Youngsville Eagles
Coach (season, record): Luke Alex (2nd season, 10-1)
2011 overall record: 10-1
2011 region record (place): 8-0 (champion)
2011 playoff results: Lost to West Middlesex 47-0 in the District 10 Class A quarterfinals.
Top players lost: Cory Craig, Sawyer Dininny, Sam Lucas, Dalton Maze, Stephen Beattie, Sage Sivak, Ryan Rickerson, Kyle Rickerson
Top returning players: Jordan Gurdak, Rocco Gatta, Tylor Keyes, Jacob Marino, T.J. Hardy, Seth Wachter, Syler Wolfe
Assistant coaches: Eric Rozanski, Chad Edwards, Mike Wright, Don Hardy, Andy Chase
Outlook: Youngsville had one of its best seasons in program history in 2011 with a 10-0 regular season, Region 2 title and spot in the District 10 Class A playoffs. The Eagles were gutted by graduation and will need some of the underclassmen to step up this fall. Cory Craig, Sawyer Dininny, Sam Lucas, Dalton Maze, Stephen Beattie, Sage Sivak, Ryan Rickerson and Kyle Rickerson are gone and leave huge holes to fill. Craig was an all-district pick at defensive back and was an all-region quarterback. Dininny and Beattie were voted to the all-region first team at offensive and defensive line, while Lucas and Sivak were voted first-team linebackers. Maze was a second-team defensive back and Ryan Rickerson was a second-team offensive lineman. The Eagles lost a total of seven starters on offense and eight on defense.
Youngsville will be in reload mode instead of rebuild. The Eagles return first-team linebacker Jordan Gurdak and first-team defensive back Rocco Gatta. T.J. Hardy, a first-team kicker, is also back at wide receiver and defensive end. Gurdak and Gatta bring experience to the backfield while Jake Marino is taking over at quarterback. Youngsville will have plenty of new faces and the Eagles must get big-time contributions from underclassmen to compete for the Region 2 title. Youngsville opens at Fairview before two huge home games with Iroquois and Cambridge Springs. The biggest game of the year could be Sept. 29 in Erie against Mercyhurst Prep after an intense showdown last fall.
Schedule
August
31 at Fairview 7
September
7 Iroquois* 7
14 Cambridge Springs* 7
21 at Maplewood* 7
29 at Mercyhurst Prep* 7
October
5 Union City* 7
12 at Seneca 7
19 Cochranton* 7
26 at Eisenhower* 7
November
2 Sheffield 7
*Region 2 games
Wednesday: Region 1
– Tom Reisenweber
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