Pottsville hosts Tamaqua in Red Division showdown

(Photo Danie Mae Photography)

Pottsville and Tamaqua have reached an early season crossroads.

Though it’s just Week 3, the outcome of tonight’s Schuylkill/Colonial Red Division clash at Veterans Memorial Stadium will go a long way toward determining what kind momentum both teams build as they enter the heart of the season. (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.)

For Tamaqua (2-0, 1-0 Red) and its senior-heavy roster, it’s been an excellent start with a 38-7 romp over Pen Argyl and a 35-17 victory over North Schuylkill. A win over the Crimson Tide would put Tamaqua at 3-0 and start talk of the Blue Raiders’ potential to challenge for championships in the division and District 11.

Meanwhile, Pottsville (1-1, 1-0 Red) will look to do everything in its power to prevent that from happening. After a setback to Shamokin Area in their opener, the Tide rebounded with a resounding 48-7 beatdown of Jim Thorpe. The goal now is to build off the positives of last Friday night, in other words get better every day and every week.

“We made plays,’’ Pottsville coach Mike Brennan said. “That’s the big thing. Winning football is making plays.

“It’s a process,’’ Brennan added. “It’s not going to be easy. We stress that with the kids every day. We have a lot to improve on. We have a lot to do to change the way we think, and once we change the way we think, it’ll change the way we play.’’

With the way the divisions broke down before this season’s realignment, Pottsville and Tamaqua didn’t cross paths all that often on the gridiron. Brennan noted that he never faced the Blue Raiders as either a player at Nativity or as a coach.

“It’s hard to get a feel for them,’’ Tamaqua coach Sam Bonner said. “They definitely improved from Week 1 to Week 2. We’ll do as much research as we can.

“We’ve definitely got to improve each week, not giving up third-and-longs and finishing off the game,’’ Bonner added. “We have to stay healthy and get better each week.’’

So far this season, Tamaqua is averaging 36.5 points per game. A big part of that success is a powerhouse rushing attack sparked by its seniors. Bradley Whalen leads the way with 38 carries for 266 yards and two TDs. Victor Schlosser is a double-threat, rushing for 170 yards and a TD and catching eight passes for 132 yards and two more TDs. Tyler Koch is the short-yardage back with 43 yards on the ground and three TDs.

Running the controls is senior quarterback Luke Kane (14-of-23, 250 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs). Kane is a capable runner, too.

“We have experience at our skill positions — tailback, quarterback, receiver,’’ Bonner said. “These guys have to make plays for us, and they have done a good job. We definitely want to build on that momentum.’’

Added Brennan: “You’ve got to stop the run, that’s for sure. They want to run the football and want to be physical with you. They’re a very good football team, and we have to be very disciplined and extremely aggressive defensively to be able to counter their run game. Offensively, we have to progress every single day.’’

The Tide got their offense going last week behind an aggressive offensive line. Junior RB JuJu Bainbridge has 162 yards on 25 carries this season (6.5 per attempt), while senior Evan Galavage went for 100 yards and two TDs on just three carries against the Olympians.

Sophomore quarterback Andrew Allen was effective against Jim Thorpe, passing for a touchdown and rushing for another. For the season, he’s completed 21-of-39 passes for 342 yards with two TDs and one interception. Senior Tsirell Curry has been his favorite target. The 6-foot-4, 185-pounder has six receptions for 261 yards (43.5 average) and two TDs. Junior Christian Alvarez (4-36) is another top target and has connected on 6-of-8 extra-point attempts.

Senior Tahlil Flucker-White, a 6-foot, 255-pounder, leads a defense that repeatedly came up with big stops to turn away Jim Thorpe drives into Tide territory. Flucker-White has 19 tackles, four for loss (including one sack), one forced fumble and one fumble recovery this season. Bainbridge (17 tackles) and Curry (13 tackles) are other key defenders for the Tide.

“The little things and being efficient in all we do (are important),’’ Brennan said. “It starts with great practices. … We don’t waste time. We’re not walking through practice. We’ve been improving every day, and that’s what we have to do.

“To be the best football team we can be at the end of the year, that weight room has certainly been a priority for us and will continue to be a priority for us,’’ the coach added. “I think they’re starting to understand that all those things led to some positive results on Friday night. We’ve just got to continue to build as we move into Tamaqua (week).’’