This blog is an attempt to cover some of my interests which are colon cancer, high school sports, and progressive politics. These subjects will vary in interest on any given day, week or month.
I have been working as a free lance journalist since 1988. This translation means stringer. I worked in the print media from 1988 to 1996, and have been working in radio from 1996 to present.
It has been an interesting last 5 weeks for Shamokin Area football. The Indians were sitting with a 2-6 record going into week 9. They were to square off against a Shikellamy team who at that time was the number one seed for the playoffs. Flash forward five weeks. Not only did Shamokin beat the Braves that night, but they are 4-1 since including two 4th quarter come-from-behind wins in the playoffs. In high school football, one 4th quarter comeback is rare. Completing the task twice in the playoffs in consecutive weeks is a miracle.
Five weeks ago, the only ones left believing that this was possible were the players and coaches left in the lockeroom plugging away week by week. The town, the fans, the students, teacher and even this writer had given up hope.
The Shamokin Indian football team may not finish the season with a winning record, but for the community, fans, students, teachers and this writer, they have taught us that anything is possible upon this journey if you believe in yourself and stick together. They have inspired a community.
With Tropical Storm Lee affecting most of Eastern PA this week, this week's preview will be brief. Both squads were so out of their routine for week 2. It will be the team and staff that could pick up the fastest and get their respective teams ready to play Monday night. As of now Jersey Shore has had the least disruption.
Shamokin also has to clean up the turnovers and score touchdowns. Maybe with the disruptions this might be easier said than done.
Shamokin Area football boosters held their annual preseason picnic on Saturday in a downpour at the RCA grounds. With many first year starters at the skilled positions and seven starters returning on defense, Coach Foor talked about being "cautiously optimistic"
Mike Gurski returns to be defensive coordinator and Paul Stehman returns to coach the offensive line. The Indians will take the field this week at 8 am and 5 pm. with a 10 am scrimmage on Saturday against Williamsport.
For the first time in nearly 30 years, this annual battle returns to the final spot on the season schedule. From 1934 to 1973, it was played on Thanksgiving Day as part of many Turkey Day games. Shamokin's last win in the series came in a 14-0 win at Kemp Memorial Stadium. Mount Carmel will be looking for 15 in a row come Friday night. Both schools have gone are on their third head coach since that game including one that has shared time at both schools during the last 15 years.
Trust me. When Shamokin sent Carmen DeFrancesco into exile after the 2006 season, Defrancesco never thought he would be part of a Coal Bucket game as a coach again. Only a football purgatory called Upper Dauphin came calling in 2007.
"Not getting the job last year when it was open was heartbreaking," said DeFrancesco. "I was getting prepared to spend the rest of my time coach at Upper Dauphin and we had a nice thing going there."
History for Shamokin Area is not on their side. Beside Mount Carmel winning from 1972 through 1984, the Red Tornadoes have won the last 14. Since Shamokin High's merger with Coal Township, Shamokin Area have on in 1988, 1990 and 1992 at the Silver Bowl.
In recent years, Shamokin has been plagued by someone stepping up from the Red Tornadoes. In 2004, Ryan Kogut's 98-yard quarterback sneak was the difference in a 13-11 game. In 2005, Dave Pellowski came out of nowhere to rush for close to 100 yards and a touchdown out of the fullback slot. Trailing, 12-7 at the half in 2006, Jonas Pachuski's 6 receptions for 166 yards and 4 touchdowns came out of nowhere. His 4 TD receptions in a game are still a Red Tornado record. Justin Pellowski had 5 receptions for 162 yards and two TD's in a 41-14 win in 2007.
The last two years have been 47-7 and 33-6 blowouts in favor of Mount Carmel.
Shamokin has been a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde team in all of 2010. They have played really well at home, but not on the road. When they play bad, it's really bad. Pass coverage has been dismal. Over the years, no matter the record or one-sided, Shamokin Area has played MCA tough with the exception of the last two seasons.
The Indians have to stop the running of Myerick Lamb before doing anything at all and to put pressure on Rob Varano who will be making his first start at quarterback for the injured Eddie Stewart. Varano has been a starting quarterback on most of the football teams he has been a player. Friday, only the stage gets a little bigger.
With the game somewhat returning to it's roots on the schedule, will the outcome be any different?????
Shamokin Area searches for their 5th win of the season on Friday at Montoursville. The last time the Indians had wins in season was 2005 after 19-16 upset of Southern Area to start that campaign. How will the Indians perform?
Shamokin Area are 4-0 at home with a home game remaining next week against the Danville Ironmen. Then the Indians will take some short trip to Shikellamy and Mount Carmel. The end of the Indian's schedule is a little tough, but Danville will be coming off a big game with Southern. Shikellamy will be coming off a game with Mount Carmel. Mount Carmel will be coming of games with Shikellamy and Southern Area. Shamokin Area may able to take advantage of someone coming out flat.
The task at hand will be this week. Jim Bergen is stepping down after 24 years at the helm of Montoursville. The Warriors have wins against Central Columbia and Jersey Shore, but have looked bad in their four losses. Montoursville is a very young team and the experience should pay dividends to the new coaching staff.
Last two times Shamokin hit the road, the team basically didn't get off the bus and were beaten early. How will the Indians react to the longest bus ride of the season. Basically, you could call this a playoff game. Shamokin with be underdogs the rest of the season.
Tonight's Shamokin Indian game with Loyalsock presents two teams at the crossroads of their respective seasons. Both started out with 2 wins and both have given up over 80 points in their last two games resulting in losses. In a 46-38 loss to Shikellamy, the Braves did not complete a pass in defeating the Lancers.
Although there were some good things to see in Shamokin's loss to Southern two weeks ago, the Indian's effort stayed at the Susquehanna Valley Mall or somewhere in between. The Indians pass defense was torched by Selinsgrove for a 31-0 lead at the half in cruising to a 38-7 victory.
Both teams tonight will try to feature their running games. Mike Kinney averages over 7 yards a carry and close to 125 yards a game for Loyalock and is big, physical downhill runner. Shamokin's offense was offensive last week with less than 80 yards. The Indians scored their only touchdown on a fumble recovery long after the game was decided.
What will be the tipping point? The Lancer with all their defensive woes, have completed 44 passes on the season for over 700 yards. When was Shamokin's last interception by a defensive back?
Unless the Indians find a way to stop the pass, Kinney could have a big day. This won will be won or loss by Shamokin's defense tonight.
For the first time since 2005, Shamokin Area won their opener. Hoping history doesn't repeat itself like it did in 2005. The Indians are hoping for a better result in Week 2 than the loss to Montoursville in week 2 back in 2005 when the new turf made it's debut.
The Indian allowed one touchdown on the last play of the game, forced two turnovers, and only committed three penalties for 15 yards.
Where the Indians had to play pass defense against Mifflinburg, they have to face the triple option against Jersey Shore who lost 28-20 to Loyalsock in their opener.
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I had the honor to broadcast the opener between Line Mountain and Southern on Saturday night. In one of the strangest games I ever seen Line Mountain rolled out to 20-0 first quarter lead with over 200 yards in total offense in the quarter led by Eagle QB, Marty Beninsky. (Even though it was high school, he would have earned Heismann votes)
Well, Beninsky, center Bryce Martz and FB Joey Hukill all went down in the second and 49 unanswered points later, Southern Area won going away.
Here is hoping we see a week 11 or 12 playoff rematch.
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Strangest this of Week 1? Usually, in covering high school football it is not unusual to make it through September only wearing shorts and that near held true. Friday was brutal with the press box being about 90 and humid. Saturday on the other side, had temps in the low 50's in wind by the end of the game. It was a night for trousers.
As it goes, it was the earliest in 21 years that I needed a pair of jeans in the high school football season.
Shamokin fell to 0-2 on the young season with losses coming to rivals, Southern Area and Mount Carmel. They say you make your most improvement from Week 1 to Week 2. Shamokin could be in for a long season. The game with Central is critical.
The big disappointment for the Indians against Mount Carmel was the special teams. Shamokin had a blocked punt and several bad snaps that led to bad punts. Also, on punt return, Shamokin gave up chunks in field position including a punt that rolled inside the 10 yard line.
What was also surprising were the illegal participation penalties. Somebody has to know who's in and who's out. Guess what, I'm not blaming the coaching.
There was also some signs of bright spots. For the second consecutive week, Shamokin's offense drove down for a score last in the first half. In two games, no one has drove down the field against the Indians "D" and hopefully they will continue to improve.
Last year Shamokin coughed up a 19-0 early lead and lost to Central. Central is coming off a win against Danville who only has a few seniors and didn't have Michael Owens-Wright.
Central likes to spread the field and take advantage of mismatches. I like Shamokin in this one for some reason, 13-7.
Demko Coming Back?
Trevor Demko tosses with a teammates before Saturday's Coal Bucket
Mount Carmel Area senior Trevor Demko may be back in the lineup against Shikellamy this week. He was scheduled to suit up for practice this week and assessed from there. Let's hope Trevor makes it back to the field.
