By Michael Boytim

mboytim@altoonamirror.com

Glendale has hired its new high school football coach, and the Vikings didn’t have to search far to find him.

Chase Hill, the current varsity girls basketball coach and a teacher at the high school, was approved by the Glendale board recently to take on the role of head football coach this fall.

“I believe Chase will do a great job,” Glendale athletic director John Matchock said. “He is young and enthusiastic. He has some big shoes to fill with Coach (Dave ‘Spank’) Trexler departing. I believe he can build on what Coach Trexler started. He is a teacher and has established a good rapport with the kids. He has some big plans in the works and the school and community is excited to see what the team can accomplish.”

Hill spent five years coaching junior high football at Northern Cambria before getting a teaching job in business and computer classes at Glendale this year and taking on the role as girls basketball coach.

Hill’s Northern Cambria teams had plenty of success, including an undefeated season, and went on to accomplish big things at the varsity level, including the District 6 Class 1A championship in 2022.

“My first year coaching was when the team that won District 6 was in their eighth-grade year,” Hill said. “I coached that seventh- and eighth-grade team, and that three-year run of success those kids had at varsity, I had coached them in junior high.”

Hill said establishing depth and building on what the team already has accomplished will be some of his first goals.

“At smaller schools it’s definitely harder to get numbers and have the depth,” Hill said. “There is a good group here now though. I’m walking into a really good situation with all of the athletes we have now. It’s just keeping everyone healthy and getting us set up to last the whole season. Hopefully we can get a couple more guys out for depth when it comes to the line and skill guys. I’m excited to work with the guys we have and get rolling here.”

The Glendale girls basketball team is still in the hunt for a District 6 Class 1A playoff berth, and Hill will stay with that team at least through this season.

“We’re finishing up the season in basketball, and then I have to talk to my assistants,” Hill said. “I might just have to help out when I can and have them take over as head coach, because football is pretty much year-round. We have to finish out our season first and try to make a playoff run, and then we’ll sit down and talk about that.”

Glendale finished 6-5 last season and lost to Claysburg-Kimmel, 32-22, in the District 6 quarterfinals under Trexler, who resigned shortly after the season.

“Everyone seems ready to roll, and the attitude seems good,” Hill said. “It helps walking into a situation having the athletes we do where they have made the playoffs. I’m excited, and they seem excited. I’m ready to roll and get back to the playoffs again.”