Altoona football trying to match ’25 win total
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Altoona won just three games last season, but Friday night when the Mountain Lions travel to Carlisle, they can match that win total just four games into the 2026 season.
Altoona has back-to-back wins over Central Dauphin and Central Dauphin East and has scored 41 points in each game.
"I think we're just executing," Altoona coach Vince Nedimyer Jr. said. "We have told the kids for two weeks, it's not what we call, it's them executing. They are bought into what we're doing. I don't think what we're doing is really difficult. We're trying to just get really good at just a few things instead of trying to put a ton of stuff in. Our kids have done a nice job with that from week to week with the little wrinkles that we may have. They are locked in mentally with it and have done a good job executing."
The Mountain Lions have more depth this season and have managed to win the last two weeks despite injuries to two of their best players -- Luke Geishauser and Cody Chathams.
"As a coaching staff, we have said this is the best scout team that we have had in the last six or seven years," Nedimyer said. "When we're playing against ourselves, we are getting a good look. That shows depth and having guys that can step in at any time. We have been playing without some key players the last two weeks. We have had guys in those positions know what they are doing and making plays. This is the most depth we have had."
Carlisle, often picked to finish last in the Mid-Penn Conference's Commonwealth Division by coaches in the Mirror's Blitz magazine, is coming off a win over Central Dauphin last week. The Mountain Lions ended their season with a 14-0 win over Carlisle last year.
"It's tough going anywhere on the road to try and get a win," Nedimyer said. "With them, their coach has them going in the right direction. They played well and beat a good Central Dauphin team, just like we did a couple weeks ago. With us beating them at the end of last year, I'm sure they will be ready for us."
Bouncing back
Hollidaysburg will take the field for the first time after losing a game for the first time since the 2023 season as in 2024 and 2025 the Golden Tigers didn't lose until their state playoff game.
Hollidaysburg came out slow in a road loss to Susquehanna Township and fell to 2-1.
"We won't change much," Hollidaysburg coach Homer DeLattre said. "There will be a lot of reminders about mistakes, just like we do every week. We won't treat it much different. Every week, we have them set a few goals of how they are going to get better. We're trying to keep the same mindset, but there will be some reminders about trying to get off to a better start."
Friday's opponent will be Baldwin at Tiger Stadium at 7 p.m.
"They are very multiple and have some new players out this year which has brought some excitement," DeLattre said. "They are independent now and aren't playing North Allegheny, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Norwin and schools like that. They already have a win this year after being 0-10 the last couple years. They have a lot of young players who are contributing. They have some six-linemen set and a lot to prepare for. We'll be facing a different defensive front in a 3-4 that we haven't seen yet this year."
The Golden Tigers will be trying to not only bounce back in the win column but improve on some miscues from a week ago.
"I definitely think they are all correctible mistakes," DeLattre said. "They are all mistakes that we have done well at other times. The game just moves faster when you're playing against high-level kids with size. The game speed of it was a factor in some of our mistakes, but there's nothing we can't fix or get better at."
Looking for balance
Bishop Guilfoyle Academy bounced back from a loss to Richland with a dominant 35-0 drubbing of Bellefonte last Saturday, but the Marauders had to play the game in a storm.
That meant BG didn't throw the ball as often as it would have liked to, so it's possible if the weather is better for Friday's matchup at Huntingdon, the Marauders might air it out.
"We have to continue working on making our offense a little more balanced," BG coach Justin Wheeler said. "(Saturday), we had planned to throw the ball a lot more. The (weather) conditions didn't allow it, but we can throw. We have some really good receivers. We just haven't been able to use them as much as I really want to."
Defensively, the Marauders are hitting their stride.
"I was really happy," Wheeler said. "I thought we did a great job against Richland, except for a couple plays that cost us. I was happy to see we had a much more consistent four-quarter defensive effort this week."
Teams have also had to deal with long fields thanks to BG's senior placekicker.
"Carter Boland has been one of the best kids in the state consistently," Wheeler said. "I am pretty happy with our special teams. We have two touchdowns there, and Carter is making the other team start at the 20 every time."
Friday's opponent, the Bearcats, are 1-2 but have played a tough schedule with losses to Bald Eagle Area and Bellwood-Antis. Huntingdon lost to Penn Cambria in the District 6 Class 3A final a year ago after beating Tyrone in the semifinals.
"They are a very athletic group of kids," Wheeler said. "They made it to the finals in 3A last year, and brought back a lot of people and will probably make another run in 3A. You have to be really disciplined, because they run a lot of option plays."