District 9 – Region 2 Conference Preview
Tagged under: Conference Previews, District 9, News
Phil Myers | August 16, 2023
Brockway is coming off a successful year going 8-5 with a very tough schedule and beating defending district 1A champ Redbank Valley in the playoffs before falling to Port Allegany in the title game. Coach Jake Heigel feels his team can make it back to the championship game and bring home the district title in 2023. The reason is because he brings back 7 starters on both sides of the football. QB Brayden Fox returns, as does RB Jendy Cuello. Fox threw for 2,611 yards last season, while Cuello rushed for 1,410 yards. That’s over 4,000 yards accounted for by just 2 players! Most teams’ total offense for the year doesn’t amount to 4,000 yards. Add to the mix three receivers (Matthew Brubaker, Drew Brubaker, and Blake Pisarcik) and two veteran linemen (John Varischetti and Reese Yahner) and that is a recipe for an unstoppable offense. Yahner, Ben Yale, and Carter Guaglianone anchor the Rover defensive line that played well at year end in ’22. Big hitter Isaac Crawford returns at linebacker, plus Cuello, Pisarcik, and Matt Brubaker fill out the secondary returnees. Another factor that will enter into the equation is that Brockway has a good freshman class coming in, with the possibility one or more seeing quality playing time at the varsity level.
Kane has a new head coach for 2023 in the person of former player Keaton Rounsville. Coach Rounsville feels that as the kids grow and mature as the season progresses, he will see improvement and that should formulate into wins. With the tough schedule the Wolves play he doesn’t feel it will be a problem to get the kids ‘up’ for each game. Kane had an off year in 2022 going 3-7. With about a half dozen starters back on offense and the same on defense, the Wolves will have a good shot at making the playoffs. Kyle Zook is back at the QB position where he threw for over 1,000 yards last year. Sam West returns at his RB spot where he was the Wolves second leading rusher in ’22. Dane Anderson is the one returning receiver and Cameron Severance will be a key to the success of the offensive line. The strength of the defense should be the secondary with West, Anderson, and Zook occupying three of the four positions.
Keystone’s head coach Todd Smith says, “We are looking to build off of our success last year, winning our first playoff game since 1989. We return much of our line on both sides of the ball from last season and some of our skill players.” The Panthers went 7-5 last year and the key this year Coach Smith told us will be how the young guys step in and fill the shoes of some talented players lost to graduation. Seven offensive players and seven on defense return for the Panthers. The skill position returnees are QB Rayce Weaver, FB Elijah Will, SB Drew Keth, and SE Drew Slaugenhaupt. There are 3 kids back on the line and they are 6’1” 330 lb. Brock Champluvier, 6’ 250 lb. Josh Beal, and 5’9” 230 lb. Cadin Rex. The defense returns Champluvier and Beal at the tackle position, Weaver and Will at linebacker, and Slaugenhaupt, Keth, and Jacob Henry at defensive back.
Port Allegany lost most of their skill guys, but returns their entire offensive line. Port went 12-2 in 2022 and lost a tough game to state finalist Union Area out of the WPIAL. Head coach Justin Bienkowski says, “We will again look to utilize the speed and athleticism we have behind our front.” That Gator line averages 6’2” and 232 pounds, which is good size for a Class A team. They are Miska Young, Juuso Young, Levi Wilfong, Braylon Button, and Carson Neely. Peyton Stiles returns in the backfield and was second in receptions last year. Three sophomores will get the call at other skill positions for the Gators. On defense, the entire front is back (M. Young, J. Young, Button, Neely) along with Stiles, Aiden Bliss, Tristan Kiser, and Nick Wilfong. Coach Bienkowski added, “If we can stay healthy, we feel we can compete with anybody on our schedule.”
Redbank Valley is shooting for accountability in 2023. Head coach Blane Gold said, “We lost two games last year, 8-7 and 7-3. We lost two players for disciplinary reasons that accounted for 37 touchdowns before they were suspended. That hurt not having them when we lost those two games.” Coach Gold said you have to move on and he hopes the team learned a lesson and will be accountable from here on out. The goal is to win another D-9 Class A title like they did 2 years ago. The Bulldogs have the team to do it. They have speed and they have size. Redbank returns 7 on offense and 7 on defense. Braylon Wagner is back at QB, as is Mason Clouse and Rylan Rupp at wide receiver. Top ground gainer Drew Byers returns at the RB position. Caden Adams, Brandon Ross, and Christian Clinger return on the line for RBV. The defense has two of the Bulldog top three tacklers back in Adams and Ross. Also returning are Rupp, Byers, Clouse, Clinger, and Broc Monrean.
Ridgway has 44 players out this year and 18 returning lettermen. Coach Mark Heindl thinks that the Elkers can reverse their fortune from 2022 when they went 2-8. Heindl says, “Adversity builds character.” With so many returning lettermen, character building and lessons learned from last year will serve the team well as they play through the 2023 schedule which is not an easy one. Eric Hoffman, Jackson Kilpeck, Cam Larkin, and Brady Heindl are the corps of those returning. Larkin is the quarterback and threw for over 1,000 yards in ’22. He plays safety on defense. Hoffman is one of the running backs and plays linebacker on defense. Kilpeck was one of the Elkers’ who was always around the ball on defense. Heindl is an important factor on both the offensive and defensive lines.
Smethport has some good numbers and the objective for 2023 is making the playoffs. Coach Joel Lent says the kids continue to put in the work that hopefully will payoff when the season starts. The Hubbers had a rough year in 2022 going 1-8, but they return a few key individuals that could turn things in the right direction this year. Bennett Harris (G/DT), Logan Hurlburt (G/DT), Ryan Mason (RB/S), Brenton McDowell (LB), and Cole Szuba (T/DT) will pave the way for the Hubbers with their leadership and determination to execute each and every play.
Union/AC Valley lost some key starters but at the same time have some experience returning. The Falcon-Knights need to have some players step up at key positions. Union/AC Valley’s new head coach, Dan Reed, stated that the kids did a lot more in the off season and it should pay off during the 2023 football season. Some key returning starters are Zac Cooper (WR/S), Zander Laughlin 6’3” 270 (OL/DL), Kaiden McNany 6’ 250 (C/DT), Brody Dittman (QB/S), Dawson Camper (RB/LB), and Luke Wilson who plays linebacker, was the team’s leading tackler in ’22.
PFN’s Projected Region 2 Finish:
- Brockway
- Port Allegany
- Redbank Valley
- Keystone
- Ridgway
- Union/AC Valley
- Kane
- Smethport
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