Bald Eagle Area: Beefed Up

BEA hoping weight room work pays off

Guy Cipriano

- gciprian@centredaily.com

WINGATE — Bald Eagle Area discovered how to win close games last year, defeating Centre County rivals Philipsburg-Osceola, Penns Valley and Bellefonte to qualify for the District 6 Class AA playoffs.

CDT file photo/Christopher Weddle

The Bald Eagle Area defense shut down Clearfield on this run last season but lost the game 41-6. The Eagles worked hard in the weight room in the offseason with such lop-sided losses acting as motivation.

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Of all the discoveries made during BEA’s best season this decade, none proved bigger than the ones unearthed against non-county opponents.

“The kids knew that they needed to be in the weight room,” coach Jack Tobias said. “They saw the difference against teams that were stronger and beat teams that were close to what we were.”

Despite a 4-6 regular season and first playoff appearance since 1999, the Eagles struggled against some of the area’s meatheads, falling to St. Marys, Central Mountain, Tyrone, Clearfield, Central and Huntingdon by one-sided scores. The breakthrough season ended with a 34-0 playoff loss at Tyrone.

The losses, not victories, served as offseason motivation. The Eagles started summer lifting sessions at 7 a.m. Attendance remained steady as 20-30 players began their days while some opponents slept.

“There’s a lot more devotion,” said senior running back/linebacker Jon Gingrich, a college prospect and third-year starter.

For morning fare this summer, Tobias brought donuts from the refurbished Sheetz adjacent to the school. But the Eagles resembled anything but cake-eaters when two-a-days started earlier this month.

Some key players, such as Gingrich and Stevie Eisenhuth, added more than 20 pounds. Gingrich (wrestling) and Eisenhuth (basketball) play winter sports, but many other projected starters, including most of the offensive line, returned to the weight room last November. The cooperation excited the already enthusiastic Tobias, a second- year coach operating his first full off-season program.

“It was a lot easier getting the things done that I wanted to do,” he said. “They have a better sense of where the program was and where we needed to be. One of the big things we noticed right away was our strength. Our guys saw that four weeks in a row when we had those losses.

“I think it sunk in because when it was time to hit the weight room in the offseason, guys were in there right after the season was done and I was giving them off until after the holidays. They were in there on their own lifting and taking the initiative.”

The brutal stretch Tobias is referencing started with a 21-0 loss at St. Marys and ended with a 41-6 loss to Clearfield. Central Mountain (38-0) and Tyrone (41-0) also blanked BEA.

To prevent similar drubbings, BEA tweaked its offense, moving the athletic Eisenhuth (6-foot-3, 240 pound) from center to slot back. The Eagles feature one of the largest backfields around as Gingrich (6-2, 235) returns at running back after averaging 6.1 yards per carry.

Creating balance is an offensive objective. BEA completed just 44 passes last season, a total Tobias wants to increase in 2009. Juniors Mark Leskovansky and Justin Taylor are competing to become the starting quarterback. Tobias envisions Eisenhuth becoming a passing target while the speedy Brock Bathurst could develop into a deep threat.

The Eagles have depth at running back, where juniors Cody Hicks and Coleman Hoffman will join Gingrich. Jeremy St. Clair (6-2, 185) ended camp as the Eagles’ top tight end.

“I think one thing that’s different than last year is that we have the capability of passing if we need it,” Gingrich said.

Senior Dillon Shreffler (6-0, 260), junior Ruger Brower (5-11, 265) and sophomore Nate Eisenhuth (6-3, 240) return on the offensive line. Brice Beals (6-1, 225) is the likely starter at center while senior Mark Bonsell (6-4, 290) and junior Nathan Gilbert (6-2, 270) are competing for starting spots.

“The guys bonded as a unit during the off-season,” Tobias said. “They are smart, they come off the ball and they know their calls well.”

Gingrich is moving from defensive end to linebacker where he joins Stevie Eisenhuth, a third-team Pennsylvania Football News All- State selection. BEA players refer to Gingrich, a three-sport standout, as “Coach Jon” while Eisenhuth led the team with 133 tackles last season.

“I think we can stop anyone up the middle,” Eisenhuth said.

Dillon Schall, Hoffman and Hicks are candidates to play outside linebacker. The defensive line consists of Beals and St. Clair at ends and Shreffler and Brower at tackles. Kyle Womer, Chris Gribble, Taylor and Bathurst will roam the secondary. Hoffman, a PIAA wrestling qualifier, has the ability to play linebacker or cornerback.

“We are a lot deeper than last year,” Tobias said. “We have the flexibility to move kids around and use our athletes better than we did.”

Kyle Kinley, who suffered an injury in Week 2, returns at kicker. The Eagles also have a returning punter in Womer.

Tobias, whose program hasn’t experienced a winning season since 1994, said the team has set lofty goals.

“These guys just don’t want to get to the playoffs,” he said. “They want to win in the playoffs and that has been the whole theme. We want to get there and do something.”

Editor's note: This is the second of five previews highlighting the county’s high school football programs. Tuesday’s story will highlight Philipsburg-Osceola.