HS Football: Tide face test in opener against Shamokin Area

Pottsville Area will wear throwback helmets this season, the same design that the Crimson Tide wore from 1976-83. (Photo by Bob Lipsky)

POTTSVILLE — As far as season openers go, this one is huge.

For many reasons.

We’ll get to them in a moment, but here’s what you need to know: It’s opening night! Pottsville Area hosts Shamokin Area in a traditional Coal Region rivalry this evening at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

(The game will air live on WPPA 1360 AM and A-106/105.9 FM, beginning with pregame at 6:45 p.m. and kickoff at 7 p.m.)

The Crimson Tide will have a new look, both in how their players appear physically and how they look in their uniforms. The biggest change will be apparent as Pottsville dipped into its rich tradition and went “old school.” The team has switched to an all-white helmet with a gray facemask and a red Crimson Tide logo trimmed in black. It’s the exact design that the Tide players wore from 1976-83.

“People have been receptive,” said Pottsville Area head coach Mike Brennan, in his second season at the helm. “The kids really like them.”

Once the Tide strap on their helmets, they’ll match up against a Shamokin team that went 12-1 a year ago and enters this season as the No. 7 team in Class 4A in the Pennlive.com state rankings. The Indians lost a few linemen and some wideouts to graduation, but they return plenty of size and speed.

That size begins with All-State offensive lineman Izak Glover, who is all of 6-foot-3 and 350 pounds. He’ll have plenty of beef around him.

Overall, Shamokin’s players are bigger than Pottsville’s, but Brennan and his players have been working for the past nine months to catch up in the strength department.

“We play a very difficult schedule, maybe no more difficult than Shamokin coming here in Week 1,” Brennan said. “They’re always (huge). Where we’re hopeful we’ve closed the gap is in terms of our strength and athleticism. We’ll see how much closer we got to get where we’re trying to go.”

The Indians also will look to All-State junior quarterback Logan Steele to make plays with his legs and his arm. A 5-10, 170-pounder with blazing speed, Steele is being recruited by Ole Miss and Penn State as a versatile athlete. Pottsville’s defensive ends must keep Steele in the pocket, because once he breaks contain, he can deliver knockout-blow chunk plays. Steele accounted for 36 total touchdowns last season.

Shamokin also returns a pair of tough running backs in seniors Jayce Ginck (5-10, 160) and Za’kem Clinton (6-1, 225). Clinton received All-State honors last season as a linebacker.

Coming off a 6-6 season, Pottsville will counter with an explosive offense of its own, piloted by second-year starting quarterback Andrew Allen, a junior who passed for 1,814 yards and 13 TDs in 2024. Senior running back JuJu Bainbridge made major gains in the weight room after rushing for 1,128 yards and 16 TDs last season. Christian Alvarez (23-324) is the main wideout, with center Brody Baddick and tackles Cole Cesari and Logan Kessler three returning seniors up front.

Defense is the question mark for the Tide as a lot of production and leadership must be replaced. Look for linebackers Bainbridge, Brody Eroh and Brody Herndon and defensive backs Nick Huda and Shay Strencosky to make plays. Cesari, Kessler and junior Eli Accardi anchor the front three.

As always, line play on both sides will be keys to victory.

Brennan said the Tide held their own in last weekend’s scrimmage at Mount Carmel, ranked No. 6 in the state in Class 3A.

“Playing them, we got a good test, very competitive across the board,” Brennan said. “I’m very comfortable that when we left we’re prepared. The preseason culminated with that, and we just have to carry that into game week now.”

One advantage Pottsville may have is that it’s playing at home in front of what should be a large, enthusiastic crowd. The game also will be played on natural grass as opposed to the artificial turf at Shamokin’s Kemp Memorial Stadium. A large number of teams in District 4 play on artificial turf fields.

“Just being at home in your home opener brings a lot of energy,” Brennan said. “I’m excited for our kids. It’s certainly a big challenge. They’re riding high. They’re extremely confident. We’re still a program that’s trying to build and trying to improve and trying to prove that we have a place among the better football teams on our schedule, in our league and our district.

“To do that, you have to beat people like this,” Brennan added. “You have to win games like this.”