Juniata Football Entering Second Year of W-burg Co-Op

When Williamsburg Community School District decided to shut down its football program and join Juniata Valley in a co-operative agreement, it could have been a case of subtraction by addition.

Juniata Valley has been the Blue Pirates’ most-heated rival for decades, and the neighboring schools still were going to go at it tooth and nail in every other boys’ sport.

Instead, though, the players put aside their natural enmity. Not only that, they thrived as a team, combining to form one of Valley’s best-ever teams with a Williamsburg student-athlete leading the charge at quarterback. The Green Hornets even almost knocked off the eventual state champion in Class 1A.

Now, they’ll be trying to build on that 10-2 campaign. With a team focused more on speed than the brawn it possessed a season ago, Juniata Valley will open the season on Friday night at home at A.R. Simpkins Field to face off with Glendale in an Inter-County Conference match-up.

“The ones that were already down there last year got to make friends with some of the Juniata Valley kids. We came together like one team,” said 6-foot-2, 250-pound senior two-way tackle Justin Brubaker, one of a number of former Pirates who started in green and white last fall. “This year, I think we should come together even better. We know what it’s like.”

Brubaker started at right tackle last year and is getting some reps at nose guard this preseason. Among the other Williamsburg natives who are back in starting roles for the Hornets this season are senior linebacker Forrest England (5-10, 205) and junior running back-safety Andrew McMonagle (5-10, 195).

McMonagle was fourth on the team with 68 tackles last season. He also was fourth on the Hornets with 215 yards rushing.

“It’s worked out as smooth as you could imagine. It’s just playing football. This year’s been a lot smoother because we had time and know we’re going to be playing for JV,” McMonagle said. “It’s nice.”

That’s reassuring, because this year’s team will have to take a different approach to success than the 2021 Hornets.

“Hopefully, we can utilize speed and get guys out into space,” Hornets coach Bill Musser said. “Hopefully, we can also have a situation where we spread the kids out enough that other teams have to honor all the speed.”

McMonagle probably will open at fullback, spelled on occasion by sophomore Vincent Hoover (5-10, 165). The slotback in the spread-T formation probably will be England, while senior J.T. Rodkey (5-11, 185), who caught 15 passes a season ago, figures to be the Z-back again.

Senior Gavin Musser (6-0, 175) is the likely tight end, although he also could see time in the slot. Williamsburg senior Colton Verbonitz (5-7, 145) is in the mix at split end with senior Eli McFadden (6-1, 185), sophomore Lucas Dick (5-8, 140) and junior Conner Robinson (6-0, 175).

Senior Reid Edwards (6-6, 210) will be the quarterback. He was expected to call the signals last year before the co-op was announced and Williamsburg’s athletic Lambert Palmer came over and took over the starting role.

“Reid really has stepped up and gotten really comfortable in that role,” Bill Musser said. “I think he took this as a challenge after not starting last year.”

Brubaker will be back at right tackle. Moving from right to left, working with him will be senior Noah Roland (6-0, 230) or junior Tim Keller (5-6, 260) at right guard, sophomore Zach Dick (5-9, 180) or soph Sam Parks (6-2, 235) at center, senior Alex Brantner (5-10, 200) or freshman Logan Harpster (5-9, 205) at left guard and senior Sean Raifsnider (6-2, 225) or senior Dakota Baumia (5-10, 23) at left tackle.

“Our scrimmage with Bald Eagle Area and Central Mountain went pretty good. The line did what it was supposed to do,” Brubaker said.

In addition to McMonagle and England, Rodkey and Williamsburg’s Brantner return to the starting 11 at cornerback and linebacker, respectively. England and Brantner man the inside spots in a 4-4 hybrid alignment.

Grant Musser will rotate with Parks and Raifsnider at the defensive ends, while Keller, Roland and sophomore J.P. Espy (5-11, 195). The younger Musser also might play some outside linebacker with seniors Ayden Bark (5-10, 170) and Kade Entrekan (5-10, 175) and sophomore Levi Thompson (5-9, 165).

Verbonitz, Rodkey and junior Luke Uplinger (5-7, 155) are working at the corners. If McMonagle slides to an outside likebacker, Edwards might play defense as a free safety.

Rodkey is expected to handle all of the kicking and, in addition, will be back to return kicks with Verbonitz and McMonagle.

Juniata Valley only lost by three points to Bishop Guilfoyle in the District 6 finals. With Guilfoyle being moved up to Class 2A this year, the Hornets are hoping the doorway to states has cracked a bit more open.

“I think last year boosted us. It made us more excited and raised the expectations for this year,” Brubaker said.

Jason Showalter, John Boone, Dave Roland, Troy Boonie, Chad Llewellyn and Mitch Berger are Musser’s assistants. Tom Hess is the assistant junior high coach; his staff includes Matt Neri, Dan Beatty Sr., Jeremy Norris, Jeff Goss, Brett Rodkey and John Morton.