JV hoping to get game at Williamsburg
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By Michael Boytim
mboytim@altoonamirror.com
LOYSBURG -- Juniata Valley is hoping to take advantage of the fact it has six scheduled home games in high school football this season by playing a game at Williamsburg, the school the Green Hornets have a co-op with.
"We have six home games," Juniata Valley coach Bill Musser said. "One thing we're trying to do is get a game to be able to be played at Williamsburg with having that extra home game this year. That would allow them to get a chance to play on their old field in front of the community there of Williamsburg."
The topic will be discussed at Juniata Valley's next board meeting before it can become official.
Williamsburg last fielded its own high school football team in the fall of 2020, and Juniata Valley "hosted" Claysburg-Kimmel on Sept. 17, 2022 so that Williamsburg could hold its senior night. The Green Hornets won that game, 28-12.
"I believe it's been beneficial to both communities," Musser said. "They were one of our bigger rivals. It was one team we always circled no matter what the records were. We always played hard against each other. Coming together, we have had more competitive practices, which make us better down the road."
Juniata Valley was represented on the day by Musser and four players, including Logan Brantner, a Williamsburg student, at Wednesday's Inter-County Conference Media Day held at Northern Bedford County's Panther Community Stadium.
Unlike many co-ops, Juniata Valley has been able to continue to get significant contributions from the school that no longer fields a football team and has also been able to remain at the Class 1A level.
"I think we're going to have eight coming down from Williamsburg this year for varsity," Musser said. "In seventh and eighth grade, I think we're going to have 12."
In search of shoes
Northern Bedford coach Garry Black is dealing with a unique situation as his team approaches heat acclimation week -- finding shoes that fit one of his players.
"He's going to be a sophomore, his name is Josten Imler," Black said. "He had a size 20 last year, and they were still able to get that. The 22-wide (which he now needs), I have googled it, and there are stories out there, but they are hard to find. His parents haven't been able to find them. I reached out to some of my connections on Twitter. He's a big kid, 6-foot-7, 300 pounds and is a growing boy. He's played tackle and defensive tackle. If you lay your arm out, and start it (at your elbow) it ends (at your fingers)."
Black reached out to Shaq, Nike and Penn State football coach James Franklin among others in a thread on X, but so far, to no avail.
"If he can't find shoes," Black said. "For now, he might not play. If he doesn't have shoes, there aren't many options you have for yourself. His dad said if he can't find shoes, he doesn't think he will play."
Big numbers at C-K
Claysburg-Kimmel's high school football program hasn't been known for having large rosters in the past, but Bulldogs coach Chuck Kassick said he has 53 players signed up going into next week.
"It looks like we're getting some kids interested, even on our junior high side, our team has almost doubled the last few years," Kassick said. "Kids are getting back into football, and the town is really behind us for doing that."
Some of that may have to do with the new facilities in the Claysburg-Kimmel school district, including the football field that debuted last season.
"Without question," Kassick said. "We want that facility to be the centerpiece of the community. Not just the centerpiece of the school or the district. We want people to be there to play sports whether it's recreational or organized. We are proud to be the home of so many ICC championships, and that does nothing but continue to promote what we have. We love it."
Dynamic duo
Glendale's roster isn't as big as Claysburg-Kimmel's, but the Vikings may have the best pass-rushing duo in the conference with senior Landen McGarvey and junior Daniel Williams. The pair combined for 40 tackles-for-loss last year, including 25 sacks.
"Especially when we moved him to defensive end," McGarvey said. "I'd take the wide side, he'd take the short side. He's a big boy that can move. He'd just come with power off the end and force the quarterback out, force running backs out and I make sure I don't get beat to the edge and wrap anyone up and take them down to the ground. We know each other and how we play. He's got power, and I have speed. It's a good combination."
SUBHED: Class 2A, not 3A
Despite being listed on the PIAA site as classified as playing in Class 3A for this cycle, the Everett football team will compete at the 2A level.
"We're double-A," Everett coach Brian Koontz said. "We were in a co-op with Southern Fulton, and we dropped that knowing it would push us to triple-A. We are still listed there, but we're 2A. They haven't fixed that yet."
Back and healthy
Windber's Luke Hostetler, who ran for 844 yards on just 67 carries for a remarkable 12.6-yards-per-rush average last season in four games, returns for his senior season after suffering an injury that cut short his junior year.
"It took a toll on my mind," Hostetler said. "It was very hard even watching my teammates play and not being able to be out there with them. It makes this season very special. I have been putting in a lot of work in the offseason so I don't get injured like last year."
Thanks in part to Hostetler's return and a very good senior class, the Ramblers are expecting a special season.
"Being selfish, I think he's the best player in our conference," Windber coach Matt Grohal said. "To have him back for his senior year healthy and 100 percent is huge for us and our program. He was off to an amazing start last year and had a freak injury that sidelined him for the rest of the season, but he's worked really hard this offseason and has seen about every doctor from here to Pittsburgh, so it's awesome to have him back."
There are four teams in District 5 Class 1A -- Windber, Meyersdale, Conemaugh Township and Northern Bedford. Those four teams, if they all enter the playoffs, will compete for two weeks to decide a District 5 champion before that winner plays District 8's Westinghouse for the right to play the District 6 Class 1A champion in the state playoffs.
SUBHED: Hoping for better luck
Southern Huntingdon lost several players due to injury in its season opener last year, and things just got worse from there in a winless season for the Rockets, who are hoping for better luck this year.
"Hopefully, knock on wood," Southern Huntingdon coach Aaron Batzel said. "We were really healthy all the years leading up to that. Last year, it seemed like it all came tumbling down. You have to look at the positives though. A lot of kids had to play. It was ugly at times, but it gave them much-needed experience going into this year."
Fans of new ICC
Berlin Brothersvalley, North Star, Meyersdale and Windber joined the ICC last year, and the move has seemed like a good fit.
"We liked it," Berlin coach Doug Paul said. "Week in and week out, we were getting good games. Northern Bedford had a great team last year. Windber had a great team last year, and even the teams that didn't finish with the best records -- we still had games. There were years past where our starters were playing one quarter of football. We really enjoyed the ICC, and we're happy to be in this conference."