C-K to 'Act On' Potential in 2022 Season

The Claysburg-Kimmel High School football team qualified for the District 6 Class 1A playoffs last season, but, to the Bulldogs, it was more a case of what might have been.

Claysburg posted four regular season wins. The Bulldogs, however, weren’t able to string multiple victories together, finishing 4-7 when they fell to Conemaugh Valley in the opening round of postseason action.

“I think, last year, a few games we were only one or two plays away,” said Bulldog senior running back-linebacker Cole Claycomb, who’s back after gaining more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage in 2021. “If we make those differences, we’re going to be a great team. We’ll flip that record right around.”

The good news for the Bulldogs is that Matt Bilchak’s squad returns 15 of 21 letterwinners from last year and starters at 16 positions in an effort to do just that. Claysburg opens the season on Friday, hosting Everett — for the second straight season, the Bulldogs will play their home games at Hollidaysburg Area High School’s Tiger Stadium while renovations continue on their own field.

“We have the potential, but it’s just that until you act on it,” Bilchak said. “It was just a case of self-inflicted wounds (last season). There were times that we would be driving and we would fumble or we would have a penalty that would put us in a long-yardage situation. We wouldn’t be able to finish off drives. We’d move the ball down the field, we’d get within scoring range and then something would come up. We’re trying to eliminate those mental errors.”

Claysburg-Kimmel averaged a robust 5.2 yards per rushing play last season but only scored 13.7 points per game. With an experienced — and hopefully more mature — group this fall, the hope is that the Bulldogs will clean up the little things, and big things will be the result.

“I think we’re going to compete more this year, more consistently,” said speedy, 5-foot-4, 135-pound returning halfback Gabe Weyant. “The thing that kept us from being better last year was not everybody was firing on all cylinders on all plays.”

Making the Bulldogs the most dangerous this year is having two of the three running backs returning in Bilchak’s hybrid wing-T offense and all but one of the skill position starters. Claycomb (5-7, 155) rushed for 687 yards and averaged 7.7 yards per carry. He also caught a team-high 19 passes for 412 yards.

He’ll play the right halfback with Weyant once again opening on the left side, although 5-9, 160-pound junior Anthony McGeary and 5-11, 160-pound senior Rob Schneider have been pushing for plays there. McGeary had a 90-yard run against Conemaugh Valley last season.

Senior Hunter Ehredt (5-6, 155) or sophomore MarkLattieri (5-5, 153) were the frontrunners to take over for the graduated Presston Imler at fullback. Imler was second on the Bulldogs last year in rushing with 416 yards.

Senior Caleb Oakes returns at quarterback, looking to improve on a campaign in which he completed 38.8 percent of his passes for 656 yards and six touchdowns.

“I feel better at reading defenses, knowing where people are going to be pre-snap and seeing who’s going to be open,” the 6-0, 160-pound Oakes said. “I have three of my guys returning in the backfield. We all know what’s going on. We have a good connection.”

Wide receiver Wyatt Buell has graduated, but senior Gavin Walters (5-11, 150) saw a lot of time at the X position last season. Junior Zach Campagna (5-11, 130) also is pushing for action there.

Ethan Mauk (5-11, 158) is a returning starter at tight end.

There are questions along the offensive line, where the only returning starters back are junior left guard Reece Replogle (6-0, 225) and senior right tackle Vinny Sanders (6-1, 225). In addition to the lack of experience, there’s not a lot of depth with size along the front line.

“We have to play with who’s in the building. You just have to find where guys can play multiple spots, who can do some things,” Bilchak said. “We’ve had times in the past where our starting fullback and halfback in Week 1 were on the line in Week 3.”

Junior Shawn Weyandt (5-3, 185) claimed the right guard spot in the offseason, as did sophomore Landon Knisely (5-6, 225) at center.

The left tackle will be one of two sophomores, Trevor Ritchie (6-0, 230) or Deken Brown (6-1, 210).

The Bulldog defense struggled last season, allowing 36 points or more five times. However, nine of the top 11 tacklers were underclassmen.

Bilchak has Replogle penciled in to start at right defensive end, Claycomb at left outside linebacker, McGeary at right outside linebacker, Campagna at free safety, senior Braydale Bauman (6-0, 180) at left defensive end and Ethan Claycomb (5-6, 170) at an inside linebacker.

Weyandt or freshman Remington Diehl (6-0, 165) have been working at one defensive tackle, while Ritchie, Brown and junior Cameron Nebelski (5-11, 200) have been at the other, with Ehredt and Lattieri competing for the other inside linebacker opening.

Mauk and Weyant were fighting at one of the corners with Walters and Schneider working at the other.

Joe Kennedy, Corey Reffner, Chuck Kassick, Lane Burket, Connor Nicewonger and Kyle Nale comprise Bilchak’s varsity staff. Aaron Burket and Brian Kulick coach the junior high.