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Kel Barnes

Girard returned one of the top passing attacks in District 10 this season. Now, sophomore Kel Barnes is forcing the YellowJackets to include the running game as well.

Barnes rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries in a 24-7 win over rival Fairview last week. The 5-foot 10-inch, 164-pounder helped the YellowJackets pull away by scoring on a 28-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and a 42-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Barnes’ production gives Girard a balanced attack on offense that could be tough for region opponents to slow down.

Because of Barnes’ play, 
QB Joe Dunn, who averaged 
19.7 passes per game in 2011, attempted only 11 against the Tigers.

Barnes won a close vote over Youngsville’s Rocco Gatta, as almost 1,500 votes were cast.

Poll results:

Read the rest of this entry »

It was the night of the sophomore running back in Region 4 Friday.

Three sophomores made impact performances in their teams’ winning efforts. Girard’s Kel Barnes led the way with 226 yards and two crucial touchdowns on 25 carries in the YellowJackets’ 24-7 win over rival Fairview.

Meanwhile, Northwestern’s Austin Miczo scored a pair of touchdowns and rushed for 66 yards in the Wildcats’ 35-6 win over Seneca. Another underclassman, junior Brandon Reiser, led Northwestern with 101 yards on the ground. Fellow junior Nate Noe had 54 yards, including a 43-yard first-quarter TD run.

Finally, Fort LeBoeuf sophomore Collin Fish scored a critical 2-yard TD and finished with 44 yards rushing in the Bison’s 17-14 win over Harbor Creek. Meanwhile, junior Cy Carroll led the Bison with 140 yards rushing.

Here’s a link to Friday’s District 10 statistics and state scores.

Get expanded coverage of District 10 sports every Friday with the Varsity Letter e-newsletter.

A new feature we’ll unveil this week is the Triple Option. Three games. Two prognosticators. One weekly showdown.

In Triple Option, high school beat writer Tom Reisenweber and sports editor Jeff Kirik will make predictions about three D-10 football games they disagree on each week. See which games they pick, why they picked them and then track to see who gets them right.

This week, Tom and Jeff face off on the Conneaut-Girard, Sharon-Farrell and Mercyhurst Prep-Central Tech games.

Also, if you sign up for Varsity Letter before Friday, you’ll get a chance to win free Kickoff magazines from 2012, 2011 and 2010. Just go to GoErie.com/section/newsletters and click on Varsity Letter.

As always, Varsity Letter will provide readers with District 10 sports news, commentary and schedules, along with links to photos, video and blog posts.

It’s all delivered to your e-mailbox every Friday. Subscribe today at GoErie.com/section/newsletters.

Girard YellowJackets
Coach (season, record): Jim Funk (3rd season, 7-12)
2011 overall record: 3-6
2011 region record (place): 2-4 (fifth)
2011 playoff results: Did not qualify for the District 10 Class AA playoffs.
Top players lost: Hunter Jones, Hayden Erdman, Jake Kalicky
Top returning players: Kendall Bonnett, Brian McNally, Joe Dunn, Christian Bock, Brandon Hall, Forrest Smith
Assistant coaches: Mike Zona, Pat Erdman, Bill McNally, Tracy Dinger, Josh Chiocco, Jason Johnson
Outlook: Despite having a young team, Girard was actually in the playoff race in the final weeks of the season. The YellowJackets lost only a few players to graduation, including Hunter Jones, Hayden Erdman and Jake Kalicky. Kalicky was a second-team all-region linebacker, while Jones was a big part of Girard’s offense. Jones ran for 971 yards and nine touchdowns on 170 carries and he caught 24 passes for 266 yards and three TDs.

Girard could have one of the top offenses in Erie County this fall. Quarterback Joe Dunn along with tight end Brian McNally and wide receiver Kendall Bonnett made up a potent offense as the 2011 season wore on. Dunn completed 110-of-177 passes for 1,450 yards and 14 touchdowns. McNally, an all-district selection and all-region first-team selection at tight end, finished with 583 yards and six touchdowns on 33 catches. Bonnett had 22 catches for 308 yards and four touchdowns and was voted to the first team as a wide receiver and second team as a defensive back. Girard’s line will feature four seniors, led by three-year starter Brandon Hall and returning two-way starting tackle Forrest Smith. Christian Bock also returns at fullback. Bock carried the ball 15 times for 49 yards last year and could see an increase in carries as the ‘Jackets search for a replacement for Jones. McNally and Bock could be impact players at linebacker, while Buster Johnston and Bonnett are back at defensive back. Forrest Smith, Jake Hatton and Justin Eaton return on the defensive line.

Girard started seven sophomores last year and that move could pay off this fall. Region 4 is wide open this year after the departure of perennial power General McLane. The ‘Jackets have a potent offense and experience on the line. Girard will be a part of history as it will be the first team to take on the newly formed Conneaut Eagles. The ‘Jackets then jump right into the region schedule with two tough road games at Fairview and Northwestern. The biggest stretch comes in October where Girard will play North East, Corry and Fort LeBoeuf.

Schedule
August
31 Conneaut 7
September
7 at Fairview* 7
14 at Northwestern* 7
21 Seneca* 7
28 at Harbor Creek* 7
October
5 North East* 7
12 at Union City 7
19 at Corry* 7
26 Fort LeBoeuf* 7
November
2 Saegertown 7
*Region 4 games

Wednesday: Greenville

– Tom Reisenweber

Girard High School will have a homecoming bonfire Oct. 6 at 7 that will be open to the community.

The gathering will take place on the north side of the high school, near the softball fields, off Lake Street.

The YellowJackets will play host to Fort LeBoeuf Friday at 7 p.m.

The Erie Times-News and GoErie.com are continuing District 10 football preview coverage this week, leading up to Friday’s season openers. Starting Sunday, the preview coverage included Region 6, McDowell and Region 4. The coverage will continue through Thursday. Included in each preview are complete rosters for each team.

Earlier, the Times-News published the 112-page Kickoff preseason guide and posted the online Summer Huddle series on the Varsity blog.

Check out the links to the Times-News team previews:
Sunday: McDowell preview
Sunday: Region 6
Monday: Region 4
Tuesday: Region 5
Wednesday: Region 2
Thursday: Region 3
Thursday: Region 1

Nate Smialek

Congratulations to former Girard football player Nate Smialek, who was the winner of this year’s Chad Vogt Memorial Scholarship.

The award annually honors a premier Erie County  student-athlete in the name of Vogt, a Harbor Creek multi-sport standout who was one of the premier athletes in Erie County League history. He died in 2002 at the age of 29.

This year’s runner-up was Eric Lasher of General McLane.  Other nominees were Alec Gluvna, Corry; Erin Stroup, Fairview;  Rebecca Cooper, Iroquois; David Osterberg, Northwestern; Adam Weismiller, Harbor Creek and Justin DeCoursey, Seneca.

Former winners:

2008: Brett Veshecco,  Fort LeBoeuf (Penn State)
2009: Joe McIntire, Fort LeBoeuf (Edinboro)
2010: Jessica Kocan, Fairview (Georgetown)

Girard YellowJackets

Jim Funk

Coach (season, record): Jim Funk (2nd season, 4-6)
2010 overall record: 4-6
2010 region record (place): 3-3 (fourth)
2010 playoff results: Lost 28-7 to Sharon in the District 10 Class AA quarterfinals.
Top players lost: Jordan Dudas, Joe Sobucki, Nate Smialek, Anthony Stuart, Hunter Erdman, Justin Zadorozny, John Vogel, Tyler Tome
Top returning players: Jake Kalicky, Austin Platz, Hayden Erdman, Brandon Hall
Assistant coaches: Mike Zona, Pat Erdman, Josh Chiocco, Bill McNally, Ron Platz, Tracy Dinger
Outlook: It should be an interesting year in Girard this fall. The YellowJackets will basically have a new backfield and will search for a new set of standouts. Talented running backs Joe Sobucki, Jordan Dudas and Tyler Tome have graduated as well as quarterback Justin Zadorozny. Wide receiver Anthony Stuart graduated as well, leaving second-year coach Jim Funk with almost no experience at the skill positions. All-region members Hunter Erdman (lineman) and John Vogel (linebacker) have also graduated, leaving holes on the offensive line and on defense.

Jake Kalicky

Austin Platz

Jake Kalicky, a fullback/linebacker, took on a leadership role in the offseason in the weight room and could be an impact player this season, along with Austin Platz, Hayden Erdman and Brandon Hall on the offensive line. Christian Bock could step into a starting role as a linebacker, while Hunter Jones could be an impact player at wide receiver. Almost all starting jobs are open this fall, which should create some intense competition in camp.

Girard is a young team and might go through some growing pains this season. The ‘Jackets’ schedule won’t be easy this season. It includes a season-opening road game at Class AAA Corry along with home games against Class AAA teams Oil City and Fort LeBoeuf. The biggest stretch for the ‘Jackets this season will come in September. Girard will host Harbor Creek and Northwestern – two teams the ‘Jackets will battle for a playoff spot – along with an important road game at North East.

Schedule
September
2 at Corry 7
9 Harbor Creek* 7
16 Oil City 7
23 Northwestern* 7
30 at North East* 7
October
7 Fort LeBoeuf 7
14 Fairview* 7
21 at Seneca* 7
28 at General McLane* 7
November
4 Bye

Wednesday: Greenville

– Tom Reisenweber

It will be a season of emotion for the Girard football team. The YellowJackets are still shaken by the death of longtime coach Mina George during the offseason. Former assistant Jim Funk takes over the head coaching job. The good news is that Funk some talent to work with, especially in the backfield, where quarterback Justin Zadorozny, running back Jordan Dudas and receiver/running back Joe Sobucki are back.

Photo galleries are now available from the Girard-Fairview and Corry-East games.

Readers can view or purchase photos from the two games.

Four photo galleries from District 10 games are now available for viewing on GoErie.com.

Check out photos from Thursday’s Cambridge Springs-Mercyhurst Prep game, and Friday’s Cathedral Prep-East, Girard-General McLane and Fairview-Fort LeBoeuf games.

All photos are available for purchase.

There were several football standouts this weekend. You pick the best. Or, let us know who we missed.

Casey Pace, RB, Fort LeBoeuf, 15 rushes, 179 yards, 2 TDs

Scottie Frisina, QB, Corry, 15-of-20 passing 250 yards, 2 TDs; 9 rushes
104 yards, 3 TDs

Justin Wiley, RB, Cathedral Prep, 18 rushes, 82 yards, TD; 3 catches
90 yards, 2 TDs

Shyquawn Pullium, QB, Cathedral Prep, 10 rushes, 120 yards, 2 TDs; 92 passing yards, 2 TDs

Zach Greenawalt, QB, McDowell, 16 rushes, 120 yards, 2 TDs

Pat Pascarella, RB, Bradford, 16 rushes, 242 yards, 4 TDs

Matt Sleppy, DB, Iroquois, 42-yard fumble return for winning TD

Cory Lee, RB, General McLane, 12 rushes, 108 yards, 2 TDs

Cody Crosby, QB, Eisenhower, 21-of-30 passing, 315 yards, 2 TDs

Gary Brown, QB, East, 10-of-13 passing, 195 yards, 3 TDs; 5 rrushes, 29 yards, TD

Josh Williams, RB, Girard, 7 rushes, 108 yards, TD runs of 65 and 23 yards