Southern Columbia Preview vs. Bloomsburg in 2013

Last week, Southern Columbia celebrated 50 years of varsity football against Selinsgrove by honoring their 1963 team. It was actually outstanding to see many members and their families attend the event. The Tigers then proceeded to harpoon the Seals with a 33-7 lead after one quarter and a 47-7 lead by the half to the 2009 AAA state champions.

The questions that one has to ask is whether Southern is that good or is Selinsgrove that bad.  My answer is that the Tigers are that good and are going to get better.  This year's version of the Tiger offense features 5 guys that could run the ball with Adam Feudale, Blake Marks, Matt Lupold, Nate Hunter, and Brad Noll.  This opens up the air game for Jake Becker to pick you apart with Luke Rarig or Zach Tillet plus go to the backs out of the backfield.

This week's game is centered around the year 2009. Southern finished off the 2009 AAA champions in style last week.  It was 2009 when the Tigers lost to Tri-Valley at Schuylkill Haven in a playoff who were coached by current Bloomsburg head coach, Mike Kogut. The controversial call went against Southern on the Tri-Valley goal line. The Tigers thought they broke the plane, but were eventually called for assisting the runner.  It ended up being the difference in a three point loss.

Bloomsburg is a team that Southern has played every year they had varsity football including a few in the post season.  The rivalry was dominated early by Bloomsburg but has been dominated over the past three decades by the Tigers.  The Panthers have played Southern tough since 2007, but this year's version of the Tigers has a chance to rank up there with the 1994 and 2006 teams who this writer considers the best in school history.

Shamokin vs. Mifflinburg

 

 

Shamokin had a strange stat of all stats last week when the Indians held the ball for 9 minutes of the second quarter and were outscored 28-0.  For the Indians, they have to look at that 9 minutes and look at what can be and work for it.  You do that 4 times a game you win easy. 

 

 

The Achilles heel for the Indians not only this season, but for the past decade or so.  It is even more troubling when these big plays come on the 3rd and 4th down.  Again, coaching could only do so much.  It is eventually up to a player if they want to make the Heartland Conference 1st team or the Xbox All-Madden team.

 

 

Last weeks game served notice of you can be and also of what you don't want to be. The decision is eventually yours.

 

Shamokin with a chance to run the table

Asst. Joe Gubernot sets the defense

Shamokin Area Indian Boys will have a chance to win the inaugural Heartland Athletic Conference Division 1 basketball championship with a win over Mifflinburg tonight at Mifflinburg. A win by Shamokin will make them undefeated in league play and will be the second straight league championship winning the Schuylkill League last year in a final against North Schuylkill. Mifflinburg was eliminated from post-season earlier in month with a loss to Danville.

A side note on tonight's game. Shamokin assistant coach Joe Gubernot was attacked by a female fan from Mifflinburg. The fan thought Gubernot was singling out Wildcat players to be attacked physically by the Indians. Coach Gubernot has been flashing defensive signal cards for close to 20 years.

This comes after an incident during the football season involving a local media outlet.

Chase Utley's "F" Bomb in a week of "F" Bombs

Chase Utley drops the "F" Bomb

and is wildly cheered.

Last week, I dropped the "F" Bomb to one person and was kicked out of Mifflinburg High School. I guess my undergraduate degree at Villanova got the best of me. Utley was overwhelmed by close to 2 million people showing up for a parade thinking Chase is special.

Back in the 80's, I would have been overwhelmed if 2 coeds from Sheehan Hall thought I was special.

Shout Out

A special shout out goes to Coach Carmen Defrancesco of Upper Dauphin who recorded his 100th win as a head coach. The win propels the Trojans into the District III A playoffs as the seventh seed.

History made at the Shamokin-Mifflinburg game.

Broadcasting high school football and basketball for 12 years, I finally made some history. I may have been the first broadcaster ejected from the event before it started. For some reason, the athletic department could not handle placing four electronic media outlets. For whatever reason, I was still not able to stay in the press box after another media outlet made room. What was the problem? Beats me. We did broadcast from the same place last season with as many electronic media outlets in the box.

What got me ejected?

After being told I couldn't remain in the press box, I was on my way to the visiting sideline when I told someone I will never come (insert expletive) here again. Seeing that I was such a threat, I was removed from the stadium. So much for freedom of speech. Is it ok for a Mifflinburg fan to say, "lock up the farm animals, here come the Shamokin fans?"

How did we make history? We became the first to broadcast a game from a vehicle. We did it in style from a 1983 Mercedes 300SD powered by grease.

To the good taxpayers of Mifflinburg:

If your athletic department cannot plan and make accommodations for four media outlets, could they be shortchanging your students. They seemed challenged in answering basic questions. If this is difficult in the future, please contact Mount Carmel, Shamokin, Southern, Selinsgrove, or the Montoursville school districts. They have plenty of experience handling multiple media.

Apologies? I have one and not to the Mifflinburg High School athletic department. Shamokin senior Dan Ruskuskie scored his first varsity touchdown and from our vantage point we got the player incorrect on the air.

Mount Carmel at Southern

They went at it hard for four quarters and the Red Tornadoes won in a close one. I still like both school prospects for the post season.

PHILLIES

Are the stars finally in alignment for a Philadelphia sports team? I was 14 when the Phillies were world champs in 1980. With the Eagles in the Super Bowl a few months later and the Sixers and Flyers always a power, I thought championships would come easy.

If it happens tonight, savor it!!!!!

Shamokin with faint playoff hopes against Mifflinburg

Montgomery returns tonight


At 3-5, this fan is still smiling!

Only the faithful remain at practice

Shamokin travels to Mifflinburg tonight to try to go 4-5 on the year and keep faint playoff hopes alive. Right now Shamokin's chances in Districts are better than Eastern Conference. North Schuylkill, who still hasn't qualified for District XI is ahead of the Indians in the EC with a game in Week 10 against Mount Carmel.

The online poll says Mount Carmel will beat Southern by a 75% to 25% of the responders. This is a good game for both squads with bigger fish to fry in the postseason.

If Lewisburg could score two touchdown, I believe Southern can. In 2008, MCA has a little too much on both side of sides of the ball.

MCA 27 - SCA 14