https://www.mcall.com/sports/varsit...0191101-zgkpxlmwijeh7iwoxtexi5hy2i-story.html
Heck of a program and for a school of that size some outstanding athletes.
Heck of a program and for a school of that size some outstanding athletes.
Interesting article(long) about Southern Columbia form the Morning Call. (link inside)
- Thread starter CattyGuy51
- Start date
That is a hell of an interesting article! Thanks for sharing it.
Let's see if Brian S. from the Coal Region thread can find the NS-Ashland connection in that article?
There is also a PSU connection.
Two things - 1) I still wonder how difficult it is to go from small-school, lesser competition (coal country or not) to the highest level of competition in college...again, not saying they can’t, just curious how big a leap that must be; and 2) why is Penn State not landing these kids from an hour or so up the road?
Will take your word for it about the article .. since it tells me I have to be a subscriber to read it .. thanks for posting it anyway
I think you’re right, but if they are also producing players who are going to UM and MSU, and other good players are underclassmen, shouldn’t we be trying to get inroads into the program?
Good players are good players some make the leap Mike Malinowski Joe Ruth Veech other Greg Harrison don't (and don't say injuries)
Great article. I actually student taught at Southern 30 years ago. At the time Berwick was the talk of the town and Southern was like their little brother. It’s truly amazing the impact one person can have.
Very good in other sports, too (with some of the same athletes)
Southern Columbia won the 2019 AA team title in wrestling (the highest team score at the PIAA championships, and 2nd in the state dual meet championships).
Finished 3rd in the team standings at the 2019 AA track championships.
Southern Columbia won the 2019 AA team title in wrestling (the highest team score at the PIAA championships, and 2nd in the state dual meet championships).
Finished 3rd in the team standings at the 2019 AA track championships.
Dick Purnell, famous Shik coach, graduated from Ashland High School. I don't know the year. That was talked about plenty back in the early 70's when Shik was always LOADED!!! Shik had a pretty good kicker when Carson Long was at NS!
For your part 2, Penn State connection..........................if you're talking about Charlie Reh, I know him very well, and, for a long time! Charlie got divorced, then married Joanne Capone. That last name should ring a bell for Penn State fans!!! Yes, her son was Gino. I coached Gino in Little League baseball.
I played at Southern in the mid 60's(actually as a freshman "scrub" Mick Flemming was our star QB) and the programs that were stellar were the likes of Shick (a merger with Northumberland), Shamokin ( which I believe merged with Coal Township in '65) and Mount Carmel.
Population in those areas has dwindled with the dearth of job opportunities and many of the football blue blood families have moved to the Elysburg area to raise their kids (Hynoski).
I lost contact with team mates etc. in the area as I had a football season of my own to coach.....but reconnect with some reunions etc. This Southern team is well coached, disciplined, unselfish and they execute at a high degree of efficiency. I doubt they will ever again see the talent that is on this roster. But, Roth's leadership will continue to have them among the best for the foreseeable future.
Population in those areas has dwindled with the dearth of job opportunities and many of the football blue blood families have moved to the Elysburg area to raise their kids (Hynoski).
I lost contact with team mates etc. in the area as I had a football season of my own to coach.....but reconnect with some reunions etc. This Southern team is well coached, disciplined, unselfish and they execute at a high degree of efficiency. I doubt they will ever again see the talent that is on this roster. But, Roth's leadership will continue to have them among the best for the foreseeable future.
Agreed! It bothers me rivals are pulling in good kids from just down the road.
I absolutely agree with your point, but not sure it’s worth it for Franklin. Personally I would’ve offered Halladay as I think he will be 235 in no time and turn into a very solid big 10 player. Franklin and staff were however at many Southern games in person and certainly evaluated him and I will trust their judgment over mine.
Frankly it doesn’t make much sense for the staff to focus much on the coal region. The area had produced maybe 25 or so high level FBS players in the last 25-30 years. Here is who I remember off the top of my head
Marian
Sean Love- Penn State
Jamie Ryan- Notre Dame
North Skook
Rich Bolinsky- Penn State
Geno Capone- Penn State
The current kid who’s name I can’t recall
Southern
Josh Marks- Penn State
Nate Schicatno- Notre Dame
Henry Hynoski- Pitt
The current crop of kids
Shenandoah
Mike Malinowski- Penn State
Greg Harrison- Penn State
Joe Ruth- WVU
Brian Bender was a hell of a player but went to Rutgers
Berwick
Powlus- Notre Dame
Gus Felder- Penn State
Bo Orlando- WVU
Jake Kelchner- Notre Dame/WVU
Mike Bennett- Syracuse
Jason Sobiliski- Pitt
Jason Stanley- Va tech
Mt. Carmel
Corey Hepler- WVU
Nick Sebes- Stanford
They had a kid go to Ohio State about 10 years ago who’s name I don’t recall
Veach brothers- as good as they were they all went to FCS schools
They had a QB go to Boston College as well after playing minor league baseball for a bit
Hazleton
Dan Drogan- PSU
Don Patrick- Pitt
Blue Mountain
Matt Stankewich- PSU
Haven
Jason Killian- PSU
I’m sure I missed quite a few, but I am going back 30 years here in some cases and there just isn’t that many Big 10 level players being produced.
First ones that popped in my head. Jason Killian, Nate Shich, Gary Diminick etc. The kid from southern that then transferred to pitt.
I meant VeAch, sorry. He is a Mt. Carmel guy.
How could I forget this one
Panther Valley
Gene Snitsky- Missouri (and former WWE wrestler and one of the largest human beings you will ever see)
That's a really good list. Bender was a hell of an athlete. Blew his knee out covering Santana Moss
When was the last time Shamokin had an FBS player? I can’t think of a single one. I can think of a few FCS guys but no FBS.
I'm not going to get into it with you Coal Region guys, but they have been doing shady things in that region for decades! That's why you have one or two elite teams, and the rest are mediocre at best.
Southern's QB from last year, the Bama walk-on, lived in Lewisburg. I know they are very well coached, but when you have parents and coaches that turn a blind eye to "recruiting", it makes it a little easier to build powerhouse programs.
As far as CJF getting his foot in the door, good luck! They look at PSU as being the little brother, and most of them would go elsewhere even if they did get a PSU offer. How much money did they spend just recruiting Fleming, to have him sit down with Penn Live and run the program into the dirt.
Southern's QB from last year, the Bama walk-on, lived in Lewisburg. I know they are very well coached, but when you have parents and coaches that turn a blind eye to "recruiting", it makes it a little easier to build powerhouse programs.
As far as CJF getting his foot in the door, good luck! They look at PSU as being the little brother, and most of them would go elsewhere even if they did get a PSU offer. How much money did they spend just recruiting Fleming, to have him sit down with Penn Live and run the program into the dirt.
I don’t think anyone will dispute that. I have no idea where the Southern kids come from individually, but I do know many families with the means to do so move to the district from Mt. Camel and Shamokin. These two and North Skook redshirted kids for years but I think that practice has largely stopped. As we all know Fleming turned 19 in August so he was I assume an athletic redshirt at some point that was not at all necessary.
No doubt this is an exceptional year for Southern and I realize things have changed since the 80s and 90s, but for years Southern racked up tons of wins against competition at the lowest level while Mt. Carmel, Shamokin, Shikellamy, and even N. Schuylkill played much tougher competition.
