Published: September 04, 2009 08:36 am      

High school football season kicks off tonight

JOHNSTOWN — Two of the area’s most productive – and dangerous – quarterbacks certainly will attract a lot of attention during tonight’s season opener in Sidman.

But the offensive and defensive lines will provide the key matchups as Greater Johnstown visits Forest Hills in a meeting of LHAC contenders at G.H. Miller Field.

“The thing that worries me now is how our kids are going to handle the atmosphere,” said Johnstown coach Kevin Marabito, who with his staff had a major rebuilding project on the line after graduation losses and injuries early in camp. “We’re pretty young up front. Going up there, emotions are going to run high. Stepping on the field, you’ve got to go toe-to-toe, but my fear is how we handle things outside the football end. It’s going to be a great atmosphere for pressure.

“We’ve got the experienced skill kids, but I know what Forest Hills has on defense, and we’re going to have to be able to handle them inside. Can we handle their defensive line? If we can handle that first level I think we’re going to be fine.

“We’ve got to be ready to answer the bell, step up and play 48 minutes. We’ve got to play mistake free.”

Veteran Forest Hills coach Don Bailey believes Johnstown’s size will offset some of the inexperience up front.

“We’ve got a little more experience than (Marabito) does but he has a lot more size than we do,” Bailey said. “He’s got some big boys on his defensive line and offensive line. My biggest lineman is Colin Gdula. He weighs 235 or 240. We’re hoping our quickness and experience makes up for our lack of size.”

Those offensive lines will protect two talented quarterbacks.

Forest Hills’ Zack Glessner ranked second in the area with 1,577 passing yards, completing 84 of 139 pass attempts last season. John Siciliano wasn’t far behind as he ranked fourth in the area with 1,138 passing yards, completing 76 of 166 passes.

Siciliano also ran for 866 yards on 143 carries, adding another dimension to the Trojans’ attack.

“Their quarterback is definitely tough,” Marabito said of Glessner. “If you give him enough time to throw he’ll pick you apart. They’re formidable everywhere. Coach Bailey does a great job all around. We’ve got to be fundamentally sound come (tonight).”

Last season, the host Rangers defeated Johnstown 27-21 in overtime. In that game, Forest Hills led 21-0 at halftime before the Trojans rallied to force overtime.

Glessner completed 10 of 16 passes for 223 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Siciliano hit 12 of 19 passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns against the Rangers during Week 2.

“Siciliano is a very good quarterback. He can throw. He can run. He can do it all,” Bailey said. “He seems to know where to put the ball at all times. He knows when to pull it down and run. He gave us fits last year. He’s probably the fastest kid on their team. He’s got some talented receivers, so you’ve got to cover them. He’s a very dangerous person.”

The Trojans also have other threats.

“The kids have responded well. John Siciliano at quarterback will make things happen,” Marabito said. “Jordan Jefferson has deceptive speed and a lot of moves. LaQuinn Stephens-Howling is tough. Kashmir Pretlor is running hard right now. Richard Agurs is tough. Gervon Simon has been spelling some of those kids. Calvin Anderson is another tough kid. Our skill kids, I’m not worried about. I think they’re going to step up come Friday night. The offense has progressed.”

Marabito is concerned about defensive end Gdula, tackles Bob Oshaben and Eric Ondrejik as well as the rest of the Rangers defensive unit.

“They’re pretty formidable,” Marabito said. “The nose is pretty quick.”

The Rangers traditionally draw large crowds to their home games. Factor in the opening-night festivities and an opponent such as Johnstown, which enters the game with 599 victories as a program since 1898, and there should be long lines and a jam-packed parking lot prior to this one.

“I think we’ll have a very large crowd,” Bailey said. “Anytime you play Johnstown people are interested in it. It’s a pretty tough opener. Seeing them in their scrimmages, they are very talented. They’re very big. They’re very fast. They’ve got an outstanding quarterback. They do everything well. They’re going to be a real challenge for us.”

Tonight’s other games include:



Laurel Highlands Conference

- Bishop Carroll at Bedford: Host Bedford will rely on four seniors who are two-year letterwinners as the Bisons attempt to rebound from a 1-9 season. Split ends Tanner Ripple and Kurt Crawford, running back Paul Detwiler and quarterback/running back Kyle Deneen bring experience. Coach Dan Smith welcomes back eight starters on defense and five on offense.

Bishop Carroll’s numbers might be down, but coach Craig Sponsky still has a solid group returning from a 5-5 squad, including leading tackler Josh Chumrik (125 tackles, 76 solo). The Huskies have won the past two games against Bedford by a combined 87-30 score, though the Bisons won 34-20 in 2006.

- Bishop McCort at Bishop Guilfoyle: Coach Ken Salem’s Crushers are ready to hit the artificial surface at Mansion Park after more than a month of preseason hype, build-up and expectations. The Harrisburg Patriot-News ranks McCort fourth in the state in Class A while the Pennsylvania Football News has the Crushers at No. 6.Salem has seven starters back on offense, including nearly its entire offensive line from a 12-1 squad the went undefeated throughout the regular season and into the state playoffs. Bishop McCort has won three straight District 6 crowns – last year in A and two years in AA.

Guilfoyle went 5-5 last season. The Marauders will attempt to stop a five-game losing streak to other diocesan schools. The series, while not played regularly over the years, dates back to the 1923 season. Last year Bishop Guilfoyle nearly pulled off the upset in a 39-35 loss to Bishop McCort at Mansion Park.

- Richland at Central Cambria: Richland’s Gino Ramires was one of the top passers in the state last season with 2,626 yards via 195 completions in 331 attempts. Ramires has the tools and teammates to continue that aerial success. Coach Brandon Bailey has six starters back on both offense and defense. Bruising back John Rizzo is a 6-foot-1, 235-pound sophomore capable of establishing a ground attack to complement all of that passing.

Central Cambria traditionally is one of the toughest and most successful programs in the area, especially with veteran coach Ken Bussard in charge. Bussard and the Red Devils must overcome inexperience, with no starters back on offense and four returning on defense.

- Somerset at Cambria Heights: Last season, Cambria Heights edged Somerset 26-20 in double overtime during Week 2 for the Highlanders’ lone LHAC victory during the past four years. Third-year coach Justin Myers is looking for much improvement with 21 lettermen back, including nine returning starters on offense and seven on defense.

Somerset also has a large group of returning players from a 1-9 squad. Coach Steve Costea has seven starters back on both offense and defense and 17 lettermen.

Westmont Hilltop at Penn Cambria: Second-year Westmont coach Matt Glennon takes the Hilltoppers to Cresson, where longtime Hilltop mentor Ernie Fetzer coaches the Panthers. Last season Westmont dropped four games by eight or fewer points, including a pair of overtime setback while finishing 3-7. Penn Cambria won 36-28 in the 2008 meeting.

The Panthers are led by Zak Newton, who had an area-best 2,036 rushing yards last season. Newton also passed for 235 yards and scored 20 touchdowns and 148 points to earn Tribune-Democrat Offensive Player of the Year.



WestPAC

- Berlin at North Star: Berlin has numbers, with 44 players on the roster, and experience, with 21 lettermen and eight starters back on each side of the ball. Coach Doug Paul said the program made offseason adjustments after an injury-plagued 3-7 season, hoping to improve conditioning and avoid injuries.

North Star lost a lot of key personnel from a pair of District 5 championship, 10-win teams, but coach Stacy Schmitt has built a winner in Boswell. Part of that foundation is senior Josh Kuncher, who had 781 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns last year. Offensive linemen Mike Bumbarger, Jarrod Putman and Hayden Rigo also return.

- Blacklick Valley at Conemaugh Township: Coach Bill Zamboni’s Vikings’ feature 6-foot-2 senior Ted Worthington, who rushed for 735 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, and quarterback Victor Manda, who completed 50 of 95 passes for 840 yards and nine touchdowns. Blacklick advanced to the District 6 playoffs two straight seasons and is looking for a third trip.

Under coach Sam Zambanini Township finished as District 5-A runner-up last season. Running back Seth Zaman is back after gaining 1,205 yards and scoring 19 touchdowns as a junior. Quarterback George Bivens is a first-year starter who has a reliable target in Kyle Zambanini (21 catches, 307 yards).

- Rockwood at Portage: Portage has been labeled the conference front-runner for months and with good reason. Coach Gary Gouse’s Mustangs are coming off a 12-1 season with a runner-up finish in 6-A. In the past two years Portage went a combined 22-2. The productive backfield duo of Tommy Burgan and Mike Sinosky, who each ran for more than 1,500 yards a year ago will be bolstered by an experienced offensive line.

First-year Rockwood coach Jerry Kaizen has nine lettermen back from a 3-6 squad. Quarterback Ben Miller and tailback Julian Sleasman each played as freshmen in 2008.



Heritage Conference

- Northern Cambria at Penns Manor: Colts coach Paul Taranto will count on some new faces to replace multiple graduation hits. Last season Northern Cambria went 6-4 and advanced to the district playoffs. The Colts return 12 lettermen with two returning starters on offense and three on defense. Taranto will rely on a group of running backs, with William Byrne, Andy Hancharik and Gary Paronish getting a lot of work and fullback Todd Gray providing blocks and carries.

Penns Manor will start two freshmen, including quarterback Dan Ferens and center Kasey Jewart. The Comets, who went 5-5 last season, have 25 underclassmen on a 32-player roster.

- Purchase Line at Ligonier Valley: Red Dragons coach Dave Small came out of a brief retirement when no one else took the coaching job at Purchase Line. Last season Small led his team to an 11-1 mark, but the Dragons lost a lot from that group. This year only one player on the roster has scored a varsity touchdown, five have carried the ball in game action and their quarterback is new. Junior Cody Stolitza is 6-foot-5 but had only thrown one pass prior to this season.

Ligonier Valley is coming off a 3-6 season but hoping to return to the form that led the Mounties to a 9-1 mark in 2007 that included a conference crown and district playoff berth. Coach Roger Beitel has experience in the backfield in Jack Corcoran, who gained 476 yards last season, and Russell and Curtis Markosky.

Non-conference

- Windber at Chestnut Ridge: Windber finished 2008 strong and looks to be even tougher from the outset this year.

The Ramblers have 27 lettermen and eight starters returning on both offense and defense from a 9-4 team that won the District 5 crown. Coach Phil DeMarco’s team overcame a sluggish 1-2 start by going 8-1 down the stretch before losing to District 7 Clairton in the state playoffs. DeMarco must replace a talented backfield in the single wing after the graduation of 2,066-yard rusher Kevin Erickson, fullback Jarod Spinelli and wing back Mike Clark. Quarterback Erick Strapple is seasoned after taking over following Brandon Ulasky’s injury last year. Ulasky returned to play the receiver position, making Windber even more dangerous.

Ridge is coming off a 6-5 season and 5-AA runner-up finish under Max Shoemaker. Running back-linebacker Josh McDannell graduated after gaining 1,147 yards and scoring 90 points. Offensive linemen Jake Deffibaugh, Josh Grove, Devon Gates and Tommy Fleegle are veterans.