2023 football preview: Can Bray's dual-threat experience propel PM West to success?
The start of the 2023 Monroe County football season is right around the corner. Visit PoconoRecord.com all this week for coverage. Here is one in a series of previews for all county football teams:
Pocono Mountain West Panthers
Coach: Jim McCarroll (22nd season)
2022 Record: 5-6
District 11 Classification: 5A
District 11 Championships: None
Key returners: Ryder Bray, Sr., QB, Jah McNeil, Sr., WR/DB, Brandon Evans, Sr., WR/DB, Will Mecca, Sr., WR/LB, Brady Behr, Soph., WR, Jalen Drummond, Sr., RB/LB, Isaiah Watt, Sr., OT, Brandon Stiehler, Sr., OT/DE, Karter Nuss, Sr., RB/LB, Naquan Ewin, Sr., LB.
Key newcomers: Anthony Mendoza, Jr., DB, Iko Young, Jr., TE/LB, Trent Williams, Jr., DE, Jacob Kalinock, Sr., OL, Jayden Milian, Jr., OL, Antonio Grubbs, Sr., OL.
Coach McCarroll’s take: “We have a lot of skills back. We have a lot of seniors there. They’re excited. We have some experience at quarterback, Jalen (Drummond) and Karter (Nuss) at the running back. So it’s finding those three interior linemen that we lost last year. Brandon (Stiehler) and Isaiah (Watt) are both starting tackles, so we lost our two guards and center last year. So (we need to) find that and how quickly they can come along. I love to be balanced if I can be with run and pass. However, you need to be able to block up front to do that. So we want to get the ball to our athletes as quick as possible.”
What to expect: The Panthers should be able to throw the ball with success. Bray started three games last season behind center but spent most of his time as a starting receiver. So he knows the job from a throwing and catching perspective. He has great arm strength, sees the whole field and is like a coach on the field according to McCarroll. He also has some talented teammates to throw to in McNeil, Evans, Behr and Mecca. If Bray can keep teams loose with his arm, it should open up the running game.
Pocono Mountain West schedule
Aug. 25: At Parkland
Sept. 1: At Stroudsburg
Sept. 8: Louis Dieruff
Sept. 15: At East Stroudsburg South
Sept. 22: William Allen
Sept. 29: At Pleasant Valley
Oct. 6: At East Stroudsburg North
Oct. 13: Northampton
Oct. 20: Allentown Central Catholic
Oct. 27: Pocono Mountain East
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Pocono Mountain West High School football preview 2023
