For Tigers, a reversal of '09 scenario

CATAWISSA RR - A year ago, Southern Columbia football coach Jim Roth began the season with a team loaded with experienced linemen and inexperienced backs.

This season, things are reversed. The backs are the veterans and the linemen a little on the green side.

And, although most coaches will tell you games are won in the trenches, they'll also tell you that, given their druthers, they'd take a load of skill people back anytime.

Not surprisingly, Roth is a little more comfortable this season.

"It feels a little better than last year at this time," Roth said. "Even though we do have to replace some people up front, we do have some experience back. But the problem is not as significant as replacing the skill people was last year."

In fact, the left side of the offensive line will be manned by two returning starters, guard Cameron Flore and sophomore tight end Jake Becker, and the tackle spot on that side will be taken by Kurt Henrie, a 6-2, 220-pound senior who missed much of last season with a knee injury but whom Roth thinks will be a solid starter.

"We do need to replace our center and the right side," Roth says. "We don't have a lot of depth on the line this year. We have two classes right now that just don't have a lot of linemen in them. Usually, we have one class out of four that's like that, but this group has two, which is a little unusual."

Still, the defensive line also has two returning starters, although junior tackle Tom Schetroma (6-0, 245) was injured in the opening scrimmage and may miss the season. The other is junor end David Jeremiah (5-11, 230). Senior Hayden Reed and junior Bryan Gedman are likely offensive line starters on the right side, with junior Bill Reigle possibly the starting center.

"We don't have a lot of huge kids, but the kids we have are strong and athletic," Roth says.

Then there are those backs.

Senior fullback Jake Morton leads that troupe. The News-Item's Player of the Year last season, Morton ran for 1,488 yards and 20 touchdowns, averaged more than 7 yards per carry, had six 100-yard games, including three in the playoffs, and pretty much exceeded most expectations. Junior Tyrell Thomas added 957 yards and 12 TDs, though he missed two games, and quarterback Jake Townsend passed for 1,483 yards and 17 touchdowns, and added 172 yards on the ground.

Senior Tim Benner, who ran for 412 yards and caught 20 passes out of the halfback slot last season, is moving to split end, with juniors Aaron Zigarski and Jamie Slotterback likely to split time at the halfback spot.

"Tim catches the ball real well, but he struggled at times with his blocking in our halfback scheme," Roth said. "This way we can get him out in the open a little more and maybe take better advantage of the things he does well."

Benner was also the team's leading kickoff and punt returner, with a combined 408 yards and is a returning starter in the defensive secondary.

Cody Rosenberger (12 receptions) and Keith Day will also be wide receivers.

Senior Blake Nevius is expected to start at defensive tackle, and junior Matt Moore, who may be the fastest player on the team, is moving from linebacker, where he had 79 tackles and three sacks, to the other defensive end slot opposite Jeremiah.

Ethan Snyder (82 tackles, three sacks) and Tyler Levan are the projected inside linebackers, with Alex Fidler (76 tackles, four sacks) and Brad Fegley on the outside.

Benner will start at one cornerback spot, with Casey Savitski and Dylan Eck battling for the other, with Day (62 tackles) at safety.

The schedule, once again, is rugged. Eight of the 10 opponents were playoff teams a year ago, including Class AAA state champion Selinsgrove, and the 10 teams combined for 79 wins.

"One way it got even tougher was that we dropped three relatively weaker teams in Warrior Run, Jersey Shore and Milton, and replaced them with Line Mountain, Lewisburg and Danville, and all three of those teams were pretty good last year and should be good this year," Roth said. "Danville and Bloomsburg, on paper, return as many people as anyone we play.

"Then we have Lewisburg, which has really turned its program around, and Loyalsock and Montoursville, and both of those are on the road. I'm a little concerned about keeping us up mentally each week. You're always going to have bumps and bruises, but when you have to play at a high mental level every week, it can be tough for kids."

One plus is that with the new enrollment figures, Bloomsburg was bumped up to Class AA, which means there is more breathing room for a couple of losses not to hurt postseason hopes.

Last season's 9-5 team got hot at the right time, but a 35-32 loss to Tri-Valley in the state playoffs ended hopes of a seventh state title.

"Our returning players are talking about getting back to Hershey," Roth says. "They're not talking about that particular game, but I know they didn't like the way the season ended. One thing that game taught them was that you can't take anyone for granted, which they may have done a little."