2020 Preview: Lower Dauphin Falcons

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2020 Preview: Lower Dauphin Falcons

By Adam Kulikowski:

Coach: Rob Klock

Classification: 5A

Division: Mid-Penn Keystone

2019 season: 0-10 (0-6 Keystone)

Postseason: did not qualify

Key returners: Braden Landis, jr., QB; Matt Piermattei, sr., WR; Ameer Hunter, sr., OL: Luis Armenta, sr., OL-DL; Adam Bonawitz, sr., QB; Ethan Miller, jr., RB-LB; Ryan Angerer, jr., TE-DE.

Outlook: Rebuilds are never easy. Lower Dauphin knows that after suffering through an 0-10 season in 2019. But there’s reason to be hopeful in an abbreviated 2020 season. Jacob Kauffman, a burner with 4.4 speed will provide plenty of zip on jet sweeps while Braden Landis and a handful of others provide the Falcons with some added athleticism. This isn’t a team that will contend for a District championship — not yet — but LD certainly will take steps forward in 2020. “Our kids are realistic,” Klock said. “They know that this is a process and that it isn’t going to change overnight. Last year, unfortunately with our numbers, we just didn’t have the size or speed that we typically do. This year, we feel a lot more confident. Numbers alone are much better and then we just do seem to be more athletic. We know we aren’t there yet, but we are moving in the right direction. We learned a lot from last year. No one likes going 0-10. It’s a good motivator. We don’t want to repeat that. The future looks much brighter.”

3 Things to Know:

  1. In the classroom: Lower Dauphin’s squad capitalized on the pause COVID-19 caused across the commonwealth. Without the added pressure of weight room sessions and on-field practices, the Falcons invested in a ton of “classroom” time via Zoom. Teaching schemes and reads, the Falcons closed the knowledge gap that seemed evident at times during last year’s campaign. “This time has really been very productive for us,” Klock said. “I’m actually pleased with what we have gotten done. When we did the Zoom calls this year, I was very simplistic. We really explained things — and we are still doing that — we simplified our whole system so the kids that haven’t had a ton of football exposure, they are much further along and understand what we are trying to accomplish schematically and just philosophically.”
  2. Different looks under center:  Expect the Falcons to vary the looks they show opponents under center. While Braden Landis remains No. 1 on the QB depth chart, the Falcons plan to showcase several weapons under center in 2020. Adam Bonawitz, a senior with a strong arm, Ellis Snow, a sophomore, and Charlie Fortney all might get looks as Klock works to get his best athletes on the field in a number of positions. “We’re going to have some set where Braden either rotates out or he jumps to a receiver position,” Klock said. “All of our quarterbacks this year have a skill set where they can do other things. Adam learned tight end and h-back. These are some of our best athletes, so to not be on the field is kind of silly. For them to be on the sidelines standing next to me just because they happen to play that position. We’ve got in the preseason here with the notion that these guys may line up at three or four different positions in a game.”
  3. Working the hash marks: Lower Dauphin’s typical smash-mouth, power football brand under Klock’s tenure will look different this year. With more speed at his disposal and less up-the-middle bulls on the roster, more jet sweep-type plays will find their way into the huddle, taking advantage of 4.4-burner Jacob Kauffman. “I think you are going to see us as a more perimeter team this year,” Klock said. “We’re going to do some of the zone read, some of the counter of the jet look with our talented quarterbacks. We’ve had to tailor to our strength because we can’t line up like we did several years ago and punch the ball down the field because we don’t have those types of kids right now.”

Bonus note: When a pandemic brings you seclusion — and withholds haircuts — what do you do? Make it a contest. That’s how the Falcons added a moment of levity to the spring months before anyone in the commonwealth was able to get haircuts. While the Falcons were holding regular Zoom chats, teammates noticed each other’s wildly growing hair. So, who sported the best “COVID locks” on the Falcons? Aidyn Gingrich. Hands down. “His hair was crazy,” Klock said. “He had an awesome do — really fluffy red hair. It really grew out. It was excellent.”

2020 Preview: West Perry Mustangs

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2020 Preview: West Perry Mustangs

By Adam Kulikowski: 

Coach: Bob Boden, 7th season (20-42)

Classification: 3A

Division: Colonial

2019 season: 6-4 (3-3 Colonial)

Postseason: did not qualify

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TD

Eli Puchalsky: 3-4, 146, 2

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TD

Eli Puchalsky: 13-99, 7.6, 1

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TD

Hunter Thoman: 3-77, 25.7, 1

Key Players: Rosenberry, sr., OL/FB-LB; Laszio Ternay, sr., OL-DL; Dan Dress, sr., OL-DL; Ty Wonders, sr., OL-LB; Eli Puchalsky, sr., QB-ILB; Zach Coldren, sr., OL-DL

Outlook: The Mustangs are searching for a new sparkplug to replace the dynamic quarterback Kenyon Johnson who now sports the colors of Slippery Rock. Who steps up to carry the load and how quickly they can find their footing will determine how successful the Mustangs can be in 2020. “We need to find out who our hitters are,” Boden said. “Especially at our skill positions. We’re very young there. We need to find out who can deliver a hit and who can take one.”

3 Things to Know:

1. Strength up front: One area where Bob Boden can pencil in his starters without much thought is along the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Mustangs didn’t lose a single player up front due to graduations. That’s a good foundation to build from when your team is breaking in a number of new skill position players. The group of big eaters is anchored by Laszio Ternay (5-foot-9, 250 pounds), Dan Dress (6-2, 230) and Zach Coldren (6-2, 220) with Ryan Long, Josh Trostle and Trevor Kelly vying for the other starting roles.

2. Next man (men) up: Bob Boden knows coaches don’t get to pencil in guys like Kenyon Johnson in their starting lineup very often. Replacing a young man who amassed nearly 4,000 rushing yards during his final two circuits in green and white isn’t that easy. “You just move on and work to find some other pieces that can share the load,” Boden said.  That starts at quarterback where Eli Puchalsky, now recovered from a torn ACL, will take the reins of the offense when the Mustangs kick off their season Sept. 25 against Mechanicsburg. Beyond Puchalsky, a new group of playmakers must emerge from a contingent that includes Seth Rosenberry, a left tackle who is transitioning this year to fullback; Ian Goodling, a 6-1, 150-pound receiver with good hands, speed and the ability to run good routes; Marcus Quaker, Gunner Taylor and Bryce Smith. Hunter Thoman, Isiah Weller and Trent Herrera are all in the mix to split carries in the backfield.

3. Young on the back end: Boden’s defensive unit returns a healthy dose of talent including seven starters. The line, like on offense, is a strength with the full gambit of starters back for another circuit. Among the group, look for Coldren, an incoming senior who moved from defensive end to tackle last year, to take another step forward. Tyler Wonders and Seth Rosenberry, a duo that combined for nearly 100 tackles last season, anchor the linebackers. And Puchalsky slides down from safety to help out at inside linebacker. “Our secondary is our biggest question mark,” Boden said. “We’re very young there, and the same guys that are fighting to help on offense, we will need them to step up on defense as well.”

2020 Preview: Steel-High Rollers

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2020 Preview: Steel-High Rollers

By Adam Kulikowski: 

Head coach: Andrew Erby, 7th season (40-33)

Classification: 2A

Division: Capital

2019 Season: 8-3 (5-2 league)

Postseason: Lost to Delone Catholic 39-27 in District 3 Class 2A semifinal.

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TD

None

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TD

Odell Greene: 73-1,300, 18

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TD

Mehki Flowers: 43-1,000, 23.2, 25

Tryone Moore: 47-743, 15.8,10

Key returners: Tydre Hollands Alli, sr., OT; Kiyler Raye, sr., OG; Marcus Martinez, sr., C; Damein Hammonds, sr., WR; Mehki Flowers, jr., WR-DB; Odell Greene, sr., RB; Tyrone Moore, jr., WR-DB; Tyhir Duncan, OG.

Outlook: The Rollers have all the components needed to stake their flag to the top of the Capital Division hill. Mehki Flowers, the four-star wide receiver and safety who packed on another 10 pounds to his frame over the offseason, draws plenty of attention — and for good reason — but this is a team that is loaded with talent beyond the stud incoming junior. Four starters return to anchor the offensive line, running back Odell Greene and a freshman QB with a familiar last name are all primed to hit the ground running (more on that below). This is a club that should be fun to watch.

3 Things to Know:

  1. More than a game: Each morning before the pandemic shut down schools across the Commonwealth, Andrew Erby’s crew met in the auditorium. The goal? Build life skills that the Rollers could use both on and off the field. “When we evaluated and reflected on our previous season, we wanted to form a way and an opportunity to build leadership and life skills,” Erby said of the meetings which continued online after schools closed for the year. “We talked about the importance of team, and unity and effort and just our team core values. We related them to school, football and life. It was a life lesson class to give our kids the skills they need to be successful. … You can see first-hand the benefit of it.”
  2. A father’s son: The next four years should be a special time for Andrew Erby. Alex Erby, who is the twin brother of defensive lineman Andrew Jr., takes over as QB1 in the Rollers system as a 6-foot-2, 190-pound freshman. Think that’s a tall task? Think again. Alex already is garnering interest from colleges and has played with a number of his new varsity teammates as he rose through the feeder systems. “He’s been preparing for this since he’s been about 5 years old,” Erby said. “He has the measurable to be a good elite quarterback. To be a 6-2, 190-pound freshman, he is really advanced. It is hard to find a kid his age that is on the level he is as a freshman. He’s worked with this group of kids for years through the ranks. Now the opportunity is here.” Nine starters on offense return from 2019’s squad to fuel what should be a high-powered offense.
  3. Dean(e) of the defense: The Rollers gained a difference maker on defense — he just won’t be able to take the field. Lance Deane — yep, the same Lance Deane who dominated at Bishop McDevitt and shined at corner back for Kutztown — will serve as defensive coordinator in 2020. “I probably have the best hire in Pennsylvania because he easily could be a head coach,” Erby said. “He’s a well-rounded guy who brings leadership. I can just see — he’s going to change what we look like defensively just with his knowledge and work ethic and understanding of the fundamentals. He could easily be a college coach right now. He fit in the mold of not just being a good coach, but also being active in the community, so he fit as a mentor in our program. He was a no-brainer for our program.”

2020 Preview: Mifflin County Huskies

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By Adam Kulikowski

Coach: Scot Sechler

Classification: 6A

Division: Keystone

2019 record: 3-7 (2-4 Colonial)

Playoffs: did not qualify

Returning leaders

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TDs

Chris Sheetz: 47-95, 666, 6

Brycen Hassinger: 28-72, 523, 5

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg., TDs

Brycen Hassinger: 103-651, 6.3, 4

Gage Schaeffer: 110-584, 5.3, 6

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg., TDs

Jayden Jackson: 18-450, 25.0 4

Key Players: Brycen Hassinger, sr., QB-OLB; Gage Schaeffer, sr., RB; Jayden Jackson, sr., WR-DB; Jacob Rhodes, sr., C-DL; Zach Williams, sr., FB-DE.

Outlook: During a year when the COVID-19 pandemic sapped teams from opportunities to participate in 7-on-7’s, Sechler and Co. should take advantage of a full compliment of returning skill position players led by Hassinger, Schaeffer and Jackson. That trio — a combined 2,200 yards of production — have a ready built rapport that could cause havoc as the Huskies move from the Colonial Division to the Keystone in 2020.

Three things to know:

  1. New-look offense: When the Huskies kick off their season Sept. 25 against Bishop McDevitt, Sechler’s crew will sport a new-look offense featuring a version of the triple option scheme. The shift in philosophies will capitalize on a loaded set of skill position players led by a trio of seniors — quarterback Brycen Hassinger, Gage Schaeffer, the 4.4-second (40-yard dash time) blazer at running back and the dynamic Jayden Jackson at wide out. “We completely revamped our offense to build around the offensive talent we have,” Sechler said. ”We also have another back coming back in Trey Kibe who will play football again this year.  We have a quarterback who can run well and a great group of wide outs. … We’re not a college team, we’re not recruiting kids in so we have to fit our offense and defense into the talent we have. This is the best fit for us this year.”
  2. Pocket presence: Speaking of Hassinger, the 6-foot-2 signal caller should showcase growth in the pocket during his final abbreviated circuit through the Mid-Penn. Unlike in years past, Hassinger did not split time between football and baseball during the offseason. The added time honing his football skills should shine as the Huskies finally get to put the pads on today as heat acclimation begins in the Mid-Penn Conference. “Brycen has really developed well over the summer,” Sechler said. “Just his presence in the pocket, his comfort level has really grown leaps and bounds. He’s developing a great rapport with Jackson. It was a lot of work with his technique, his footwork, his vision. Just being able to read his keys and what combination of possibilities we had out there.”
  3. One to watch: On a defense loaded with returning talent, one man to watch resides on Mifflin’s defensive line. Kaden Bartley, an incoming senior, rotated in along the line last year. The 6-2, 230-pound lineman is already opening eyes heading into camp. “He’s a lot stronger than he was last year, and his speed is much better with his foot quickness,” Sechler said. “His hand motion and the way he is able to free himself is really phenomenal.”

2020 Preview: Williams Valley Vikings

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2020 Preview: Williams Valley Vikings

By Michael Bullock:

Coach: Tim Savage, 9th season (77-23)

Classification: 1A


2019 record: 10-3 (7-2 Tri-Valley League)

Postseason: Beat Tri-Valley 36-7 in District 11 Class 1A championship; lost to Lackawanna Trail 44-30 in PIAA Class 1A first round.

                                          RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TDs

Bryce Herb: 140-285, 2,688, 37

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TDs

Jesse Engle: 37-139, 3.8, 1

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TDs

Jesse Engle: 40-803, 20.1, 13

Key returning players: Bryce Herb, sr., QB-S; Jesse Engle, sr., TE/HB-ILB; Jake Herman, sr., DB-WR; Jackson Yoder, jr., C-ILB; Ezi Hite, so., LT-DT; Hunter Wolfgang, jr., TB/WR-DE; Brayden Shadle, so., LG-DT; Owen Shoop, jr., LG-DT.

Outlook: With a sizable front returning and ready to go after absorbing growing pains and learning experiences, Savage & Co. remain optimistic despite the departures of several productive skill-position players. The return of Herb — especially if the big eaters can keep him clean and upright — and Engle should ease the pressure on the Vikings’ squadron of youthful backs and otherwise inexperienced receivers. Bottom line is this group has more than enough pop to keep those along U.S. 209 fully engaged and plugged in as the Vikings pursue yet another winning season and playoff gold.

3 Things to Know:

1. Herb, Vikings hope to keep attack at full boil: Assuming Williams Valley can log enough game action — and veteran skipper Tim Savage doesn’t believe it’ll take long, even though his program is on hold until after Labor Day due to a COVID-19 flare-up — returning all-state quarterback Bryce Herb could own every one of the school’s passing marks before he turns in his No. 6 jersey. The 6-foot, 180-pound senior, who last season in 12 outings racked up nearly 2,700 yards and 37 scores, needs roughly 1,500 passing yards to unseat his father, Paul, as the school’s all-time leader and seven TD tosses to move past the 53 scores predecessor Levi Engle posted. “Out of all my quarterbacks, he’s probably the smartest,” Savage said. “He understands everything that’s going on. He doesn’t have the athleticism Levi had and his arm strength’s not the same as [Stephen] Sedesse, but he’s close in those two categories. What puts him over the top is the ball’s almost always going where it should go. And that’s great.” Despite the departures of productive tailback Brady Miller and the wideout tandem of Bo Raho and Jayden Cruz, Herb will operate behind an offensive front that returns four starters and welcomes first-year senior Mason Evans (6-2, 240). The return of tight end Jesse Engle is another huge plus for the Vikings’ quick-strike attack.

2. Engle will get plenty of opportunities: Speaking of Engle, the 6-1, 225-pounder undoubtedly will draw plenty of attention from Schuylkill League defenses after grabbing 40 passes for just over 800 yards and 13 touchdowns a year ago. And if the Vikings have some difficulty establishing the ground game they need, don’t be surprised if Engle gets a few touches running the football. Engle also is a fixture on the defensive side of the football, starting his career as a freshman at defensive end before moving to inside linebacker prior to last season. Those early opportunities have benefited the versatile senior greatly, as he’s logged more snaps than any of his teammates. “Everyone ran at Jesse his freshman year. Everybody avoided Devon [Rabuck]; and it didn’t matter whether the team was 9-0 or 0-9, no one ran at Devon. So, Jesse got thrown into the fire and he held his own. He made mistakes and he did things wrong as a freshman, but he held his own. And that just pushed him to mature faster,” Savage said. “Moving him to the middle ‘backer spot, he’s running better than he has and he’s got some nice help in front of him. He’s got some big [butts] in front of him trying to take on blocks.”

3. Vikings fully immersed in Schuylkill League: While football is football to those who reside on either side of U.S. 209, Williams Valley partisans still may need a little time to adjust to a regular diet of Schuylkill League adversaries rather than the Upper Dauphins, Line Mountains and Millersburgs they subsisted on for decades. At the same time, Savage’s program could see another plus as all of the squads on the Vikings schedule could be in play when the District 11 Class 1A playoffs finally arrive — even though Williams Valley has been a perennial contender for postseason gold. “Everyone would always say that the Schuylkill League was more physical and had more talent and I had to listen to that for years, so we’ll see that we now have to play each other,” Savage said. “We’ll find out on the field who the best small school is in the area, so that’s where we’re at right now. We’ve always thought that was us and teams like [perennial 2A hammer Schuylkill] Haven are now on the schedule — so now we’re going to find out.”

2020 Preview: Trinity Shamrocks

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2020 Preview: Trinity Shamrocks

By Jake Adams: 

Head coach: Todd Ryan, 3rd season (6-14)

Classification: 2A

Division: Mid-Penn Capital

2019 season: 5-5 (2-5)

Postseason: did not qualify

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TD

Cooper Manley: 7-10, 50, 0

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TD

Tyler Rossi: 40-250, 6.3, 3

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TD

Trey McAuliffe: 22-458, 20.8, 5

Tyler Rossi: 1-15, 15.0, 0

Key returners: Trey McAuliffe, sr., WR; Peyton Warner, sr., RB-LB; Tommy Cloak, sr., OL-DL; Tyler Rossi, jr., RB-LB; Ryan Dalton, jr., OL-DL; Jason Wewer, jr., RB-OLB.

Outlook: The Shamrocks took an important step forward last year after unleashing the complete arsenal of their fully operational spread offense. It was fun, it racked up yards and it scored plenty of points. Now, the task is to replace their quarterback, several talented receivers and running back, and continue the upward trajectory. But the hope is another year in the system will give the young guys stepping into starting roles more comfort and make the jump easier.

Consistency will also be key. Two years ago, the Shamrocks started winless, than ripped off a couple wins late to build momentum. In 2019, it was the opposite as they started hot and then lost four of the last five. It’s something Ryan recognizes, and the team, but a strong start to the offseason before the pandemic shuts things down gives the third-year coach hope the team maintains strong play all year.

1. A new arsenal to work with: Last year’s Shamrocks racked up a hearty 2,300 passing yards and nearly 1,500 rushing thanks to an RPO scheme that fully unleashed QB Danny Scott, RB Daniel Kosinski and receivers like D’Amonte Porter, Ryan Berrigan and Connor McCarthy. Points were no longer hard to come by. But all of those faces have graduated in the year of the pandemic, leaving head coach Todd Ryan to replace an explosive arsenal with new pieces. A cog from the 2019 group that’s back, though, is Trey McAuliffe, who caught 22 passes for 458 yards and and five scores. He missed time with injuries last year, but the ‘Rocks expect big things from him. Tyler Rossi, who is faster, but “not as shifty,” as Kosinski, Ryan said, is the likely lead back. And Jason Wewer and Max Schlager should see more time out wide. The QB race is down to sophomores Cooper Manley — who got a quick taste of the varsity life last year — and Landon Kuntzleman, Ryan said. “We’ve changed up my quarterback manual knowing that I had these two [and some incoming freshman] … to really slow down their learning curve,” Ryan said. “We really broke out the quarterback manual a lot better for them.” 

2. Getting faster on defense: The coach said a major theme this offseason has been improving the defense. And primarily by getting faster. That doesn’t mean just physically, though — Ryan also had the defense focus on mental speed, working to improve player reaction times. “Defensively, we really focused our offseason this year on defense,” he said. “We really hit it strong in January through the shutdown, really working on the speed.” Trinity last year allowed more than 300 yards a game but was most vulnerable through the air, where it allowed 8 yards per pass attempt. 

3. Deep in the trenches once again: Ryan, who has been with the program for more than five years, was pleased last year with the amount of big bodies on the roster. A program that hovers in the 30s and 40s had about 15 linemen to start or develop, a number he was happy with. That has carried over to 2020, where he figures to rotate 7-8 of his maulers all season, anchored by returning junior left tackle Ryan Dalton and senior Tommy Cloak. Not all of the linemen are varsity ready, but that also means they have a developmental pipeline to work with. “We had some new kids show up,” Ryan said. “Right now, we’re sitting three deep across the line.” A big boy to watch for is 6-foot-7, 250-pound Tommy Kelucha, who didn’t play football until he was a freshman. “You don’t miss him, that’s for sure,” the coach said.

2020 Preview: Boiling Springs Bubblers

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2020 Preview: Boiling Springs Bubblers

By Jake Adams: 

Head coach: Brad Zell, 3rd season (3-17)

Classification: 4A

Division: Mid-Penn Capital

2019 season: 0-10 (0-7)

Postseason: did not qualify

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TD

Colin Lunde: 28-84, 233, 2

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TD

De’Von James: 59-342, 5.8, 0

Doug Bear: 47-219, 4.7, 2

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TD

Doug Bear: 4-123, 30.8, 2

Key returners: Doug Bear, sr., FB-LB; De’Von James, sr., RB. Patrick Garvey, sr., WR-DB; Carson Garvey, jr., WR-S; Colin Lunde, jr., QB-P; Joey Menke, jr., RB-OLB; Aidan Metzger, jr., FB-MLB; Trey McCardell, so., WR-DB

*Returning roster information based on team’s MaxPreps roster from 2019-20.

Outlook: Eleven games have come and gone since the Bubblers last walked off a field with a win. It’s a streak this team desperately wants to end. Boiling Springs took its lumps last year with a young lineup at almost every position. Now, Zell’s crew is a year older at several important spots and itching to snap the skid and build some momentum. It’s not uncommon to see a team get its first win in a while and immediately rip off one or two more — the Bubblers are hoping to do just that. 

The Battle of the Springs survives COVID-19 this year thanks to Big Spring joining the Capital Division, plus the Bubblers get a crossover with the new Liberty Division. Wins never come easy in the Mid-Penn, but the Bubblers will have chances to reverse the streak.

1. Youth movement might pay off: Last year, head coach Brad Zell ran with a young, untested lineup. Boiling Springs took its lumps, going 0-10 while struggling to put points on the board. The Bubblers are still young, but a year of varsity experience could go a long way to building some success in 2020. At least, that’s the hope. “We played a lot of freshman and sophomores last year, and juniors,” Zell said. “This year we’re still playing a lot of sophomores and juniors, with seniors sprinkled in there. … We made that decision last year to go young. … Sometimes getting pushed around a little isn’t a bad thing. It has a way of motivating kids.” Boiling Springs loses a sizable presence in lineman Landon Billman, and it’ll have to replace lead back Quentin Jones, but there aren’t many losses after that.

2. Defense has nowhere to go but up: The offense did no favors for the defense in 2019, but the Bubblers’ stoppers struggled last year. The pass defense in particular suffered, allowing 9.7 yards per pass attempt. Zell said the group loses two starters. And now in the third year under Zell, familiarity with the system is much more obvious. So, instead of rebuilding, the unit is simply building. “So, again, a lot of game reps coming back, which is, again, something we really haven’t had the luxury of before,” Zell said. “I think our defense will be a strong suit.” Boiling Springs wasn’t gashed for a ton of yards (309.8 per game), but they could certainly improve on the 10 or so turnovers they forced. 

3. Competition at QB, RB: Colin Lunde is the incumbent under center in the Bubblers’ Wing-T, but he’s facing competition from Carson Garvey, Zell said. “I think our expectation for the quarterback position, not necessarily Colin, is to make good decisions,” Zell said. “If something’s not there, tuck the ball and run.” Lunde (or Garvey) will not be asked to shoulder the load, but seven interceptions and a completion percentage around 30% doesn’t typically cut it. And there’s a quartet of ball carriers that could see sizable carries in a system that requires several in order to excel. RB De’Von James is the only senior of the group, and he’ll share time with Joey Menke. A junior (Aiden Metzger) and sophomore (Trey McCardell) expect to see the bulk of the time at fullback. Whatever combination lines up in the backfield, there’s an expectation to improve on the 129.3 yards per game rushing. The Wing-T works best when it’s grinding down opponents, and that requires lots of carries and lots of yards on the ground. Expect more now that the group behind the offensive line is a little more seasoned.

2020 Preview: Juniata Indians

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2020 Preview: Juniata Indians

By Michael Bullock: 

Coach: Kurt Condo, 2nd season (4-7)

Classification: 4A

League/division: Mid-Penn Liberty

2019 record: 4-7 (4-5 Tri-Valley League)

Postseason: Lost to Clearfield 35-7 in District 6/9 Class 4A semifinals.

                                             RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TDs

Jacob Condo: 82-161, 1,209, 14

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TDs

Jacob Condo: 115-490, 4.3, 7

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TDs

Manny O’Donell: 23-368, 16.0, 4

Key returning players: Caleb Seeger, sr., RB-CB; Jacob Condo, jr., QB-OLB; Trent Martin, jr., RB-NG; Manny O’Donell, sr., WR-OLB; Mason Sheaffer, sr., OG-DL; Jace White, sr., FB-ILB; Billy Dressler, sr., WR-S; Josh Rivas, sr., OG-DL; Zach Hart, sr., OT-DL.

Outlook: With a number of veterans still on hand, Condo’s Indians hope to reverse some recent trends and make a legitimate run at whatever Mid-Penn Liberty crown is contested since not everyone is playing one another. Having Jacob Condo directing traffic is one bonus because he can beat you with his legs and his arm, yet don’t be surprised if the wonderfully athletic Manny O’Donell has plenty of success catching the ball against Liberty corners and safeties. A battalion of squat linemen — a Juniata constant — also returns even though the Indians likely will line up with two guard-sized backs ready for short-yardage duty or to create space for Condo and all-purpose back Caleb Seeger. If Juniata can ride out a four-game road trip at season’s start that includes Middletown, Lower Dauphin and Newport, the Indians will be OK.

3 Things to Know:

1. Now in Year 2, Condo slowly making changes: Entering his second campaign in charge following nearly two decades working alongside Gary Klingensmith — Klingensmith won 300-plus games during his 50 seasons at Juniata — Condo admits to altering a few things as his transition to skipper continues. Yet, while COVID-19 has made getting the preseason underway similar to the stops and starts that used to make driving through the Lewistown Narrows nothing short of a nuisance, Condo & Co. are trying to persevere by adjusting a few things, including some schematic redesigns on both sides of the football. “I learned quite a bit my first year as a head coach, and I spent a lot of time with my staff during the offseason sort of evaluating what our goals were and how we were going to get there,” Condo said. “One of the things I think we did pretty quickly was just sort of simplify things for the kids in terms of the X’s and O’s. To be successful at the high school level, I think you’ve just got to let the kids play. Let them play. Let them do what they’re good at doing, and don’t let them overthink. At the end of the day, high school kids are just high school kids. These aren’t all college athletes, they’re not NFL athletes. You’ve just got to give them opportunities to do what they do well. So, that was our main thing — how can we make these kids try to truly play to their potential?” One particular example is Condo and his staff implementing a route tree, providing opportunities for receivers to choose Option No. 2 and Option No. 3 if the primary option is defended well and unavailable. Film will show some other wrinkles.

2. Another Condo ready to go at a prominent position … and then some: Full of want-to and a desire to succeed, junior quarterback Jacob Condo will be parked atop defensive coordinators’ must-stop lists as they try to design schemes intended to slow down a kid who can run it and throw it. What ups the degree of difficulty considerably is the younger Condo is about to go behind center as starting QB for the third straight season. And that’s quite a luxury for coaches at the high school level — whether he’s the skipper’s son or not. “What I’ve seen from him the past two seasons is he’s very calm and he can make rational decisions. And generally, he’s usually right decision-wise with what he does on the field. He’s also very smart. He’s like having a coach on the field,” the elder Condo said. “He’s been around football his entire life. He went to his first college football game when he was like four or five weeks old.” The Mid-Penn Liberty coaches also know what they’re about to encounter, because the younger Condo was tagged the seven-team loop’s preseason offensive player of the year, according to PennLive. “It’s nice to get that little bit of respect and recognition, but my words to him were ‘preseason does not mean squat,’” Kurt Condo said. “I know one of his goals this year is to make more of an impact on the team defensively. That’s one thing that he didn’t do a lot of the last two years, but he’d probably play every two or three series on defense. … He wants to win and I can appreciate that. He would trade in any yards passing or any yards rushing or any touchdowns for a victory.” Just guessing that’s his DNA bubbling to the surface.

3. Plenty of Friday night bus rides still on tap: While COVID-19’s presence impacted Juniata’s preseason preparations — even dating back to last spring when schools were shut down — a peek at the Indians’ regular-season slate displays a heavy load of difficulty. Try four straight road games starting with a jaunt to suburban Harrisburg to scrap with three-time Class 3A state finalist Middletown. For a Juniata program that last season returned home from seven road scraps with just one positive result, that’s a significant nugget that needs to be reversed, and Condo hopes to do so quickly. “I think we just need them to believe in themselves. We need them to come together and gel together and sort of fight for one another and with one another. We just want everyone to have good positive thinking and vibes,” Kurt Condo said of trying to erase the sting of two straight losing seasons. “Last year we didn’t play real well on the road, so that is a concern starting the season playing four straight road games and two home games overall at the end of the year. It’s gonna be a test. That’s the nature of it, that’s the challenge of it. Hopefully, these guys will rise up to it.”

2020 Preview: Camp Hill Lions

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2020 Preview: Camp Hill Lions

By Jake Adams: 

Head coach: Tim Bigelow, 4th season (8-22)

Classification: 2A

Division: Mid-Penn Capital

2019 season: 3-7 (2-5)

Postseason: did not qualify

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TD

Daniel Shuster: 161-302, 2,077, 17

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TD

Peter Chelap: 51-143, 2.8, 3

Christian Doi: 35-136, 3.9, 2

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TD

Peter Chelap: 16-217, 13.6, 1

Elijah DeArment: 12-158, 13.1, 1

Key returners: Daniel Shuster, sr., QB-DB; Ben Mullin, sr., OL-LB; Patrick Becker, jr., DB; Max Delaye, sr. FB/OL-LB; Peter Chelap, sr., WR-DB; Grant Bayesa, sr., FB/OL-LB; Elijah DeArment, sr., WR-LB; Paul Parise, sr., OL-DL; Patrick Becker, sr., WR-DB; Eric Dick, jr., OL-DL; Christian Doi, jr., RB-DB.

Outlook: Smaller, faster, smarter, better. That’s the hope, at least, at Siebert Park. The Lions enter 2020 small, agile, versatile and more comfortable with their identity under fourth-year coach Tim Bigelow. They have a veteran QB, Daniel Shuster, a deep offensive line with positional versatility (including fullback) and speed to spare at several positions. “Our team speed is one of the best we’ve had in a very long time,” Bigelow said.

Can that mix lead to more wins in the Capital? Well, Middletown is still the division’s juggernaut and will be tough to upset. And the arrival of Big Spring, and Liberty Division crossover matchups against Line Mountain and Upper Dauphin, present new challenges. 

3 Things to Know:

1. A boon for the little guys: Bigelow has a rather counterintuitive stance on how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted his football team, which has between 27-29 rostered players — it’s been a “benefit.” On the surface, that doesn’t seem possible when the Lions lost precious time in the weight room and didn’t have the same on-field workout time to put new pieces together, like everyone else. But look a little deeper. Camp Hill and its small-school brethren don’t have the same social-distancing challenges during workouts. They need fewer pods in the weight room, and on the field they aren’t as spread out as schools like Cumberland Valley. “It’s actually kind of helped us, so we can actually be together, socially distanced, all at the same time,” Bigelow said. “I think the smaller schools have actually benefited for the first time ever in the history of the world.”

2. A wrestler’s world: Wrestling and football are deeply intertwined sports, regardless of school size. But Bigelow has a soft spot for his grapplers, who make up a disproportionate part of his roster. “I really do love wrestlers, they’re some of my favorite football players,” he said. There’s Max Delaye, the reigning District 3 Class 2A 160-pound champ, a senior fullback/lineman and linebacker. There’s Christian Doi, who claimed silver at districts in February in a banner year for Lions wrestling, a scat-back type that is expected to improve on his 136 rushing yards. There’s Paul Parise and Ben Mullin, district medalists on a wrestling team that finished fifth, who will have key roles on the offensive line and defensive front. All are filling important spots on a roster that needs to be fast, agile, and in some of their cases, must fill a gaping hole left by departed RB/LB Frank Shartle II. “The one common denominator is they’re all really good wrestlers,” Bigelow said.

3. Shuster, QB and coordinator: The Shuster name carries weight in Camp Hill Country. Daniel, the younger brother of Michael, a walk-on at Penn State who led the Lions to multiple District 3 crowns, enters his senior year after a productive junior campaign in which he tossed for 17 scores and 2,077 yards. He also threw 14 picks and completed 53.3% of his passes. He’s being pushed by some young backups the Lions are high on in the future, but it’s Shuster’s job to lose. He has an improved arm that, Bigelow said, allows him to hit deep corner routes from the pocket more consistently now. Bigelow also likes to have a QB who is an extension of the coaching staff, which Shuster is. “With Daniel, it’s he’s just got command of the offense,” the coach said. “My quarterbacks I want to be an extension of myself.”

2020 Preview: Halifax Wildcats

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2020 Preview: Halifax Wildcats

By Michael Bullock: 

Coach: Earl Mosley, 3rd season (11-12), 14th season overall (66-73-2)

Classification: 1A

League/division: Mid-Penn Liberty

2019 record: 0-10 (0-9 Tri-Valley League)

Postseason: did not qualify

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TDs 

Micah Deitrich: 149-261, 1,660, 11

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TDs

Bryce Enders: 120-435, 3.6, 3

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TDs

Ryan Stahl: 41-347, 8.5, 1

Key returners:Gyron Reynolds, sr., OT-DT; Ryan Stahl, sr., WR-SS; Quinton Masser, sr., C-DT; Zander Conrad, sr., RB-OLB; Micah Deitrich, sr., QB-DB; Bryce Enders, jr., RB-OLB; Anthony Adams, so., OG-DE; Judah Miller, so., WR-FS; Cameron Zimmerman, so., WR-DE.

Outlook:Going from one end of the proverbial high school football spectrum to the other in a mere 12 months meant the Wildcats went from celebrating several championships to dealing with a winless campaign. Well, here comes the hard part and that’s embarking on the grind necessary to return to prominence — and grind is the operative word here as the rebuilding project begins in earnest. Skipper Earl Mosley likes this group and he has some capable players, but keeping everyone upright is a must if the Wildcats hope to compete — and relocate that winning feeling.

3 Things to Know:

1. ‘Cats counting on Enders to make a season-long impact … again: About to embark on his junior season — that’s right, he’s merely a junior — 5-foot-9, 185-pound Bryce Enders appears poised and ready to accomplish plenty before the 2020 campaign comes to a close. Halifax’s leading returning rusher and a player who last season wound up third on the Wildcats’ receiving list, Enders also is the top tackler still in the fold. Not too shabby for a youngster that last season landed all-conference honors on both sides of the football. The son of former Halifax skipper Ritchie Enders, the younger Enders also was a defensive regular in 2018, when the ‘Cats captured a District 3 Class 1A crown and collared their first win at the state level. Despite his level of productivity, third-year head coach Earl Mosley believes Enders’ intangible contributions are just as critical to what his latest club is capable of achieving. “Bryce is a consummate leader, and I really mean that,” Mosley said. “He keeps us in line, he keeps everything going, he keeps people encouraged. He’s phenomenal, and it would be great to have 10 others like him. Not that we don’t have other leaders, but he’s a constant leader. … He’s a worker. Sometimes we’ve got to tell him to slow it down and save something for the games.”

2. Improved Deitrich’s return means ‘Cats have more possibilities at QB: Starting for the first time a season ago, senior Micah Deitrich threw for nearly 1,700 yards. He has his top three receivers — Ryan Stahl, Judah Miller and Bryce Enders — returning on the flanks and in the backfield. Naturally, Deitrich’s growth at the position should result in some tweaks to the Wildcats’ attack and some more pre-snap freedom since the 6-1 senior’s ability to recognize what opposing defenses have in mind also has expanded significantly. What also could help is if Halifax can add some muscle to its running game, a dimension that would allow Mosley’s Wildcats to be less predictable and potentially more lethal. “We’re doing a few things differently that take advantage of his skills. Perhaps we’re not going to be five-stepping as much and dropping back, but maybe we’re looking to move the pocket with him and making quick passes,” Mosley said. “He has a full grasp of the offense, having been in it for four years. Like I said, we have cut some things down yet we want to give him more opportunity to make audibles at the line of scrimmage because he does understand defenses better. That’s a big plus when I call something and he sees something that’s better and he’ll call it. He’s doing a really good job in practice because he’s also a great leader.”

3. Lack of numbers spells concern with a capital C: While erasing the sting remaining from last season’s 0-10 finish definitely is a major priority for Mosley’s driven Wildcats, a remarkably small roster doesn’t allow for much flexibility. Although several would-be regulars opted out for a variety of reasons, COVID-19’s presence has played a role since kicking specialist Tai Lehman opted to compete only for Halifax’s soccer team since a positive test within either side could put both programs on pause. So even though Mosley and his staff believe the Wildcats have improved, a single injury to one of the regulars could cause all sorts of chaos. “It would be like a domino effect. Let’s say a key starter like Bryce goes down [and that would be huge], because he’s such a key at so many positions. So, it’s imperative that we stay healthy,” Mosley said. “There’s days when we pull them back because we need to make sure we have fresh legs for game day. … It’s simply staying healthy. I think the kids have grasped the defense and the offense that we’re running, and they’re playing fast, which is pretty good. We have some young kids out there and they’re learning on the go, but [minimizing injuries is] the most important thing for us right now.”

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