Change is inevitable, no matter what is happening. Seasons change every year, the calendar flips to a new month, signaling a change in the year, and moods can sometimes change in a matter of moments. This is true with football as well, as opponents change each week, the gameplan changes each week, and sometimes the location changes as one team is always on the road.
For Clearfield, the biggest change came in late November. After nearly 40 years at the helm of the Bison, Tim Janocko decided after over 300 wins, 18 district titles, and two Hall of Fame inductions, that it was time to hang up the whistle and headset. Just prior to the 2023 school year for Clearfield, Janocko’s wife, Trina, also decided the time had come to call it a career. For the first time in nearly four decades, the Clearfield community would not see a Janocko either on the sidelines, at the booster club building, nor in the front office. Change was certainly on the horizon.
The quest to find the right individual to take over the Bison began soon afterwards. Luckily for the team, it took less than a month for that position to be filled, and the change was one that felt familiar for the entire coaching staff.
Taking over the lead role beginning in 2023 for Clearfield Bison football is Myles Caragein, who has served as an assistant coach with Janocko for the last eight seasons. A familiar face to all the returning Bison, Caragein takes over a squad that finished the prior season with an 8-4 record, despite battling significant injuries down the stretch at the end of the regular season and in the playoffs. Clearfield’s final two games of the 2022 season saw a 13-7 victory over St. Mary’s that delivered an 18th District IX championship. Unlike many of the games that weekend that got pushed to Saturday or Sunday, the Bison and Dutchmen went to battle in weather that not even a duck would find enjoyable. Despite the monsoon-like conditions, the Bison moved into the PIAA playoffs.
A week later, their season came to a close on a frigid night in Hollidaysburg as the below-freezing conditions saw the Bison struggle with ball handling, ultimately falling to the Central Dragons, 35-6.
What Clearfield has as an advantage coming into 2023 is that the prior season was one with a lot of youth, but valuable experience. Clearfield only lost eight seniors to graduation, but what they did not lose is game experience, as they return seven starters on each side of the ball, along with a host of young players that gained valuable game time as sophomores and freshmen.
Let’s look at a breakdown of the 2023 Bison on both sides of the ball.
DEFENSE
The biggest reason for the success of Clearfield in 2022 was a true powerhouse defense. A team only allowing just over 13 points per game a season ago was led by a defensive line, coached by Caragein, that was nearly impenetrable. Led by graduating senior Isaac Samsel, who led the squad with 88 tackles, 23.5 of them for loss with four sacks, the Bison kept the opposition in check in all aspects. Add in the 13 turnovers, and Clearfield showed just why they were able to take home the final Mountain League championship.
For Clearfield, trying to replace Samsel is hard enough. Add in the loss of Eric Myers, Joe Knee and Aiden Graffius, and it becomes a daunting task.
Luckily, the Bison have a lot of leadership returning to take over many of those roles in 2023. Junior Brady Collins finished second in tackles a season ago behind Samsel, tallying 78 on the season plus both an interception and fumble recovery, and will be one of the many leaders on the defense. Senior Carter Chamberlain, who already met his own offensive record a season ago (more on that to come), added in 61 more tackles while junior Carter Freeland returns having 66 tackles a year ago.
Others like Isaac Putt, Nolyn Rockmore, Cayden Bell, Will Domico and Colton Ryan all are expected to be an enormous part of the 2023 defense, one that Caragein had on lockdown one season ago.
Depth on defense is huge for Clearfield, as many sophomores and freshmen spent a lot of time on the field during varsity action a year ago, giving them critical experience heading into a new league with some new opponents. For the Bison to have the same success in the first season with Caragein as the main man like they had all the years with Janocko at the helm, this group will need to gel together from the start, and get increasingly better with each game. No opponent this season will be easy, especially in a new conference that will have a championship game to conclude the regular season. Being able to get early momentum and early wins on the season will only give confidence to the entire team, not just on defense, but also will give a strong offense an extra jolt once they get their hands on the ball.
OFFENSE
What having a strong, dependable, and consistent defense will give to any team is that it provides opportunities on a consistent basis to its offense. Clearfield is no exception, achieving eight wins and putting up over 30 points per game and averaging over 250 yards on the ground.
At the same time, the relief for the Bison offense entering this season is that the key players are returning, and are doing so healthy and hungry.
Domico, who took over the starting quarterback position from then-graduating senior turned Kent State commit Oliver Billotte, started the year strong as the signal caller, but saw his tenure at starter come to an end during the ninth game of the season. A leg injury sent him to the sideline for the remainder of the year, including the District IX championship against the Dutchmen. Domico could not finish his junior season in cleats and pads, but he is coming out ready to do battle alongside his brothers. He will look to improve on his passing game, only completing 48 percent of his passes, and he could certainly do so with the new up-tempo offense that Caragein is utilizing this season.
However, the basis of success for Clearfield last year still was being able to move the ball on the turf, in the trenches, and let the linemen make the room to run.
They did just that, as Collins showed his talent as a sophomore running back to the tune of 1495 yards gained on 196 carries, an average of 7.6 yards per carry, including 15 touchdowns. Backing him up is Carter Chamberlain, who eclipsed 1000 career rushing yards in the playoff loss to Central, finishing 2022 with 581 yards gained and 10 touchdowns.
These two are the cornerstones of the Bison offense when it comes to the ground game, and they will likely get a heavy dose of the ball early and often, especially with the faster pace.
Even with the strong ground game, Domico will have plenty of targets when he decides to air the ball out. His top target from a year ago, Freeland, returns after a 2022 campaign that saw him haul in 20 catches for 408 yards and four touchdowns. But, what Domico will need to do is find a way to keep the defense honest when they key in on the junior wideout. Watch for Bell, Collins, and a few others to expect their number to be called.
Expect a very different offense this year, one that Clearfield has been preparing for all summer in camp and leading into this week. It’s a much different change from the prior season, but one the team is ready to show to all the Bison faithful.
Change continues in that the Mountain League no longer is their conference. At the end of the calendar school year, all Mountain League schools would become part of the now 20-team Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference. Two different sections, East and West, with each divided into two regions, North and South, make up the conference. Clearfield, along with all of the Mountain League, are part of the East section, with Clearfield in the North region alongside Bald Eagle, Penns Valley, Bellefonte and Philipsburg-Osceola. The other two Mountain League schools, Tyrone and Huntingdon, are in the South region of the East section, joining Central, Bishop Guilfoyle, and Bellwood-Antis.
With the realignment, the Bison will have a locked in schedule for football, as they will play all four teams in their region. They will also have three opponents from the opposing East section, and will play two teams from the West, one from each region.
At the end of nine games, both sections will be ranked based on record and strength of victory, and will face the team from the opposing section with the same ranking in week 10, with the top two teams facing off for the conference championship. The only opportunity for an East-West rematch will be for the conference title. Otherwise, all teams will face an opponent that was not part of the regular nine-game schedule.
All these changes are here, but the one constant that remains is that football is back, and the Friday night lights will be lit up beginning this Friday. Clearfield’s first opponent for the 2023 season will be a familiar foe, the Tyrone Golden Eagles. Last October, Tyrone would get the better of the Bison, 21-14, their first win over Clearfield in the series after dropping the previous nine contests.
The more things change, the more things stay the same. On Friday, the lights at the Bison Sports Complex will shine on the turf. The Bison Band will play familiar songs, along with the alma mater, and both the students and the cheerleaders will bring the spirit. At 7 pm, the 2023 Clearfield Bison season will officially be off and running.
2023 Clearfield Bison Roster
Players in BOLD are returning letter winners
SENIORS
- Will Domico, Isaac Putt, Gavin Smay, Cayden Bell, Carter Chamberlain, Evan Krineski, Hayvin Bumbarger, Robert Powell, Nolyn Rockmore, Warren Diethrick
JUNIORS
- Brady Collins, Karsen Lazauskas, Carter Freeland, Ty Aveni, Hunter Ressler, Christian Moore, Nick Bailor, Jonathan Rowles
SOPHOMORES
- Colton Ryan, Xavier Curry, Bryndin Chamberlain, Landyn Rankin, Kam Robinson, Cooper Broad, Obrian Owens, Elliott Wilt, Nick Flood, Benjamin Chimenti, Austin Fenton, Mailyn Shipley, Matthew Johnson, Preston Gillingham
FRESHMEN
- Carter Knepp, Jayce Brothers, Liam Agler, Radek Albright, David Magnuson, Tucker Scott, Jackson Shugarts, Trotman Scaife, Jarrin Witherite, Cole Baughman Jr, Ryan Ludwig, Trenton Kephart, Brayden Wills
2023 Clearfield Bison Schedule
All games to begin at 7 p.m. unless noted.
AUGUST
- 25: TYRONE
SEPTEMBER
- 1: at Forest Hills
- 8: PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA
- 15: at Bellefonte
- 22: HUNTINGDON
- 29: PENNS VALLEY
OCTOBER
- 6: at Bald Eagle Area
- 13: at Richland
- 20: Central-Martinsburg
- 27: LHAC WEST CROSSOVER*
*Opponent will be announced after final standings in Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference.