P-O: Numbers game

Mounties hope fresher players parlays into more victories

Guy Cipriano

- gciprian@centredaily.com

PHILIPSBURG — Many view Pennsylvania as a football-crazed state, yet some coaches face a conundrum because they often open preseason practices with slimmed-down rosters.

CDT file photo/Christopher Weddle

Philipsburg-Osceola senior Zack Czap will be one of the Mounties’ keys on offense this season after leading the team in rushing with 716 yards last year.

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Bald Eagle Area: Beefed Up

Philipsburg-Osceola coach Jeff Vroman has experienced that dilemma.

So it’s not surprising Vroman, a coach who rarely hides his intensity, exudes passion when discussing the benefits of having 40 players this season.

“It’s real tough as a coach in 2009 to get kids to commit,” he said. “That’s a consensus as I have talked to coaches in different parts of the state. Right now, a number of kids aren’t sticking with it.

“Football is not an easy game. It gets very comparable to life. You don’t want to get out of bed, but you have to. What are a lot of kids doing in 2009? They just quit. That’s the easy answer.”

Vroman can talk for hours about the subject. But there’s a bigger question the Mounties are working to answer: Will increased depth translate into more wins?

The Mounties ended last year with 28 players and just two wins, two numbers that still chomp at Vroman and some players.

“We came out this year with a whole new attitude,” said senior Zack Czap, who played on a 2007 team that went 9-3 and advanced to the District 6 Class AA semifinals. “We already set out to change things and go in the right direction.”

The Mounties replaced 10 seniors with 16 sophomores. This year’s senior class is slightly bigger with 12 players, including three-year starters Czap and Steve Rusnak, and Jason Supko and Coltyn Wrye, two athletes returning to football after absences.

The Mounties saw the benefits of a larger roster during the preseason. Practices included more competition for not only varsity, but junior varsity playing time. Players also had the overlooked luxury of drilling with different bodies.

“It’s a great opportunity for us,” Rusnak said. “We have fresher guys rotating and we can get fresher guys into the game. Last year, everybody was playing two ways and some people were breaking.”

Some key players will receive few respites in close games. But if things go as planned, Vroman could have more options as the season progresses.

“The key for us is building depth and that’s what we are trying to do right now,” he said. “You can figure who can play, so if we can get some depth built in, rotate guys and keep them fresh, it will make us a better football team.”

If depth was issue 1A last year, then defense was 1B.

The Mounties allowed 32.2 points per game, including 35 or more in their final four games against Tyrone, St. Marys, Chestnut Ridge and Huntingdon.

“Defensively, we didn’t tackle anybody all year,” Vroman said. “That was huge as far as wins and losses and the way things went. That’s the important thing for us to shore up.”

The Mounties forced turnovers in scrimmages against Southern Huntingdon and DuBois, an encouraging sign considering they lost the turnover margin 21-10 last season. The secondary could be a strength, with Czap and juniors Cody Curtis and Reggie Coval returning and sophomores Mike Marcinko and Parker Watson pushing for playing time.

The also Mounties return three starters at linebacker — seniors Jeremy Pollick and Rusnak, and junior Curtis Walker. Rusnak led the Mounties with 92 tackles despite playing most of last season with a hand injury. Senior Matt Randolph, junior Keith Smolko and sophomore Cody Lee are also playing linebacker.

Junior Justin Shimmel is the lone returning starter on the defensive line, but Supko (6-4, 240), Wrye (6-1, 240), senior Cody Pepperday (6-2, 220) and sophomore Kyle Lanich (6-0, 285) are three of P-O’s biggest players.

“I see a big improvement on defense,” Rusnak said. “It looks a lot better than it was last year. Everyone is flying to the ball.”

Offensively, the Mounties return eight starters, including a backfield with experience running the Wing-T.

Coval, who played more as last season progressed because of an injury to Rusnak, will begin the season at quarterback. Coval rushed for 281 yards on 54 carries and completed 14 of 55 passes for 302 yards last season. The backfield is filled with experience as Czap (146 carries, 716 yards), Rusnak (89- 309) and Pollick (49-198) return. Coval, Czap, Rusnak and Pollick compiled a combined 20 touchdowns last season.

“Our whole backfield is coming back and that’s very important,” said Czap, who also kicks and punts. “Everybody is on the same page there and hopefully we will be successful with that.”

The offensive line must replace guards Storm Bumbarger and Andy Hanes, but Shimmel, Randolph and Pepperday return. The other two starters should come from a group that includes Andrew Mann, Supko, Wrye and Lanich. Smolko and Walker will play tight end.

Vroman hopes the presence of 15 returning starters and a larger roster prevents a repeat of 2008.

“At the end of last year we said we weren’t going to make losing a habit,” said Vroman, whose program missed the postseason for the first time since 2005. “That’s where we are at. We don’t want to make it a habit.”