2012 Football Season Focuses On Business As Usual for Curwensville

CURWENSVILLE – There may be a few new faces and names in the starting line-up for the 2012 Curwensville Area High School football team, but the focus on the field hasn’t change – play hard and win games.  Head coach Andy Evanko brings the same philosophy into his 13th season as he had in the first, and it is a credo that has allowed the Golden Tide to be successful for a long time.

“We simply try to be better today than we were yesterday,” Evanko echoed his signature expectation of his players.  “We have good kids, and I like their attitude.  They are working hard to be a good team in the next few weeks.”

The 2012 season will open on the road for the Golden Tide as they travel to C.A.R.P. Park in Coudersport on August 31 at 7:00.  It was the same trip to Coudersport that ended the 2011 season for the Tide.  The Falcon’s scored late in the first round of the District IX Championship for a 28-27 final.

The loss ended the Tide’s season and the career of senior standout Alex Holland.  Holland ran for 2334 yardson 295 carries last season with 27 touchdowns and leaves perhaps the biggest hole to fill for this season.

The heir apparent for the task of replacing Holland is senior Josh Greslick.  Greslick handled the ball 31 times for 182 yards and two scores last season.  Time will tell if the power rushing game of the Tide will continue in 2012.

“I’ve heard the question before, and I understand it,” said Evanko, “but let’s remember that Josh is a heck of an athlete.  He’ll run hard every night, and no one will be doing anything out there alone.”

One advantage Greslick and other rushers will have is that lead horse Brad Coudriet will once again provide blocking up front.  Coudriet, a senior, aided Holland last season and is back to do the job again.  Last season Coudriet also carried the ball 38 times – gaining 227 yards and scoring three times.  Junior Alex Olson will also see time in the backfield.  Olson tucked 10 hand-offs in 2011 for 83 yards and a touchdown.

“Brad (Coudriet) is just a football player,” Evanko said.  “He punishes people who get in his way on both sides of the ball, and I’m glad he’s on our side because I wouldn’t want to go against him.”

While it’s no surprise that the Golden Tide will be pushing the ball down field with the ground game again this season, opponents can’t overlook the passing attack as well.  Senior quarterback Hunter McCracken is now in his third season at the helm and will be a stronger threat to bring the air game to the table.  McCracken threw the ball 96  times a year ago and completed 46 of those attempts.  With five passing touchdowns and eight interceptions as part of 692 total yards, only better things can come from the experienced play-caller.

“Hunter has had an exceptional camp for us,” noted Evanko.  He understands his job very well now and has a good variety of targets to use.  We will be more multi-dimensional and are looking for the consistency that will make us hard to beat.”

While McCracken may have lost his favorite target to graduation in Jesse Zorger (24 catches, 390 yards, four TD’s), he will see a familiar face down field in senior Jordan Russell.  Russell pulled in 17 catches last season for 267 yards and one score.  Coudriet and Greslick also caught passes in 2011.  Other options that have come on this pre-season have been senior Austin Pollick and junior Austin Jacobson.

While Evanko has high hopes for his offensive efforts, his confidence in the defensive unit is equally enthusiastic.

“Our linemen are working very hard and have stepped up to solidify a fairly vacant front four.”  mentioned Evanko.  “Our veterans (Brad) Stubbs, (Spencer) Smeal, and Coudriet have made things easy.  They just picked up the other guys and brought them along and as a unit, we are working well.

Graduation opened up the line with the loss of two-time All-PA lineman Todd Munchak along with Seth Michaels and Chad Desmett and Kyle Scribe.

Other names to keep an eye on defensively this season include seniors Kyle and Jason Bloom and Jake Kavelak, as well as, junior Philip McCracken on the line and  seniors Pollick and Nathan Wriglesworth and junior Kyle Johns in the secondary.

Coudriet led the returners in tackles a year ago with 48 while pulling in two interceptions.  Pollick tallied 46 tackles with Smeal adding 41 including a quarterback sack.  Johns pulled in three interceptions with Greslick adding two.  Stubbs recorded two sacks in 2011.

The prospects of the year with seasoned veterans has Evanko and his staff pumped up for 2012, but there is always that element of surprise to make a coach’s expectations blow sky-high.

“We’ve had a couple of sophomores turn in an exceptional camp,” Evanko beamed.  “We asked them to try positions that were new to them and they responded beyond our expectations.  I can’t wait until we get started for real.  This is going to be fun.”

Once again, the fun begins this Friday night for the Golden Tide on the road in Coudersport.  The season will kick off at 7:00 p.m.

ROSTER & POSITION (offense/defense)

Seniors

Adam Benamati SE/DB, Jason Bloom OL/DT, Kyle Bloom OL/DE, Brad Coudriet RB/ILB, Codie Fenchak OL/ILB, Josh Greslick RB/OLB, Jake Kavelak OL/DE, Hunter McCracken QB/DB, Austin Pollick Slot/DB, Jordan Russell SE/DB, Spencer Smeal OL/ILB, Brad Stubbs TE/DE, Nathan Wriglesworth SE/DE.

Juniors

Lucas Coudriet Slot/OLB, Austin Jacobson Slot/OLB, Kyle Johns QB/DB, Nate Kurtz SE/DB, Daulton LaBorde TE/OLB, Nick London OL/DL, Ricky Magnuson OL/DL, Bryce McClure OL/DL, Philip McCracken OL/DE, Alex Olson RB/OLB, Dakota Royer RB/ILB, Josh Shaffer SE/DB, Zach Tibbins RB/ILB.

Sophomores

Chase Bennett OL/DL, Kyle Billings RB/DB, Austin Bloom OL/DL, Shawn Ebersole OL/ILB, Anthony Hampton OL/DL, Jake Lancaster RB/DB, Travis Lansberry QB/DB, Jonathan Miller OL/DL, Maverick Reed SE/OLB, Shelby Rowles OL/DL, Jake B. Stiles RB/ILB.

Freshmen

Ian Barrett OL/DL, Seth Sloppy OL/DL.

HEAD COACH:  Andy Evanko (13th season; 98-37, .726)

ASST. COACHES: Chris Folmar, J.T. Irwin, Mickey Morgillo, Brad Sopic

SCHEDULE

August

31  @ Coudersport

September

7  CAMERON COUNTY

14  SMETHPORT

21  @ Johnsonburg

28  KANE

October

5  @ Brockway

12  RIDGWAY

19  ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC

27  @Sheffield