A ‘second family’; Why Hampton’s football team runs deep.

Tagged under: District 7, Gameday Hub, News, pfn

Greg Hillman | October 14, 2026

HAMPTON TWP., PA– It’s not just the 22 players on the field.

Or the coaches on the sidelines and in the press box. It’s about everyone. That’s the whole concept of a team, right?

Meet Declan Dunlap (So.-featured left in picture) and Max Cieply (Jr.-featured right), Hampton’s two team managers.

They keep day-to-day operations running smoothly for the football squad every season. During Hampton’s football season, they fill and refill water bottles, bring them out to the players during timeouts, set up equipment, and make sure the team has everything they need to play on Fridays.

“It was the start of freshman year, and I really wanted to find a school activity to do,” Declan said. “My dad said Coach [Steve] Sciullo needed help with the football team. So, I hooked up with Max and Coach Sciullo and started working for the team being the manager, and really enjoyed it.”

His work caught the eye of another prominent coach at Hampton, Joe Cangilla, the head boys’ basketball coach.

“Coach Cangilla came up to me and asked if I wanted to do it for basketball, and I was like, ‘sure’. And now I do it for football and basketball. I really enjoy doing it. So, I’m going to do it all four years. This is my sophomore year. I’m going to do it every year.”

And this isn’t just a “show up on Fridays” type of job. It’s every day.

“Yeah, so I help out daily,” Cieply added. “I come after school during practices and during game days. Basically, I set a lot of things up, make sure that everything is where it needs to be. I also make sure that the players get water and help out with that. Make sure that they’re doing what they need to do and that they’re in the right place.”

Both Max and Declan have been welcomed with open arms by the team and the players. The team helps them out just as much as they help the team. Which, again, is the whole point of a “team”.

“There’s so many different things I’m able to do,” Cieply said. “It seriously feels like a second family to me. With all the guys being able to connect with them, seeing how they grow throughout the year. Sharing memories with them. It’s an amazing thing to do with a team like this.”

“I really enjoy getting to make new friends,” Dunlap added. “All of these players on the team are my friends. Just being able to talk to them during the games and help them during the games. And help them do what they love, and it just really fits my style.”

For context, Declan said that with extreme enthusiasm. I wish anyone reading this could’ve heard him say that. It was awesome.

Moving forward…

Over the last couple of years, Max has been dealing with some health issues. Those issues unfortunately landed him in the hospital for an extensive period of time. But what got him through his hard times; his brothers.

“I went through a lot last year and during the summer,” he explained. “I was in the hospital for 3-4 months. I had to get like four surgeries. But what really helped me was seeing how these guys developed with their sports. Having people come over and visit. Especially the players. That really brought my spirits up. It’s like a brotherhood.”

A brotherhood that was there when Max needed them the most. A testament to what true friendship means.

“They were giving me a lot of support; they were praying for me,” Cieply continued. “And it just really helped my mental state knowing that they were there for me. They cared enough to reach out. It was something that not everyone has to do, but they took time out of their day to do it, and it really meant a lot.”

While Max is doing better now, he and Declan are enjoying their time as Hampton hopes to get back into the playoff race with just a couple of weeks left in the season.

Speaking of racing… I asked Declan if he would consider pursuing a career in sports management, and this was his response.

“I’m not looking at it in college,” he said. “I want to be a NASCAR mechanic when I grow up. Someone who works on the NASCAR cars. It’s the same elements: you travel, you help with the team. Do all that stuff, and I think this is really good training for it.”

Indeed, it is. So, look for Declan in the pits at Dayton in a couple of years.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, his favorite NASCAR driver is “Chris Buescher”.

Both of these guys are the backbone of the Hampton football—and basketball—team. Their work may be unnoticed at times, but their roles are just as important as those of the guys in the blue jerseys.

“I’m having a lot of fun,” Cieply said. “I know sometimes it gets a little heated on the sidelines and all of that. But that’s what I enjoy doing. It’s fun doing what I do out there, and it’s interesting to be out on the field.”

As for Declan.

“I really enjoy working with this team,” he added. “What Max was saying, it’s like a second family. Being able to work with all these guys and watch them grow. And as we head for hopefully the playoffs, it really shows how good we are as a team right now.”