Make no mistake about it, Bradford High’s football team was focused on its Week 0 game against Smethport for months.
Against the visiting Hubbers, the Owls had their way, using a big Jaron Ambrose kick return to open the game before John Eakin found the end zone two plays later to set the tone for the rest of the night, a 56-0 rout.
And while Smethport had always been in focus, the team’s Friday-night matchup against Coudersport –– the Falcons beat Bradford High in overtime last season, the only instance all year an Allegheny Mountain League North team beat a team from the South division –– was nagging away in the periphery.
“You spend all summer and our goal was to beat Smethport, but we don’t try to look ahead,” Owls head coach Jeff Puglio said. “In the back of your mind, you remember that game [against Coudersport], how we lost it and went to overtime. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to see them again. I like the way we’re playing, especially up front.”
Puglio expects the Falcons –– which lost to Ridgway last week 29-8 –– and first-year head coach Tom Storey to be a tough, physical opponent. Echoing what he’s said all preseason, however, the Owls can only focus on the question “What do we need to do to get better?”
That, and executing better than when the teams met last season.
“They’re a physical team from what we’ve seen on film,” Puglio said. “They played [Ridgway] pretty tough. A couple turnovers here and there and that game could go either way. I’m expecting to see a team that we saw last year, one that is going to come right after us. They have every intention of coming over here and taking it to us.”
One player who figures to be a key for is the bruising fullback Eakin. Eakin scored four times last week while running for 210 yards on just 14 carries.
For Bradford High, the big victory against Smethport had both its positives and negatives. On the plus side, no major injuries were suffered and the reserves and junior varsity players saw plenty of field time after the Owls’ starting unit sat the entire second half.
On the negative side, however, the coaching staff did find aspects that need cleaned up.
“It was by far the perfect game,” Puglio said. “We should never be satisfied. Winning is what we’re there for, but we’re trying to get better every time we get on the field. If you’re not trying to get better every time we’re out there, then you’re not doing your job.”
After shuffling lineups almost weekly last year due to injury, Bradford High hopes it can make its last change this week, albeit at a not-so-subtle position. After sitting out last game due to a suspension from last season, Donny Pattison will make his debut under center for the Owls this week.
Last week’s starting quarterback, Nate Blauser, moves to split end, where he’ll share time with Caleb Nuzzo. Pattison will also line up as a cornerback on defense.
“I think it’s big for us just to get the continuity now,” Puglio said. “Nate Blauser did a great job for us at quarterback and something he really didn’t want to do, but he did it for the team. We have two capable quarterbacks. [Blauser is] a good athlete and he’ll be on the field.”
Even with the change at quarterback, don’t expect anything different than what the Owls ran in the first half against the Hubbers, churning out 337 yards on 31 ground attempts against just four attempted passes.
“We’re a Wing-T team,” Puglio said “Our game plan is to ground and pound and that’s what we’re going to do.”
