By Brian Carroll, Havenfootball.net
Are you ready for some football? Coming off a memorable and incredibly impressive 2021 season, the players, coaches, and fans of the Strath Haven Panthers should be shouting, “YES!!!!” As the defending District 1 5A champions, repeating last year’s success will be no easy feat with every opponent preparing to give the silver and black their most inspired effort. And after a nine month wait to once again hear the crack of the pads, the shrill screams of referees’ whistles, and the booming tones of the Strath Haven Marching Band, the 2022 season gets underway this Friday evening.
As has been the case for the past several years, the Panthers open their slate with a tough neighbor to the east, the Interboro Bucs. Head Coach Dennis Lux and his staff that includes several Interboro alumni have rebuilt some energy and talent over on South Avenue and are looking to build on some late-season momentum that saw the Bucs leap into the 2021 district playoffs. Coach Lux will count on senior QB Julian Bulovas as a second-year starter to guide the offense that averaged nearly 30 points per game over the last four games of 2021. The Bucs will likely have a run-heavy attack, led by senior lineman Matt Galanaugh paving the way for tailback Abu Kamara, who is garnering interest from some FBS and FCS programs. On the defensive side of the ball, Galanaugh is joined by an impact defensive end Tolu Awoyemi, while senior CB Eben Affainie is expected to anchor the secondary.
As for Strath Haven, well… “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” With Head Coach Kevin Clancy at the helm of the program for his 32nd season and coming off his twelfth District 1 title, the Panthers’ storied Wing-T offense will look to add another fantastic chapter in 2022. Lost to graduation are six terrific offensive linemen and tight ends who led fellow graduates Chase Barlow and Matt Shuler to over 4,500 yards of total offense and 45 touchdowns. That being said, senior QB #4 Sam Milligan returns under center, and has a quartet of fellow seniors to run and catch the ball behind him. #32 Anthony Crawford and #40 Bob Fooskas combined for over 1,400 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns from the fullback spot a season ago, and #35 Austin Conner and #5 Chase Nangle should provide a spark as halfbacks. Defensively, the Panthers return seven starters who saw significant time last season, anchored by defensive tackles #72 Jason Williams and #89 Ben Farabaugh in the middle, Crawford and Fooskas at linebacker, and #15 Aidan Sutherland at free safety.
In last year’s season opener, Interboro could not find a way to slow down the Strath Haven running game, as the Panthers had three backs top 100 yards rushing on the evening on their way to a 49-7 victory. This season, expect the Bucs to come out with more firepower and talent in their own running game, and the Panthers will need to be on their toes to slow down both the fullback and the tailback consistently. On the other side of the ball, can the Panthers’ brand new offensive line create enough space for the talented backs behind them? And when it comes to the passing game, will the Panthers be able to slow down the Bucs’ pass rush to give the offense some balance? After months of anticipation and hard work in the offseason, we will find out this Friday night!
If you are unable to attend the game at Interboro in person, tune in to the audio broadcast right here on www.havenfootball.net. Pre-game will begin at 6:45pm, with a 7pm kickoff to follow. We look forward to a fantastic and fun 2022 season!
