PA – Central Athletic League | Archive | August, 2022

GLENOLDEN — There was no question that host Interboro gave Strath Haven much more of a battle at South Avenue Athletic Complex in a 27-13 setback Friday night than the Bucs had offered in a one-sided loss to the Panthers last season.

Many of the players’ names were different from those of the contestants in the 2021 game, but more than a few were the same.

And there were some statistics that changed a bit a year on.

After his players had joined the band and the student body in singing the school song, winning coach Kevin Clancy offered some interesting reflections on what took place as he began his 32nd season in charge of the Haven sideline.

“I’m happy with the team effort,” Clancy said. “We knew we were in for a battle coming over here. That’s a good team we played, and hats off to the Interboro coaching staff for the job they have done.

“Our kids stayed strong and held off their surge at the end. That (Abu Kamara) is an outstanding football player. We have a lot of respect for him, and our plan was to keep the ball as much as we could, which kept him on defense for all of that time.”

For the second consecutive year, Haven quarterback Sam Milligan did not need to complete a pass against Interboro. Last August, he threw the ball twice. He had a couple of pass plays called Friday but was not credited with a pass attempt. He ended up scrambling on those plays, including one on the last play of the first half that turned into a 24-yard run to the Bucs’ 26.

Senior Anthony Crawford, who gained 108 yards against the Interboro defense in 2021, got 152 yards on 22 carries Friday, including a 52-yard scoring run in the first quarter and a two-yard TD plunge in the third.

Bob Fooskas, who returned a fumble for a touchdown vs. the Bucs in 2021, gained 90 yards on seven rushing attempts, including a 65-yard rumble that set up the second of Milligan’s second-quarter touchdowns.

Milligan got 59 yards on his nine carries. Strath Haven rushed for 365 yards on 49 attempts.

“We came to camp knowing that the only offensive lineman we had coming back was moving to tight end,” Milligan said. “There were a lot of expectations about the offensive line because if we’re going to move the ball, it will be because of them.”

Click HERE to read the full article.

Strath Haven running back Anthony Crawford, scoring in a game against Academy Park last year, ran for a pair of touchdowns Friday against Interboro. (PETE BANNAN – DAILY TIMES)

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MARPLE — If Friday was any indication, Springfield’s new-look offense will present many challenges for defenses this year.

Perhaps influenced by emeritus coach Steve Lennox, the Interboro legend famous for his ground-and-pound schemes, the Cougars rushed all over Cardinal O’Hara in a 27-0 victory on opening night.

Ty Gougler led the way with 124 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries.

“The O-line and the fullbacks made a big hole for me and I just ran through it,” Gougler said.

Sophomore fullback Nate Romano posted 96 yards on eight carries, including a 63-yard scoring jaunt up the gut in the second quarter. Ethan Marshall added a one-yard TD run in the third quarter.

Springfield amassed 260 yards of total rushing. Senior left tackle Tyler Klambara was a standout on the offensive line.

“We really grinded over the summer, we ran and we conditioned,” Klambara said. “We put in all the effort and tonight we stepped up in the run game and didn’t pass as much as we did last year.”

Quarterback Jake Rama completed 6 of 12 passing attempts for 71 yards.

Mike O’Donnell and Mike Turner each had an interception for the Cougars. Romano was outstanding at linebacker. Gus Bryan and Mike Miller each recorded a sack.

Springfield couldn’t have asked for a more convincing victory on opening night.

“This win will boost our confidence a lot,” Gougler said. “We play at home next against Radnor and we will definitely have the confidence to win.”

Click HERE to read the full article.

Springfield’s Nate Romano breaks away from Cardinal O’Hara tackler Gavin LaSage to score a second-quarter touchdown Friday night. (PETE BANNAN-DAILY TIMES)

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The high school football season is here.

Nearly every Delco team is in action this weekend. The exceptions are Episcopal Academy and The Haverford School, which open next Friday, and Delco Christian, which starts the following week..

This Friday marks the head coaching debuts of Cardinal O’Hara’s Mike Ewing, Garnet Valley’s Eric Van Wyk and Radnor’s Kyle Yeiter.

There are some intriguing interleague matchups between Delco schools on the docket. Let’s take a look at the schedule.

Friday

Souderton at Haverford, 6

The Fords look to build upon a 5-7 campaign under second-year coach Luke Dougherty. They feature one of the county’s top quarterback-wide receiver tandems in seniors Jimmy Wright and Ethan Mahan.

Souderton went 6-4 a year ago and, like Haverford, was blown out in the first round of the District 1 6A playoffs. Jared Zimmerman returns at quarterback.

Ridley at Crestview (Fla.), 6

The Green Raiders travel to northwest Florida to play the Bulldogs, who were 6-4 last fall. Ridley advanced to the semifinals of the District 1 6A playoffs and finished 12-3 overall. Wide receiver Khameen Powell is a big playmaker for a new-look offense quarterbacked by sophomore Ryan Carroll.

Senior running back Jason Jones ran for 13 touchdowns last season for Crestview.

Upper Darby at Bonner-Prendergast, 7

Senior Montez Ellis is a dual threat for the Royals, who finished 2022 with a 6-5 record and wins in four of their last five games.

The Friars move on without reigning Catholic League MVP and All-Delco running back Mason Peterson, who led them to two straight trips to the PIAA Class 4A tournament. Avery Hankey and Isaiah Session could get the bulk of the carries this year.

Springfield at Cardinal O’Hara, 7

Quarterback Jake Rama and lineman Tyler Klambara lead a Cougars team that struggled to a 5-7 record last fall. Bryan Minnott will be the No. 1 running back.

The Lions start fresh with Ewing, who was previously the offensive coordinator at Ridley and Academy Park. The team was 3-6 a year ago. Two-way lineman Edmund Wisseh and linebacker John Shelton are players to watch.

C.B. West at Garnet Valley, 7

Van Wyk, an All-Delco in his heyday for the Jaguars, takes over for the legendary Mike Ricci after spending 10 years on Ricci’s staff. GV captured the District 1 Class 6A title and has won 34 consecutive Central League games. All-purpose threat Drew Van Horn is one of the few returning starters from last year’s team that won 14 games and lost to St. Joseph’s Prep in the state semifinals.

Strath Haven at Interboro, 7

The Panthers begin the journey to repeat as District 1 Class 5A champions. Senior Sam Milligan is back under center for a team that returns 10 starters including senior fullback Anthony Crawford.

The Bucs should be much-improved after going 3-9 in Dennis Lux’s first full season as head coach. Senior Abu Kamara is arguably the best returning running back in the county.

Sun Valley at Penncrest, 7

The Vanguards lost eight straight games to end the 2021 season, finishing 2-9 under first-year coach Ernie Ellis. Senior wide receiver Brendan Dougherty has big play potential and senior Todd Harper will lead the running game.

The Lions are rebuilding their program under Paul Graham, who took over midseason in 2021 following the departure of Ryan Smith. The team finished 1-9. Graham previously head coached the Lions from 2017-10. Senior quarterback Sean O’Donnell will begin his first season as the starting quarterback.

Boys Latin at Marple Newtown, 7

Junior quarterback Dave Bertoline is a three-year starter for the Tigers, who were 9-4 last season. Junior tackle Andrew Kirlin (6-6, 300) is garnering Division I interest. Sophomores Brian Box and Paul Defruscio, among others, will share the duties at running back.

Sophomore Semaj Carmichael was a 1,000-yard rusher for Boys Latin last season.

Saturday

West Phila. vs. Radnor at Springfield, 10 a.m.

The Raptors, who played all of their home games in 2021 at neutral sites, hope to return to newly renovated Provost Field sooner than later. Seniors Tommy DeShan and Amir Byrd give the Raptors plenty of speed in the receiving game. Radnor went 3-8 last year.

The West Philly Speedboys were 2-6 last year, which included a 34-6 loss to Chester.

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HAVERFORD >> Maybe some people think catching a football is so easy they can do it with one arm tied behind their back. Ethan Mahan might be out to prove that this season.

Oh, the Haverford High senior isn’t really fit to be tied, it’s just that metaphorically, at least, he thinks it might not be such a bad idea.

“I’ll run like this,” Mahan said during a recent practice at Haverford, illustrating his point by twisting his arm behind his back.

It wouldn’t be showing off, but instead a good protective measure for a left arm that might take Mahan a long way with his sports career. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Mahan, after all, is a impressive left-handed pitcher for the Fords in the spring, and recently committed to a baseball scholarship offer from the University of Rhode Island.

While joking that he has to take care of his lucrative limb, Mahan is also real enough to know that his left arm should be a big part of his school’s football fortunes, bent the right way on hauling in victories.

Mahan the pitcher is also Mahan the pass catcher for a Haverford offense that could cause some significant damage in the Central League this fall season.

“I think there could be a lot of improvement for us,” said Haverford’s three-year varsity quarterback Tommy Wright, the one charged with putting the football into the crook of Mahan’s left arm. “We have a long way to go, but we’re headed in the right direction for sure, and I think we could possibly be contenders if we keep working, keep our heads up and stay together.”

The Fords were together enough to forge five wins last season, despite it being a major season of transition for them. Longtime head coach Joe Gallagher had stepped down, and assistant Luke Dougherty was elevated to the top spot. But the Fords were also in a bit of a rebuilding mode while several Central League rivals were set to compete at higher levels.

Nevertheless, the 2021 Fords finished 5-7, managing to keep a streak of District 1 Class 6A playoff appearances intact.

“I was proud of that,” Dougherty said. “As a whole, it was a younger group, and we were just coming out of the COVID year and all that. Football was different. We were only playing six games (in a limited 2020 season).”

That revamped 2020 season in early 2021 wiped out any subsequent training camp work for what became a full 2021 fall season. While the league managed to pull that one off in full, teams in a rebuild like Haverford found it quite difficult to compete to the level that they could have with a full training camp for younger players.

Thus for Dougherty’s first year as head coach…

“Expectations changed a little bit for everybody,” he said. “Our seniors now, the the last time they had done a summer camp was when they were sophomores. So they’ve come back here during camp and it’s like, ‘Man these guys are tough to get going, but they never did two-a-days before, because they didn’t have to do it as juniors.”

This year, however, Dougherty is introducing a new dynamic for his players and himself.

“You’ve got to prove yourself,” he said. “It takes a lot of hard work and determination, but talk’s cheap. You have to go out and earn it.”

Either way, this more experienced group of Fords seems to have a firm hold on their place in time.

“This year, I feel we have a better understanding of what camp is supposed to look like,” Dougherty said. “That’s nobody’s fault, it’s just the kids have more experience right now in terms of having a full season last year, and a full camp this year.”

Helping that latest transition is the thought that this year’s players are grasping the nuances of the game and the relationships it forces teams to forge.

“We had a full year of lifting, which is good,” Wright said. “It’s helped us a lot. We’re way stronger than last year, and I just think our morale this year has been a lot better, and our enthusiasm, it’s been way higher than it was. We’re staying together now. Our energy has been through the roof. We all just know each other more, and we’re way more like family now than we were last year.”

Click HERE to read the full article.

Haverford High wide receiver Ethan Mahan gears up for practice last week. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group

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NEWTOWN SQUARE >> The desire became a vision, the vision became a dream and, last season, the dream became a reality for the Marple Newtown football program.

A wait for a 16-ply senior class to develop proved worthwhile, the Tigers going 9-4 overall and advancing to the second round of the District 1 Class 5A tournament, and that was enough to provoke a pair of conflicting thoughts.

The first: That was satisfying.

The next: The process will have to begin anew.

“I love it,” coach Chris Gicking said. “It’s a new challenge every year.”

So it was during a training camp peopled by just eight returning starters that Marple Newtown would begin the next rise toward the money side of the Central League standings. Fortunately for Gicking, that climb would be made easier by some sturdy ladder rungs, including returning quarterback Dave Bertoline, who will be protected by, among others, mega-time right-tackle college prospect Andrew Kirlin.

“Having the quarterback back, of course, is big,” said Gicking, among the most accomplished at the position in Delaware County history. “He’s gotten a lot better. Last year, as a sophomore, he was a starter. For people who haven’t seen him in a while, he’s gotten a lot bigger and a lot stronger.”

At the crossroad the Tigers are about to face, the 6-1, 185-pound Bertoline is perfect for the challenge. As a sophomore, he threw for 1,457 yards and 14 touchdowns for a playoff team, and he is ideally situated to see the rebuilding through by next season.

Even with the graduation of first-team All-Delco all-purpose offensive force Charlie Box, Bertoline will have the requisite experience to help guide a by-committee running back crowd, including sophomores Brian Box and Paul Defruscio, junior Louie DiLuzio and freshman Brett Wolski.

“Last year, I learned a lot about being a leader, taking leadership in the huddle, on the sidelines, at practice,” Bertoline said. “The seniors last year, they took charge. But now if someone is fooling around in the locker room or something, you just have to tell them to stop.”

Senior Bryan Bogan, junior Joe Yukenavitch and junior Ty Can will be among the options in the passing lanes, and in the 6-6, 300-pound Kirlin, Bertoline should have plenty of time to look around.

Already being oogled by Penn State, Oklahoma, Rutgers, Temple and Delaware, among others, Kirlin will be high among the must-watch underclassmen in the state.

“He’s getting a lot of attention,” Gicking said of superior-sized junior lineman. “And he didn’t go to any camps. If he’d have gone to camps, he’d be getting even more.”

Click HERE to read the full article.

Marple Newtown quarterback David Bertoline avoids Springfield defenders in the first half of an 18-7 win Friday night. (PETE BANNAN – DAILY TIMES)

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NETHER PROVIDENCE >> Another summer practice at Strath Haven had just ended in a flood of sweat and optimism when Kevin Clancy called his players together to appreciate a couple of gems.

One was Bill Bradley, football royalty, the former All-Pro safety who still holds Eagles records for interceptions.

The other was what Bradley had draped from his neck.

“See this?” Bradley said, addressing the Panthers. “This is my medal from 1964, when we won a state championship at Palestine High School in Texas. I still have it. And that’s what you should strive for, too. Win a championship together and never forget it.”

By then, Sam Milligan — who was among the captivated gathering — already had that inkling. The quarterback last season as the Panthers won the PIAA District 1 Class 5A championship before falling in the state Final Four to Imhotep of Philadelphia, Milligan was back for the encore.

“It feels like that just happened,” Milligan said, eight months later. “That’s definitely going to be on our minds a little bit. It wasn’t the best way to end the year. But it’s fire for this year.”

The Panthers were 8-1 in the Central League, falling only to Class 6A district champion Garnet Valley. They were nicked by graduation, but not terribly, and will return 10 starters, including Milligan, a strong safety who was first-team All-Delco for his all-purpose skills. The quarterback is rarely a statistics accumulator in Clancy’s wing-T offense – which has produced a Delaware County record 332 victories in 31 seasons – but Milligan will be responsible for more than numbers.

“He is an outstanding leader,” Clancy said. “The biggest problem is that we have to keep him out there on defense. We have to keep him healthy. My heart is going to be in my stomach. He is really fast. He is legitimately a 4.5 guy. His ‘worst’ sport is wrestling, and he made it to states last year. College coaches want him to play baseball. He can really hit the ball and is an outstanding outfielder. He is one of the best athletes ever to go through this place.”

Among Milligan’s chores will be to help spread the touches to, among others, senior fullback Anthony Crawford, junior Austin Conner, senior Bobby Fooskas and senior Chase Nangle, he of the big-play capabilities, in a committee-style offense.

For more potential scoring oomph, athletic 6-3,230-pound tackle Ben Farabaugh will slide over to tight end.

“Everybody knows we are going to run,” said Milligan, who is receiving Division 1 recruiting attention as a safety. “It has worked for years. No one has stopped it. We know what we have to do. And if we do that, there’s not going to be anybody who will be able to beat us. That’s how we feel.”

Click HERE to read the full article.

Strath Haven quarterback Sam Milligan tries to break a tackle against Interboro last August. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group)

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RIDLEY TWP. >> A sense of unfinished business pervaded Ridley’s football training camp earlier this month.

When discussing their successful 2021 season, senior captains Paul Jackson, Stephen O’Donovan and David Rainey, all returning starters, agreed they were not satisfied with the outcome. Although the Green Raiders advanced to the District 1 Class 6A semifinal round and went 12-2 overall, the most wins for Ridley since 2012, the players were disappointed after all was said and done. Maybe they were being too hard on themselves, but they truly believed they fell short of expectations.

“Our whole goal last year was CLC – Central League champs – and we didn’t do it,” said Jackson, the team’s versatile slot receiver and outside linebacker. “We didn’t win the districts, lost to Coatesville (in the district semifinals). We want to carry that over this year and go all the way.”

The Green Raiders return without 2021 Daily Times Player of the Year Tahir “Tubby” Mills, who set Delaware County’s single-season rushing record last year, and All-Delco quarterback John Heller. Both graduated in the spring following two of the best individual seasons by Ridley players in recent history.

“We still have strong leadership,” said O’Donovan, an outstanding defensive back and receiver.

“Obviously, Tubby and John were a big part of everything, and they were leaders. And the numbers don’t lie,” Rainey said. “But they didn’t do it alone. We have a lot of guys here that played a big part and (new players) are ready to step up.”

Ridley players are working with several new positional coaches after former offensive coordinator Mike Ewing left for the head coaching job at Cardinal O’Hara and took with him many of Dave Wood’s top assistants. Rick Larkin is the new offensive coordinator and has installed a new offensive system. Former Chichester and Penncrest head coach Ryan Smith joined the staff and is mentoring the receivers.

“At the end of the day, half of those coaches – they are amazing coaches – left us,” said Rainey, the team’s starting center. “They didn’t believe in us, and we’ve got to do it for ourselves now. We are working every day to get better.”

Wood said the biggest areas of concern are developing a new lead running back, or a by-committee system that can grow to become consistently productive, and offensive line depth. Four of Ridley’s starting offensive linemen are back in the fold – seniors Rainey, Antonio Saahir, Anthony Berry and Hayden Brown, who earned an All-Delco nod for his performance as a dominant two-way lineman.

First-year varsity starter and junior Alante Smith is first in line to earn the bulk of carries at running back.

Sophomore Ryan Carroll will be the quarterback, replacing Heller, who threw for a county-high 2,213 yards with 26 touchdowns. Carroll has a slew of strong receiving options including Jackson, senior tight end Nahaj Saleem, and senior wide outs O’Donovan and Kimir Stephenson. Junior wide receiver Khameen Powell is the big play weapon. Powell accrued 551 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last year, but made his biggest impact on special teams, returning five kicks for touchdowns.

“Carroll did play some last year, he did really well in the Upper Darby game, so we have all the confidence in the world, but we know he is a young kid,” Wood said. “The biggest question, I think, that we have on offense is who’s going to be that running back for us? We have a lot of guys that saw action last year between Owen Bosak, Alante Smith and Steve Gerace. But who’s going to be the most consistent player, like Mills was?

Click HERE to read the full article.

Ridley’s two-way standout Nahaj Saleem, here defending against Upper Darby last season, will be a top target at tight end for new Ridley QB Ryan Carroll.

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SPRINGFIELD >> Summer camp took on a different meaning for Springfield quarterback Jake Rama, lineman Tyler Klambara and running back Bryan Minnott, among other Cougars.

They didn’t spend their time hiking, kayaking or taking part in normal summer camp activities. They spent a good portion of their summer on college campuses honing their football skills.

When he wasn’t working out with Vernard “Coach Abe” Abrams, the owner and director of ACE QB & WR, Rama participated in camps at Temple, East Stroudsburg, Kutztown and West Chester.

“It prepared me a lot,” Rama said. “The quarterback training helped me get a lot better. I was in the weight room, too. I gained a lot of weight. I gained 30 pounds. Last year I was like 145 and I’m 173 now. I’ve definitely gotten stronger and better.”

The 6-4, 310-pound Klambara participated in 11 college showcase camps.

“I went to Villanova, Temple, Kutztown, East Stroudsburg, Army, Towson, Rutgers, Bucknell, Lehigh, Delaware and a few others,” said Klambara, who earned All-Delco honors in track last spring as one of the top shot putters in the state. “I can’t remember all of them. But I had a pretty good camp series.

“It was a lot of technical work from these college coaches. They taught me about pass-setting, moving my feet well. They also conditioned me very well. I was able to go through heat week and these two-a-day practices without any problems. They’ve definitely improved my technique. I’m better able to pass set well, move my feet, drive people downfield better than I did last year.”

Minnott, a senior running back, took part in camps at Ursinus, Gettysburg, Albright and Shippensburg.

“It gave me a chance to get better and expose myself to the college coaches so I can play at the next level,” Minnott said.

Springfield coach Chris Britton believes that work many of his players put in over the summer will pay dividends as the Cougars try to improve on last year’s 5-7 record (4-5 Central League) that included a loss to Unionville in the first round of the District 1 Class 5A playoffs.

“They see that there’s always someone bigger, someone better,” Britton said. “It’s a humbling experience. You start to learn that you have to keep working every day. I’m never going to be done working. I always have to improve and I think that’s what they’ve taken to heart. Each day our goal is to get better. We’re trying to get better than we were the day before and go from there.”

Rama returns for his third year as the starting quarterback and looks to improve on a junior season in which he threw for 1,785 yards and 16 touchdowns, fourth-best in the county in both categories. He completed 66 percent of his passes (153-for-231).

“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better from my junior year to my senior year,” Rama said. “I don’t think I’ve practiced better than I have in the last two weeks. Having a couple of years under my belt helped me.”

Britton agrees.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Springfield’s Jake Rama looks to pass in a game against Perkiomen Valley last season. (Owen McCue – MediaNews Group)

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CONCORD >> The slogan for Garnet Valley’s football class of 2023 is set. Its object is purposefully vague.

“Prove it,” goes the motto devised by the rising Jaguars seniors. As for the “it” …

That late year’s run to the District 1 Class 6A title and PIAA semifinals is replicable? That this group belongs alongside a storied class of 2022? That the transition in eras from three decades under Mike Ricci to new coach Eric Van Wyk won’t knock GV from the ranks of the Central League and district’s elite?

“We take pride in our past here at Garnet Valley, no matter what the past year was,” Van Wyk said. “What I love about this senior class that we have is they’re embracing the past, but now they want to make their mark on it. It’s been my thought as well. … It’s the seniors’ turn and my turn to help continue the tradition of excellence that has been created for us.”

Following last year’s success was going to be a tough task, no matter who was in charge. A first district championship since 2007 and four straight Central League crowns, with a 34-game league unbeaten streak dating to 2017 — that’s a lot for a new coach to inherit from Ricci, who won 263 games over 35 seasons.

Van Wyk, though, is ready for the challenge. He considers Ricci a mentor whose importance in his life is eclipsed only by his own parents. The 2008 graduate and baseball All-Delco has spent 10 years on staff, coaching freshman football and working with varsity quarterbacks.

After so much focus on granular details as a position coach within the vast GV football machine, he’s enjoying the more global view as the head man.

“Getting to see the whole view of this coaching staff, with 20 coaches, we’re so blessed to have that,” he said. “It’s been really cool to see the opportunity to see everyone coaching and how special that is. I’ve really enjoyed that. It’s been stressful at times, as well, no doubt about it. It’s a learning curve, but I have a lot of great coaches helping me out.”

Click HERE to read the full article.

Garnet Valley’s Matt Mesaros will take over at quarterback this season, following in the footsteps of All-Delco Max Busenkell. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group)

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Tredyffrin >> Last fall, Conestoga’s football squad was the surprise team of the area, posting a 7-3 regular-season record and advancing to the District 1 playoffs for the first time in seven years.

“Last year, we took a big step in the right direction – we were a united team, with everyone working hard for each other, and we did the little things right,” said Conestoga head coach Matt Diamond. “It’s carried into this past off-season – our kids have worked extremely hard, with 40-50 guys at every team lift.”
The Pioneers lost some explosive aerial firepower to graduation last spring, but Diamond is hopeful that his squad can keep the good times coming this fall.

“We know we’ll be a different team this year and we know we have some big roles to fill, but with the way we have worked this off season, our players have shown they are not resting on their laurels from last year,” said Diamond.
The Pioneers’ top two receivers last fall, Pete Detwiler (46 catches, 833 yards, 19 touchdowns) and Pat Reilly (30 catches for 718 yards, 12 touchdowns), have both graduated but Conestoga returns a fine pass-catcher in senior tight end Brody Eaton (6-5, 225), who was a team captain last year.
“Brody’s a big focal point in our offense,” said Diamond. “He’s big and physical, a good blocker and has good [pass-catching] hands.”
Eaton is a two-way starter who earned All-Central League honors last fall at both tight end and defensive end. He plans to play football in college, and is currently looking at the Ivies, NESCAC and the Patriot League schools.

“We have a lot of potential this season,” said Eaton. “Last year, we learned we could hang with anybody, we never got blown out. We knew what we had to handle, and we knew what we were capable of. We want to go far in the playoffs this year.”
Senior safety Bryce Beltrante (5-11, 180), one of the Pioneers’ top defensive performers, said, “Last season, I felt we learned that if we could put it together, we could beat any team in the Central League, and Districts, and further than that. I saw all our hard work paying off after all those years of rough seasons.
“In our off-season workouts [last spring] I felt like our younger players were dedicated to carrying on the success that we had last year, and make a further run in the playoffs this year. We lost many good players [to graduation] but we have a lot of good players coming back.”

Click HERE to read the full article.

Conestoga will lean on Brody Eaton from his

defensive end spot.

(Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group

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