Tyrone’s sophomore football class this season was in many ways a throwback to some of the dominant teams of the late 1990s.
The group came into camp in the late-summer with a reputation that preceded it having gone undefeated and won the Big 8 junior high championship just a year before. It had athleticism, size, strength and the swagger that often accompanies championship-caliber teams – an attitude that from day one exuded the idea that “We can play here and we belong here.”
But for all of its accolades, something was missing from the class for a lot of the 2002 season, according to coach John Franco. The group lacked an edge – an insatiable hunger to win that drives teams to always push themselves beyong their own high expectations.
Franco is hoping that the group’s baptism by fire during an 11-game season that saw the Eagles advance to the District 5-6 AA semifinals instilled it.
“When I first came to Tyrone and I was coaching players like Marcus Owens and Craig Starr and guys like that, they had the attitude that nothing would stop them,” Franco said. “They wanted to win so badly and nothing was going to keep them from doing it. You need that in a class, and this group needs someone that’s going to step forward and be that kind of leader.”
Without question, it will be imperative that some members of this season’s sophomore class step forward in a leadership role if for no other reason than next season’s anticipated lack of seniors. Only nine juniors were on the roster this year, and a only five of them saw significant playing time. Of next season’s nine players returning who saw starting action this year, five are current sophomores and one is a freshman.
“We’ll have a lot of young kids returning with experience,” said Franco, “especially on defense. On the negative side, we’ll have as small a senior class as we’ve ever had.”
That the returning sophomores have the talent to compete for conference and District championships is certain. Brice Mertiff will be one of the region’s top returning rushers after having run this season for 948 yards and 11 touchdowns while playing as the Eagles’ primary rusher for half a season.
Ben Gummo has the athleticism and versatility to be as big a threat catching the ball out of the backfield as running it. He rushed for 544 yards last season, caught 11 passes for 155 yards, and led the team in scoring with 12 touchdowns and 92 total points. He also emerged as one of the team’s top linebackers.
Terry Tate and Ralph VanAllmen performed beyond expectations on the offensive line, with Tate playing as many as three
positions throughout the season. Tate also was a force on the defensive line, scoring a touchdown off his own forced fumble late in the season against Punxsutawney.
Brandon Maceno and Brinton Mingle – the lone freshman to play for Tyrone this season – were solid replacements when injuries forced them into starting roles at linebacker.
The question, Franco said, is how much did the young group learn from the outgoing seniors about commitment to preparing to win.
“This year’s seniors should have showed them something about the will to win,” Franco said. “They made great progress and now I feel pretty good about where this group is.”
What makes this group of sophomores different from talented rookies Franco has coached in the past is that they won’t have a security blanket in the form of a large senior class that has been battle-tested. Lineman Justin Clark, linebacker Max Soellner and receiver Tommy Crowl are the lone juniors returning with starting experience.
In 1999, when Tyrone’s last widely heralded sophomore class became juniors in time for a PIAA championship run, it had the fortune of being led by a group of seniors with names like Klesius, Johnson, Beckwith, McNelis, Owens, Verilla, and Lucas.
Come next season, the honeymoon could end quickly for the class chosen as freshman as the group most likely to be playing at Mansion Park in 2004.
If the group matures as quickly as it soaked up Franco’s playbook in 2002, they may not have to wait that long.
