high school football preview

By SHAWN CAMPBELLEra Sports [email protected]

Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells made the line famous: “You are what your record says you are.”

But to Jeff Puglio, wins and loss-es didn’t tell the whole story of his Bradford High football team’s 2014 season.

The Owls went 2-8 for the second c o n s e c u -tive year. Opponents ou t s co red them 404-196. It was the program’s f o u r t h s t r a i g h t losing sea-son. To put that in per-s p e c t i v e , B r a d f o r d had only

one sub-.500 campaign from 1999 to 2010.

But beyond the defeats and lopsided numbers on the scoreboard, Puglio saw something else. He hopes more will be on display this fall.

“I feel like we made a lot of prog-ress last year,” the Owls’ seventh-year coach said. “In the process of rebuild-ing, we’re moving in the right direc-tion. We’re taking steps forward. The results, they’re going to come eventu-ally in time. But the things as coaches that we saw, the fans don’t see. We’re seeing a lot of good things in each game.”

Rebuilding in District 10 Region 5 has been no easy task, though. Conneaut and DuBois, the class of the league, hung 57- and 48-point losses on Bradford a year ago. The 2013 season

saw the Owls lose five games by at least 44 points.

“Our league doesn’t do us any favors, so the learning curve’s really steep,” Puglio said. “The progress we’re mak-ing doesn’t look like it’s there because the opponents we have are still just that much better than us right now. But that gap’s getting shorter.”

He added, “It might not’ve shown in the wins, but it showed. ... The games were a lot closer, we were in most of the games, even some of our more dif-ficult opponents we were able to hang with them for a little bit. I feel like last year was a successful season, maybe not record-wise, but what we were able to do (with) fundamentals and things like that, building for the future.”

Continuing its progression will be Bradford’s challenge this season.

The Owls return only seven let-termen, but all have been start-ers. Top rushers Kyle Langdon and

Justin Fishkin graduated, but senior Alex Colosimo (509 yards rushing, four touchdowns in 2014) and junior Mitchell Vleminckx (269 yards, two TDs) highlight a backfield with experi-ence and speed.

The biggest question mark is the offensive line. Puglio is looking for a cohesive group to pave the way for Bradford’s wing-T.

“We lost a lot,” Puglio said. “Our line is going to be pretty much new this year. We’ve got a lot of guys that played but have never gone into that starting role from the start of the sea-son. It’s going to be a young, work-in-progress with the line, so ... those gains we made, we kind of start over a little bit with our offensive linemen and defensive linemen. Our backfield is veteran ... so we’re going to count on them to bail some of our linemen out at times.”

Also back is 5-foot-6 junior Kyle

Kirk at quarterback.“Short kid,” Puglio said, “and I’ve

always said in our offense, size of the quarterback is insignificant because if he can hide the ball and do the fakes and footwork … he can hide the ball really well. His size can be an advan-tage. He’s got a big arm, too.”

A spike in numbers has Puglio encouraged about what’s ahead. Nearly 60 players in grades nine through 12 signed up to play — including a fresh-man class of more than 30.

Three or four years ago, Puglio remembers dressing only 20 players for a game. That’s no longer an issue.

“I’m hoping I don’t run out of hel-mets,” he said with a chuckle. “That’s a good problem to have.

“We’re stronger than we’ve ever been. The work we’ve been doing, it’s paying off with getting kids involved and trying to get them excited about it.

“It’s going to be fun to have practic-es that are competitive again, because I think that’s what numbers do — they breed competition and competition breeds success. If you have a competi-tion at every position, you can’t take a play off.”

Puglio knows the kind of success that’s possible on Interstate Parkway. The 2002 Bradford graduate saw it as a player — the Owls went 9-3 his junior year and 10-2 his senior season, win-ning two District 9 Class AAA titles. Don’t forget his 25-35 career coaching record includes 6-4 and 8-2 marks his first two years at the helm.

“The way our size is, we’re a small-er school in a larger classification, so we’re going to have cycles,” Puglio said. “We’re going to go through ups and downs, and I think that’s kind of where we’re at. We hit that valley and we’re headed to a peak. That’s what I think’s going to happen.

“I’m looking for improvement. I’m looking to move forward and continue

(See BRADFORD, Page 3)

2 — The Bradford (Pa.) Era, Monday, August 31, 2015

HUSTLE & HEARTset us apart

GO OWLS!

121 Main Street

814-368-7115OPEN: Weekdays

10:00am-4:00pm

or by appointment.

Bradford aiming for more progress

Photo submittedSeven lettermen return from last year’s 2-8 team for Bradford High football coach Jeff Puglio. Front row (from left): Kyle Kirk, Zach McCammon, Alex Colosimo and Dawson Ambrose. Back row: Taylor Brautigam and Mitchell Vleminckx. Missing was Gaige Ackley.

OWLSCoach: Jeff Puglio (7th year, 25-35 record)2014 Record: 2-8 (1-4 District 10 Region 5)

2015 Schedule September

4 - at St. Marys, 7 p.m.11 - at Oil City, 7 p.m.18 - Meadville, 7 p.m.25 - Olean, 7 p.m.

October3 - at Erie Central Tech, 7 p.m.9 - Franklin, 7 p.m.16 - at DuBois, 7 p.m.23 - at Conneaut, 7 p.m.30 - Brookville, 7 p.m.

LET’S GO LET’S GO BRADFORD!BRADFORD!

The Bradford (Pa.) Era, Monday, August 31, 2015 — 3

BRADFO RD IN N 10 0 South D avis Street - B rad ford , PA 16 70 1 w w w.bw brad ford .com - info@bw brad ford .com

(814 ) 36 2-4 50 1

L ET’S GO L ET’S GO O W L S! O W L S!

(Continued from Page 2)to move forward.”

And if the Owls need any inspira-tion, they can look to any of their ultra-tough league foes.

“We don’t have any weeks off in the region we’re in,” Puglio said. “It’s good and it’s bad. It’s good because that’s the caliber we want to be at. We want to be able to play with the Conneauts, the DuBoises, the Oil Citys. Week in and week out we want

to play at that level. We’re not quite there yet, but it gives a great example of where we can be and where we should be.”

Assisting Puglio this year are Steve Ackerman (offensive coordinator), Jerry Pattison (defensive coordinator), Davis Redington (receivers/secondary), Sean Costello (running backs/lineback-ers) and John Siffrinn (offensive line/defensive line).

THE RETURNING starters:Taylor Brautigam, senior, 6-1, 225, tackle/

defensive tackleAlex Colosimo, senior, 5-11, 175, running

back/linebackerGaige Ackley, junior, 6-1, 225, center/

defensive endDawson Ambrose, junior, 5-7, 155, split

end/defensive backKyle Kirk, junior, 5-6, 145, quarterback/

defensive backMitchell Vleminckx, junior, 5-10, 145, run-

ning back/defensive backZach McCammon, junior, 6-1, 185, tight

end/defensive back

THE PLAYERS, by position:Offense

Quarterbacks: K. Kirk, Donny Pattison (fr., 6-1, 175)

Running Backs: Colosimo, Vleminckx, Bubby Harris (sr., 5-7, 145), Jordan Ortz (sr., 5-10, 135), Bryce Skaggs (sr., 5-8, 150), Alex Daughenbaugh (jr., 5-8, 145), Isaac Smith (fr., 5-0, 105), James Thomas Jr. (jr., 5-2, 105), John Eakin (so., 6-2, 225), Isaac Paterniti (fr., 5-3, 115), Jack Pecora (so., 5-8, 165), Jaron Ambrose (fr., 5-8, 145), Patrick Caskey (fr., 5-8, 170), Nik Erickson (fr., 5-4, 135), Kyle Hartman (fr., 5-1, 120)

Ends: McCammon, Devyn Phillips (jr., 6-0, 235), Jared Schwab (jr., 6-1, 165), Blake Taylor (fr., 6-1, 160), Steve Kellam (fr., 5-8, 160), Devin Myers (so., 5-10, 155), Nate Blauser (fr., 5-7, 130), Anthony Bruno (fr., 5-10, 145), Zach Woodel (fr., 5-5, 160), Peyton Kirk (fr., 5-3, 125), Vinny Burgess (fr., 5-6, 175), Greg Frederick (fr., 5-7, 165), Mitchell Hayden (fr., 5-11, 200), Dylan Phillips (fr., 6-0, 170)

Guards: Alex Coppella (jr., 5-9, 225), Chance Vecchio (jr., 6-0, 185), Devin Abbott (so., 5-9, 165), Ryan Whittemore (so., 6-1, 205), Jordan Bond (fr., 5-9, 165), Clayton Cornelius (fr., 5-11, 170), Brody Hahn (fr., 5-6, 165)

Tackles: Brautigam, Alex Nelson (fr., 6-2, 215), Dalton Feiro (so., 5-10, 225), Austin McCracken (fr., 5-9, 275), Harley Peterson (jr., 6-0, 225), Tyler Buck (fr., 5-11, 250), Noah Meyer (fr., 5-6, 145), Andrew Truman (fr., 5-9, 185), Kholten Fuller (fr., 5-9, 155), Tony Furman (fr., 5-7, 215), Drew Piganelli (fr., 6-2, 200)

Centers: Ackley, Kevin Ackerman (fr., 5-10, 175), Austin Schaumleffel (fr., 5-7, 190)

DefenseEnds: Brautigam, Ackley, Peterson,

Whittemore, Bond, Cornelius, Hayden, Piganelli, Meyer

Guards/Tackles: Coppella, De. Phillips, Feiro, Buck, Fuller, Furman, Schaumleffel, McCracken, Truman, Nelson

Linebackers: Colosimo, Harris, Ortz, D. Ambrose, Daughenbaugh, Vecchio, Abbott, Eakin, Pecora, Ackerman, Burgess, Caskey, Frederick, Hahn, Hartman

Defensive Backs: Skaggs, K. Kirk, McCammon, Schwab, Thomas, Vleminckx, Myers, J. Ambrose, Blauser, Bruno, Erickson, Kellam, P. Kirk, Pattison, Dy. Phillips, Smith, Paterniti, Taylor, Woodel

BRADFORD

PUGLIO

Era file photo by Wade AikenBradford High senior Alex Colosimo (24) sprints to the end zone in a game against St. Marys last season at Parkway Field. The Owls gradu-ated their top two rushers from a year ago, but Colosimo returns to lead the wing-T.


McKean CountyAnimal

HospitalMission: To provide practical, pragmatic and economically

feasible veterinary service with competence and compassion

Bradley P. MacNeill, DVM258 Seaward Avenue, Bradford

814-368-4711www.mckeancountyanimalhospital.com

Practice limited to small animals and some exotics

Office hours and surgeries by appointment

Evening office hours on Mon., Wed., Fri. 4:00-6:00 PM

Saturday morning office hours 9:00-11:00 AM

Veterinarian rotation emergency service provided 24 Hrs

DARRELL’SDARRELL’SSERVICE CENTERSERVICE CENTER59 Limestone Street, Bradford, PA 1670159 Limestone Street, Bradford, PA 16701814-368-CARS (2277)814-368-CARS (2277)

Good Luck

Owls!Era file photo by Cory ByknishKane’s Tyler Rolick (22) goes up to try to make a catch while defended by Sharpsville’s Mitch Fyffe in the PIAA Class A quarterfinals last season.

Kane trying to reload once againBy GREG CLARKEra Sports Writer

KANE — It’s much easier to reload than rebuild and the Kane High School football program has that down to a science.

Two years ago the Wolves graduated eight Big 30 all-stars and had five more play in the Don Raabe Classic this August, but the coaching staff keeps plugging the holes with quality gridiron play-ers.

“We’ve had some great seniors every year since I’ve been here,” said fourth-year head coach Todd Silfies (27-9 record). “We’ve been able to fill those spots every year and we’ve had some really good kids to step up.”

Kane was 9-4 in 2014 and won its first District 9 Class A title since 2007 with a 33-14 triumph over Brockway before dropping a 50-14 decision to powerful Sharpsville in the PIAA play-offs.

“It was a special year and a great ride for the team and the community,” Silfies recalled. “We won the District 9 championship for just the second time.

“Sharpsville was a game we were in, but things spiraled and got out of hand,” Silfies con-tinued. “Every time you advance further as a coach and a player you’re learn-ing. These guys this year realize last year doesn’t matter anymore and we’ll have a bigger X on our chest.”

For the third straight season the Wolves will have a different signal-caller. A quarterback com-petition features 6-foot, 175-pound senior Shane Rolick and 6-foot, 160-pound sophomore Reed

Williams.“We’d always thought we could start

somebody other than a senior at quar-terback and then we wouldn’t have to replace him every year,” Silfies noted. “Right now we have a battle with Shane Rolick and Reed Williams, who is push-ing Shane quite a bit.”

(See KANE, Page 5)

WOLVESCoach: Todd Silfies (4th year, 27-9 record) 2014 Record: 9-4 (1-3 AML South)


4 - Cameron County, 7 p.m.11 - at Smethport, 7 p.m.19 - at Sheffield, 1:30 p.m.25 - Port Allegany, 7 p.m.

October2 - Ridgway, 7 p.m.9 - at Brockway, 7:30 p.m.16 - Curwensville, 7 p.m.24 - at Elk Co. Catholic, 7 p.m.

November6 - Clarion-Limestone, 7 p.m.


50 Owens Way Bradford, PA • 368-4123

(Continued from Page 4)The Wolves lost Big 30 studs John

English and James Lingenfelter in the backfield, but Shane Rolick and 6-foot, 175-pound senior twin brother Tyler Rolick; 5-9, 195-pound sophomore Erik Delong; 6-foot, 180-pound senior

Tyler Weidenhoff; and 5-6, 150-pound sophomore Ange Costanzo are in the mix for some valu-able carries.

The receivers are Tyler Rolick, 5-10, 150-pound sophomore Ray Maze and currently injured 6-2, 200-pound junior Davis

Gardner. Weidenhoff and 6-foot, 190-pound junior Issac Walters are potential tight ends.

The offensive line will find 5-10, 215-pound senior Jake Shrubb for the third year as starting center and 6-5; 265-pound junior Keaton Rounsville as returning right guard. The other slots will be manned by 6-1, 240-pound junior Toby Fox; 6-1, 260-pound senior Raistlin Paar; 5-9, 245-pound sopho-more Anthony Smith; and 5-10, 180-pound senior Kyle Elliott.

“The offensive line is where we graduated the most and we’ve had an open competition at the tackles,” Silfies declared. “We have the potential to have our biggest line in years.”

The defensive front boasts Rounsville, Shrubb, Smith, Paar and Fox along with massive 6-foot, 310-pound freshman Jacob Silvis.

Delong moves from defensive end to linebacker with Elliott, Walters, Weidenhoff (also free safety) and

Gardner when he returns.Tyler Rolick is a four-year starter in

the secondary along with Shane Rolick, Costanzo, Maze and 5-9, 150-pound sophomore J.T. Stewart.

The kicking duties are up in the air with Tyler Rolick and 5-8, 140-pound junior Frank Truden.

Other members of the squad are seniors Ryan Avenali and Tanner Morehead; juniors Mike Good and Justin Taylor; sophomores Gunnar Fryzlewicz, Chucky Gardner, Marcus Morgan, Cyrus Novosel, Tyler Snyder, Joe Stanko and Mason Tyler; and fresh-men Bailey Blint, Dom Cartwright, Allen Edinger, Alec English, Austin Fox, Issac Gullifer, Tommy Holt, Aiden Hulings, Austin Jordan, Austin Pierson, Zach Duck, Ty Stahli, Cameron Villazon, Devin Young, Aiden Quinn and Jonah Spuck.

The assistant coaches are offensive coordinator Tyler Smith, Mike London, Josh Lindemuth, Chris Barber, Royce Novosel-Johnson, Doug Caldwell, Mike Szymanski, Jim Sirianni and Jesse Olson.

The Wolves will commence the Allegheny Mountain League sea-son at home versus reigning North Division champion Cameron County, and then later in the year will enter-tain South Division foes Ridgway and Curwensville at Paul R. Miller Stadium.

“Cameron County will be a tough test early,” Silfies stated. “That helps to have Ridgway and Curwensville at home because they are two tough places to play.

“As cliche as it sounds, but health is the key to the season,” Silfies con-cluded. “We can’t afford the bumps and bruises and have to stay healthy. We’re young and we’ll see how fast we grow up.”

KANE

StandingsDISTRICT 10, REGION 5

(Region) (Overall) W L W LConneaut 5 0 11 2 DuBois 4 1 8 3 Meadville 3 2 6 5Oil City 2 3 5 5Bradford 1 4 2 8Franklin 0 5 1 9

ALLEGHENY MOUNTAIN LEAGUENorth Division

(Division) (Overall) W L W LCameron County 4 1 4 6Smethport 3 2 4 5 Otto-Eldred 3 2 4 6 Port Allegany 3 2 3 6 Sheffield 1 4 2 8 Coudersport 1 4 1 8

South Division (Division) (Overall) W L W LRidgway 4 0 9 2 Elk County Catholic 3 1 8 3Kane 1 3 9 4Brockway 1 3 7 6Curwensville 1 3 6 5

AML Championship GameRidgway 28, Cameron County 21

Playoff results, state champs2014 DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFFS

CLASS AAAChampionship

Clearfield 35, Punxsutawney 8CLASS AASemifinals

St. Marys 7, Moniteau 6Championship

Karns City 49, St. Marys 12CLASS A

QuarterfinalsUnion 18, Ridgway 14Brockway 28, Redbank Valley 14Kane 39, Elk County Catholic 0Clarion 34, Curwensville 13

SemifinalsBrockway 35, Union 22Kane 18, Clarion 8

ChampionshipKane 33, Brockway 14

2014 PIAA STATE CHAMPIONSCLASS AAAA

St. Joseph’s Prep 49, Pine-Richland 41CLASS AAA

Archbishop Wood 33, Central Valley 14CLASS AA

South Fayette 28, Dunmore 16CLASS A

Bishop Guilfoyle 19, Clairton 18

A look back at the 2014 season

SILFIES


SMETHPORT — All offseason, the Smethport football team had to dwell on two games.

The Hubbers, like the rest of their A l l e g h e n y M o u n t a i n League North D i v i s i o n b r e t h r e n , were hum-bled by the South early last year, starting 0-3.

T h r e e weeks and three wins later, though, S m e t h p o r t s u d d e n l y

found itself at 3-3 — a legitimate con-tender for its first AML North title since 2001 and possibly another District 9 playoff berth.

Then came what’s hard to forget.

A 43-6 home loss to eventual North champ Cameron County.

A 26-19 defeat at Port Allegany in a game in which the Hubbers dominated the stat sheet but were undone by a numbing six turnovers.

Disappointment defined an up-and-down 4-5 season that fell short of a third straight trip to the playoffs under Jim Berlin. For the third year in a row, Smethport finished as the runner-up in the AML North.

Eleven years have passed since the Hubbers’ last winning season. They’ve been close. With 16 returning letter-men, including 10 starters, they’re eager to make amends in 2015.

“This year, I feel like we have a better overall team,” said Berlin, 13-16 in three years as Smethport’s coach. “We’ve had some pretty good players the last few years, but team-wise, I think this is the best team. The kids are pretty excited. They kind of took that to heart a little bit the last couple years, being right there but not being able to get over the hump.

“The coaching staff’s pretty opti-mistic this year.”

Experience in the backfield and on the offensive line fuels the Hubbers’ excitement.

Seniors Adam Shunk (tailback) and James Duffy (fullback) are three-year starters. Dylan Dinch (6-foot-4, 285 pounds), Brayden Howard (5-11, 275), Brendan Dickinson (5-10, 230) and Nick Dibble (5-11, 210) make for a siz-able group up front.

“We’re definitely going to be a downhill, pound-the-ball power team,”

Berlin said. “That’s, I think, our strength — the big guys up front, pretty speedy backs and we’ve got a couple bigger backs. I think physical is going to be our M.O. this year.”

Shunk is coming off a strong season running the ball, and Berlin is hoping his senior year will be even better.

“He was over 1,000 yards last year, and his sophomore year he was at 800-something. So I’m looking for 1,400 this year ... hopefully,” Berlin

(See SMETHPORT, Page 8)


Era photo by Shawn CampbellShown are five of the Smethport football team’s six seniors. From left: Dylan Dinch, Nick Dibble, Brayden Howard, Adam Shunk and James Duffy. Missing was Nick Thomas.

Smethport eager to return to winning ways

HUBBERSCoach: Jim Berlin (4th year, 13-16 record)2014 Record: 4-5 (3-2 AML North)


4 - at Brockway, 7:30 p.m.11 - Kane, 7 p.m.18 - Elk Co. Catholic, 7 p.m.25 - at Clarion-Lime., 7 p.m.

October3 - at Sheffield, 1:30 p.m.9 - Otto-Eldred, 7 p.m.16 - at Cameron Co., 7 p.m.23 - Port Allegany, 7 p.m.30 - Coudersport, 7 p.m.


PORT ALLEGANY — The situ-ation was less than ideal for Justin Bienkowski in his first year as Port Allegany’s head football coach.

T h e Gators were i n e x p e r i -enced.

T h e i r already small roster was reduced by injuries.

M a k i n g m a t t e r s worse, they opened the 2014 sea-son against three play-

off-bound teams from the Allegheny Mountain League South Division, Class AA power Moniteau and eventual AML North champion Cameron County.

It all translated to an 0-5 start in which Port was outscored 222-50. The program that regularly lit up area scoreboards during the 2011 and 2012

District 9 title campaigns was now the victim of some one-sided decisions.

“We were still in the shadow of our glory years, I guess you could say,”

Bienkowski said. “These kids didn’t get much time when they were fresh-men, other than mop-up time, and their sophomore years were kind of ‘put

you here, put you there.’ Plus, it was a regime change a little bit with myself taking over for Mike (Bodamer), even

(See PORT A., Page 15)


TOGI’S SUB STATION 402 EAST MAIN ST. BRADFORD, PA

368-6251

Welcome Back StudentsLooking for a FAST, FRESH, HOMEMADE Quality?

We got you covered including a wide variety of Subs, Pizza, Wings, Bread bowl Salads, Calzones, Stromboli’s, Appetizers and Much More!

AlsoWe have the LARGEST variety of Alcoholic Beverages on site:

Specializing in New Craft Beverages and over 20006 packs, 12 packs and single beers on Display!

WE ID: Drink Responsibly!!

Eat inCarry Out

or Delivery

Open 7 Days A Week! SUN-THURS 9AM - 11PMFRI & SAT 9AM - 12AM

YOUR ONE STOP SUB SHOP

Quality You Can Taste

12 packsStarting at onlySingle Beers

Starting at

Dine InDelivery

Carry Out

Lindberg Furniture2129 Wilcox Rd.

Johnsonburg, PA965-5482

Seasoned Port Allegany still low on numbers

Era photo by Shawn CampbellFifteen lettermen return from last year’s 3-6 team for second-year Port Allegany football coach Justin Bienkowski. Pictured are, front row (from left): Jordan Seefeldt, Jesse Rush, Jacy Richardson, Wyatt Dean, Dylan Baumgarner, Mac Tanner and Nate Lowery. Back row: TyDel Green, Cody Lentz, Cameron Fryer, Ethan Budd, Tre Garzel, Jake Kallenborn, Bryan Stahlman and Daniel Fernstrom.

GATORSCoach: Justin Bienkowski (2nd year, 3-6 record)2014 Record: 3-6 (3-2 AML North)


4 - at Curwensville, 7 p.m.11 - Elk Co. Catholic, 7 p.m.18 - Moniteau, 7 p.m.25 - at Kane, 7 p.m.

October3 - Cameron Co., 1:30 p.m.9 - Coudersport, 7 p.m.16 - at Otto-Eldred, 7 p.m.23 - at Smethport, 7 p.m.30 - Sheffield, 7 p.m.

(Continued from Page 6)said with a smile. “He’s pretty accus-tomed to the offense. He’s not the biggest kid, but he brings it out there. When guys come to hit him, he’s look-ing to hurt somebody at the end of the run.”

Duffy is a star wrestler who placed third at 145 pounds in the PIAA Class AA state championships last winter and was named Big 30 Wrestler of the Year.

Smethport has an important hole to fill at quarterback with the graduation of Dustin Zetwick. Junior Kevin Long assumes the starting role.

“You don’t really know what’s going to happen until you put him out there in the fire,” Berlin said of Long, “but

he’s a very competitive kid, taller kid (6-foot-2), but I think he’ll do OK. He’s kind of an X factor right now. ... He’s been working in the summer and really improved.”

Defensively, the Hubbers will have a new look, switching from a 3-4 align-ment to a 4-4.

“We’ve given up a pile of points the last few years (32-point average in 2014), so we made a change,” said Berlin, who will have Duffy, the team’s leader in tackles last year, back at line-backer.

Two new varsity assistant coaches, Adam Jack and Gary House, influenced the decision to change defenses, Berlin said.

“We sat down after the season last year and decided what change we want-ed to make so we had all offseason to prepare,” he explained.

The offense and defense both will be tested early in AML crossover play against the South Division. Smethport was handled by Brockway (38-0), Kane (42-6) and Elk County Catholic (53-6) to start last season. The Hubbers open

the coming year with games against the same three foes on consecutive weeks. All were playoff teams last season, with Kane beating Brockway for the District 9 Class A title.

“You’re wondering if you’re ever going to get your first win,” Berlin recalled. “Not only you’re not winning, we were getting pretty much spanked right off the field by those teams. We scored two touchdowns in the first three weeks. It was definitely a rough patch.”

As for this year, Berlin said, “We’ll know where we’re at right out of the gates.”

Now in his fourth year as Smethport’s mentor, Berlin feels he’s brought a needed sense of stability to the pro-gram. After all, before he took over, the Hubbers had four different head coaches in five years.

“Every year, the kids in the offsea-son and (the coaches) work out and they know coaching-wise who’s going to be there,” he said. “I think it’s really settled the kids. Going into the fourth year as a coach, every year it seems like it’s coming along for me, too.”

And alongside him on the sidelines, Berlin has assistants who experienced Smethport’s glory days in the ’90s when it won six District 9 champion-ships and five Allegheny Mountain League titles. Ryan Yingling (offensive

line/defensive line), Jack (quarterbacks/defensive backs) and House (running backs/defensive line) all played for those Carl Defilippi-coached teams, as did Berlin, a 1997 graduate.

As each autumn passes, the sto-rybook seasons become longer and longer ago. Yet the standard to which the program is held is still high, Berlin believes.

“The kids, they know about it, but I don’t really bring it up,” he said of Smethport’s past. “We’ve been medio-cre for a while. We’re kind of trying to let them pave their own way. ... You can’t realistically ever expect it to kind of be like that again because that was kind of a crazy run that we had, but we definitely are trying to put a competi-tive program out there.”

THE RETURNING starters:Adam Shunk, senior, 5-5, 160, running

back/linebackerKevin Long, junior, 6-2, 175, quarterback/

safetyAustin Crooks, junior, 5-8, 175, running

back/defensive backJames Duffy, senior, 5-8, 170, running

back/linebackerDevon Brown, junior, 5-8, 200, running

back/linebackerBrendan Dickinson, junior, 5-10, 230, line

both waysBrayden Howard, senior, 5-11, 275, line

both waysNick Dibble, senior, 5-11, 210, line both

ways

Dylan Dinch, senior, 6-4, 285, line both ways

Braydon Southard, sophomore, 6-2, 265, tight end/defensive line

ALSO LETTERING were:Robert Ruffner, junior, 5-5, 140, running

back/defensive backMason Christie, sophomore, 5-6, 160,

offensive line/linebackerEthan Dennis, junior, 6-0, 175, running

back/linebackerMatthew Stratton, sophomore, 5-10, 220,

line both waysBryce Hale, junior, 5-7, 125, wide receiv-

er/defensive backLuke Frontino, junior, 5-9, 155, wide

receiver/defensive back


Quarterbacks: Long, Austin Speedy (fr., 5-10, 155), Justin Aharrah (jr., 5-6, 155)

Running Backs: Shunk, Crooks, Duffy, Brown, Ruffner, Dennis, Akete Kindle (jr., 5-8, 205), Nate Hol-lowell (fr., 5-9, 145), Justyce Greenman (fr., 5-4, 130)

Ends/Receivers: Southard, Hale, L. Frontino, Wil-liam McDowell (sr., 5-5, 130), Nick Thomas (sr., 6-2, 175), Tyler Newman (fr., 6-1, 140), Darrin Jewell (fr., 6-0, 145), Zach Frontino (fr., 5-8, 130)

Linemen: Dickinson, Howard, Dibble, Dinch, Christie, Stratton, Robert Miketish (so., 5-7, 190), Josh Hauber (fr., 5-10, 215), Chuck Yocum (so., 6-1, 295), Josh Canfield (fr., 5-8, 215), Lance Herzog (so., 5-7, 245), Caleb Roberts (fr., 5-7, 180), Ayden Stevens (fr., 5-5, 150)

DefenseDown Linemen/Ends: Dickinson, Howard, Dibble,

Dinch, Southard, Stratton, Dale Burdick (fr., 6-0, 155), Ian Woodruff (fr., 6-3, 200), Blake Wian (so., 5-6, 170), Issac Smith (fr., 5-7, 150)

Linebackers: Shunk, Duffy, Brown, Christie, Den-nis, Bailey Kinner (jr., 5-9, 215), Orion Alexis (so., 5-9, 185), Grant Ognen (fr., 5-6, 140), Chase Burdick (fr., 5-8, 140), Blake Kinner (fr., 5-10, 155)

Defensive Backs: Long, Crooks, Ruffner, Hale, L. Frontino, William Perez (so., 6-0, 160), Parker Shonts (fr., 5-9, 155), Cordell Tanner (fr., 5-11, 165)


Free WiFi Like us on Facebook

Stop In! for Dinner to fuel up before your games!

Good Luck Owls!

SMETHPORT

BERLIN

Swanson Insurance Agency

393 E. Main St.Bradford, PA [email protected] Swanson (814) 362- 2883

Let’s Go Red and Black!

BRADFORDPIPE & SUPPLY

106 Fraley St. • Kane, PA • 814-837-6322New Store Hours: Weds. & Thurs. 9am-5pm

Fri. 9am-6pm Sat. 9am-4pm

Sun.-Tues. CLOSED

LET’S GO KANE!


DUKE CENTER — Nick LaBella is an Otto-Eldred alum, so naturally he thought back to his days wearing the blue and gold.

“We didn’t always have a top record,” the 1998 graduate said. The Terrors went just 2-7 LaBella’s sophomore and senior years but 5-4 when he was a freshman and 4-5 his junior season.

“The thing I remember is we always went into a game thinking we had a shot to win,” he added. “Some games better than others, but we were always prepared to take a shot at the other team. I’m trying to hopefully pass that on.”

As O-E’s new football coach, LaBella takes over a program that’s posted just one winning season since

he last suited up as a quarterback and defensive end for the Terrors. During that span, O-E has averaged between two and three victories a season.

He knows success has been hard to come by for his predecessors. But

when LaBella applied for the coaching position, he felt some promising years could be ahead.

“I knew there was some talented kids com-ing up and there’s some young kids that we can build a program around,” the 34-year-old algebra and geometry teacher said. “I was just kind of excited to see what might happen.”

The future may not have appeared as bright to some a week before

the Terrors opened practice. A headline accompanying a school board story in The Era read “Officials say O-E Football program’s future in jeopardy.”

“I think it was an unfortunate head-

line a little bit,” said LaBella, noting the main concern is with low participa-tion at the junior high level. He said the school hopes to meet the 15-player requirement for the junior high team and play a shortened schedule at the very least.

In grades nine through 12, however, Otto-Eldred has between 40 and 42 players participating this season. Six are from Oswayo Valley, playing under the schools’ cooperative agreement.

“To be honest, our varsity numbers (See OTTO-ELDRED, Page 10)


142 DAVIS STREET • BRADFORD, PA • 814-368-6146

LET’S GO LET’S GO OWLS!OWLS!

O-E alum hopes for Terror turnaround

Era photo by Shawn CampbellNine lettermen return from last year’s 4-6 team for first-year Otto-Eldred football coach Nick LaBella. Pictured are, front row (from left): Trevor Carlson, Damen Palmer, Seth Drummond and Heath Stewart. Back row: Sawyer Drummond, Grant West, Aric Taylor, Brycen Schneider and Jordan Sherwood.

TERRORSCoach: Nick LaBella (1st year)2014 Record: 4-6 (3-2 AML North


4 - at Sharpsville, 7 p.m.11 - Curwensville, 7 p.m.18 - at Ridgway, 7 p.m.25 - Brockway, 7 p.m.

October2 - Coudersport, 7 p.m.9 - at Smethport, 7 p.m.16 - Port Allegany, 7 p.m.24 - at Sheffield, 1:30 p.m.30 - at Cameron County

November6 - Cowanesque Valley, 7 p.m.

Open MON-SUN 9am-5pm

THE BIGGEST LITTLE STORE AROUND

401 North Fraley St., Kane, PA 16735814-837-7321

www.jackbellsmeats.com

(Continued from Page 9)have been great,” LaBella said. “That’s something that’s been a little bit of a drawback (in the past). I think we’ll be able to play a JV schedule (for) the first time in several years. I feel good about that coming up in the next few years, too.”

He added, “You can’t always judge, but there’s a lot of sixth-graders play-ing youth football, so I’m hoping that class will kind of get the junior high back on track next year.”

Last season’s strong finish has

created some opti-mism heading into this year. The Terrors started 0-6 in what was Virgil Graham’s final season on the O-E sideline. But they won their final four games, includ-ing a signature victory over Allegheny Mountain League North Division champion Cameron County.

“I know that kids got some confi-dence from that,” LaBella said.

A young roster poses a test for LaBella in his first season, though.

“We have nine kids that we list as returning starters, but just a handful of

seniors have played,” he said. “And we graduated a lot of seniors that played a lot of downs, (we’re) trying to replace a quarterback (Nick Appleby) that started a few years. It’s going to be a chal-lenge. We’ve got some good leadership from the kids, though.”

One luxury for Otto-Eldred is the return of Seth Drummond. The junior running back/linebacker is coming off a sophomore season in which he rushed for 1,057 yards and 11 touchdowns and

was named to the Big 30 All-Star Team. Defensively, his 50 tackles ranked sec-ond on the team.

“I’ve heard him say it a couple times — he just always loves running the football,” LaBella said. “He’s a strong kid, he’s squatting the house. But he’s still really quick and makes a lot of guys miss. He’s sort of the total pack-age for a high school running back.”

Drummond will be teamed in the backfield with senior Heath Stewart,

who will also see time at wide receiver, LaBella said.

“They’re two kids that are coming back that have had the ball in their hands and had success,” LaBella said, “and we’re going to rely heavily on them and other teams will know that, too, but we’ll see what happens.

“I think one of the big keys is if we can improve up front. I think we have some talented, athletic kids, but not all of them are real big. … We have some kids coming back up front with Jordan Sherwood and Aric Taylor and Brycen Schneider, but we really kind of got to fill a couple holes around those guys.”

At quarterback, junior Damen Palmer and sophomore Sawyer Drummond are vying for the starting spot, LaBella said.

The Terrors open the season travel-ing to District 10 power Sharpsville for a non-league game.

“Is there a tougher start for any ‘A’ school in the state?” LaBella asked.

Perhaps not. Sharpsville is coming off a trip to the Class A state semifinals. The Blue Devils also appeared in the PIAA tourney in 2011 and ’12 when they played Port Allegany in the quar-terfinals. They handled O-E, 46-8, last year in Week 1.

“We’re going to try to stay positive,” LaBella said. “It’s certainly going to be a challenge going down there opening night.”

(See OTTO-ELDRED, Page 17)


Barr’s ServiceMajor & Minor Repair

Alfred J. Barr, OwnerPhone: (814) 368-5159 Fax: (814) 368-5613

11 Silicon Way • Bradford, PA

Service You Can Count On!

Best of Luck To All of the Local

Players & Coaches.

OTTO-ELDRED

Era file photo by Wade AikenOtto-Eldred’s Seth Drummond (13) is coming off a 1,057-yard, 11-touchdown sophomore season and is one of four returning Big 30 all-stars.

LaBELLA


COUDERSPORT — Listen to Ben Cary speak and his affinity for Coudersport football per-vades.

The 2003 Coudy grad recalls vividly the packed stands on Friday nights at CARP Field. He has fond memories of quarterback-ing some of those teams everyone wanted to see, including the 2001 squad that won a District 9 title and reached the PIAA state playoffs. As signal-caller, he’d run to the sideline, where legendary coach Paul Simcoe would relay each play call.

Simcoe hasn’t been the Falcons’ head coach for eight years, though. He retired after the 2007 season, step-ping away with an impressive 204-78-8 record in 29 years.

Beginning this season, it’s Cary who will be calling the shots on the Coudy sideline and trying to build the pro-gram into a winner again. He replaces

Chris Fink, another former Simcoe QB, who went 21-26 in five seasons as the Falcons’ coach.

“I’m very passionate about this community, and I’m passionate about the kids,” said Cary, a Big 30 all-star

his senior year. “I tell peo-ple all the time when they ask me ‘Why did you take this position?’ it was for one reason and one rea-son only. It was for these kids.”

He added, “Of course, with Paul Simcoe’s lead-ership, all the things that I know as far as life and that sort of thing, outside of my parents, were instilled in me from being involved in the football program, being involved in athletics

here at Coudersport.”Cary, who works as a financial advis-

er with New York Life and MainStay Investments, served as an assistant on Fink’s staff for the last three years. But his coaching experience goes beyond that.

Prior to returning to Coudersport, he was a strength and conditioning coach at Penn State, his alma mater.

He worked with Joe Paterno’s football team during the 2008 Rose Bowl sea-son and then the Nittany Lions’ men’s and women’s basketball teams for 2 1/2 years.

“It was phenomenal,” said Cary, 30. “I think the biggest thing was just the opportunity to be around Division

I kids, the opportunity to see how Division I practices were run, specifi-cally with football.”

With Coudy, Cary knows he faces a challenging rebuild. The Falcons went 1-8 a year ago — their worst season in 33 years. It was their third straight

(See COUDERSPORT, Page 12)


Look for Great Deals right

here every 2 weeks from The Grocery

Stretcher!

Best Of Luck To All The Players This Season!

Good Luck Good Luck Cameron County Raiders Cameron County Raiders

High School High School Football Team!Football Team!

Cary facing challenging rebuild at Coudy

Era photo by Shawn CampbellShown are five of the Coudersport football team’s 10 seniors. From left: Nevada Waterman, Anderson Nicka, Ben Cochran, Darren Keglovits and Sheldon Van Pelt. Missing were Troy Schroeder, Hunter Stuckey, Luke Barshinger, Joe Lawton and Logan Labar.

FALCONSCoach: Ben Cary (1st year)2014 Record: 1-8 (1-4 AML North)


5 - at Elk Co. Catholic, 7 p.m.11 - Brockway, 7 p.m.18 - at Curwensville, 7 p.m.25 - Ridgway, 7 p.m.

October2 - at Otto-Eldred, 7 p.m.9 - at Port Allegany, 7 p.m.16 - Sheffield, 7 p.m.23 - Cameron County, 7 p.m.30 - at Smethport, 7 p.m.

When it’s time to take her breath away


DEXTER’SSERVICE & COLLISION

814-362-3888156 W. WASHINGTON ST., BRADFORD, PA

COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE & REPAIR

Our experienced team of professionals will get your car working and looking like new again!

- ALL WORK GUARANTEED -

PRIDE

HOFFMANʼS SPORTS HOFFMANʼS SPORTS AND TURF AND TURF

1080 MIllion Dollar Hwy. 1080 MIllion Dollar Hwy. St. Marys,PA 15857St. Marys,PA 15857

888-501-0658888-501-0658

Good Luck!Good Luck!This Football This Football

Season!Season!

COUDERSPORT(Continued from Page 11)

losing campaign and fourth in five years. From 1983 to 2009, Coudersport finished below .500 only twice.

“If you want to look at our records over the past four or five years, we haven’t really been what’s known as ‘tra-ditional Coudersport football,’” Cary said.

“The hardest part for me prob-ably was being on the sidelines on Friday nights with the stands not being anywhere close to where they were as far as capacity when I played or my brother, Isaac, was on two of the most successful teams ever to come out of Coudersport (2005 and ’06 state qualifiers). I can remember when he was playing, if you didn’t show up at CARP Park at 5:30, you weren’t getting a seat.”

He added, “For these kids ... I want them to believe in themselves, believe in their teammates, we start winning games, and then the stands will start fill-ing up and the people will want to come see us play.”

In 2014, youth and inexperience hampered the Falcons. Coudy had only

four seniors on its roster.“I don’t know if there was ever a

time in the history of Coudersport foot-ball when there was as many freshmen on the field as there was last year,” Cary said. “We had, at times, upwards of six to maybe even seven freshmen on the field.

“There were a lot of growing pains, but those kids have grown so much from that opportunity.”

This season, Coudy can also rely on 10 seniors — nine of whom are return-ing starters.

Senior Darren Keglovits returns to the field as the Falcons’ starting quarter-back. He missed all of last season with a foot injury suffered in Coudy’s first scrimmage.

“The biggest thing for us and for him is that we keep him healthy for the whole season,” Cary said. “Losing him last year ... was a big blow to us. The kid looked fantastic through camp last year, as he does this year.”

Cary said the players have clear goals.

“One of our favorite sayings in prac-tice all the time when we break hud-dles is ‘championship effort,’” he said. “Righting the ship ... that’s a big topic around here. We’re not looking at the past. They know where we’ve been, and that’s uncontrollable, it’s gone, we can’t get it back. We’ve got a clean slate in front of us, and the big thing for them is

they want to turn it around.”And Simcoe, the man who set the

benchmark for Coudersport football, can easily be found to lend a hand. When Cary was named head coach, he “opened the door” for Simcoe to serve on his staff. He did the same for Mike Russell and Dan Kightlinger, both of whom were assistant coaches when Cary played. All agreed to aid the first-year coach.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with that and (Simcoe’s) ability to just work with me and help me,” Cary said. “He still, to this day, is a big believer in the program, and he should be. He spent 30 years building the program up to what it was, and here we are today, just continuing to build the program every step, trying to get better every day.”

In addition to Russell (defensive coordinator), Kightlinger (wide receiv-ers/defensive backs) and Simcoe (scout-ing), Cary is assisted by Dan Counts (lines), Brian Green (special teams), Shawn Wolfinger (wide receivers/defen-sive backs), Tom Storey (running backs/linebackers) and J.R. Page (lines).

THE RETURNING starters:Ben Cochran, senior, 6-2, 275, center/defensive

tackleDarren Keglovits, senior, 6-1, 170, quarterbackLogan Labar, senior, 5-8, 175, guard/defensive

tackleJoe Lawton, senior, 5-9, 210, tackle both waysSheldon Van Pelt, senior, 6-0, 160, wide receiver/

outside linebackerLuke Barshinger, senior, 6-1, 175, guard/defensive

end

Hunter Stuckey, senior, 5-11, 220, tackle both waysAnderson Nicka, senior, 6-0, 215, tackle both waysTroy Schroeder, senior, 5-10, 135, kickerDerek Grabbit, junior, 5-7, 220, tackle both waysBrock Wilson, junior, 5-6, 160, running back/

linebackerAaron Wolfinger, junior, 5-9, 150, wide receiver/

cornerbackJared Green, sophomore, 6-0, 180, tight end/

defensive endDerek Keglovits, sophomore, 5-9, 150, running

back/cornerback

ALSO LETTERING were:Nevada Waterman, senior, 5-9, 140, wide receiver/

cornerbackChase Whitman, sophomore, 5-10, 185, running

back/outside linebackerZach Layag, junior, 5-9, 175, running back/line-

backer


Quarterbacks: Da. Keglovits, Hunter Redman (fr., 5-8, 140)

Running Backs: Wilson, De. Keglovits, Whitman, Layag, Garret Morey (jr., 5-11, 160), Gage Arnold (jr., 6-0, 165), Stephen Kelly (fr., 5-7, 140), Josh Stevens (fr., 5-10, 160)

Ends/Receivers: Van Pelt, Wolfinger, Green, Waterman, Aaron Haskins (jr., 5-11, 160), Kullen Cros-by (fr., 5-11, 150), Mason Klesa (fr., 5-7, 110), Garrett Watson (fr., 5-6, 125), Thomas Crosby (fr., 5-7, 125)

Guards: Labar, Barshinger, Jeff Gunn (so., 5-11, 230), Andrew Brown (fr., 6-1, 165), Ricky McCord (fr., 5-11, 185), Brandon Neefe (fr., 5-6, 150)

Tackles: Lawton, Stuckey, Nicka, Grabbit, Elliott Hite (so., 5-11, 250), Brandon Boucher (fr., 5-8, 255), Preston Cobb (fr., 5-2, 175)

Centers: Cochran, Eli Ayers (fr., 6-1, 150)

DefenseEnds: Barshinger, Green, Brown, Gunn, MoreyGuards/Tackles: Cochran, Labar, Lawton, Stuck-

ey, Nicka, Grabbit, Boucher, Cobb, Hite, Neefe, McCordLinebackers: Van Pelt, Wilson, Whitman, Layag,

Ayers, Watson, K. Crosby, Haskins, ArnoldDefensive Backs: Wolfinger, De. Keglovits, Water-

man, T. Crosby, Klesa, Kelly, Stevens, RedmanKicker/Punter: Schroeder

CARY


Photo by Jim MelaroThird-year coach Mike Kunes welcomes seven returning seniors from last season’s 4-6 campaign at Cameron County. Shown are, front row (from left): Caleb Burnside, Jason Smith and Keegan Frey. Back row: Brad Fortney, Cory Clinger, Austin Doud and Jordan Crosby.

High expectations at Cameron CountyBy JIM MELAROSpecial to The Era

EMPORIUM — Just three weeks into the 2014 football season, a disturb-ing trend had already been established.

Well, OK. It was more a fact than a trend.

In the Alleghany Mountain League, where its members have always been divided into two divisions, it was painfully clear that, at least during the 2014 season, teams from the South Division were much stronger than those that called the North Division home.

After three weeks of play, the six teams in the AML North — Cameron County, Coudersport, Otto-Eldred, Port Allegany, Sheffield and Smethport — sported an 0-15 mark in crossover games.

The five teams in the South — Brockway, Curwensville, Elk County Catholic, Kane and Ridgway — were 15-0 and owned a decided scoring advantage, 567-86.

Oddly, at least one North Division

coach, Cameron County’s Mike Kunes, opted to find a silver lining in his team’s 4-6 season.

“Oh trust me, the District 9 webpage did a very good job of reminding all of us each and every week just how domi-

nating the South Division was last year,” the third-year mentor of the Red Raiders noted. “There’s no doubt that whenever a North Division team lined up against a South Division team a year ago, it was like comparing apples to oranges.

“It wasn’t until we start-ed to play teams in our own division that we could compare apples to apples.

“For the most part, the South Division teams were

kicking our butts,” Kunes added. “But, in our very first game, we played Kane, which went on to win the District 9 (Class A) championship, very tough into the fourth quarter.

“In fact, while we lost 13-0, we did not allow them to score on our defense.”

The Wolves broke up a scoreless battle early in the fourth quarter when

(See CAMERON CO., Page 14)

RED RAIDERSCoach: Mike Kunes (3rd year, 7-13 record)2014 Record: 4-6 (4-1 AML North)


4 - at Kane, 7 p.m.11 - Ridgway, 7 p.m.18 - at Brockway, 7:30 p.m.25 - Curwensville, 7 p.m.

October3 - at Port Allegany, 1:30 p.m.9 - Sheffield, 7 p.m.16 - Smethport, 7 p.m.23 - at Coudersport, 7 p.m.30 - Otto-Eldred, 7 p.m.

(Continued from Page 13)James Lingenfelter, who would go on to be named the Big 30 Defensive Player of the Year, blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for the first score of the game. Kane would later

return an intercep-tion for a score.

“The fact that we played so well the first week of the season gave our guys the feel that they could play with anybody,” Kunes noted. “For us, here at Cameron, the entire season came

down to making plays and not making plays. We were either doing what we were supposed to be doing or not. So playing Kane to a 13-0 loss during which our defense did not give up a score, our kids took a little something from that.”

After bowing to Curwensville in Week 4, Cameron County turned its season around, winning its next four starts to capture the North Division crown.

Then there was the rematch game with Ridgway.

When the two teams tangled in Week 2, a 42-8 loss on the road, Kunes’

team didn’t have much to shout about.But when they met in the AML title

game, eight weeks later, the final out-come was a little closer, 28-21.

“That was another reason why I felt we had a respectable season last year,” Kunes noted. “The first time we played Ridgway/Johnsonburg, they wiped the field with us, It was not much of a game.

“But when we faced them in the (AML) league championship game, we played them tough as nails and I still say we got robbed of a key play that might have, well, we can’t go back and change it now.”

Sixteen letterwinners return from last year’s challenging season.

“The kids who are back have grown immensely throughout the offseason, into the summer and right up to our speed drills (before practice started),” Kunes said. “There are leadership roles that have been vacated and we’re going to see who is willing to step into those spots.

“Even the large freshman class we had a year ago has grown leaps and bounds. They are sophomores this year and they are a group of good kids, big kids.”

Kunes noted a couple of players who should direct the Red Raiders to a winning season this time around.

“For starters, Derek Rieder is going to be an interesting story this year,” he said. “He started at offensive tackle a year ago, and we’re moving him to quarterback this year. “He’s every bit as big as his 6-foot-3, 240-pound frame suggests. He’s looked good in the 7-on-7 opportunities we’ve attended this summer.

“Of course, making crisp passes in an actual game is a different kind of dynamic,” Kunes added. “We’ll see once he starts just how good a move this is. He’s a big kid with a strong arm. In terms of leadership, he’s going to be good. The question is, can he deliver the big plays when we need them?”

Also high on Kunes’ list of expecta-tions this year is senior Caleb Burnside.

“Caleb started at corner and tailback a year ago,” Kunes said. “He’s worked hard in the offseason I feel he’s capable of having a breakout season.”

In evaluating his preseason roster, Kunes noted, “I wish we had more numbers. Forty kids is much better than 29.

“I think we’re good in the speed department. We didn’t lose any of our burners from a year ago.

“In terms of strength, I’d put our guys up against anybody out there in the league,” he continued. “We aver-

aged over 20 kids in the weight room. They all worked together and worked hard. They all lifted three times a week and did agility drills three times a week. They came together as a group.

“And while each of them have their own personalities, they are putting them on a shelf for the good of the team,” he added. “If anything, they are feeding off of each others’ strengths.

“When I know for a fact that the guys who are our best players are the hardest workers on the field, I will know we have something special.

“Right now, we’re flirting with that,” he added. “We have younger kids who are really busting their tails, perhaps harder than our best players … I think the better players, at least at this point in time, have this mindset that they can get by because of what they know and what they are capable of doing.

“When those guys pick it up a notch and give me the sign that they are the hardest workers, that’s when I will feel this can be a special team capable of accomplishing some special things.”

Coaching with Kunes this season will be defensive coordinator Nick Keller and assistants Jody Bailey, Jamer Cooney, Ryan Neyman and John Doud.

(See CAMERON CO., Page 16)


Good Luck Otto Eldred!

Frame Funeral Home230 Main St., Eldred, PA

814-225-4782

CAMERON CO.

KUNES

286 High StreetBradford, PA

814-362-6873

1558 E. State Rd.Olean, NY

716-372-0765

107 S. South St.Warren, PA

814-723-4900

Good Luck This Season!

(Continued from Page 7)though I was an assistant under Mike for his whole career.

“Injuries kind of bit us, numbers kind of bit us, but then we peaked at the right time.”

With three wins in their final four games, capped by a 20-0 shutout of Sheffield, the Gators finished 3-6 for the second straight year.

“I think last year was a combination of youth turned into experience as the year went on and you’re supposed to get playing your best ball at the end,” Bienkowski said.

Experience isn’t an issue for Port Allegany in Year 2 under Bienkowski. The Gators return 15 lettermen, including 10 starters plus senior running back/strong safety Mac Tanner, who missed all of 2014 with an injury. They have a strong senior class of 13 players.

Still a concern, however, is Port’s overall roster size. Bienkowski’s squad has only 25 players in grades nine through 12.

“We will probably dress 23 or 24 kids going down to Curwensville (in Week 1),” Bienkowski said. “We had two key injuries. Jordan Seefeldt, who would’ve been a four-year letterman, and Cameron Fryer, who’s a returning right tackle/D-end, both have broken collarbones, so they’ll be out through probably most of the South schedule.”

He added, “We’ve tried to do the ‘next man up’ approach and we can’t miss a beat, and I tell the kids our practices are as upbeat as I can imagine anybody’s are. We go, go, go because we need to practice that you can’t come off the field. Unless you’re seriously hurt, you’ve got to stay on the field. We refuse to allow the kids and the kids refuse to accept, ‘Coach, we only have 22 guys or 23 guys’ as an excuse.

That’s just not something we want to get into the habit of.”

Bienkowski said the Gators once dressed 17 players for a game last season.

Offering an explanation for the num-bers issue, the coach said, “We have a couple class sizes that are small. I think it’s pretty consistent throughout the area. Some people say, ‘You have soc-cer, you have cross country, you have golf, you have football, our student body is declining,’ but I think it just comes down to it’s a tough sport. ... It’s a credit to the 20-some guys we have.

“We just want to have that tough-guy, nasty, play-violent-but-play-clean approach, and let all of the excuses be for the parents and be for the media and be for the naysayers. ... It could be worse. We could’ve had to fold our team. We’re still playing football.”

Adjusting practice methods last year served as a way of dealing with a lim-ited roster and contributed to the late-season success, Bienkowski said.

“Those kids are being asked to pret-ty much play true ironman football, and it took us a couple weeks to get them into shape, because in practice, you can’t simulate it,” he added.

Port Allegany also shook up its offense after Week 2, with 6-foot-4 Tre Garzel taking over the starting quarter-back role and Seefeldt moving to run-ning back. Garzel, now a senior, threw for 741 yards and seven touchdowns last year and also ran for 427 yards and six scores.

“We went to Tre Garzel and just kind of started clicking,” Bienkowski said.

For this season, Bienkowski said senior fullback Dylan Baumgarner is another player to watch. He moved from tight end to the backfield late last year. Ethan Budd, Nate Lowery, TyDel Green, Jacy Richardson, Jesse Rush and Bryan Stahlman provide depth on the line.

“We’re not going to hide it from anybody: We want to spread the ball out, we want to be able to both run the

ball and pass the ball,” Bienkowski said. “I think that Tre Garzel has a pret-ty good arm, he’s a pretty good baseball player, and he’s a heady, smart kid.”

In what could be a cluttered AML North, Port Allegany wants to compete for the top spot, Bienkowski said.

“I’ve talked to several North head coaches and we all agree that it’s as wide-open as it’s been in probably at least five or six years,” he said. “You kind of treat those first four South/non-league games as trying to iron out the kinks a little bit and then ... we hope to be playing our best ball and continue to grow from there.”

Bienkowski’s assistant coaches this season are Jason Luther (offensive coordinator), Nate Zitnik (defensive coordinator), Chad Saltsman, Cliff Fillhart, Mike Bodamer (junior high) and Dan Eskesen (junior high).

THE RETURNING starters:Dylan Baumgarner, senior, 6-0, 175, run-

ning back/linebackerEthan Budd, senior, 6-2, 235, line both

waysCameron Fryer, senior, 6-0, 225, line

both waysTre Garzel, senior, 6-4, 190, quarterback/

safetyTyDel Green, junior, 6-2, 270, line both

waysJake Kallenborn, freshman, 6-0, 160,

wide receiver/defensive backNate Lowery, senior, 5-8, 195, offensive

line/linebacker

Jacy Richardson, senior, 5-9, 190, line both ways

Jordan Seefeldt, senior, 5-10, 170, run-ning back/defensive back

Bryan Stahlman, senior, 6-2, 205, line both ways

ALSO LETTERING were:Wyatt Dean, sophomore, 5-11, 145, wide

receiver/defensive backDaniel Fernstrom, junior, 5-10, 150, run-

ning back/defensive backCody Lentz, senior, 5-10, 240, line both

waysJesse Rush, junior, 5-9, 200, line both

waysMac Tanner, senior, 5-8, 175, running

back/strong safety


Quarterback: GarzelRunning Backs: Baumgarner, Tanner, Marlin

Moyer (sr., 5-10, 145), Seefeldt, FernstromWide Receivers: Kallenborn, Dean, Matt Wooten

(jr., 5-11, 145), Eric Tampuu (fr., 5-11, 150), David Causer (fr., 5-9, 125), Dylan Lloyd (so., 5-10, 140), Josiah Ramadhan (sr., 5-11, 165), Jacob Mowry (fr., 5-11, 140)

Linemen: Stahlman, Budd, Richardson, Lowery, Fryer, Green, Rush, Lentz, Clark Barber (jr., 6-2, 220), Brock Veilleux (so., 5-8, 260), Javin Brown (fr., 5-10, 195), Zach Peters (sr., 5-7, 195)

DefenseLinemen: Rush, Budd, Green, Veilleux, Barber,

Richardson, Stahlman, Lentz, Fryer, PetersLinebackers: Baumgarner, Lowery, Ramadhan,

Brown, Moyer, MowryDefensive Backs: Kallenborn, Garzel, Tanner,

Dean, Wooten, Tampuu, Lloyd, Causer, Seefeldt, Fern-strom


GOOD LUCK WOLVES!

We Will Be Cheering You On All Season!

485 East Main Street Bradford, PA814-368-6880

57 Rear Main Street Bradford, PA 16701814.368.7161

Here We Go Owls!HERE WE

GO!!!!

PORT A.

BIENKOWSKI

By CHUCK POLLOCKSpecial to The Era

Sometimes high school football mergers are viewed cynically ... des-peration moves to keep programs alive in some form.

But in other situations there’s an understand-ing of the value of c o m b i n i n g teams and thus preserv-ing the sport.

T h a t ’ s e x a c t l y what hap-pened with Ridgway and Johnsonburg starting three years ago to the advan-tage of both

once-proud programs.And nobody appreciates the merger

more than coach Mark Heindl, whose combined team went 5-6 and made the District 9 Class A quarterfinals in 2013, the first year of the merged teams. Then, last fall, the Elkers went a glitter-

ing 9-2, their only losses to Union, the first (32-7) in the regular season and the second (18-14) in the D-9 quarterfinals.

Ridgway opened 2014 going 7-0 and, other than a tense, 21-20 victory over Kane, won the other six by at least two touchdowns.

And, in large part, the merger can be credited with that degree of success.

“We needed Johnsonburg as much as Johnsonburg needed us,” admitted Heindl of the school eight miles away that had been experiencing dramatically declining football numbers. “We’ve got 39 kids out this year and 13 are from Johnsonburg. Last season set the tone.

“Could we get by with 26 players? Yeah. There are several schools in the Allegheny Mountain League that have similar numbers. But, with 39 — including seven seniors and 14 juniors — and no freshmen in that number, we’ve got good competition for posi-tions.”

And it’s not Ridgway/Johnsonburg football in name only.

The Elkers’ first two “home” games — Sheffield and Otto-Eldred — will be played in Johnsonburg.

“The weeks we play at Johnsonburg, we’ll practice there one day and we’ll do our walk-through and pre-game

meal there,” said Heindl, a junior high social studies teacher at Ridgway. “And when we head north for games (at Coudersport and Kane), we’ll have our pre-game meal in Johnsonburg.”

Of last season, he noted, “Our goal and our motto was to win the AML (a 28-21 decision over Cameron County) but we also wanted to win District 9 and that loss (to Union) was bitter.”

One of 17 seniors Heindl lost from last year’s team was Big 30 all-star

quarterback Ben MacDonald.“Ben was a man among boys,” he

admitted. “But he also had a very good supporting cast.”

This season the Elkers return four starters on each side of the ball and seven other lettermen are also back.

“The best thing,” Heindl maintained, “is that the kids have bought into this merger from the start and we’re better for it.”


Good Luck To the Players and Coaches!

75 Forman St. • Bradford, PA362-4902

(814) 887-571615 West Willow Street, Smethport, PA

OFFERINGShort Term Rehabilitation • Long Term Skilled

Care Personal Care • Out Patient Services

FROM COACH CHRISTIE AND ALL OF THE LAKEVIEW TEAM

Started in the Oil Fields of McKean County...

Serving Industrial, Commercial, Oil & Gas Industry

(Continued from Page 14)THE RETURNING starters:Caleb Burnside, senior, 5-10, 165, running back/

defensive backCory Clinger, senior, 6-0, 145, tight endAustin Doud, senior, 5-11, 165, end/linebackerKeegan Frey, senior, 5-6, 150, linebackerJason Smith, senior, 5-7, 165, linebackerWyatt Geist, junior, 5-11, 275, line both waysTristen Reed, junior, 5-11, 175, linebackerDerek Rieder, junior, 6-3, 240, offensive tackleDerek Beldin, sophomore, 6-1, 195, offensive lineEthan Vislay, sophomore, 5-10, 140, split end/

defensive back

ALSO LETTERING were:Brad Fortney, senior, 6-2, 175, line both waysTim Banks, sophomore, 5-7, 190, line both waysEric Morton, sophomore 6-0, 165, split end/defen-

sive backAdam Streich, sophomore, 5-10, 150, quarterback/

defensive backJared Whiting, sophomore, 5-10, 165, running

back/linebackerNate Williams, sophomore, 5-11, 210, line both

ways


Quarterbacks: Rieder, StreichRunning Backs: Burnside, Reed, Frey, Smith,

Whiting, Parker Lumley (so., 5-11, 165), Nate Dempsey (fr., 5-8, 185)

Ends: Clinger, Doud, Morton, Vislay, Chris Mcisaac (jr., 6-2, 180), Jesse Coffman (fr., 5-9, 130), Ethan Fields, (fr., 5-2, 122)

Linemen: Fortney, Geist, Beldin, Williams, Banks, Brady Thompson (jr., 5-11, 260), Adam Clark (so., 5-10, 190), Ryan Clark (so., 6-1, 230), Andrew Goss (so., 5-10, 190), Bryce Heim (so., 5-10, 220), Caleb Pifer (fr., 5-8, 160), Dustyn Spiegel (fr., 6-0, 230)

DefenseLinemen: Fortney, Geist, Rieder, Thompson,

Banks, A. Clark, R. Clark, Goss, Heim, Williams, Spiegel

Linebackers: Doud, Frey, Smith, Reed, Belden, Lumley, Whiting, Dempsey, Pifer

Defensive Backs: Burnside, Clinger, Crosby, Mcisaac, Morton, Streich, Vislay, Coffman, Fields

ELKERSCoach: Mark Heindl (8th year, 29-42 record)2014 Record: 9-2 (4-0 AML South)


4 - Sheffield, 7 p.m.11 - at Cameron Co., 7 p.m.18 - Otto-Eldred, 7 p.m.25 - at Coudersport, 7 p.m.

October2 - at Kane, 7 p.m.9 - Elk Co. Catholic, 7 p.m.16 - at Brockway, 7:30 p.m.23 - at Union, 7 p.m.30 - Curwensville, 7 p.m.

November6 - St. Marys, 7 p.m.

Ridgway/Johnsonburg merger a success story

CAMERON CO.

By CHUCK POLLOCKSpecial to The Era

Talk about a turnaround.The Elk County Catholic football

team went 0-9 in 2013.But last

fall, under second-year coach Tony Gerg, the Crusaders caught fire, finishing 8-3.

ECC won its first five games before losing to Ridgway,

35-7. Then came three more wins, including 13-12 and 19-17 victories over tough Kane and Brockway.

The campaign ended with a 37-0 defeat by crosstown rival St. Marys

and a 39-0 decision to Kane in the District 9 Class A quarterfinals.

What created the reversal?“We talked a lot about that (0-9)

season,” said Gerg, who owns two tool-and-die businesses in St. Marys. “I took the job late. (Former coach) Travis Skrzypek had a job conflict and he couldn’t be head coach. “I’m a graduate of ECC and I didn’t want to desert the program or let it down, so I agreed to take the job. But it was kind of learning on the fly.”

And amidst it all he chose to install an offense from another era.

The Crusaders employ a single-wing, the run-heavy attack that relies on faking and misdirection and needs all four backs to be mobile ... includ-ing the quarterback.

“It’s very difficult to defend,” Gerg admitted. “Opposing coaches told me last year, ‘We’re not sure what to do (defensively), we’re just going to try to do this and hope that it works.’

“The reality is this. Elk County Catholic isn’t a football school — though I wish that it was — it’s a basketball school.

“That said,” Gerg continued, “my players, who are basketball players, are quick, good with their hands and used to passing (or pitching in foot-ball parlance). So this seemed a per-fect offense for them and they picked it up well and quickly.”

ECC returns five starters from last season and all will play both sides of the ball.

“We have 22 players,” Gerg said, “but every one of them is a varsity-level player and 16 of them are juniors and seniors.

“The group we have is deep and talented. They know how to run our offense and take pride in that. Last season they learned a new offense and new defense (switching from a 4-4 to a 4-3 alignment) and made it work. Hopefully, this season, we can build on that success.”


550 Chestnut St, Bradford, PA

16701(814) 368-3300

Let’s Go Owl’s!!!100 Barbour Street • Bradford, PA 16701

FOR APPOINTMENT CALL 814.368.7535

OXLEY’S SERVICE OFFERS:COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRSPA INSPECTIONS • OIL CHANGES

TIRES • PROFESSIONAL DETAILINGACCEPTING WASTE MOTOR OIL

BRADFORD AREA PUBLIC LIBRARY

67 W. Washington St., Bradford, PA

814-362-6527

Best of luck to the Bradford Owls! www.drkurtdmd.comwww.drkurtdmd.com

www.signaturesmiledesignsinc.comwww.signaturesmiledesignsinc.com

K URT J. L AEMMER , D.M.D. K URT J. L AEMMER , D.M.D. 197 Interstate Parkway Bradford, Pennsylvania

814.368.4492

Enhancing Smiles. Enhancing Lives.

S f|zÇtàâÜx f|zÇtàâÜx fÅ|Äx Wxá|zÇá? |ÇvA fÅ|Äx Wxá|zÇá? |ÇvA

G ood L uck P layers & C oaches G ood L u ck P layers & C oaches G ood L u ck P layers & C oaches

M ASTERSHIP IN THE A CADEMY OF G ENERAL D ENTISTRY M ASTERSHIP IN THE A CADEMY OF G ENERAL D ENTISTRY

CRUSADERSCoach: Tony Gerg (3rd year, 8-12 record)2014 Record: 8-3 (3-1 AML South)


5 - Coudersport, 7 p.m.11 - at Port Allegany, 7 p.m.18 - at Smethport, 7 p.m.25 - Sheffield, 7 p.m.

October3 - Curwensville, 1 p.m.9 - at Ridgway, 7 p.m.16 - at No. Cambria, 7 p.m.24 - Kane, 7 p.m.30 - at Brockway, 7:30 p.m.

Switch to single-wing sparks Elk County Catholic turnaround

(Continued from Page 10)Making football at Otto-Eldred a

positive experience in general is one of the new coach’s goals.

“I think it means a lot to kids to be a part of a team,” LaBella said. “It’s not easy to play football, so if they can get through to that first week in November and say ‘I made it through a football season,’ that’s a big accomplishment, whether they’re the starting tailback or the third wide receiver.”

LaBella is assisted by Tim Burris (defensive coordinator), Boyd Fitzsimmons (lines), Dan Drummond (lines), Brian Freer (junior high), Tom VanScoter (junior high) and Leon Hakes (junior high). Fitzsimmons was LaBella’s high school coach. All of the coaches but Drummond are O-E graduates.

“It’s kind of a hometown feel,” LaBella said.

THE RETURNING starters:Heath Stewart, senior, 5-10, 185, wide receiver/run-

ning back/strong safetySeth Drummond, junior, 5-8, 195, running back/

linebackerDamen Palmer, junior, 5-10, 185, quarterback/line-

backer/defensive backBrycen Schneider, senior, 6-2, 230, tackle/defensive

tackle/defensive endGrant West, junior, 6-2, 190, tight end/linebacker(See OTTO-ELDRED, Page 19)

OTTO-ELDRED


Good Luck

101 Barbour St.Bradford, PA

(814) 362-7207 Go Team!

Ric hard W. Foust Au. D. CCC-A Clinical Audiologist & Hearing Aid Service

1095 Million Dollar Hwy. • St. Marys 814-834-7721

900 Beaver Drive • DuBois 814-731-1085

216 N. 2nd St., Suite 6 • Clearfield 814-765-8284

St. Marys returns to Big 30 in earnestBy CHUCK POLLOCKSpecial to The Era

Welcome back.For the past seven years, St. Marys

High School has not been included in the Olean Times Herald’s area it defines for Big 30 football.

Oh, even before that, St. Marys along with Elk County neighbors Ridgway, Johnsonburg and ECC along with Kane and Sheffield were considered fringe schools for OTH purposes.

The difference, though, Elk County Catholic, Kane, Sheffield, Ridgway and Johnsonburg had an auto-matic tie in that all were members of the Allegheny Mountain League with schedules dominated by Big 30 schools in McKean and Cameron counties. Indeed, two years ago Ridgway and Johnsonburg combined programs.

St. Marys, though, was different.One of the four largest schools in

the Big 30, with the District 9 League

dissolved, it was forced to look south for its schedule, namely the Mountain-Nittany League, then the Keystone-Shortway Athletic Conference. For four years, starting in 2008, the Dutchmen played no Big 30 schools. Then in

2012 and ’13 the only such foe was Bradford.

Thus, the OTH exclud-ed St. Marys from the Big 30 as it long ago stopped circulating any-where in Elk County and the 75-mile trip from Olean for committeemen to determine all-stars was impractical.

However, last year, the Dutch played two Big 30 opponents (Bradford and ECC) and that’s the case again this season as they face both the Owls, in the opener, and Ridgway in

the regular-season finale.Last fall, St. Marys went 8-4, tying

its best record (2007) in 42 years, win-ning its District 9 Class AA semifinal over Moniteau before falling to Karns City in the title game..

The team was coached by Tony

Defilippi, who actually took over from his boss.

Joe Schlimm, who formerly coached ECC, had run the program for nine sea-sons, but a policy change precluded the school’s assistant principal from being a paid coach. Now he’s a volunteer aide to Defilippi.

As for the coming season?“We’re excited,” Defilippi said.

“We have nine returning starters, many of whom play both ways. And we have eight other lettermen.

“In all we have 47 players out, grades 10-12. Numbers have never been a problem at St. Marys.”

However, St. Marys’ student popu-lation has dropped to the point where the long-time Class AAA school is an ‘AA’ program in the KSAC’s Large School Division.

But the football program is healthy, not having had a losing season in nine years.

And its other tie to the area remains in that it sends players to the annual Don Raabe Big 30 Charities Classic, formerly the Big 30 All-Star Football Game.

Defilippi, who previously coached at Cameron County, noted of the 2015

Dutchmen, “I’ve been doing this for 20 years (as a head coach or assistant) and I really like what we have coming back.”

Or course, Karns City, which hand-ed St. Marys two losses last season (42-0 regular season, 49-12 in the D-9 finals) remains on the schedule and so is Punxsutawney which administered a 28-21 defeat.

“We like the situation we’re in,” Defilippi said. “We have a lot of expe-rience back from a team coming off one of the best seasons we’ve had in years.”

DUTCHCoach: Tony Defilippi (11th year overall, 52-56 record; 7th year at St. Marys, 20-42)2014 Record: 8-4 (2-2 KSAC Large School)


4 - Bradford High, 7 p.m.11 - A-C Valley, 7 p.m.18 - at Karns City, 7 p.m.25 - at Keystone, 7 p.m.

October2 - Brookville, 7 p.m.9 - Clarion-Limestone, 7 p.m.16 - at Punxsutawney, 7 p.m.23 - Clarion, 7 p.m.30 - at Moniteau, 7 p.m.

November6 - at Ridgway, 7 p.m.

Area high school football games will be broadcast this season on Bradford’s WESB (1490 AM) and WBRR (100.1 FM), Smethport’s Big Bob (95.3 FM), Emporium’s WLEM (1250 AM) and WQKY (98.9 FM), Port Allegany’s WHKS (94.9 FM), Coudersport’s WFRM (600 AM), St. Marys’ WKBI (93.9 FM), McKean County’s Big Bob (103.9 FM) and Ridgway’s WDDH (97.5 FM).

HS football on local airwaves


The 2014 District 9 Class A football playoffs weren’t short on upsets.

Three lower-seeded teams knocked off higher-seeded foes in the quarterfi-nal round. No. 8 Union sent top-seeded Ridgway packing on the first weekend. And Kane, the No. 6 seed, won it all, beating fifth-seeded Brockway, 33-14, in the championship game.

Contributing to the postseason shockers was the playoff format, which remains the same throughout all of District 9 this season.

“It changes every two years,” said Bob Tonkin, D-9 football chairman. “The state works on two-year enroll-ment classifications, so schools have to submit enrollments every two years. This is the second of the two years.”

Here’s a District 9 playoff format refresher:

CLASS A: Eight teams qualify — four from the Allegheny Mountain League, two from the Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference and two at-large qualifiers.

The winner of the AML championship game earns the league’s first automatic playoff bid. The second, third and fourth AML qualifiers are selected based on winning per-

centage in all AML regular season games. Ties are broken by head-to-head results and the PIAA ranking system which awards points for wins and strength of victory.

The KSAC Small School Division sends its top two teams to the playoffs. Tiebreakers are again head-to-head competition and the PIAA ranking system.

The two at-large qualifiers are deter-mined by winning percentage in all regular season games. The same tiebreaking pro-cedure is used.

For bracketing in Class A, which is pre-determined, the AML champion and KSAC Small School winner are guaranteed the top two seeds. They play the at-large qualifiers (the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds) in the quarterfinals.

The No. 1 seed this year will be from the KSAC.

“We rotate that from year to year,” Tonkin said. Ridgway was awarded the top spot in 2014 after winning the AML title.

Additionally this year under the bracket-ing rotation, the third seed will be the other automatic qualifier from the KSAC. The Nos. 4, 5 and 6 seeds will be AML representa-tives.

The Class A playoffs begin Nov. 13 or Nov. 14 with quarterfinal round games host-ed by higher-seeded teams.

The semifinals (Nov. 20-21) and cham-pionship (Nov. 27-28) are played at neutral sites.

“We try to find, if possible, a field as close as halfway between the two schools,” Tonkin said. “The other problem you run into is when you’re playing football in November and December, weather conditions are not always the best. We try to play them on some type of artificial surface if possible.”

CLASS AA: All four teams (St. Marys, Brookville, Karns City, Moniteau) are eligible for the playoffs. Schools can choose to opt out of the postseason, however. Seeding is

determined by the PIAA ranking system.The semifinals, hosted by the higher

seeds, are Nov. 13 or Nov. 14. The champi-onship will be Nov. 20 or Nov. 21 at a neutral site.

CLASS AAA: The top two teams in the three-team class (Punxsutawney, Clearfield, Bradford) play for the District 9 champion-ship Nov. 6 or Nov. 7 at a neutral site. Selection and seeding are determined by the PIAA ranking system. The third-ranked team that fails to qualify for the playoffs will play Warren in a season-ending non-league game.

CLASS AAAA: DuBois is the lone District 9 team and plays in the District 6-9 subregion playoffs. All four teams in the subregion could compete. Selection and seeding are determined by the PIAA ranking system.

Higher-seeded teams will host in the semifinals (Nov. 13-14), and the champion-ship (Nov. 20-21) will be played at a neutral site.


Good Luck Good Luck Flying DutchFlying Dutch

Football Team!Football Team! 606 EAST MAIN ST., BRADFORD, PAPH: 814-362-6803

NAPA Auto Parts & Auto GlassRETAIL & COMMERCIAL SALES

Good Luck To All The Players!

20 Mechanic St. Bradford, PA814-362-6637

Go OWLS!!!

(Continued from Page 17)Sawyer Drummond, sophomore, 6-1, 185, quarter-

back/linebacker/defensive backTrevor Carlson, senior, 5-8, 160, running back/

linebacker/defensive backAric Taylor, senior, 6-3, 220, tackle/defensive tack-

le/defensive endJordan Sherwood, sophomore, 5-11, 210, center/

defensive tackle/defensive end


Quarterbacks: Palmer, Sa. Drummond, Chase Sebastian (fr., 6-0, 160)

Running Backs: Se. Drummond, Stewart, Carl-son, Gage Babcock (so., 5-8, 155), Jacob VanScoter

(jr., 5-11, 165), Will Ping (so., 5-6, 165), Michael Motyka (so., 5-9, 175), Chris Connelly (fr., 5-10, 170), Dylan Close (so., 5-9, 165)

Ends/Receivers: Stewart, West, Michael Welch (fr., 5-8, 140), Maverick Waterman (so., 5-10, 175), Nick York (so., 6-0, 160), Brady Valerius (fr., 6-0, 160), Collin Smith (fr., 5-8, 160), Pat Rounsville (fr., 5-8, 160), Caleb James (so., 5-8, 150), Aaron James (sr., 6-2, 170)

Guards: Zachel Howard (sr., 5-8, 165), Seth Hanes (sr., 5-11, 185), Melissa Allein (jr., 5-8, 160), Greg Estes (jr., 5-10, 195), Alec Wankel (so., 5-11, 185), Trevor Tadder (fr., 5-8, 165), Nate Shroyer (jr., 5-8, 180), Joe Reed (fr., 5-10, 165), Eli Porter (sr., 6-0, 205), Charles Lee III (fr., 5-7, 160), Skylar Langworthy (fr., 5-7, 160)

Tackles: Schneider, Taylor, Dawson Mesler (fr., 5-11, 190), Dylan Wilbur (jr., 6-2, 200), Anthony Moyer

(sr., 5-8, 195), Ed Maluchnik (sr., 6-4, 365), Garret Howard (fr., 6-1, 170)

Centers: Sherwood, Dakota Green (fr., 5-11, 155), Zane Grimes (fr., 5-8, 160)

DefenseEnds: Schneider, Taylor, Sherwood, Green, Reed,

PorterGuards/Tackles: Schneider, Taylor, Sherwood,

Estes, Wankel, Tadder, Allein, Reed, Porter, Wilbur, Moyer, Maluchnik, G. Howard, Grimes, Mesler

Linebackers: Se. Drummond, Palmer, West, Sa. Drummond, Carlson, Connelly, Waterman, Shroyer, Hanes, Z. Howard, Lee, Langworthy

Defensive Backs: Stewart, Palmer, Sa. Drum-mond, Carlson, Sebastian, Babcock, Ping, Motyka, Close, Welch, York, Valerius, Smith, Rounsville, C. James, A. James, VanScoter

OTTO-ELDRED

No changes to District 9 playoff format

high school football preview

Documents