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2025 PFN Team Preview: The Mechanicsburg Wildcats

Tagged under: District 3, News, pfn, Team Previews

| August 11, 2025

The Mechanicsburg Wildcats
Head Coach: Dave Heckard
Class 5A
2024 Season Record:11-1
PIAA District 3

Key Starters Lost
Eli Reider – QB/DB,
Josh Smith-WR/DB,
Isaac Dollman-RB/DB,
Justin Bardo-OL/LB

 

Returning starters
Noah Apple – WR/QB/DB- 6’2″ 180 14 Rec. 275 Yards, 4 TD’s
Drake Dawson – TE/QB/DE- 6’2″ 225 13 Rec. 241 Yards, 1 TD, 65 Tackles, 6 sacks, 10 TFL, 1 Int
Jack DeLuca – WR/LB- 6’0″ 180 20 Rec. 191 Yards, 1 TD, 36 Tackles, 1 TFL
Jimmy DeWire – OL/DL- 6’2″ 27030+ Pancake blocks, 0 sacks, 0 pressures, 0 hurries.
Drew Freeland – TE/LB- 6’0″ 185 97 Tackles, 1 sack, 6 TFL, 1 Int, 1 Blocked Punt, 1 TD
Tony Larock – OL/DL- 6’0″ 205
Collin Stare – OL/DL- 6’2″ 245 63 Tackles, 7 sacks, 15 TFL

 

Key Newcomers
Anthony Francis (11) RB/WR/DB/LB
JJ Gould (12) WR/DB
Ryan Foose (11) WR/DB
Danny Kurtz(10) WR/DB
Rece Miller (12) RB/LB
Tanner Minnich (12) K
James Roth (11) WR/LB
Dylan Taylor (11) FB/LB
Talan Verdelli (11) FB/LB
Tristan Wolfe (11) OL/DL
Vince Wollery (11) OL/DL
Landen Yale (11) TE/DL

 

2025 Schedule

Season Outlook

“Offensively, the Wildcats lost a good bit of their skill position players in Smith, Dollman and Reider, but they bring back a host of linemen which should help the new skill players adapt quickly. Jimmy DeWire and Collin Stare lead the way, both are returning starters and will play Division 1 football next season and also returning is Center Anthony Larock.
Tight End Drake Dawson is a key cog in the offensive wheel, last year we saw him with his hand in the dirt as well as flexed out as a wide receiver, his combination of size and athleticism is a matchup nightmare at both spots.
Wide Receiver’s Noah Apple and Jack DeLuca combined for 34 receptions last season and look to try and replace phenom Josh Smith. One of the biggest questions for the Wildcat’s is the running back position, both Rece Miller and Anthony Francis will tote the rock and look to help offensively behind a superb returning offensive line.
Mechanicsburg returns six starters on the defensive side of the ball and a host of players with plenty of experience. Leading the way is returning Keystone Division Defensive POY, is Defensive tackle Collin Stare. The strength of the Wildcats defense will be up front, along with Stare returning all-conference players Drake Dawson (DE) and Jimmy DeWire (DT) look to both have impactful seasons.
At the linebacker position, the Wildcats return two all-conference players in leading tackler Drew Freeland on the inside and Jack DeLuca on the outside. Together they combined for 130+ tackles. Returner Noah Apple will play at various places and others look to step up and help in the defensive backfield.”

Dave Heckard

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