The build up to the first Friday night of the high school football season is special for athletes and coaches. After being delayed two weeks by the PIAA, athletes will finally have the opportunity to play in a game with meaning, joining golf and tennis which are already underway.
Scrimmages on Friday and Saturday gave football coaches an early look into what they will see this season.
Players and coaches are prepared for a highly-anticipated fall sports season to finally open.
Berlin, a team that finished in a 3-way tie for first in the WestPAC a season ago, has lofty goals like any other season. With 19 seniors on the roster, the Mountaineers have an opportunity to do something big this year.
“We are excited that we are finally going to be able to compete,” veteran Berlin head coach Doug Paul said. “For the longest time, we were not sure if we would get that opportunity. The players worked hard through all the adversity. Now they get the opportunity to go out and play.”
Meanwhile, Meyersdale won nine games a year ago. The team will have nearly an entire new group of starters this season, but will be competitive nonetheless.
Junior Brady Fritz will be one of the fresh faces in the Meyersdale starting lineup. His 2019 season was cut short because of an injury.
Now, Fritz is ready to be a key cog in the wheel for the Red Raiders.
“Coming off a season-ending injury last year I had one goal in mind … to prepare for this year and bounce back stronger than ever,” Fritz said. “Me and my team worked day in and day out to prepare for this season, not knowing if we would play a single snap of football. Now that the season is upon us, we are full steam ahead and ready to take on our Week 1 opponent, Tussey Mountain.
Soccer and volleyball will also begin this Friday.
Second-year North Star head girls soccer coach Kelsey Walker took the Cougars to the playoffs a season ago. She is back to lead a hungry group of girls.
“We are excited to be able to finally start a season we weren’t sure was going to happen,” Walker said. The girls, especially our seniors, are eager and ready to play. We are also so thankful that our players’ parents and fans are able to watch our girls compete. I am looking forward to another good season with a great bunch of girls.”
In volleyball, Shanksville qualified for the District 5 Class A playoffs a season ago. Senior Katie Muro will be one of the players the Vikings count on to earn a trip back to the postseason. She is eager to open the season this week, despite the restrictions put in place regarding fans in gyms.
“I’m looking forward to finally getting started with volleyball after a really rough start with COVID,” Muro said. “I’m thankful that I at least to get to play even if there are no fans. Hopefully regulations change and, at the very least, my parents can come watch me play my final season.
“Nothing is going to be completely normal this year, but our team is willing to adjust to anything to be able to play a full season. Being able to compete is good enough for all of us at this point, and I’m looking forward to a successful season.”