CENTRE COUNTY — The Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference held its annual Football Media Day at Hollidaysburg High School on Tuesday, July 29, and all four of our local conference teams were in attendance.
Bald Eagle Area, Bellefonte, Penns Valley and Philipsburg-Osceola were represented by their head coaches and captains speaking to the press about the prospects for the new 2025 LHAC football season.
Here’s a quick look at each team.
BALD EAGLE AREA
After a 5-5 season in 2024, the Bald Eagles are looking to make big jumps in the new year.
According to captain and starting wide receiver Kollin Cunningham, the Eagles had a solid offseason and are optimistic about the upcoming season.
“The thing about this year is we have a lot of twos who could be ones,” Cunningham said. “We have 10 kids who could start on the line, and they are pushing each other to get better. We have a lot of depth and a lot of size.
“We have a short-term goal this year, to beat Huntingdon in our first game, and our long-term goals are districts and then states. We are going to go after it.”
The Eagles will open camp next week and start their season with Huntingdon at home on Friday, Aug. 22.
BELLEFONTE
The Raiders were a playoff team last season and came in with a 7-5 final record.
Heading into the new year, Bellefonte has holes to fill, but according to captain and starting defensive end Logan Rarrick, the team has had a solid turnout with many new faces.
“The new players are realizing they need to step up and replace the ones who are gone, and I think they can contribute in a big way if they believe in themselves. They can do big things,” Rarrick said.
“As a team, we work hard, we have good attitudes and we are really close. We have a good brotherhood together. We have big plans–get a district title and go on to states. But we need to get off to a good start, and if we can win those first few games a lot of good things can happen.”
The Raiders open their season at home on Friday, Aug. 22, against Tyrone.
PENNS VALLEY
It is a new season for the Penns Valley Rams after a tough 1-9 record in 2024.
But the team finished with a big upswing in a 34-14 victory over Westmont-Hilltop in their final game.
Things are looking up for the new season, according to captain and starting wide receiver Fletcher Ironside, especially with improved numbers and interest in the program.
“It has been a pretty good offseason,” Ironside said, “and we are shooting for a turnout of 45 or 50 players. We have a lot of speed on our team and a lot of heart, which we need because we do not have a lot of size,” Ironside said.
“But we do hustle, all the time. We do have to get in the weight room, get bigger and stronger, and we will have a lot of players coming up and new players who will have their chance to shine this year.
“Last season, we were getting stomped in the first quarter. This year, we want to go out and compete. Play four quarters. Get some wins.”
The Rams will open with Bishop Guilfoyle at home on Friday, Aug. 22.
PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA
The Mounties finished strong last season with two wins in their last three games and with an overall record of 4-6.
Things are looking up, though, according to captain and running back Colton Chapman, in the place where it matters most–the trenches.
“I think our O-line will be one of our strong points, our blocking is a lot better and our defense. Everyone is ready to go after we had a great offseason. A lot of work was put into getting ready for this year,” Chapman said. “And our coaches seem ready to go too, on the same level that we are.”
The Mounties will open at home on Friday, Aug. 22, against Central.
