District 11 Football: ‘Unsung heroes’ Chamberlain, Malinoski step up for Hurricanes

Schuylkill Haven's Nate Chamberlain (50) helps bring down Minersville quarterback Dante Carr during their game earlier this season. A defensive starter, Chamberlain slid over to offense and started at center in Haven's District 11 Class AA semifinal win over Executive Education on Saturday (Photo by Ashley Donatti).

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Every successful sports team has an unsung hero.

While the “stars” of the team — the players who accumulate the statistics, earn honors, etc. — get all the attention of the media, it’s usually the unsung hero that makes the difference between winning and losing big games late in the season.

A pair of Schuylkill Haven seniors filled that role in the Hurricanes’ 53-14 rout of Executive Education in a District 11 Class AA semifinal Saturday night at Rotary Field.

Nate Chamberlain, usually a starter on the defensive line, filled in at center for the injured Ethan Kline and helped the Hurricanes rush for 289 yards.

Co-captain Adam Malinoski, whose role has changed on both sides of the ball this season, came up with a key first-quarter interception that set the tone for Schuylkill Haven’s dominance.

District 11 Class AA Championship
Schuylkill Haven (11-1) vs. Williams Valley (11-1)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Where: Blue Mountain High School

Live coverage: T-102 radio, get live updates on X @pubsportsboss

Tickets: Cost $7 and must be purchased online at www.districtxi.hometownticketing.com. Spectators age 65 and over free with proof of age

Coming Up: Game preview, statistical breakdown Friday

“He’s just a really tough kid,” Schuylkill Haven coach Mike Farr said of Chamberlain. “He’s undersized more than most. He’s a big weight room kid. He just wants to fight you. With Chamberlain there, I wasn’t worried. He did a great job.”

Kline suffered a concussion in Haven’s quarterfinal romp of Palisades and could not play. The 6-foot, 250-pound junior has been a starter at center for the Hurricanes since he was a freshman, and his absence caused Farr and his staff to shuffle some things up front.

Chamberlain, a 5-8, 215-pounder, starts at defensive tackle and has collected 53 tackles and seven tackles for loss. A center in his junior high and youth football days, Chamberlain slid over to the offensive side of the ball and allowed the Hurricanes to keep left tackle Brody Brand, left guard Brian Moran, right guard Wyatt Keefer and right tackle Chase Williams in their usual spots.

“Eighth-grade year was the last time I played center and never played it since,” Chamberlain said. “The biggest change I had to make was to be more aggressive, be more aggressive with the blocking. The (opponents) are much different than they were growing up. They’re a lot bigger, a lot stronger. I just had to be better than them.”

Chamberlain said his biggest adjustment was playing both ways the entire game. He said he sometimes plays offense when Haven goes to an extra lineman and is sometime used as an H-Back in short-yardage situations.

Saturday he played every snap.

“It was pretty exciting. It was the first time in my high school career that I played both sides of the ball,” Chamberlain said. “It was definitely a whole new experience for me. I was very tired after the game, I will admit. It just felt good. It was a good experience.”

Malinoski’s role has changed twice since the start of preseason camp.

The Hurricanes’ starting left tackle a year ago, Malinoski moved out to tight end for this season. In Schuylkill Haven’s run-heavy offense, he’s essentially another blocker as he has no pass receptions this season.

The move was triggered by Malinoski’s loss of 21 pounds from his sophomore to junior seasons. Now at 6-foot, 220 pounds, he’s more suited to a tight end role than at tackle, where Brand weighs 245 and Williams tips the scales at 340.

“It came during the winter. Farr came to me,” Malinoski said of the move. “We wanted to go back to this wing-T offense because last year wasn’t the true wing-T. Going back to this offense, we needed a tight end.

“I lost all that weight and I was physically and mentally better for that role than most of the other linemen. My appearance and physique were much better as a tight end than a tackle. We put Brody Brand in at left tackle and I moved to tight end.

“Working on that was fairly easy. It’s basically the same job that I did before, except now I’m on the edge. You have to contain that edge guy and make sure you get him inside.”

Malinoski said the key to his play and the play of Haven’s powerful offensive line has been the team’s devotion to the weight room. Utilizing a new facility inside Schuylkill Haven’s Sports Performance Center, the Hurricanes have made the weight room a top priority in their training.

“Last summer and this summer, the weight room has really been a big part of our program,” Malinoski said. “Really, that is what has won us games. Going late into games, it gets tiring. The weight room adds endurance to your body and allows you to go longer.”

Defensively, Malinoski began the season as one of Haven’s starting linebackers, but a leg injury in the Hurricanes’ preseason scrimmage against Biglerville opened the door for sophomores Triston Davis and Chase Leibensperger to get more playing time.

The 5-11, 195-pound Davis has had a breakout season, ranking second on the team with 78 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Malinoski, meanwhile, has moved up to defensive end, which has allowed Farr and defensive coordinator Frank Gaffney to move Moran inside to tackle.

Malinoski has played well in his new role, with 15 tackles and 11 tackles for loss.

“We really didn’t need Mal to play defense, then about halfway through the season, at least these last four games, we had to get him in there,” Farr said. “He gives us a little bit more athleticism. He’s playing a really good defensive end for us right now.”

Malinoski’s shining moment came Saturday, when he settled into coverage and picked off a Zion Brake screen pass on Executive Education’s fourth play from scrimmage.

Malinoski returned the pick — his first career interception — to the Raptors’ 38-yard line. Three plays later, Niko Carestia scored from the 14 and Haven quickly had an 8-0 lead.

“I was like, ‘Don’t drop it. Do what you have to do, catch the ball,’” Malinoski said. “It came right at me. I knew what I had to do, run as far as I can and as fast as I can. I was in a little shock, then I got tunnel vision and saw the end zone and went until I got tackled. I grabbed the ball, held onto it and went down.

“I’ve always had a dream of catching an interception in any game, but to do it in a playoff game, that was really special to me.”

Chamberlain and Malinoski are two of nine Haven seniors that battled through 3-7 and 2-8 seasons before going 20-4 over the last two campaigns and reaching back-to-back District 11 Class AA championship games.

They battled through times when Haven had so few players they had to use plastic garbage barrels as opposing defensive linemen to run drills. Now, the Hurricanes’ roster sits at 36, with a strong class of eighth-graders on the way.

Haven (11-1) has won 10 straight games heading into Friday’s matchup with Williams Valley for the district title.

“It’s special,” said Malinoski, who doesn’t plan on playing football beyond high school, attending college to major in business.

 “(Three) years ago, from going 2-8, then sophomore year doing the same thing, it’s totally a transition from being bad to being the No. 1 team in the county. It’s more motivation to complete what we’ve rebuilt over the past couple of years.

“The rebuild is insane. It’s special to be in November playing in the district championship game.”

Chamberlain didn’t get to play in last year’s District 11 Class AA title game against Williams Valley due to a broken collarbone. He’s hoping to make the most of Friday’s opportunity. A vo-tech student, he plans to play next season at Thaddeus Stevens, where he will major in automotive.

“Honestly, I can’t wait. I can’t wait for Friday night at Blue Mountain,” Chamberlain said. “I didn’t get to play last year because of a broken collarbone. This year, I plan on putting everything on the field.”

Like all unsung heroes do.