Cole Gemberling, Tri-Valley running back.

Tri-Valley Bulldogs

Head Coach: Jeff Sampson

Last Season: 5-6

Story by Chaz Hepler

Tri-Valley enters the season in a unique situation.

Last year, the Dawgs got a lot of contributions from underclassmen; this season, another influx of young players will get their chops on a Friday night.

Coach Jeff Sampson is excited, to say the least, stating: “We were young last year, but most of our losses were by a few points. I’m interested to see how the kids that were a part of last year’s team matured to better close out games.”

Blake Schwartz will be back under center this season after completing 74 of his 154 attempts for 1,085 yards and 10 touchdowns. Sampson has a positive outlook about his signal caller.

“Blake’s been to a lot of camps and 7-on-7s this offseason,’’ Sampson said. “He seems to have a steady presence and is more poised in the pocket.”

Tri-Valley will have a new look in the receiving corps. Sophomore Trey Porter will be called upon to pick up a bulk of the load after leading the team with nine catches for 236 yards last season. Max Masser and Doyle Flory will also look to find time at wide receiver, and Lucas Schwartz has emerged as the leading candidate at tight end.

Senior Noah Porter led the team in rushing last year with 691 yards on 119 carries and 10 touchdowns, but he will start the season on the injured list. Porter hopes to be back before the season ends. With Porter injured, it makes the way for Cole Gemberling to take over as the featured back. Gemberling ran for 432 yards and five scores last year and was an able pass catcher, collecting 200 yards on 14 receptions with two touchdowns.

A pair of sophomores, Donovan Keeth and Mikade Mowery, will be the heir apparent to take over the role of fullback.

Up front, the Bulldogs will have a strong mix of upperclassmen with seniors

Ryan Colahan and Hogan Troutman and junior Owen Mitchell returning. Juniors Dave Schoffler and Randy Heckman, senior Kayden Lucas and freshman Q.J. Koppenhaver have all turned heads to round out the offensive line.

Defensively, Tri-Valley will again have a mix of experience and youth contributing this season. Colahan started last year at defensive tackle and possibly could return to the position as he has been getting some looks at linebacker. Schoffler, Heckman and Owen Lucas have been competing to see who will round out the interior. Lucas Schwartz and Masser will anchor the end of the defensive line.

Gemberling is the lone returning player with experience at linebacker. Throughout camp, juniors Elliot Stiely, Mowery and Jimmy Fetterhoff, Troutman, Keeth and freshman Parker Hatter have all been getting reps to round out the second level.

Trey Porter returns at cornerback and senior Shawn Singh will be called upon to cover the opposite side while sophomore Gabe Weikel and freshman Remington Klinger await their turn to find time in the secondary. Rounding out the defensive backfield will be Flory at one safety position and should situations dictate, Blake Schwartz could be found prowling the secondary as well.

The Dawgs qualified for the District 11 Class A playoffs last season, losing to Marian 14-6 in the first round. With the realigned Schuylkill/Colonial League Football Cooperative, Tri-Valley enters the Blue Division (Division III).

“The new alignment really doesn’t change much for us,’’ Sampson said. “We lost Line Mountain and picked up York Catholic to open the season, but we get to rekindle our rivalry with Pine Grove from the Tri-Valley League days.”

With District 11 Class A fielding three teams, there will be sub-regional tournament with District 2. Who makes the field will determine how the tournament shapes up. A District 11 championship could take place in Week 11 if the field is split evenly between the two districts.