Tri-Valley's Cole Gemberling runs through the Marian defense during the Dawgs' win over the Colts on Aug. 30, 2024. (Photo by Michelle Schwartz)

When Jeff Sampson looks at Tri-Valley’s relatively young roster, the veteran head coach likes what he sees.

He’ll like it even better once the Bulldogs settle on a starting quarterback and find a few more linemen who can get the job done on Friday nights.

The Dawgs return 12 offensive players with varsity experience and 11 on defense — eight starters on each side of the ball — from a squad that went 7-5 and reached the District 2/11 Class A subregional championship game before falling to Lackawanna Trail.

The roster has a healthy 41 players but leans toward the young side with eight seniors, nine juniors, 12 sophomores and 12 freshmen.

At Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association Media Day on July 30, the t102sportsnow.com staff asked each head coach to break down his squad. Here are some of the responses and other assessments as Tri-Valley prepares to open the season Friday, Aug. 22, at home against York Catholic.

3 key players

Cole Gemberling (sr., RB-LB)

Max Masser (sr., WR-DE)

Trey Porter (jr., WR-DB)

Gemberling led the team in rushing last season with 702 yards and 16 touchdowns on 135 carries. Masser (69 tackles) and Porter (four interceptions) spark the defense.

These guys have played a lot of varsity football in their careers, and they’ll be called on to pull everyone together and produce at a high level. They’re certainly capable of doing both.

3 key newcomers

Q.J. Koppenhaver (soph., OL-DL)

Cooper Carl (sr., WR-DB)

Remington Klinger (soph., QB-DB)

Koppenhaver, a 6-foot, 280-pounder, looks to fill one of the spots up front, while the 6-3 Carl joins the receiving ranks where Tri-Valley hopes his size presents mismatches and lots of targets in the passing game.

Klinger, a 6-3, 170-pounder, is competing with sophomore Chase Gemberling for the starting quarterback job. That competition bears watching throughout camp and will play a major role in whether or not Tri-Valley reaches its potential as a team.

3 key losses

Blake Schwartz (QB)

Ryan Colahan (OL-LB)

Hogan Troutman (OL-DL)

Schwartz’s athleticism and experience will be tough to replace after completing 76-of-143 passes for 1,073 yards with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions last season.

“The loss of Blake is very large,’’ Sampson said. “There are several players in line to take over.’’

Colahan, a three-year starter at left tackle, anchored the O-line and made 89 tackles on defense from his linebacker spot. Troutman added strong play on both lines.

Tri-Valley needs to find at least two linemen to step up for Colahan and Troutman. One could be Koppenhaver, while seniors Owen Mitchell, Randy Heckman and Elliot Stiely have experience up front. The Dawgs have decent size and many candidates for those starting jobs.

Rising stars

Standing 6-5 and weighing 225 pounds, junior Lucas Schwartz stands out in a crowd. He also stands out on the football field with the perfect build to excel at tight end and defensive end.

With a young quarterback at the helm, an active, dependable tight end can be a great safety valve.

“Lucas Schwartz is a huge target,’’ Sampson said.

Sophomore Parker Hatter has a varsity season under his belt after rushing 102 times for 645 yards and 5 TDs while making 65 tackles at linebacker. The 5-11, 175-pounder, who is also a varsity wrestler, is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential.

Bottom line

Tri-Valley will be good. How good? Well, that depends how well and how quickly the Dawgs fill their openings on both lines and how smoothly the new starting quarterback runs the offense.

There’s lots of talent at the running back and wide receiver spots, so if the line can come together, Tri-Valley could put a lot of points on the board.

The goal now is to close the gap and challenge Williams Valley, Schuylkill Haven and Minersville in the Blue Division of the Schuylkill/Colonial Cooperative and Lackawanna Trail in the District 2/11 Class A subregional.

The Dawgs weren’t all that competitive in those games last season, and to go from good to great, they’ll have to clamp down a whole lot more on defense. Linebackers like Cole Gemberling, senior Elliot Stiely and Hatter will lead the way, with DBs like Porter and junior Doyle Flory returning starters, too. Up front, Schwartz and Masser are quality defensive ends, with junior Donovan Keeth an experienced tackle.

“If all goes as it could, the team should be stronger than last year,’’ Sampson said.

Tri-Valley Bulldogs