Making the Grade: Carlisle 27, Mechanicsburg 14

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Making the Grade: Carlisle 27, Mechanicsburg 14

When Carlisle took a 19-0 lead early in the third quarter Friday night at Mechanicsburg, it felt like the Thundering Herd had seized complete control of a game it dominated in the first half.

Missed opportunities, a Wildcats defense that simply wasn’t going to let this game get away from them and a little spark from the Mechanicsburg offense made this one very interesting in the early stages of the fourth quarter.

After Jeffrey Lougee’s second touchdown run from the quarterback position pulled the Wildcats to within 19-14, the momentum was clearly on the home side. Carlisle was suddenly in trouble — as in real trouble.

Special teams matter, and when Kareem Lawson made a house call from 82 yards out on the ensuing kickoff it was game over. Carlisle should not have been in such a sticky situation that it needed a bailout kick return to ice the game. The Herd were clearly the better team and deserved to celebrate after the final whistle.

Time to hand out some grades.

CARLISLE THUNDERING HERD

Quarterback: Ezeekai Thomas started — and while a dynamic athlete with pure running back skills, he’s playing out of position at quarterback. He’s much more effective as the RB1. That’s because junior Louis Shank is a pure quarterback. He throws a nice deep ball, steps up in the pocket with his head downfield and his short throws are on the money. His first varsity game and he throws three TD passes and looks the part. That’s your quarterback. . Grade: B

Listen now to Louis Shank’s post-game interview

Running Back: This is where Thomas should be playing. He puts his foot in the ground and makes a decision. He’s slippery and quick. But I like his willingness to grind in between the tackles and be physical. He had 77 yards on only 15 carries. And you have so many options on the jet sweep with all that speed at WR coming across to take the handoff. Grade: B

Wide Receivers: Josh Zipperer is going to be a mismatch against most teams because he’s so tall and high points the ball well. Nice grab on the 39-yard TD pass, and he had another deep 50-50 ball where he won covering 40 yards. They have so many options including the Hargrove twins, Eli and Jeremiah, who are only sophomores. Talent at this position. Needs some seasoning, though. Ran some loose routes and made a couple drops on easy grabs. Grade: B+

Offensive Line: Honestly, I expected more out of this group when it came to those key short-yardage plays. They were overwhelmed too many times on those plays for a group with this much size and experience. Carlisle had third-and-goal at the 1 and never came close to scoring on two plays. Pass protection was good. Run blocking needs work. Grade: C

Defensive Line: Junior Thomas Nelson is still a large lad, but he has trimmed down to closer to 300 than 325 pounds. He was almost unblockable at times. He caused serious problems. Layton Schmick had a solid game as well and had an interception on a screen he read perfectly. Any DL who gets a pick on a non-tipped pass wins my respect. Grade: A-

Linebackers: As the game wore on this position was the real sore spot in my eyes for the Thundering Herd. They were just invisible for way too many plays and did not fill many gaps at all. Struggled all game, too. Grade: D

Secondary: Two interceptions, coverage was very good all game and their run support, needed because the linebackers were MIA, was above average. Grade: B

Special Teams: Punter Brock Shughart averaged 40 yards on two kicks and did his job. Kick coverage was excellent, and of course there was the 82-yard kickoff return by Lawson that changed the game. And Denmark native Dirk Godjin celebrated his first extra point like very few kickers I’ve ever seen. And he should. He had never kicked a football until a couple weeks ago. Grade: A

MECHANICSBURG WILDCATS

Quarterback: There’s going to be some growing pains, and there’s a lot of work that needs to be done for sure. That’s pretty obvious. Junior Seth Brubaker won the starting job out of camp and struggled. Jeffrey Lougee is clearly the better running QB, but he struggled throwing the ball as well. Neither QB was done any favors by the four or five drops by the wideouts. A work in progress. This is just a one-night four quarter mark for two guys with no experience. Lougee and his legs were a difference-maker.  Grade: C-

Running Back: Success for this team going forward is going to be based on the running game. I like the duo of Parker Sample and Sage Thomas. You can mix and match these guys in all kinds of ways. Combined for 105 yards on 21 carries. They did their job.  Grade: B+

Wide Receivers: They have to be better. Everybody is working hard, and coach Anthony Rose made sure to point that out. But when your newbie quarterbacks are fighting to find their footing, make the easy grabs. They dropped several easy chances. Grade: D

Offensive Line: Overall, this group had a pretty good night. Run blocking got stronger and more impactful as the game moved along. They eliminated the Carlisle linebackers all night. Pass protection was pretty good. One guy gave them problems, and that’s going to happen. Fundamentally sound. Grade: B+

Defensive Line: Sam Geraty and Marlon Aristy are very good. They made plays all game long and everywhere. They made key tackles for losses, shut down and blew up runs that looked well-blocked otherwise. Those two were part of the reason the Wildcats were in the game come the fourth quarter. Grade: A

Linebackers: You expect a lot from a talented veteran like Sam DeLuca in the middle. When he delivers right out of the gate for you, that’s a difference-maker. Most of his tackles were of the solo variety, too. He’s one of those guys who finds the ball, finds it in a hurry and gets there. Grade: A

Secondary: All greenhorns out there and they did some good things early, including an interception by Rashawn Holton. And they also got beat on some deep balls, getting turned around or run by. It was a mixed bag for sure. Some ingredients to work with, though. Grade: C-

Special Teams: Not much out of the return game, and surrendering that 82-yard house call on a kickoff just after your team claws to within 19-14 early in the fourth quarter was a momentum killer. Was the difference in the game at the end of the night. And that decision to run on a fake punt was clearly Sample’s decision. Bad choice. Kicking game is rock solid, though. Grade: D+

Carlisle holds off Mechanicsburg, behind strong effort from Louis Shank, 27-14

Andy Shay
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Carlisle holds off Mechanicsburg, behind strong effort from Louis Shank, 27-14

THE RESULT

Carlisle used its backup quarterback and a monster special teams play to hold off a second-half rally by Mechanicsburg to record a somewhat sloppy but well earned 27-14 victory to open the 2021 season Friday night at John H. Frederick Field inside Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Park. 

KEYS TO VICTORY

Special teams was the difference-maker on the scoreboard. Carlisle built a 19-0 cushion early in the third quarter and appeared to have a strong upper hand. Give the Wildcats credit for punching back and clawing to within 19-14 with 10:02 to play. On the ensuing kickoff after Mechanicsburg made it a one-score game, though, Kareem Lawson found an empty lane up the middle, cut outside and was gone. His 82-yard kickoff return put this one out of reach.

Both squads wanted to run the ball but couldn’t for the most part. Each defense was miles ahead of the offense and simply slammed the door any attempts to move the ball on the ground. Carlisle found its quarterback for this season in junior Louis Shank, who threw a trio of touchdown passes. Mechanicsburg didn’t complete its first pass to a teammate — Carlisle had three interceptions — until 2:15 remained in the game.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

The Wildcats and Thundering Herd each had 11 penalties for a combined 183 yards. … Mechanicsburg had 30 total yards, all on the ground, in the first half on 17 carries. Six of those rushes went for negative yards. … Carlisle wide receiver Josh Zipperer averaged 28.7 yards per catch on three grabs. … Shank, who didn’t expect to play, was 4-of-5 for 98 yards with a pair of touchdowns in the first half. … Mechanicsburg sophomore QB Jeffrey Lougee led all rushers with 107 yards on 11 carries, including a 67-yard TD scamper.

Mechanicsburg quarterback Jeffrey Lougee used his legs to keep Mechanicsburg close against Carlisle. (Adam Kulikowski/4th Down)

WHAT WE SAW

The only reason Mechanicsburg continued to hang around in this game was because of its defense, led by LB Sam DeLuca, DL Sam Geraty and DL Marlon Aristy. That trio was splendid and gave the Wildcats a shot.

Carlisle could have easily had this game put away by halftime. Twice in the opening 24 minutes they traveled inside the Wildcats’ 10-yard-line and came away with zero points.

Carlisle’s Ezeekai Thomas cuts upfield against Mechanicsburg Friday night. (Adam Kulikowski/4th Down)

Offensively, what stood out was Shank is the best option at quarterback for the Thundering Herd, and that allows the versatile Ezeekai Thomas to line up at the running back position. When Thomas is at quarterback the offense is too easy to defend.

Finally, the Wildcats’ offensive line is already better than you might think. And this group is only going to get better. Fundamentally they are solid and will only get better with more game reps.

THEY SAID IT

“I did not expect to play tonight. I’ve been running a lot at practice, but honestly I was surprised to hear me get the call that early. My first couple plays I was out there shaking, I’m not going to lie. The pace was so fast, it was fun, but it’s much more aggressive and fast. Completing a couple early passes really helped me settle in.” — Carlisle junior quarterback Louis Shank

“I thought we played well defensively for the most part. Guys made some plays, but yeah, defensively overall I saw a lot of things I liked. We have to work on special teams, and that’s something we can fix. We did drop some passes and that didn’t help our quarterbacks, but overall we just were not in sync offensively.” — Mechanicsburg coach Anthony Rose

THUNDERING HERD 27, WILDCATS 14

Carlisle            0 13 6 8 – 27

Mechanicsburg 0 0 7 7 – 14

First Quarter

None

Second Quarter

C-Josh Zipperer 39 pass from Louis Shank (Dirk Godjin kick), 6:14

C-Eli Hargrove 7 pass from Shank (kick failed), 2:17

Third Quarter

C-Jeremiah Snyder 3 pass from Shank (kick blocked), 10:01

M-Jeffrey Lougee 67 run (Niko Lederbohm kick), 9:39

Fourth Quarter

M-Lougee 8 run (Lederbohm kick), 10:02

C-Kareem Lawson 82 kickoff return (Snyder pass from Shank), 9:49

Team Statistics                     C       M

First downs                         14          13

Rushes-yards                    39-140  35-195

C-A-I                                         9-15-2  2-15-3

Passing yards                    116          13

Fumbles-lost                      1-0        1-0

Punts-avg.                               2-40      5-39

Penalties-yards                       11-92     11-91

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: Carlisle, JC Smith 10-47; Ezeekai Thomas 15-77; Matthew Trollinger 1-2; Jeremiah Hargrove 1-5; Louis Shank 7-7; Eli Hargrove 1-14; Jeremiah Snyder 3-18; Jaqueece Morell 1-0. Mechanicsburg, Parker Sample 13-61; Sage Thomas 8-44; Seth Brubaker 3(minus-17); Jeffrey Lougee 11-107.

PASSING: Carlisle, Shank 6-9-1-104; Thomas 3-6-1-12. Mechanicsburg, Lougee 2-9-0-13; Brubaker 0-6-3-0.

RECEIVING: Carlisle, Matthew Trollinger 1-18; Smith 1-(minus-3); Josh Zipperer 3-86; J. Hargrove 1-12; E. Hargrove 1-7; Snyder 2-6. Mechanicsburg, Rashawn Holton 1-3; Daniel Francis 1-6.

2021 Preview: Cumberland Valley Eagles

Adam Kulikowski
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2021 Preview: Cumberland Valley Eagles

Coach: Josh Oswalt

Classification: 6A

League/division: Mid-Penn Conference/ Commonwealth Division

2020 record: 3-6, 2-3 in Division

Postseason: Did not qualify

RETURNING LEADERS:

Passing: Comp-Att., Yards, TD

Isaac Sines: 56-126.,760, 7

Rushing: Att-Yards., Avg., TD

J.D. Hunter: 59-187., 3.2., 1

Isaac Sines: 82-125., 1.5,  1

Receiving: Rec.-Yards, Avg., TD

Griffin Huffman: 11-287, 26.1., 2

Troy Collard: 6-142, 23.7, 2

KEY PLAYERS:  

Braylon Stair, sr., OL-DL; Troy Collard, sr., TE-DE; Ridge Crispino, jr., OL-DL; Anthony Joppy, jr., OL-DL; Isaac Sines, jr., QB-DB; JD Hunter, jr., RB-DB; Griff Huffman, jr., WR-DB; Alex Sauve, so., TE-LB

OUTLOOK: The Eagles began to turn the corner during the second half of an abbreviated 2020 season, winning their final two match-ups against Carlisle and Cedar Cliff. It’s been four seasons since Cumberland Valley experienced a winning season and while the chatter might be that this young team is still a year away from truly contending, this is a group that all signs point to arriving early to the party.

3 THINGS TO KNOW
1. New year, new expectations:

Cumberland Valley coach Josh Oswalt knew what the Eagles needed to do last year as he implemented his brand of football. However, COVID-19 and the protocols implemented to keep everyone safe created a new a dynamic that proved challenging to overcome.

“We didn’t have an offseason,” Oswalt said. “Programs I’ve run, we spend a lot of time teaching football in the offseason. We did it virtually, but if you look at our deficiencies last year, it had a lot to do with technique and physicality of the game. Those are things we were not able to work on when we did get back together, we weren’t able to contact one another without a shield that we had to spray down between drills.”

This offseason has been different—and the results on the field should be as well after a full offseason prep in which the Eagles sharpened their mettle against some of the best teams in the state including Manheim Township, Coatesville and Erie Prep.

2. Finding comfort under center:

Starting at quarterback as a sophomore in Class 6A competition comes with a bevy of challenges. Now try starting in a year where practices are limited, there is no team camp or 7-on-7 competitions and limited contact when teams do get together—oh and you have a brand new head coach whose spread offensive scheme is about as far away on the continuum to the Wing-T as is possible.

That’s the challenge that faced Isaac Sines last year. So give the young man who compiled 760 yards through the air for seven touchdowns some props for guiding the Eagles to a productive second half of the season.

“Isaac is a super athlete,” Oswalt said. “He brings a lot to the table. How our offense works is predicated on getting the ball out quicker. So we understand that he had played in a Wing-T offense, waggling and showing the defense his back and setting up different boot options.  That’s not so much in my offense.  It is a lot different. And he has really been able to grasp the concepts all summer. He is more comfortable in the system… I’m excited about what we are going to see out of this young man this year and it has a lot to do with growth and maturation.”

3. One to watch:

Cumberland Valley coach Josh Oswalt knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a good linebacker. So when Oswalt, a standout at the position as a former Eagles and Shippensburg Red Raider, can favorably compare his 15-year-old sophomore MIKE linebacker Alex Sauve to others Oswalt has played with in his career, you can bet that is high praise.

The 6-1, 180-pound sophomore is already starting to become a leader of a defense that also includes Sines as a shutdown corner, 6-3, 230-pound Division 1 recruit Troy Collard who will play defensive end and.. yep… safety and cornerback Caiden Pines.

“Playing linebacker, you have to be able to read and react,” Oswalt said of Sauve. “Alex reads the triangle better than any linebacker I’ve played with or coached to be honest. He knows which near back or far back we’re reading. He sees the pulling or cross key action. He communicates well. And one thing he worked on this offseason is getting in the pass lane. It is amazing the stuff that he has  picked up on this early in life. I can’t help but get excited about him.”

The Preview: A look at the five-star match-ups in Week 1

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The Preview: A look at the five-star match-ups in Week 1

2021 Preview: Tri-Valley Bulldogs

Michael Bullock
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2021 Preview: Tri-Valley Bulldogs

By Michael Bullock

Coach: Jeff Sampson, 4th season (20-11), 15th season overall (81-79)

Classification: 1A

League/division: Colonial-Schuylkill League Blue Division

2020 record: 5-1, 4-1 in Schuylkill League

Postseason: Shared District 11 Class A championship

                                        RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TDs

Jonas McGrath: 26-53, 515, 5

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TDs

Jake Scheib: 53-363, 6.8, 5

Kameron Wetzel: 42-301, 7.2, 3

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TDs

Jake Tietsworth: 6-87, 14.5, 0

Jolten Flory: 5-81, 16.2, 2

Layne Yoder: 5-68, 13.6, 0

Key returning players: Jonas McGrath, sr, QB/DB; Kameron Wetzel, sr, HB/FS; Mason Boltz, sr, WR/OLB; Devin Wertz, sr, WR/DB; Jolten Flory, jr, WR/DE; Josh Reho, sr, OT/OLB; Kole Mattis, sr, OT/DT; Jere Umbenhauer, sr, OG/DE; Justis Troutman, jr, C/DT; Cam Carlin, sr, OT/DT; Jake Scheib, jr, FB/DT; Levi Murray, sr, TE/ILB; Reece Huntzinger, jr, HB/ILB; Layne Yoder, so, SB/OLB.

Outlook: Although Tri-Valley’s Bulldogs lost the first half of the 2020 campaign for a variety of reasons — including misgivings about playing at all during the COVID-19 surge — Jeff Sampson’s group caught up in a hurry as they pocketed four victories while motoring through a truncated five-game slate. Another victory popped the Bulldogs into their third straight District 11 Class A title game, but that contest never was played so Tri-Valley ended up sharing gold with neighboring Williams Valley. Now poised to play a 10-game schedule, Sampson’s Bulldogs return all but the three seniors they lost from last year’s club — including do-everything Chase Herb and steady two-way grinder Caden Richards. What pleases this run-happy coaching staff is the offensive line returns intact and the big fella, 6-3, 275-pound Cam Carlin is ready to create all sorts of havoc after missing three of Tri-Valley’s six games a season ago. Presence of numerous skill players — all packing experience — is another plus for a Bulldogs outfit that hopes to unleash plenty of bite. The bottom line is the folks in the Hegins-Valley View Metroplex are ready to watch their beloved Bulldogs chomp on the opposition as they enjoy a steady diet of hamburgers and sauce with a sizable side of Williams French Fries.

Three Things to Know:

1. Bulldogs will head into 2021 with the same offensive front they trotted out one season earlier: While an assortment of veterans return at a variety of skill positions, one reason why skipper Jeff Sampson is upbeat is the Bulldogs bring back all five offensive linemen that started a season ago. Led by massive tackle Cam Carlin — Carlin missed three games a season ago — Tri-Valley also will plug in the likes of Josh Reho, Kole Mattis, Jeremiah Umbenhauer and Justis Troutman and watch these youngsters tee off on opposing defensive lines and linebackers. “We have the horses up front from last year and they’re all back,” Sampson confirmed. “The ones behind them are a year wiser and are pushing the older kids. … There’s only one kid on the offensive line that’s going to be going both ways and that’s Cam Carlin.” Tri-Valley also has seasoned veterans at quarterback in Jonas McGrath, fullback in Jake Scheib and halfback in Kam Wetzel, So, they should find space to run behind the Bulldogs’ offensive front and McGrath may have more than enough time to target a group of wideouts led by Jolten Flory and Layne Yoder. Yet that O-Line is key. “I like to run the ball,” Sampson said. “I think Jonas gets that and he understands that. I may change a little and decide to throw the ball a little more. It’s his third year. He’s really progressed. He’s really been throwing the ball well all preseason. And we have a logjam at wide receiver. We have five or six kids that can probably start on most teams and we have a lot of height. The goal is to establish the run, which you normally do, but we may sprinkle a little more passing in with Jonas back there and our receiving corps.”

2. Sampson genuinely believes McGrath, Scheib and Carlin are ready to take sizable steps forward: Since Scheib and McGrath are three-year starters, Sampson believes those two are ready to take their games to a higher level. Scheib has earned the nod at fullback, yet he’ll also have his hand in the dirt when he lines up at defensive tackle. While Sampson already has admitted that McGrath may get the chance to throw more frequently, he’d also like to see his athletic senior use his legs as well. “Jonas is another one,” Sampson said. “This’ll be his third year starting and we want to get him more involved in the running aspect. He’s ready to take that next step.” And so is Carlin, who already sports college-level size as well as some other measurables. “He went from about 245 or 250 and he’s about 275 right now,” Sampson added. “He’s just a monster size-wise and he moves well.” Since the Bulldogs have experience all over the field, guys like Jolten Flory and Layne Yoder may be ready to leave indelible imprints for the passionate partisans that adore the youngsters from Schuylkill County’s West End.

3. If things go well, Tri-Valley is hoping to play in its fourth consecutive District 11 Class A title game: While Sampson’s Bulldogs claimed an 11-A championship in his first season (2018) on the West End, Tri-Valley also reached the district final a season later. And last year, the Bulldogs were scheduled to square off against neighboring Williams Valley, but that game never was played since both squads were dealing with COVID-19 issues. Regardless of what’s taken place in the past — particularly in an 11-A setting that also includes Nativity and Mahanoy Area — Sampson understands that his squad must stay in form if it hopes to be competing for gold-tinted hardware. “We’ve got to stay on course,” Sampson admitted. “I don’t think we can look ahead, so we’ve got to take it one week at a time. We have a decent schedule. It is a tight-knit group and they’ve got to play together and to their potential. They want to be a championship team this year and you’ve got to practice that way and be willing to make sacrifices and be committed since every practice is worth something.” Tri-Valley definitely will be tested early as backyard rival Minersville, Mahanoy Area, Pine Grove and Schuylkill Haven make up the first month of the Bulldogs’ slate. Scraps with Nativity and Williams Valley will come later. “The expectations are high,” Sampson added. “Now you’ve got to put everything together on a Friday night. Lay it on the line. … It’s like I told them, ‘They don’t give out championships. You’ve got to earn them. We’ll see how much they want to earn a district title and go beyond that.”

2021 Preview: Northern York Polar Bears

Adam Kulikowski
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2021 Preview: Northern York Polar Bears

Coach: Bill Miller

Classification: 4A

League/division: Mid-Penn Conference/ Colonial Division

2020 record: 5-4, 5-2

Postseason: Lost to Eastern Lebanon County, 42-7, in the District 3-4A first round

RETURNING LEADERS:

Passing: Comp-Att., Yards, TD

Timothy Bonin: 2-2, 19, 0

Rushing: Att-Yards., Avg., TD

Talon Balluscio: 52-248, 4.8, 5

Receiving: Rec.-Yards, Avg., TD

Trenton Peach: 23-251, 10.9, 0

Mason Yohn: 4-54, 13.5, 0

KEY PLAYERS: 

Aydan Digrugilliers, so, WR-DB; Sean Sarley, sr., RB-LB; AJ Vail, sr., OL-DL; Fred Hunter, sr., OL-DL; Trenton Peach, sr., WR-LB; Telon Belluscio, jr., RB-LB; Timmy Bonin, jr., QB-DB; Mason Yohn, jr., WR-DB-P-K

OUTLOOK:

Colonial Division foes may find comfort in knowing that Jordan Heisey is cleating up for Division II Lock Haven this year and not making another circuit through the Colonial Division. Heisey is one of more than a dozen impact players to exit the Northern program, but that shouldn’t deter Bill Miller’s crew from making another run at the Colonial Division title.  To do that, he’ll need some new lads to step in to deliver production beyond top returning receiver Trenton Peach (23-251) and junior running back Talon Belluscio (52-248). Some names to watch include Kade Kitts at tight end and Mason Yohn (more on Yohn below).

3 THINGS TO KNOW
1. Big Shoes to fill:
Do-it-all quarterback Jordan Heisey contributed in every facet of Northern’s success. Top passer? Check. Heisey threw for 921 yards and four touchdowns in a truncated 2020 campaign.  Leading rusher? Check. The commander under center notched 687 stripes and another seven trips to pay dirt. That’s some big shoes to fill on Bill Miller’s squad. Timmy Bonin, a standout on the diamond as a pitcher, appears to be the next in line for the Polar Bears.



2. Kickin’ butt:
Mason Yohn is known throughout the Mid-Penn as an outstanding kicker. National attention may soon follow thanks to a strong performance in his age group in the 2021 Kohl’s National Scholarship Camp in Baltimore, Md. earlier this year.

The 6-0, 165-pound sophomore recently competed in field goals, punts, and kickoffs, charting 22 points in the field goal portion of camp, a 101.73 in the kickoff portion—he also charted a big ball of 45 yards with 4.38 seconds of hang time—combined, that is a 4.5 star score for the Dillsburg kicker.

At the high school level, that makes Yohn another weapon the Polar Bears have to gain field position and add points to the board.

Last year, Yohn averaged 36.4 yards per punt, including pinning 14 inside the 20 for Miller’s Polar Bears and connected on 20-of-21 extra points and 7-of-11 field goals.

3. Questions in the trenches:
Finding the right mix of big men up front continues to be a goal for the Polar Bears as they enter Week 1. Two senior linemen, 6-2, 230-pound AJ Veil and 6-4, 320-pound Fred Hunter return for another season in purple. They provide a strong foundation from which Miller and his crew can build.  Who solidifies the remaining spots in the trenches alongside these cats—well that’s what the Polar Bears hope they’ve learned after scrimmaging a physical Middletown group on Saturday. An early test against an improved Red Land squad lies ahead in Week 1 and should provide a solid indication of where Northern stands.

2021 Preview: Palmyra Cougars

Adam Kulikowski
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2021 Preview: Palmyra Cougars

Coach: Chris Pope

Classification: 5A

League/division: Mid-Penn Conference/Keystone     

2020 record: 3-5, 2-4

Postseason: Did not qualify

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att., Yards, TD

Seth Robertson: 19-45, 190, 0

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg., TD

Nick Wallaesa: 70-311, 4.4, 2

Seth Robertson: 27-75, 2.8, 5

Receiving: Rec.-Yards, Avg., TD

Jacob Deimling: 12-113, 9.4, 1

Seth Robertson: 4-27, 6.8, 1

KEY PLAYERS: Rich Kowalski, sr., RB-CB; Jacob Deimling, sr., WR-DB; Brady Holwig, sr., HB-LB; Jase Jones, sr., HB-DB; Jordan Blauch, sr., OL-DT; Alex Fuhrman, sr., OL-MLB; Connor Holzman, sr., OL-DT; Dan Steskal, sr., OL-DT; Kyle Chapin, jr., OL-DL.

OUTLOOK: What to expect from Palmyra is a bit unclear after the Cougars watched the heir-apparent QB Brennan Almond transfer out of the district. Coincidently, Jordan Wamsher transferred into the district during the summer and appears to be at the front of the line to take the first offensive snap of the season under center.  While Wamsher gets acclimated to the Cougars scheme, Pope will rely on an experienced front core to punch holes and keep the chains moving on offense.

3 THINGS TO KNOW
1. Altered 2020 preparations hurt Cougars

COVID-19 impacted preparations for every team entering the 2020 season, but for the Cougars who were retooling in many areas the canceled team camps, 7-on-7 work and normal camps created a ripple effect in Palmyra that lasted throughout the first half of last year. “I think the teams that had more younger kids last year got hurt a little more,” Pope said. “We had a young team, especially up front. We didn’t have the camp experience that really helps you realize how hard you have to come off the line and the level of intensity that you need to compete at this level. I feel like we were close but not quite there. It took us about four weeks to really get to where we needed to be. Then we ended up being quite successful the last part of the season.” 

2. QB shuffle and a weapon to target
The Cougars thought they knew who their next quarterback would be when Seth Robertson hung up his cleats at the conclusion of the 2020 campaign. Then Pope and the Cougars learned that Brennan Almond would be transferring out of the district. A murky situation became more clear when Jordan Wamsher, a transfer from Cedar Crest, moved into the district in time to participate in summer camps.  The 5-foot-10, 170-pound senior now appears to have a grasp on the starting role though he may not be eligible to participate in the playoffs should Palmyra qualify. But first things first: The Cougars have their answer for Week 1. “He has a real good arm,” Pope said of the new addition to the squad. “He’s a good athlete who is still learning our system and working to be consistent with this throws and timing with our receivers.” Anthony Mansfield is one of those weapons Wamsher is working to build chemistry with.Mansfield showed flashes of brilliance last year as an electric kickoff returner but needed to refine his route running. This year, he’s primed for a bigger role as a senior. “We know we need to get him the ball some how,” Pope said of Mansfield who has shown improved hands heading into Week 1. “He’s legitimately fast. When you watch his returns on video, it doesn’t even seem like he is trying to run, but he is pulling away from people and it looks effortless.”

3. Leaning on the big men

The growing pains Palmyra experienced early last season as the greenhorns were gaining experience paid dividends later in the year as the Cougars won three of its last four games. Palmyra is hoping to cash in again with the play of an experienced line that includes Jordan Blauch (6-4, 235), Kyle Chapin (6-1, 250), Daniel Steskal (5-10, 220), Luke Gaugler (6-2, 195). “We thought that our offensive line would be good and be able to be a strong point for us,” Pope said of the play of his big men in Saturday’s scrimmage against Elizabethtown. “I think they were. We did a good job against E-town, but you are always waiting to see because you don’t know until you go full gear and get out there and after it. They are going to determine a lot of what we do this year. There’s a lot of potential, but we need to work to turn it into something.”

2021 Preview: Red Land Patriots

Adam Kulikowski
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2021 Preview: Red Land Patriots

Coach: Frank Gay

Classification: 5A

League/division: Mid-Penn Conference/Keystone

2020 record: 3-4, 2-3

Postseason: Did not qualify

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att., Yards, TD

Not available

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg., TD

Not available

Receiving: Rec.-Yards, Avg., TD

Not available

KEY PLAYERS: Kaden Peifer, sr., TE-LB; Sam Sklar, sr., WR-DB; Gavin Feliciano, sr., WR-K; Brady Lydon, sr., OL-DL; Nate Smith, sr., OL-DE; Parker Lawler, jr., WR-DB; Kerry Reiker, jr., OL-LB; Roman Jensen, so., QB; Anderson French, so., WR-OLB; Bryce Phillips, so., TE-DL; Josh Patrick, so., ATH-DB.

OUTLOOK: Red Land didn’t turn in its best performance Saturday when the Patriots scrimmaged Big Spring, but this is a team that has the talent needed to make positive strides in the Keystone Division. How far can they get? That depends on how quickly some gents develop. But Frank Gay, a seasoned vet of 32 years coaching, believes he’s got something here.

3 THINGS TO KNOW
1. Avoiding the sophomore slump

The Patriots will need second-year starting quarterback Roman Jensen to rebound from a shaky performance in Saturday’s scrimmage against Big Spring in which the sophomore completed just one pass — a task Frank Gay believes Jensen is fully capable of achieving. “It all came down to the simple basics of footwork and timing,” Gay said. “He was out of wack. We showed him film, and he understands. It is the little things. Get the footwork right, his timing right and he is back to normal.” Red Land saw flashes of the incoming sophomore’s potential toward the end of last season as the game slowed down, and Jensen felt more comfortable in Gay’s system.  “We thought Roman performed well toward the end and got comfortable being our quarterback,” Gay said. “But then he slumped on Saturday in the scrimmage. He just didn’t go through his reads, his progressions, things like that. But our expectations are super high for Roman Jensen, and I truly believe that he can be one of the best quarterbacks in the conference.”

2. O-line grading high

If there’s one thing head football coaches love, it is watching game film. (It’s true, just ask any football coach.) And well, when that game film shows positive signs, that’s even better. So, while every tape is going to show areas where a team can improve, Gay had to be happy with the grades his offensive linemen received Saturday. The Patriots big men are scored on their assignments — i.e. were they in the right spot executing the right play at the right time? His big eater — which includes seniors Nate Smith (6-foot, 195 pounds) and Tanner Herman (6-1, 210) — posted a score of 95%. Not too shabby. While there’s still plenty of fine-tuning needed, there were plenty of positive signs from the group that also includes Kerry Rieker (6-1, 205), Anthony Rodgers, Andrew McCutchen (6-0, 260) and Addison Janovich (6-1, 265). “The biggest thing is they bought into the fact that we can’t do anything without you guys,” Gay said. “We need to get a little more physical, but last year we were probably at 40 percent (grade on assignments). So that is a big jump. If they know what they are doing, they can play fast and physical and they are doing that right now.”

3. Defense key to Patriots’ success You might know his name from the baseball diamond — that Red Land Little League team that was pretty good back in the day, or maybe a more contemporary example from this lad leading Red Land to the PIAA Class 5A championship game might be easier to recall. Either way, Kaden Peifer played a huge role in both. And if you didn’t know, that dude is pretty good at football, too. Red Land will rely heavily on its defense and special teams to stymy opponents, and the 6-0, 210-pound senior will play a critical role from the MIKE linebacker position. He’s the field general of the defense, a  three-year starter and someone who has become a vocal leader of this team. Supporting cast members at every level should provide plenty of punch as well with Anderson French ready to break out as an outside linebacker and Joseph LJ Sersch snagging a starting role after a strong performance Saturday. Parker Lawler and Sam Sklar anchor the secondary, and Tanner Herman and Nate Smith, a four-year starter, provide a foundation in the trenches. “We felt coming in that the defense would be our strong suit because we have dudes back that can really play,” Gay said. “We really feel that we have to play great defense. I think our offense can give us a spark, but we have to get them the ball more often. The more we can get the ball into their hands, the better we will be.”

2021 Preview: Chambersburg Trojans

Adam Kulikowski
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2021 Preview: Chambersburg Trojans

Coach: Mark Luther

Classification: 6A

League/division: Mid-Penn Conference/Commonwealth

2020 record: 2-4, 2-4

Postseason: Did not qualify

RETURNING LEADERS:

Passing: Comp-Att., Yards, TD

None

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg., TD

Not available

Receiving: Rec.-Yards, Avg., TD

Not available

KEY PLAYERS: Grant Hopple, sr., HB-LB; James Lilley, sr., TE-DE; Malachi Scott, sr., WR-CB; Lucas Lohman, jr., G-LB; Shea Makosy, jr., LB; Carter Flory, jr., G-DE.

OUTLOOK: Could we say check back after the Trojans face off against Greencastle-Antrim on Friday? That game, along with the following matchup against Red Lion, will tell us what to expect from a Chambersburg squad that has virtually no varsity experience at any of the skill positions. The potential for a .500 season exists if the young bucks can acclimate quickly to play under the Friday night lights, but potential — which there is plenty of — won’t automatically transfer to “dubs” in Mark Luther’s sixth season at the helm in Chambersburg.

3 THINGS TO KNOW
1. Strength in the trenches

The Trojans possess plenty of experiences in the trenches, and that will be an area that this club leans on as a number of greenhorns break in at the skill positions. That’s not a bad places to stake a foundation with brutes like Brandon Vaughn (6-foot-1, 210 pounds), Carter Flory (6-2, 230), Patrick Demory (6-4, 230) and Lucas Lohman (5-10, 225) all returning and gents including Nathaniel Stroman (5-10, 185), Avery Kuhns (6-1, 260) and Sedrick Vessa battling for a starting role. “We have to lean on those guys,” Luther said. “In high school football, you have to be able to run the football. We don’t have enough time to work at the passing game enough to be efficient at it. We’re not trying to put pressure on them, but we need them to understand that they are the most experienced. Those first few games, the nonconference games will really dictate how things go this year. … We’re going to pound the football up in there and see if they are strong enough and physical enough to move guys and help us move the football.”


2. Anchors at linebacker

By now, we’ve already established that seasoned veterans are a rare commodity in the Chambersburg landscape. But lying right in the middle of the Trojans defense sits that gold nugget, Grant Hopple. The 6-1, 215-pound senior is more than ready to be the anchor of this defense with plenty of size and enough speed to make an impact. “We’re really just looking for him to be a menace,” Luther said. “Play physical, fly around and wreak havoc on our opponent’s offense. For his size, he is an athletic kid.  He can run. Flip his hips, do all the things that you want, especially for someone his size. He has a lot of interest from different schools. And he should be able to play at the next level.” The Trojans also received an infusion of talent alongside Hopple with the addition of 6-2, 215-pound Linganore High School transfer Shea Makosy who Luther touted as an immediate difference maker. Take a quick look at the junior’s 2020 highlights, and it is easy to see why Luther is excited about what he brings to the team.

3. One to circle

Mark your calendars for Oct. 22 when the Trojans battle Cumberland Valley. Chambersburg young guns will look to make it four straight victories over the red machine dating back to 2017. There’s plenty of motivation to take down their rival after the Eagles held serve for 25 years prior to the current Trojans streak.

2021 Preview: Camp Hill Lions

Adam Kulikowski
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0
2021 Preview: Camp Hill Lions

Coach: Tim Bigelow

Classification: 2A

League/division: Mid-Penn Conference/ Capital Division

2020 record: 3-3, 1-2

Postseason: Lost to Bishop McDevitt (Wyncote) in the PIAA 2A quarterfinal, 26-14

RETURNING LEADERS:

Passing: Comp-Att., Yards, TD

NONE

Rushing: Att-Yards., Avg., TD

Christian Doi: 25-87, 3.5, 1

Receiving: Rec.-Yards, Avg., TD

Christian Doi: 29-701, 24.9, 4

Payton Shore: 5-32, 6.4, 0

KEY PLAYERS:

Christian Doi, sr, RB-WR-DB-LB; Peyton Shore, sr., QB-DB; Luke Parise, jr.,RB-WR-LB-DE; Michael Shartle, jr., WR-OL-DE; Grant Cutler, sr., OL-DL; Erik Dick, sr., OL-DL; Robby Rhinehart, sr., OL-DL

OUTLOOK:

Camp Hill sent parting gifts to 12 seniors—a large class that fueled the Lions run to the PIAA 2A quarterfinals where the team fell to Bishop McDevitt (Wyncote), 26-14 last season. Now the Lions must battle a rocky launch to their 2021 season with positive COVID tests in the district stalling camp work just days ahead of opening night action. Head coach Tim Bigelow should have plenty of weapons in the arsenal to compete for another postseason berth, but it will be important to may hay early during non-league play.

3 THINGS TO KNOW
1. COVID upends Camp Hill preparation:
Heading into Friday night’s scheduled matchup at home against Fairfield, Tim Bigelow had no idea if his team would be cleared to play after COVID issues popped up last week. The Lions received the green light to get back to full practices just days before its Week 1 matchup against Fairfield. COVID concerns in the district forced the Lions to scuttle its scrimmage Saturday against Halifax — a time Bigelow needed to evaluate a squad that includes a number of first-time varsity players — and limited preparations to workouts with the vaccinated athletes and online Zoom meetings to continuing building knowledge of the playbook up until mid-week. It’s stunted the team’s ability to evaluate its roster and prepare for Week 1. “The only real thing that is concerning for us from a coaching standpoint is that we have a lot of new football players,” Bigelow said of the disruption to two-a-day practices. “We pulled some freshmen. And we really needed a scrimmage to evaluate talent. We can only do so much hitting in our practices. Hitting and tackling is big, and from that standpoint we still have a lot of question marks.”



2. Airing it out:

While the average weight of Camp Hill’s offensive line might edge up slightly to 210 this year from 2020 when the average of the big-eaters was more middle-weight wrestler than heavyweight at 165, Bigelow knows his Lions won’t be knocking the opposing big men out of the trenches. That’s no knock on the fellas up front highlighted by the formidable Erik Dick (6-1, 230) and Grant Cutler (6-0, 245) (check out this cat’s Instagram on lifting), just the state of the bodies currently available at a small school.

That means the Lions will levy their attack through the air—not a secret Bigelow or the Lions try to hide.

“We’re going to take what we are given. We often go against (non-league) teams where no one really throws in their league,” Bigelow said. “They are bigger than us and they pack the box. If they are going to pack the box with six or seven guys that are 225-260, we are going to spread them out and find open grass.”

Execution of that plan begins with the 5-11,150-pound senior Payton Shore who succeeds Daniel Shuster under center in the Lions attack.

Flanked wide, there’s no shortage of big-bodied outside weapons for Shore to target. The 6-2, 155-pound Corbin Ochs followed the path laid out last year by his brother, Cam, joining the team as a first-year football player. His basketball prowess and ability to out jump just about anyone he lines up against should provide plenty of down-field fade opportunities for the pass-first Lions. Ben Tyler (6-3, 180), another newcomer and sophomore Tommy Corbin (6-1, 185) figure to create match-up problems for opponents all season long. 

“We love our wide outs,” Bigelow said. “We feel really good about them being able to stretch the field and find the open gaps.”


3. Getting off to a fast start:

Stepping on the gas early through non-league play will be vital for the Lions’ success this year. Camp Hill cuts the ribbon on their season against Fairfield—a team that last won more than two games in 2017. Follow that with match ups against Biglerville, Susquenita and Upper Dauphin and the Lions have a prime opportunity get out of the gate fast and in prime position for a post season berth before they enter the meat grinder of league play against an improved Big Spring club and perennial powerhouse programs like Middletown and Steel-High.

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