Carestia, Haven poised for monster season

Niko Carestia’s eyes lit up when he talked about an online article he recently read published by BVM Sports in 2023 listing the top 10 all-time rushers in Pennsylvania.

Two players in that top 10 were from Schuylkill Haven — No. 10 Kobe Brish and No. 6 Zach Barket.

“We have a great history,” Carestia said. “I saw this article, the Top 10 leading rushers in Pennsylvania, and two of them are Schuylkill Haven players. I think a lot of people try to reach for that goal and try to get on that list.”

Carestia, a 5-foot-10, 205-pound junior, is the latest in a long line of standout running backs at Schuylkill Haven. He’s poised for a monster campaign in 2024 after rushing for 1,453 yards and 20 touchdowns last season.

Barket, a 2009 graduate, finished his career with 8,325 yards and 108 touchdowns, running for 4,187 yards and 65 touchdowns as a senior as Haven reached the 2008 PIAA Class A state semifinals before falling to eventual state champion Steel-High.

Read the article: https://bvmsports.com/2023/06/14/top-10-all-time-leading-rushers-in-pennsylvania-hs-football/

Brish (2016-19) is next on Haven’s list with 7,645 yards and 111 touchdowns, followed by Will Casella (2011-14, 5,214, 66 TDs), Buddy Fegley (1996-98, 4,578, 62 TDs), Aiden Myers (2020-23, 3,828, 41 TDs) and 1991 state championship tailback Jason Killian (3,448, 54 TDs).

With 1,929 yards and 24 touchdowns over his first two seasons with the Hurricanes, Carestia could find himself among those leaders before his career is over.

SportsNow Super 7 Preseason Poll

1) Schuylkill Haven

2) North Schuylkill

3) Blue Mountain

4) Minersville

5) Nativity

6) Tamaqua

7) Marian

Others receiving votes: Williams Valley, Tri-Valley, Pottsville

“If you break them down: Kobe Brish … tough, low center of gravity, runs north and south, explosive,” said Schuylkill Haven head coach Mike Farr, the Hurricanes’ coach since 2005. “Zach Barket … tough, different running style than Kobe Brish because he was more savvy. Wrestler mentality, good balance, 205 (pounds), so he was able to shed that first tackler and then he had the vision and the natural gift of cutting back against the grain and using leverage to run. And he was a 4.6 kid.

“Will Casella was a downhill, aggressive style of player. Same thing with Ryan Fink. Ryan Fink didn’t have the top-end speed, but very aggressively in that 10-15-yard box was able to do a lot of damage because he was smart enough not to give guys a shot, strong enough to take guys on to get to the second level. Really good football IQ.

“You take all of that together and that’s where Niko is. Niko is just a beast physically.”

Schuylkill Haven rushed 478 times for 3,411 yards and 48 touchdowns last season, averaging 284.3 yards per game as the Hurricanes went 9-3 and reached the District 11 Class AA championship game before falling to Williams Valley. Myers had 196 carries for 1,312 yards and 15 TDs, while Carestia carried it 177 times.

This season, Carestia will share the ballcarrying duties with sophomore Colton Reber and senior Niko Castillo. They will run behind a big offensive line that returns intact, plus one, from last season.

Senior guard Brian Moran (6-0, 240), junior center Ethan Kline (6-0, 250), junior guard Wyatt Keefer (6-2, 285) and junior tackle Chase Williams (6-2, 340) return, while the other tackle, senior Adam Malinoski (6-0, 220), moves out to tight end and sophomore Brody Brand (6-0, 245) slides into the tackle spot.

“I think it all starts up front, getting bigger and stronger,” Carestia said, praising his offensive line. “We have to have a dominant line to get some rushing yards. If our line is producing and blowing people off the line, then our running backs are going to produce big numbers and we’re going to win some games.”

Carestia also excels defensively, racking up 95 and 107 tackles, respectively, the past two seasons from his linebacker spot. He said this year he’d like to get somewhere between 120-150 tackles.

“I’m the strength guy, so I call out the defense,” Carestia said. “I’m to the wide side of the field. Wherever the team needs me, I’m there … I can play outside backer, I can play middle backer, I can play safety if they wanted me to.

“I take a lot of pride in my defense. It’s tough, because someone getting 20 carries and making 15 tackles a game, that’s tough to do that every single week. But I take a lot of pride in making every tackle.”

Ranked No. 1 in the T102SportsNow.com Super 7 Preseason Poll, Schuylkill Haven enters the season as the Schuylkill/Colonial Football Cooperative Blue Division favorite and one of leading District 11 Class AA title contenders.

For the Hurricanes to fulfill that potential, Carestia will need to have a big season.

“What really makes Niko Niko is that Niko has a switch,” Farr said. “You see it on the wrestling mat. He just gets into that mode where he takes it personal. As a coach, you love watching the switch go off. When the switch goes off, he’s trying to literally take over the game.

“I’ve coached a lot of good football players between Big 33, East/West … a lot of great athletes. When you find a player like this, it’s very unique. And he’s only a junior. He’s only going to get better.”