HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata football team comes into the 2015 season with a chance to prove themselves. The Eagles are coming off a 5-5 season a year ago and had their first back-to-back .500 or better seasons since 2001-2002. While 14 players depart, the team returns 73 with 35 new players joining the squad.
"Our philosophy is big Team, little me," said fifth-year head coach Tim Launtz. "Everything that is done, is done for the team. It's about individual responsibility that leads to collective success. No individual is bigger than the team."
Offense
For the first time in five years, there will be a new signal caller under center for the Blue and Gold. Replacing Ward Udinski, is junior Hank Coyne (Royersford, PA/Spring-Ford). "Hank has been patient for the last two years being the backup," said Launtz. "He is very well-liked by his teammates. He works as hard as anyone on the football field. We have no concerns whatsoever with Hank being our opening day quarterback."
Toting the rock are seniors Deonte Alston (Bel-Air, MD/Patterson Mills), Michael John (Osceola Mills, PA/Phillipsburg-Osceola), and sophomore Andre Pendleton (Penn Valley, PA/Harriton). Alston ran for 298 yards and three scores in 2014 and was also a threat as a receiver with 25 receptions for 274 yards and a TD. He had his first 100-yard receiving day in the season finale against Susquehanna. Junior Matt Lehr (Dover, Pa./York Catholic) along with freshmen Calvin Bembry II (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) and David Vidovic (Apo, AE/Hohenfels) will also battle for playing time.
The receiving corps are led by Aaron O'Brien (York, PA/York Catholic) and Kirby Breault (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown Area). O'Brien led Juniata in receptions with 49 for 477 yards and two touchdowns. Breault had a break-out year as he led the team in touchdown catches (seven), second in yards (634), and third in catches (33). He had a monster game against McDaniel with six catches for 212 yards and two scores. He was the first Eagle player with a 200-yard receiving game in nearly 10 years. DaVon Mitchell (Scwenksville, PA/Periomen Valley), who played for Juniata in the 2013 season, adds speed to an already fast group. Freshman tight end Luke Everett (Pittsburgh, PA/Pine-Richland) will look to fill the void by the departed Kyle Schuck as will sophomore Dion Lattanzi (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown West) and junior Maurice Slinger (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair).
While the offensive line loses Josh Gongloff and Derek Schultz, seniors Frank Marin (Whitestone, NY/Holy Cross) and Nathan Shaffer (Dalmatia, PA/Line Mountain) return for their final seasons. Juniors Brett Sterner (Duncannon, PA/Susquenita) and Josh Kutz (Altoona, PA/Altoona) will once again assume starting roles. Sophomore Colton Craig (Lewistown, PA/Mifflin County), who saw time in six games and started two last year, will also factor into the mix. The line gets a big boost from transfer Kyle Lanich (West Decatur, PA/Phillipsburg-Osceola), who comes to Juniata from Division II Edinboro University.
Defense
The Eagles had a young defensive line last season that made solid contributions. Andrew Paterno (Waynesboro, PA/Waynesboro Area) and Daulton Romano (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh) both started all 10 games as sophomores. Romano led Juniata in sacks with 3.5. Kweku Parker (York, PA/Central York) was second with three sacks despite playing in only six games.
Despite the graduation of Ethan Wilt, the linebacking corps are still solid with Ryan Bologa (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boothe) returning for his junior year. He is the top returning tackler and had 72 stops a year ago. Bologa also picked up one sack, one interception, one fumble recovery and a blocked kick. Luke Navin's (Bel-Air, MD/John Carroll HS) 7.5 tackles for loss was a team-high. Brian Pyle (Lancaster, PA/Hempfield) also returns to bolster the middle defense. After not playing on defense last year, Jonah Plymire (York, Pa./Central York) comes back to the position where he spent 21 games at in his freshman and sophomore years.
The defensive backfield is led by the tandem of seniors Demetrius Floyd (Corapolis, Pa./West Allegheny) and Nick Bonavita (Sheffield, PA/Sheffield) Floyd had eight pass break ups in 2014 and was third on the Eagles in total tackles with 59. He forced four fumbles that ranked first in the Centennial Conference and 10th in the NCAA. Bonavita was fourth on the team in tackles with 48. He had the longest interception (34 yards) and fumble recovery (41 yards) returns for the Eagles.
Special Teams
The battle for the kicking position will be between the incumbent Kevin Bonalle (Lebanon, PA/Cedar Crest) and freshman Joel Reighard (Altoona, PA/Altoona Area). Bonalle handled extra points in 2014 with his lone field goal covering 32 yards. Plymire once again will handle punting duties. He averaged over 36 yards per boot in 2014 and ranks fourth in Juniata history with an average of 38.1 yards.
Schedule
The Eagles begin their season at Knox Stadium on September 5 against Grove City. It has been designated as the Gold Game where T-shirts will be sold to raise funds for children with cancer. The first Centennial home game is September 19 against Gettysburg and the Eagles will celebrate their Glory Years teams of the 1947-1962. The home portion of the schedule also features two teams that finished in the top 25 last year in Johns Hopkins (October 3) and Muhlenberg (October 24). The Blue Jays are the six-time defending Centennial Conference Champions. After road contests with McDaniel (October 31) and Moravian (November 7), JC hosts Susquehanna for the annual Goalpost Game on November 14.
"We've seen great progress in the maturity and the evolution of the football program here," stated Launtz. "Our guys have worked very hard through the winter, spring, and summer seasons because they weren't satisfied with five wins. They believe that they are better than a .500 football team and that .500 is not where we want to be."