two athletic tight ends in (senior) Colton Lynch and (freshman) Blake Hockenbroch and both will be playing both sides of the ball, also defensive ends,” Hynoski said.

He added, “We have three receivers who could be pretty dynamic in senior Colin Seedor, junior slot/tight end Wisdom Artis-Jones and a freshman, Chase Pensyl, who looked good this summer in our seven-on-sevens.

“They should give us the ability to go from our power sets to our spread sets in the blink of an eye,” he said, “with the personnel we have.”

And that could mean a heavy dose of last year’s leading rusher, senior halfback Max Madden, complemented with tough senior fullback Aaron Frasch.

“Max is always reliable.

You never know when he’s going to have that breakout, huge game where he has that 200- or 250-yard game and it’s

usually in a key moment.”

Hynoski added, “He really attacked the weight room. He put on some serious muscle mass, but he didn’t lose any speed with it. He looks like a true running back, and we expect him to be carrying the ball at least 20 times a game.”

Hynoski said that joining Madden will be three backs who are “big, bruising and quite athletic” in Aaron Frasch, senior Tyler Whary and junior Corey Adams.

Nye had a great summer, as his Swag 7v7 team got invited to the IMG Academy national tournament in Florida and finished seventh.

“It helped me see a whole new world of competition that’s out there,” he said.

The Indians’ offensive line should provide plenty of protection.

“We have a veteran offensive line with four returning starters,” Hynoski said.

Right guard Hunter Rodarmel graduated, but

Hynoski welcomes back junior Eric Zalar and seniors Riley Macaluso, Garrett Kitchen and John Kodack.

He has candidates to fill the other spot in seniors Robert Harvey and Delroy Wolfe, both of whom got significant time last year, he said.

“Across the board we will have players on the field who were either full-time starters or played significant minutes, but there will be a couple battles in training camp,” Hynoski said.

Kitchen returns at center, Macaluso at left guard, Zalor at right tackle and Kodack at left tackle.

Hynoski is excited about his defense, which not only includes six returning starters, but big numbers to allow for depth.

Frasch and Adams are returning starters at linebacker, and Whary returns as a linebacker or drop-down safety. Leading

the secondary will be returning starting safety Seedor along with Pensyl.

Lynch and Hockenbroch have been working at defensive end with the first team and Zalar could also rotate in.

Tackles will be Kitchen and Hockenbroch, whom Hynoski said will be a road block in the middle. Returning at tackle will be Kodack, along with Brock Nye, who played some there last season. “He will be a fireplug in the middle of that defensive line,” the coach said.

The linebacker unit is also a veteran one with Frasch, Adams, Whary and Brett Nye all returning.

Hynoski said he is excited to have Seedor back in the secondary.

“He had a fantastic year last year and is primed for a big year this year,” Hynoski said.

Madden or Pensyl will be at safety, and Artis-Jones and Isaiah Mumford will both see time at cornerback.

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SHIKELLAMY | BRAVES PIAA DISTRICT 4

CLASS 4A

2021 SCHEDULE

Time together key for Braves

Aug 27 Central Mountain* Sept. 3 at Loyalsock Sept 10 at Mount Carmel Sept. 17 Wellsboro Sept. 24 at Jersey Shore* Oct. 1 at Selinsgrove* Oct. 8 Shamokin* Oct. 15 at Lewisburg Oct. 22 at Mifflinburg Oct. 29 Milton* *-PHAC-1 GAME

2020 RESULTS (3-6)

BY KURT RITZMAN

A

s Jim Keiser heads into his second season as Shikellamy coach, there’s one major difference from last season that has the Braves feeling more confident — “familiarity.”

Keiser said that’s both his familiarity with the members of the team, and the players having a better understanding of what Keiser expects and his system.

“Now, we know the kids pretty much,” Keiser said.

“We didn’t have a weight program last year (due to COVID-19), but having a whole season in the weight room this year will help.”

The Braves spent a lot of time in the weight room during the offseason.

“We have been lifting hard and getting strong all summer,” senior Coltyn Sempko said.

“I’m really excited about getting the season started,” Keiser said. “The guys worked so hard, and now they have a chance to show what they can do.”

One of the places that the offseason work has really shone is in the offensive backfield, where the Braves return five of their top seven rushers from 2020.

“All of those guys have

52

HEARTLAND DIVISION 1

ISAAC SHAFFER-NEITZ

really done a lot of work in the weight room,” Keiser said. “They’ve gotten stronger, and they’ve gotten faster. This is going to be one of the fastest backfields I’ve had.”

Sempko (89 carries for 279 yards) leads the group, which also returns Gage Wolfe, Isaac Shaffer-Neitz, Rayshawn Martin and Chase Morgan.

“Our strengths this year will be a strong and fast backfield, along with fast linemen,” Sempko said.

The offensive line went through some struggles last year for Shikellamy, mostly due to injuries.

“We had some guys who really stepped up,” Keiser said. “Alex Geiser scored our first touchdown of the year as a fullback, and then he finished the year at center.

He’s going to be key for us to really do well.”

Geiser, a senior this year, also spent some time at guard, as the Braves were forced to use double-digit

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

offensive linemen in 2020.

“Mason Moore was a sophomore last year, and he struggled a little, but he’s really grown into the position,” Keiser said. “We have Kurtis Raker, Kaden Hoffman and Caleb Kashner back. We’ve got a lot of kids back who played last year.

“We developed some depth with kids like Connor Nickey, Mason Rebuck and the Bradigan twins (Nick and Nate). We have more depth than we ever thought of having last year.”

The other question mark offensively comes at quarterback for Shikellamy, but that question mark isn’t necessarily a bad thing for Keiser.

Drew Balestrini graduated after passing for 939 yards last year. Braydon Wertman, a senior, threw for 18 yards in a limited role last season, and is the returner who had the most experience at the position in 2020.

“Braydon Wertman played a little bit last year, and

L L W L L L W W L

at Cent. Mountain 33-6 Jersey Shore 53-0 at Milton 14-0 at Shamokin 41-20 Selinsgrove 28-0 at Jersey Shore 16-0 Milton 41-0 at Midd-West 27-6 at Mifflinburg 13-7 (OT) 5-YEAR WIN TREND 9*

9*

4* 3 1* 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 *-PLAYOFFS; &-DISTRICT CHAMPION #-PIAA CHAMPION

2020 STAT LEADERS PASSING C-A Int TD Yds D. Balestrini 59-124 4 5 939 RUSHING Att Yards TDs D. Balestrini 106 348 6 Coltyn Sempko 89 279 1 Gage Wolfe 42 144 2 RECEIVING Rec Yards TDs John Peiffer 17 372 2 Davis Marshall 12 168 0 Conner Fitzgerald 10 160 2 RETURNEES IN BOLD

he’s really grown into the position,” Keiser said. “We’re changing quarterback coaches, but he’s been CONTINUED ON PAGE 55

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working really hard.

“Luke Wetzel is a kid I’m really high on, and we have Caleb Yoder. So we have three kids I’m pretty happy with.

Hopefully, one of those guys will step to the forefront. I’d say Braydon is probably the leader right now.”

The Braves got off to a tough start in 2020 in Keiser’s first year, as the Braves started 1-4.

“They were getting used to us,” Keiser said. “Early in the season, we were figuring out where kids fit best in our system. ... We moved some guys around.”

A 16-0 loss to Jersey Shore — the state runner-up — in a Week 6 game in which the Braves were within one score for most of the game, seemed to change Shikellamy’s fortunes.

“It came around for the second Jersey Shore game; that’s when we started playing well,” Keiser said.

The Braves won their next two games before closing the season with an overtime loss, so Keiser is hoping his team builds off the second half of 2020.

Counting that game against the Bulldogs, Shikellamy allowed only 35 points over the last four weeks of the season.

“We have a lot of guys back, so I’m really excited about our defense,” Keiser said. Sempko added that he also thought the defense

could be a strength for the Braves.

The veteran coach said he has been pleased with what his team did in the offseason, and if the team chemistry forged during the summer carries over into the season then the Braves should do well this season.

“The biggest thing is we have to play as a team,” Keiser said. “We’ve got to really play for each other. Last year, the kids did a wonderful job, and we’re even stronger this year.

The kids really bonded. We went to things like 7-on-7s, which we didn’t have last year with COVID. “If we can play together and not turn it over, I think we’ll be fine.”

Sempko has even higher hopes for his last season in a Shikellamy football uniform.

“We plan on being in the district championship game,” he said.

The biggest thing is we have to play as a team.

We’ve got to play for each other. Last year, the kids did a wonderful job, and we’re even stronger this year.

The kids really bonded.

SHIKELLAMY COACH JIM KEISER

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2020 District 4 Playoffs CHAMPIONS:

CLASS 3A

A: Muncy 2A: Southern Columbia 3A: Danville 4A: Jersey Shore

1. Montoursville Montoursville, 57-28

CLASS A

4. Loyalsock Danville, 31-21

1. Canton

2. Danville Muncy, 21-16

Danville, 43-0

2. Muncy

3. Athens

NOTE: Muncy lost to eventual state champion Steelton-Highspire, 50-43, in first round of state playoffs.

NOTE: Danville lost to Wyomissing, 44-14 in the state semifinals.

CLASS 2A

CLASS 4A

1. Southern Columbia

1. Jersey Shore Southern Col., 49-7

Jersey Shore, 48-7 4. Miff linburg

3. Line Mountain Southern Col., 49-14

Jersey Shore, 54-0 2. Selinsgrove

2. Troy S. Williamsport, 35-18

Shamokin, 15-0 3. Shamokin

3. South Williamsport NOTE: Southern Columbia won the PIAA 2A title for fourth consecutive season and the program’s 11th state crown overall.

56

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

NOTE: Jersey Shore lost to Thomas Jefferson, 21-14 in the state final.

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District 4 Classifications Bucktail Canton Montgomery Muncy

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SOUTHERN COLUMBIA | TIGERS PIAA DISTRICT 4

CLASS 2A

HEARTLAND DIVISION 3 2021 SCHEDULE

Tough slate ahead of Tigers

Aug. 27 Berwick Sept. 3 at Bloomsburg* Sept. 10 Loyalsock* Sept. 17 at Wyoming Area Sept. 24 Mount Carmel* Oct. 1 at Wyomissing Oct. 8 at Central Columbia Oct. 15 Hughesville* Oct. 22 at Selinsgrove Oct. 29 at Danville *-PHAC-3 GAME

2020 RESULTS (12-0)

BY KURT RITZMAN

R

eally, Southern Columbia’s football program has nothing left to prove.

There is, however, one more target that the Tigers have their eye on this year in addition to the annual goal of hoisting a trophy in Hershey in early December.

Playing arguably one of the toughest schedules of any small school team in the state, Southern does have a chance to break another record: Most consecutive wins in Pennsylvania history.

Southern enters the season with 60 consecutive victories dating back to the start of the 2017 season. Seven wins to start this season would snap Clairton’s record of 66, set from 2009-13.

“I didn’t know about that,” said senior running Gavin Garcia, who was the Class 2A Player of the Year in 2020.

“That’s another goal to aim for. I’d like to be the team to do that.”

Getting there won’t be easy. Before playing Central Columbia on Oct. 8 — the game that could set the record — the Tigers will have to get through Berwick on the opening Friday night, Bloomsburg, Loyalsock, 2019 3A state champion Wyoming 58

BRAEDEN WISLOSKI

Area, rival Mount Carmel and 2020 3A state finalist Wyomissing. Southern also closes the season with games at Selinsgrove and at reigning District 4 3A champ Danville.

The Tigers haven’t lost a regular-season game since a setback to Mount Carmel in 2011.

If anyone can emerge through that gauntlet unscathed it might be Southern.

After graduating four players who landed at Big Ten schools and another who went Division I for wrestling in 2019, the Tigers steamrolled to a 12-0 shortened season in 2020, outscoring their opponents 457-116.

Winning that state title was important for the younger players on the team.

“Obviously, there’s always a little pressure,” Garcia said.

“After winning last year — there were still some doubts about our team — a lot of the pressure is gone. We didn’t

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

2020 STAT LEADERS PASSING C-A Int TD Yds Liam Klebon 30-53 3 9 688 RUSHING Att Yards TDs Gavin Garcia 109 1,906 30 Wes Barnes 82 775 8 B. Wisloski 50 504 13 RECEIVING Rec Yards TDs Jake Davis 6 189 3 Jake Rose 6 116 1 Gavin Garcia 8 166 2

W W W W W W W W W W W W

Bloomsburg 41-0 at Warrior Run 67-0 at Loyalsock 50-20 Mount Carmel FF at Hughesville 56-7 Lewisburg 42-7 at Central Columbia 52-3 D4 2A Semifinal Line Mountain 49-7 D4 2A Final So. Williamsport 49-14 PIAA 2A Quarterfinal Richland 57-30 PIAA 2A Semifinal Bishop McDevitt 42-13 PIAA 2A Final Wilmington 42-14

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need the seniors (from 2019) to win. We’re all our own team. We can do the same things.”

And now, as coach Jim Roth enters his 38th season, the Tigers return nearly all of their skill players.

Garcia is back after rushing for 1,906 yards on just 109 carries as a junior, scoring 30 times on his way to being named the 2A state player of the year. Entering his senior year, Garcia said he has narrowed his college choices to Princeton, Harvard and Kent State.

The other halfback, state sprint champion Braeden Wisloski, carried the ball just 50 times in a dozen games last year, but scored 13 times and averaged better than 10 yards a carry. Fullback Wes Barnes had 775 yards and eight scores.

Quarterback Liam Klebon is back for his senior year after an efficient first year under center. As a junior, he

completed about 60 percent of his passes (30-of-53) for 688 yards and nine scores.

The returning skill players will have an experienced line to run behind. One of the question marks entering 2020, Southern returns three starters up front this fall. Chris Treshock returns to anchor the line along with Joseph Quinton and Carson Savitski.

“We just need to start meshing,” Garcia said.

LIAM KLEBON & JIM ROTH

CONTINUED ON PAGE 60

5-YEAR WIN TREND 15* &

16* &#

16* &#

16* &# 12* &#

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 *-PLAYOFFS; &-DISTRICT CHAMPION #-PIAA CHAMPION

Other 2021 Schedules of Note BERWICK 8/27 at Southern Columbia 9/03 Crestwood 9/10 Hazleton Area 9/17 at Selinsgrove 9/2 Williamsport 10/01 at Tunkhannock 10/08 at Wyoming Valley West 10/15 Pittston Area 10/22 at Dallas 10/29 Wilkes-Barre

BLOOMSBURG Date Opponent 8/27 at Loyalsock 9/03 Southern Columbia 9/10 at Central Mountain 9/17 at Midd-West 9/24 Williams Valley 10/01 at Mount Carmel 10/08 Hughesville 10/15 at Warrior Run 10/22 Northwest Area 10/29 Central Columbia

CENTRAL COLUMBIA 8/27 Midd-West

9/03 at Mifflinburg 9/10 at Troy Area 9/17 Warrior Run 9/24 at Danville 10/01 Lewisburg 10/08 Southern Columbia 10/15 at Selinsgrove 10/22 Montoursville 10/29 at Bloomsburg

COLUMBIA-MONTOUR VO-TECH 8/27 at Northwest Area 9/04 Muncy 9/10 at Sayre 9/18 at Holy Cross 9/25 Cowanesque Valley 10/02 South Williamsport 10/15 at Cowanesque Valley 10/23 North Penn/Mansfield 10/30 Montgomery

HUGHESVILLE 8/27 Montgomery 9/03 Mount Carmel 9/10 at Wellsboro 9/17 Mifflinburg

9/24 at Warrior Run 10/01 Athens 10/08 at Bloomsburg 10/15 at Southern Columbia 10/22 Loyalsock 10/29 at Muncy

JERSEY SHORE 8/27 Bellefonte 9/03 at Selinsgrove 9/10 Montoursville 9/17 at Lewisburg 9/24 Shikellamy 10/01 at Shamokin 10/08 at Milton Area 10/15 Danville 10/22 at Bald Eagle Area 10/29 Central Mountain

LOYALSOCK

10/22 10/29

at Hughesville at Warrior Run

MONTGOMERY 8/27 at Hughesville 9/03 Northwest Area 9/10 Warrior Run 9/17 Sayre 9/24 at South Williamsport 10/01 at Wyalusing Valley 10/08 Canton Area 10/15 at Muncy 10/22 Cowanesque Valley 10/30 at Col.-Montour Vo-Tech

MONTOURSVILLE

8/27 Bloomsburg 9/03 Shikellamy 9/10 at Southern Columbia 9/17 Danville 9/24 at Montoursville 10/01 Troy Area 10/08 at Lewisburg 10/15 Mount Carmel

8/27 Wellsboro 9/03 Lewisburg 9/10 at Jersey Shore 9/17 at Mount Carmel Area 9/24 Loyalsock 10/01 at Danville 10/08 Mifflinburg 10/15 at Midd-West 10/22 at Central Columbia 10/29 Selinsgrove CONTINUED ON PAGE 64

INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT | AUGUST 2021

59

DEREK BERLITZ

“We’ve got a lot of new guys defensively and on the line.

I think it will play out fine; we just need to get the kinks out.”

On defense, all-state defensive end Derek Berlitz returns to anchor a unit that must replace all three starters in the secondary, including allstate corner Jake Davis, now at Bloomsburg University.

Southern has Berlitz and junior two-way lineman Treshock back up front along with linebackers Jake Rose and Garrett Garcia.

Rose won both hurdle events at the state track & field championships in May and Garcia, younger brother of Gaige and Gavin, led the Tigers in tackles as a ninthgrader in 2020.

60

The Monday the season ends everybody is working. They’re either in the mat room, on the basketball court or in the weight room.

SOUTHERN COLUMBIA HALFBACK GAVIN GARCIA The Tigers have won the last four PIAA 2A state titles and five of six. They’ve won a state-record 11 titles overall and 10 since 2002.

With a 42-14 romp over Wilmington in last year’s state final, Southern Columbia completed a fourth consecutive unbeaten season, a victory that also gave Roth the most wins by a high school coach in state prep history. The seniors on last year’s team went

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

unbeaten throughout their four-year careers, something Garcia said this year’s senior class would also like to accomplish.

“Obviously we want to go undefeated in our high school careers,” Garcia said. “It stinks that we had a shortened year last year.

We’re looking forward to hopefully a normal season.”

All of the Tigers’ success doesn’t come by accident, but from commitment, according

to Garcia.

“The Monday after the season ends, everybody is working,” Garcia said.

“They’re either in the mat room (for wrestling), on the basketball court or in the weight room.

“During the summer, it’s easy to relax, but we use that time to work. Coach Roth emphasizes getting bigger, faster and stronger over the summer, so that’s what we try to do.”

14 H o m e s

| JULY 2021 INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT | AUGUST 2021

61

WARRIOR RUN | DEFENDERS PIAA DISTRICT 4

CLASS 2A

HEARTLAND DIVISION 3 2021 SCHEDULE

Coach: We want to get better each day

E

*-PHAC-3 GAME Sept. 3 game at Central Columbia; Oct 2 and Oct 15 games at Danville

BY KURT RITZMAN

ntering his fourth season as Warrior Run coach, Chris Long wants his team to focus on the process of improvement.

“We tried to put in a mantra over the offseason of ‘a little bit better every day,’” Long said. “Every drill. Every practice. Did we get better at the end of the day? That goes for the players, and for me as a coach. If we keep getting better as the season progresses, we can do some good things.”

This year’s seniors are the first group of Defenders that Long has coached all the way through their high school careers, and Long said he would count on that class — especially Derek Thomas, Logan Smedley, Justin Blair and Ethan Carper.

“There are guys in that group that we’ll look to to be leaders,” Long said. “They’ll know what I want. They know the system. They know how we want them to go about their business.”

Behind that group, the Defenders do have some holes to fill.

“There’s a lot of growth that needs to happen,” Long said.

“It’s exciting to see what we can be.”

One of those holes is at quarterback, where Long expects sophomore Ryan 62

Aug. 27 at Muncy Sept. 3 at Milton Sept. 10 at Montgomery Sept. 17 at Central Columbia Sept. 24 at Hughesville* Oct. 2 Central Mountain Oct. 8 at Northwest Oct. 15 Bloomsburg* Oct. 22 at Mount Carmel* Oct. 29 at Loyalsock*

2020 RESULTS (1-8)

JUSTIN BLAIR

L L L L W L L L L

Muncy at Hughesville Southern Col. at Bloomsburg Mount Carmel Loyalsock Mifflinburg at Montoursville at Milton

5-YEAR WIN TREND

Photo courtesy of Crista Confair

Newton to take over.

“He’s been working hard all offseason with a couple of receivers,” Long said. “Ryan played almost the whole second half of our last game of the season against Milton.

He’s a tall kid with a good arm, a lively arm. He has a good head on his shoulders, and he’s learned more of the offense.

“He’s more of a prototype pocket passer. He’s 6-(foot)-3, and I’m excited about him.”

The top three receivers for Warrior Run in 2020 graduated, but Long said the Defenders have some options.

“Thomas will be in a receiver spot,” Long said.

“Ian Jones — a sophomore who played JV, and was the fourth receiver in some sets on Friday nights — will play receiver. Then there’s a couple younger guys that I’m

AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

excited to see how they come along in camp.”

Those “younger guys” include juniors who haven’t seen much varsity time yet.

Blair led the Defenders in rushing last year. “(Blair and Smedley) are the guys who carried the ball the most who are coming back,” Long said, noting the pair combined for 45.2% of Warrior Run’s rushing yards last year.

Part of the key for how successful the Defenders are on the ground is how well the line performs.

“Our offensive and defensive lines are going to be young, and how they’ll do is something you don’t know until we have a scrimmage,” Long said.

Carper, from his position at defensive tackle, will lead the defensive line.

“We need to have a good

32-7 37-13 67-0 40-0 FF 52-18 49-14 71-0 20-0

7*

4*

3

3*

1

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 *-PLAYOFFS; &-DISTRICT CHAMPION #-PIAA CHAMPION

2020 STAT LEADERS PASSING C-A Int TD Yds Nathan Michael 12 37 4 4 RUSHING Att Yards TDs Justin Blair 90 191 1 Hunter Rovenolt 37 125 2 Nathan Michael 54 103 0 RECEIVING Rec Yards TDs Coltin Pentycofe 12 184 2 Hunter Rovenolt 5 41 0 Nasir Berry 4 35 1 RETURNEES IN BOLD

push up front, make the right reads and tackle,” Long said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 66

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INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT | AUGUST 2021

Other 2021 Schedules MUNCY 8/27 9/04 9/10 9/17 9/24 10/01 10/08 10/15 10/22 10/29

at Warrior Run at Col.-Montour Vo-Tech at Wyalusing Valley at Cowanesque Valley Sayre at Northwest Area South Williamsport Montgomery at Homer-Center Hughesville

NORTHWEST 8/27 9/03 9/10 9/17 9/24 10/01 10/08 10/15 10/22 10/29

Col.-Montour Vo-Tech at Montgomery at Cowanesque Valley Old Forge at Canton Area Muncy Warrior Run Sayre at Bloomsburg at South Williamsport

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT 8/27 9/03 9/10 9/17

Cowanesque Valley at Wellsboro Canton Area at Athens

9/24 10/02 10/08 10/22 10/29

Montgomery at Col.-Montour Vo-Tech at Muncy at Sayre Northwest Area

TOWANDA 9/03 9/10 9/17 9/24 10/01 10/08 10/15 10/22 10/29

at Canton Athens Milton at North Penn/Mansfield Cowanesque Valle at Wellsboro Troy Area Tunkhannock at Wyalusing Area

WILLIAMSPORT 8/27 9/03 9/10 9/17 9/24 10/01 10/08 10/15 10/22 10/29

at Crestwood at Altoona Miff lin County Central Mountain at Berwick Dallas at Delaware Valley Wyoming Valley West at Wilkes-Barre Hazleton Area

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Warrior Run gave up more than 2,200 yards rushing last season, and that’s something Long wants to see improved.

“Defensively, we have to stop the run,” Long said. “We’ll be playing some different teams than we played last year, so that changes things.

Montoursville and Southern Columbia are not on our schedule, so that’s good.”

How the front of Warrior Run’s defense performs will impact the rest of the team, especially in pass coverage.

“Our secondary is going to be all new and young, so we need to be better up front,” Long said.

Blair and Smedley return as inside linebackers.

We need to give ultimate effort, and limit mental mistakes. We can’t have stupid penalties; that’s something that hurt us a lot last year.

WARRIOR RUN COACH CHRIS LONG “Thomas will be an outside linebacker, and we want to keep them inside to limit yardage,” Long said.

“We’ll need to shore up our tackling.”

Unfortunately for the Defenders, stadium construction means they won’t have any games in Turbotville this season.

“Technically, we only have four home games,” Long said.

Warrior Run will hit the road to play Muncy, play two “home” games at Danville and play two games as the home team in a road stadium against Hughesville and Loyalsock.

“We’ll be getting on a bus every week and going somewhere,” Long said. “Just packing everything up and going somewhere will be a challenge.

“But we’ll be in a pretty good routine,” he added with a laugh.

Especially with no true home games, the Defenders need to play smart and hard to be successful this season.

“We need to give ultimate effort, and limit mental mistakes,” Long said. “We can’t have stupid penalties; that’s something that hurt us a lot last year.”

ETHAN CARPER

Photo courtesy of Crista Conffair

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AUGUST 2021 | INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA GAME NIGHT

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Introducing Oticon Opn S.™ Try Oticon More, FREE for 14 days.

A clear breakthrough forFinancing more available. natural hearing.

Call for an appointment.

Imagine being able to experience the many, wonderful sounds in your environment in a more natural, comfortable way. Now, thanks to one of the most significant technological advances in years, that day has arrived. Introducing Oticon Opn S hearing devices, featuring a next-generation microchip able to adjust and balance all the various sounds around you– not just the ones directly in front of you.

Try Oticon Opn S, FREE for 14 days. Call for an appointment. • Financing available.

2824 Old Turnpike Rd. (Route 45) Freedom from

With Oticon Opn S, you can disposable batteries Lewisburg, PA 17837 | 570.524.3277 enjoy speech understanding

with state-of-the-art battery on parneed with hearing.** *Android devices to normal support ASHA to allow direct connectivity to Oticon More. Please lithium-ion visit oticon.com/support/compatibility for more information technology*.

Try Oticon More™

www.hearingaidspa.com 2824 Old Turnpike Rd. (Route 45) Lewisburg, PA 17837

1430658647

*Lithium-ion battery performance varies depending on hearing loss, lifestyle and streaming behavior. **Juul Jensen 2018, Oticon Whitepaper For people with typical hearing loss and well-fitted hearing aids, in noisy situations