The end of a high school sports’ season is almost always tinged a bit with sadness and reflection among the coaches and the graduating seniors who will be moving on to other things.
This is especially true with this year’s State College Area High School football team.
Three years ago, head coach Matt Lintal took over a very successful program and guided it to higher levels in many ways than it was previously. This year’s group of seniors is the first that he has seen all the way through, and they are the first ones to play their entire careers under Lintal.
The Little Lions’ 2016 campaign came to an unfortunate end Nov. 18 at the hands of Williamsport in the PIAA 6-A first round, but it was nevertheless another exceptionally successful season: an 10-2 record, a second consecutive share of the Mid-Penn Colonial championship, a District 6 title and another trip to the state tournament. State College won nine straight before losing to perennial power Central Dauphin in the final regular-season game of the year.
Their 2016 10-2 record included wins over J.P. McCaskey, Mifflin County, Carlisle, C.D. East and Harrisburg. Perhaps the biggest win was the come-from-behind, 20-16 thriller over co-champion Cumberland Valley at home Oct. 7. That win, coupled with Cumberland Valley’s victory over Central Dauphin, led to SC’s second straight Mid-Penn title.
After the loss to Williamsport, there were lots of hugs and thank-yous, a few tears and a real sense of accomplishment before the seniors would be, as wide receiver Noah Woods said, “putting away the pads.”
There were 30 seniors on the roster for the Lions, and many were major contributors in the team’s successes.
Quarterback Tyler Snyder threw for almost 2,000 yards and 22 touchdowns, while running backs Pete Haffner (545 yards) and Felix Sanchez (218 yards) were big contributors in the running game. Woods led the receivers with 981 yards and 12 touchdowns, but Haffner and tight end Eric Swanson (142 yards, 2 TD) were also passing-game threats. Woods and Haffner were also among the team’s leaders in all-purpose yards.
On defense, seniors Aziz Salamy, Donovan Brown, Donovan Moses, Peyton Edwards, Mark Wess, Joshua Ruffner, Matt Vivas, Drew Linnes, Kam’ron Walker and Swanson were major factors. And Haffner was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year in the Mid-Penn. Haffner and Ruffner led the team in tackles and tackles for loss, while Edwards was the leader on the team in sacks with 10.
“This senior class is super-special to me,” Lintal said. “This was the first group that I’ve had for three years, so the bonds that you feel and relationships you build, I’m going to miss these guys.
“But we are going to take a deep breath and reflect and enjoy a really successful season and one that we can be really proud of.”
As for the players, many lingering on the field long after the game, it was apparent that more than a few of them were thinking the same kinds of things.
“It was a hard feeling, losing,” Snyder said, “and the seniors are done, but there were memories out here tonight.
“It was a really tough way to end a career. This is a tough feeling. I’ve played with Noah Woods since we were 5 years old, and I played with Brandon (Clark), and Pete (Haffner), and Donovan (Brown), and all these guys. So many memories that we’ll have thinking about one game, and the other game, and all of this for our whole lives. I am thankful for all of it, but I’m sad it ends so soon.”
