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TIGERS OPEN SEASON AT ALTOONA

Coach Art Walker’s Tigers will open the 2008 season on the road tonight when they take on the Altoona Mountain Lions at Mansion Park in Altoona.  Both teams are coming off outstanding season last year.  NA won eleven straight games, wrapping up the Northern Five Conference Championship, before falling 28-27 in overtime to Gateway in the WPIAL semifinals.  Altoona finished with an 8-3 record, including a 24-14 upset of a very good Harrisburg team in the season finale.

The Tigers lost 25 seasons from the 2007 roster, but Coach Walker still has some key elements returning.  Back to lead the offensive is starting quarterback and senior Mike Locke (6-2, 195) who passed for 936 yards and eleven TDs last year.  Also back is starting wide receiver senior Brian Austin (5-9, 162) who caught nine passes good for a pair of touchdowns, including a 74-yard strike against Gateway in the semifinals.  Austin won the WPIAL 100 meter dash championship in the Spring.  Also returning are seniors Ryan Schleiper (6-6, 280) and Mike Vuono (6-4, 285), the starting tackles from last year’s squad.  On defense, only two starters return.  Senior LB Jackson Boyd (6-1, 195) and senior DE Wes Henderson (6-2, 230) are being counted on to lead the NA defense.

Coach Walker will be looking for a number of players that saw significant playing last year to step up into starting roles this season.  In the offensive backfield, sophomore Alex Papson (5-9, 165) will probably get the start at tailback.  In his freshman year, Papson gained 182 yards in 25 carries (6.8 ypc) before sustaining a season ending injury in the fifth game of the year.  Seniors Jorden Kraus (5-10, 200) and Grant Huckestein (5-11, 205) both saw playing time throughout the course of last season and will vie for the fullback position.  Senior Nick Jovonovich (5-11, 220) will take over the place kicking duties after going 5-7 in conversion attempts in the 2007 campaign. 

 A number of additional players will be fighting for playing time.  On the offensive line, senior Pat Lynch (6-0, 230) and junior Cody Brown (5-9, 260) at center, along with junior Tom Ricketts (6-6, 250), senior Mike Maxwell (6-1, 230) and sophomore Vince Czerniewski (6-4, 240) will be in the mix.  In the backfield, newcomers junior David Humphrey (5-11, 190) and sophomore Matt Steinbeck (6-1, 190) may get some carries.  At wide receiver, senior Gabe Searles (6-4, 185) and junior Matt Locke (5-11, 175) have played in the scrimmages while at tight end, look for senior Greg Piehler (6-1, 195) and junior Kevin Clark (6-2, 190) to probably share time. 

On defense, a number of players will be asked to step up in the new season.  Sophomore Justin Haser (6-5, 210), junior Ben Balzer (6-3, 275) and senior Chris Caraccillo (5-9, 195) may be in the mix on the defensive line.  At linebacker, a number of players have had game experience including Piehler, junior Gary Allen (5-11, 205), senior Mario Posteraro (5-9, 190), and junior Jon Lowery (6-2, 190).  In the secondary, Steinbeck and junior Blair Plivelic (5-9, 160) are players that may see time.  At safety, the Tigers return senior Kurt Devlin (5-10, 180) who started last season before being injured.  The punting will be handled by Boyd and Steinbeck.

If you are not making the long trip to Altoona, be sure to listen to the internet broadcast right here on the North Allegheny Sports Network.  Don Vandergrift and Rick Meister return to the microphones again this year to bring you Tiger football along with a number of other sports.  The pre-game show, including an interview with Head Coach Art Walker, will begin at 6:40 with game time scheduled for 7:00 pm from Mansion Park.

Any questions or comments should be directed to Athletic Director Bob Bozzuto at:  bbozzuto@northallegheny.org