Team Preview: Pottsville starts new era with new head coach
Senior Ryan Galen returns to lead Pottsville's offensive line this season.
Pottsville
Head coach: Mike Brennan
2023: 3-7
Story by Leroy Boyer
Mike Brennan’s long and storied high school football coaching career has led him back to his hometown, where he hopes to restore Pottsville’s winning tradition on the gridiron.
The 55-year-old Nativity graduate was hired in February as the Crimson Tide’s new head coach, replacing Tom McGeoy, who guided Pottsville to a 60-59 record and eight playoff appearances in 11 seasons. It will be Brennan’s 25th season as a head coach after previous stops at Nativity (1998-99), Mount Carmel (2000-08), Blue Mountain (2009-12), Hazleton Area (2014-19) and Danville (2020-22).
“Doing this for two and a half decades … I thought I experienced everything,” said Brennan, who is 166-110 as a head coach. He guided Mount Carmel to PIAA Class AA state titles in 2000 and 2002 and Danville to three straight District 4 Class 3A crowns.
“But this doesn’t seem to turn off for me. Living in the community, being in the building, being a part of this proud tradition of a football program has been so exciting for me. It certainly has invigorated me. I have more energy and more excitement for football and these kids than I ever have.”
Brennan inherits a squad that went 3-7 a year ago and missed the postseason for the first time since 2015. It’s a relatively young squad, one looking for leaders to emerge. There’s talent there … it’s up to Brennan and his staff to mold it into a winning team.
Offensively, junior Brody Herndon and sophomore Andrew Allen will battle for the quarterback job. The two combined to complete 30 passes for 388 yards a year ago. Juniors Terrell McFarland (63-413, 6 TDs) and JuJu Bainbridge (13-69) are the leading candidates at running back, with senior Brayden Evans and sophomores Max Clews and Shay Strencosky vying for time at the H-Back position. Brennan is excited about a receiver group that includes seniors Tsirell Curry (13 catches, 209 yards, 3 TDs) and Latrell Montone (16-191) and junior Christian Alvarez (10-108).
“You look at those three guys on the edge, they’re all big frames, they’re all good guys, they’re all kids who are going to make a difference,” Brennan said.
Seniors Luke Schane, Ryan Galen and Jacob Filiac anchor the Tide’s offensive line, with juniors Logan Kessler and Brody Baddick also expected to contribute. Senior lineman Tahlil Flucker-White and linebacker Evans lead the defense, with junior lineman Cole Cesari and senior defensive back Derek Watkins expected to play key roles.
Brennan listed seniors Evan Galavage (RB/DB), Averey Maroukis (H/LB), Ronald Yourey (WR/DB) and Gage Hammer (RB/LB); juniors Brett Holley (H/LB) and Pete Scharadin (RB/LB); and sophomores Nick Huda (WR/DB), Colin McGinley (WR/DB) and Brody Eroh (RB/FS) as other potential breakout candidates.
Brennan said the Tide’s strengths are “athleticism along the defensive line, length at wide receiver, physicality at running back, leadership along the offensive line and the energy that Evans and Bainbridge bring at linebacker.” He said Pottsville can have a winning season if “our offensive line and running backs allow our young QBs to develop with improved pass protection and productivity in the run game and our defense plays with renewed energy, physicality and consistency.”
Pottsville, which will compete in the nine-team big-school Red Division (Division I) of the Schuylkill/Colonial Football Cooperative, opens its season Friday, Aug. 23, at Shamokin.
