No offensive player in the MAFC Nittany Division this season has taken the conference by storm quite like Tyrone quarterback Tyler Golden.
Through six games, Golden, starting for the first time after playing behind record-setting Golden Eagle quarterback Leonard Wilson, is the top quarterback in the division, having completed 31 of 55 passes for 802 yards and nine touchdowns while throwing just one interception.
One reason for Golden’s eye-popping numbers has been the 6-foot-1 senior’s ability to throw the deep ball. Six of his nine touchdown passes have been on throws of 40 yards or longer.
His season-high was a 69-yard touchdown pass to receiver Justin Schopp in Week 2 against Huntingdon, one of Golden’s four touchdown tosses longer than 50 yards.
Golden’s numbers are even more remarkable when you consider that Week 1 for him was nearly a wash. In a driving rain, he completed just 1 of 8 pass attempts, although his single completion went for a 9-yard touchdown to Donnie Conrad.
At his current pace, Golden has several single-season school records within his grasp, including touchdown passes (16) and passing yardage (1,595).
Long Runs
Golden isn’t the only player in the Nittany Division finding a way to score from long range. Eight miles up Route 220, Bellwood-Antis’ Josh Kleinfelter has been taking the long way into the endzone, as well.
To date, Kleinfelter has scored 15 touchdowns, with six coming on runs of 30 yards or more. His season high came a week ago in the Blue Devils’ 14-13 loss at Philipsburg-Osceola when the Blue Devil senior, who has re-written the B-A rushing record book, scored on an 86-yard run.
Kleinfelter has also scored on runs of 77, 66 and 62 yards, and a 79-yard kick return.
Kleinfelter currently leads the Nittany Division with 967 yards on 117 carries. He’s poised to become B-A’s first three-time 1,000-yard rusher.
Other Rushers
Trailing close behind Kleinfelter in the Nittany Division rushing race is Penns Valley senior Chris Korn. Korn has started in the Rams’ backfield for three season, but his senior campaign has been a breakout year.
Korn is on a collision course for a 1,000-yard season, with 771 yards and six touchdowns on 119 carries. He’s gone over the century mark four times, including a career-high 226 yards on 35 carries in a Week 1 win over Bald Eagle Area.
As Korn has emerged, so have the Rams, who are currently 3-3 after losing to Bishop Guilfoyle last Friday.
