From poor fashion choices to difficult photo shoots: What we learned at Mid-Penn Media Day

Mid-Penn media days were held at Cumberland Valley High School on Wednesday and Thursday, and it was an opportunity for reporters to speak with players for the first time this season.

But the conversations weren't only about what was happening on the field.

Here's what we learned on Wednesday and Thursday:

Photo practice

With each photo opportunity at media day comes a chance to do some fun and unique poses. Greencastle-Antrim field hockey attempted one that needed some practice.

Ainsley Swindell and Brittany Reed attempted to pick up Annika Gaus for a photo, and let's just say it took a few attempts.

What it boiled down to, according to them, is that because there are so few girls in their class, photo practice is few and far between.

"We don't have a big group group of seniors. There's only the three of us," Gaus said. "All of the other classes have like seven or eight girls, so they could do better poses than us."

New coach adjustments

Shippensburg girls' soccer has a new leader on the bench this season.

Todd Burns takes over as the head coach for the Greyhounds, and the change is making it feel like this season is a fresh start.

"I feel like we're starting a whole new environment," Grace Davis said. "We have none of the same coaches from last year. A whole new coaching staff. So there's just an excitement to get onto that field and see what we can do with a new team."

The Greyhounds went 2-15-1 in 2022, but the team on the field will look very different this time around.

"It's a new style of play," Sophie Bert said. "A new setup, more new formations, so I think it's a good change."

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Call-outs

After speaking about their team and the upcoming season, the teams that participated at media day got to answer some fun questions about their teammates.

All for fun, the athletes were tasked to name who on the team they would describe as the best and worst dressed, who had the best and worst music taste, and who was essentially the class clown of the team.

And there were plenty of standout answers.

Waynesboro soccer's Alexis Smith didn't receive a vote of confidence from her teammates when it came to her style or music selection. Gracie French was quick to hype herself up for her style choices.

Greencastle field hockey players don't love the music selection of some of the underclassmen, saying that their playlists are filled with "back-then songs", referring to music from the 2000s.

Swindell claimed credit for being the funny one in the room, stating, "I just like to make it fun. Those early mornings can be a struggle, so I want to give them something to laugh at and not cry at."

Chambersburg boys' soccer player Michael Cespedes was confidence in his style when asked for his opinion. "I think Michael Cespedes," Cespedes said. That tracks with his teammates' opinion that Cespedes is the funny one on the team.

And Chambersburg girls' soccer gave a special shoutout to JV coach Quinn Oyler, who they say sometimes practices in his work socks.

New practice drill

Often times, teams will pose in unique ways when taking their photos. When Chambersburg stepped in front of the camera, their task was to spin the ball for the photo.

Let’s just say that won’t be a part of Riley Harmon’s touchdown celebrations any time soon. It took the senior quarterback at least five attempts to get one that served the picture well.

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“No excuses here, but I think it was that ball,” Harmon said. “I normally know how to do that.”

The senior quarterback might now need to add that into the practice schedule.

“After today we’re going to work on that four times a week,” Harmon said. “Every practice we’re going to be doing that until coach yells at us.”

He said he’ll let his playmakers handle the celebrations.

“I don’t celebrate too much,” Harmon said. “My wide receivers are better at that than I am, they should’ve come here. But I’ll work on it.”

Lights, camera, action

For many, especially those on young teams, media day is their first taste of stepping into the spotlight. As was the case for Shippensburg safety Kaden Shope, who represented the team for TV interviews.

“It’s definitely new,” Shope said. “Nerve wracking a little bit, but other than that it’s fun.”

Shope wasn’t the one running to do it, as his teammates pushed that onto him. But he made the most of it.

Football superlatives

A message for Shippensburg’s Chase Holtry and Greencastle-Antrim’s Jeremiah Fogle — don’t read this section.

The players representing their teams at media day were tasked to assign some superlatives to their teammates. And they didn’t hold back.

Best dressed: Shippensburg’s Donnie Nori and Chambersburg’s Andy Jean got high marks from their teammates. Waynesboro’s Bryan Benedict, who attended media day, was hyped up by his teammates.

And Greencastle’s Logan Alvey was confident, yet humble, saying “I think I have pretty good style but I’m not going to say myself.”

Worst dressed: Hultry and Fogle were quick answers that came from their teammates. Owen Long did not receive the same treatment from his Waynesboro media day companions like Benedict did.

And for Chambersburg — “Most of our guys don’t even wear a shirt so I don’t know,” Harmon said. But Cole Edwards was the consensus.

Best music taste: Shippensburg’s Cody Wenner thought highly of himself. “I have the best music taste. Cody Wenner by far, Cody Wenner by far,” Wenner said.

Blake Diller was an easy choice for Greencastle, while Jude Grillo was respected by Chambersburg for his variety.

And Waynesboro’s Parker Hull said “I know everything, I have all the music.”

Worst music taste: Alvey was hesitant to say Fogle’s name again, explaining “I don’t want to throw him under the bus, he’s gotta block for me this year.”

Holtry didn’t receive the same luxury. “Chase Holtry again. Love him though,” Wenner said.

Harmon was upset that nobody lets him have control of the AUX.

And it doesn’t seem that Waynesboro’s Galen Myers will have the music any time soon.

Funniest: Long is the usual answer for Waynesboro, but he’s decided to scale it back this year. “Not this year, I have to set it back a little bit…” Long said. “I’m about to retire from my ways.”

Stephen Jones was a very easy answer for the Greyhounds. “He’s a maniac,” Wenner said.

Brock Cunningham and Garrett Blubaugh shared the honors for Greencastle, while Chambersburg couldn’t decide.

“We have a whole bunch of characters, whole bunch of funny people,” Dayre Senft said.

This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: What we learned about Franklin County's teams Mid-Penn Media Day