Clearfield- The Beardsley League is back in action Tuesday, August 26 at the Clearfield YMCA for its 4th season. It is a men’s pickup basketball league with games played Tuesday nights at 6:00, 7:00, and 8:00 p.m. The league consists of seven captains who draft the players to their team and will run from August 26 – November 18.
Two of last season’s captains, Joe Davis and Katlyn Reitz are out this season due to injury. They have been replaced with Dylan Confer (Red Team) and former West Branch Boys Basketball Head Coach, Danny Clark (Orange Team). While Max Kennedy (Black Team) looks to defend his 2024 title, the other returning captains, Coty Peters (Purple Team), Chet Weyand (Green Team), Seth Beardsley (Gray Team) and Corey Bookhamer (Blue Team) look to make a championship run for themselves.
This season things will be a little different as the league will now be 4 on 4 in the smaller upstairs gym instead of the traditional 5 on 5 downstairs. “Numbers were down a little bit this year halfway through registration so I made the decision to move the league upstairs so we could still have 7 teams”, said league commissioner, Seth Beardsley. Beardsley also stated that a large majority of the participants are getting older and the upstairs gym makes more sense for them. “There are some guys who are playing only because the league has been moved upstairs. I think I can speak for a lot of the guys, myself included, that we would much rather play on the hardwood than the multipurpose floor downstairs. There is always a very nostalgic feeling in the upstairs gym and I’m looking forward to seeing the benches full from wall to wall like they were at the leagues during my childhood.”
One might believe with a smaller gym that there is less running, but that is not always the case. With the move to the upstairs gym, the league will now have a 24 second shot clock instead of the former 30 seconds to keep the pace of the game moving. Teams vary in age from high school players to AARP Members, which is a contributing factor to making the league what it is. There are players of all different skill levels and that helps make the teams evenly matched. Last season most games were decided within 5-10 points and overtime was a common occurrence.
Players to watch:
Tyler Ferguson – The number one overall pick is reuniting with longtime 765-Deck teammate, Coty Peters for the 2025 season. The West Branch connection is going to be tough to match up against along with sharpshooter, Dan Scutella, and the boardman, Raymond T. Solis. Ferg is going to be a force to stop in the paint and the midrange. Expect to see him near the top of the leaderboard for points and rebounds.
Owen Koleno – From a 4 year career of almost 1800 points at West Branch under Coach Danny Clark, Koleno now teams up with Clark to take on his first season of the Beardsley League. Surrounded by 4 other West Branch guys, Koleno should feel right at home as he begins his rookie season.
Connor Holobinko – When he’s not protecting our community, he will be protecting the rim. The 2 time Beardsley League champion is back from a year hiatus. Orange team GM, Danny Clark, is expecting big things from Holobinko this season on both ends of the court.
Curtis Neff – Cold blooded. That’s it. Put a hand in his face, it doesn’t matter. Curtis Neff can morph into 2010 Kobe Bryant at any time and completely take over the game. The 2023 champion is hunting for another title.
Evett Maines – You can expect to see some ethical hoops from the 2024 Beardsley League MVP after an offseason of working out with former Clearfield great, Cole Miller. Surrounded by some strong veteran talent, this young pup should be just fine running with the big dogs in the upstairs gym.
Braison Patrick – The 2024 Scoring Champ is looking to reclaim his title as he gets ready for his senior season at Clearfield. BP has proven himself in the league the last two years and is an early frontrunner MVP candidate. Black Team captain, Max Kennedy, put a very strong supporting cast together to make a playoff run.
Evan Brown – The 2024 number one draft pick is ready to bounce back after a disgruntled 2024 season due to poor management. The franchise did not provide a supporting cast for the 2023 MVP which resulted in a disappointing year. Brown will be able to get back on his game with the team put together by captain, Corey Bookhamer, on the Blue Squad. As an all around player, you will see Brown’s name on the leader boards of every category.
Albert Varacallo – As a former DCC standout and current DuBois Dream player, you can expect Albert to make some noise in his debut season of the Beardsley League. If he has the ball in his hands, make sure to get a hand in his face because he will pull up from anywhere. Teaming up with 2024 rebound leader, Dale Confer, will give Albert the ultimate green light.
Deondre ‘Redd’ Terrell – A pure scorer who will be competing with his Gray Squad teammate, Curtis Neff, for the scoring title. These two are going to be hard to match up against. Redd can score from the midrange but can also be a force in the post.
Dylan Confer – You can expect a double double every game from the Red Team captain. The consistency is always there. When a shot goes up, make sure you get a body on him because once he gets the rebound, he is going coast to coast with the ability to finish through contact at the rim. Don’t be surprised when you see his name towards the top of the leader boards.
Melvin ‘Muzz’ Swanson – These young fellas are going to learn a thing or two from the OG back in his home, the upstairs gym. With his hand imprinted on both backboards, it was a surprise to see him make it to the second round as the steal of the 2025 draft. Defenses will fall to their knees trying to stop the pick and roll with Muzz and Evett. Any time the Green Team is on the floor, you can guarantee the game will be facilitated by #21.
Notable players out this season:
Cody Spaid (foot), Will Myers (back), Josh Terry (fatherhood), Chris Dotts (personal), Joe Davis (Achilles), Shane Pentz (retirement), Easton Maines (knee), Katlyn Reitz (Achilles), Zack Unch (work)
Tip-off for the 2025 Season is slated for 6 PM on August 26. To keep up with scores and league related information, follow @clfdrechoops on IG or visit mystatsonline.com/beardsleyleague.
