Wallenpaupack Area football team looks to bounce back after rough season
HAWLEY — For the past two decades, Wallenpaupack Area has been a model of consistency under the direction of head coach Dr. Mark Watson.
With the veteran skipper calling the shots, Paupack has been been right in the thick of the playoff hunt every year at both the league and district levels. However, the Buckhorns suffered through an uncharacteristically rough campaign last fall.
When they opened up the Lackawanna Football Conference schedule with an electrifying 15-13 victory over archrival Honesdale, optimism was running high.
Sadly for local fans, though, that Week 1 win would be the lone bright spot in an otherwise dark season. The Buckhorns dropped the next nine games in a row and finished the year 1-9.
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After months of soul searching, Dr. Watson and his staff decided on two courses of action. First, they’d wipe the slate clean and secondly, they’d redouble their efforts on the field and in the weight room.
The results have been telling. Roster numbers are up across the board and it’s a lean, mean football machine Paupack will take into this weekend’s scrimmage at Crestwood.
“I’m definitely excited about the season,” Dr. Watson said. “We have quite a few more kids than in the last two years and that’s a big plus. Competition at key positions is pretty fierce and our overall depth is much better.”
Saturday’ action gets underway at 10 a.m. in Mountain Top.
On-field leaders
One of Paupack’s main strengths this year will be veteran leadership.
With Opening Night of the LFC campaign just two weeks away, the varsity roster features nearly two dozen seniors. In addition, the Buckhorns have a solid set of returning starters on offense, defense and special teams.
“We have a fantastic bunch of seniors,” Dr. Watson said. “They’re really working hard and setting a great example for our younger kids on and off the field. This is the best group I’ve had in years.”
While each of these seniors is expected to make key contributions this fall, three in particular stand out. Jake Holbert, Dylan Podrazil and Aydin Greene are all talented, multi-faceted athletes who should present nightmarish match-up problems.
Jake is the son of Matt and Mary Ellen Holbert, Greentown. He started playing organized football as a freshman and is a returning starter at wide receiver.
“Jake is a big, tall kid who plays the position in a very physical way,” Dr. Watson said. “He’s a big target with long arms and he can really go up after the ball. I’m excited to see what Jake can do this year.”
A multi-sport standout, Holbert also excels in baseball and basketball. He pitches and plays shortstop on the diamond while starting at power forward on the hardwood.
Last fall, Holbert caught a team-best 22 passes for more than 300 yards. He averaged nearly 15 yards per reception and tallied three touchdowns.
“My individual goals are just to have a lot of catches for a lot of yards and a bunch of touchdowns,” Jake said. “We have a really tough schedule this year, but I think we can be over .500 and make the playoffs.”
While Holbert looks to stretch the field on the outside, Podrazil is hoping to help win the weekly war in the trenches.
Dylan is the son of Joseph and Jennifer Podrazil, Hemlock Farms. He’s been playing football since the age of six. This year he’s slated to see plenty of action at tailback.
“Dylan is a great kid,” Dr. Watson said. “He has a tremendous work ethic. He hits the hole hard and just runs the ball tough. Dylan is going to be a real weapon for us.”
Podrazil led the team in both rushing yards (398) and touchdowns (5) last year. He was also third on the squad in receiving coming out of the backfield. He’s also likely see significant time defensively at safety.
“I think the main thing I’d like for us to do is show people what Wallenpaupack football is all about,” Dylan said. “We’re going to play physical, work hard and grind it out.
“For myself, I’m shooting for at least 1,000 yards rushing. But mostly I just want to keep improving as a player.”
While Holbert and Podrazil are known commodities on this Paupack squad, Greene is more of a wild card.
Aydin is the son of Lenox and Desiree Greene, Hemlock Farms. He’s been playing organized football since the age of eight. Now a senior, he’ll be penciled into the line-up at wideout and cornerback.
“I’ve told Aydin that I really expect him to be a leader this year,” Dr. Watson said. “He has a ton of potential and he’s just scratching the surface. I think that Aydin can really help us on both sides of the ball.”
For his part, Greene is excited about the chance to have an impact at the varsity level. He’s a versatile athlete who also throws javelin for the track team.
“Defensively, I’m looking to make at least 50 tackles and three interceptions,” Aydin said. “Team-wise, I want us to have a much better record than last year and to be the number one defense in the league.”
Looking to bounce back
Paupack’s main goal this fall is to wipe away the memory of 2022 and get the program back on a winning track.
However, even with high numbers and a big group of seniors, that may be a tall order. Why? Well, because the Buckhorns are facing a brutal schedule that includes six teams in a higher classification.
“I’m absolutely not making any excuses, but the fact of the matter is that last year our opponents had the fourth highest combined winning percentage in District 2,” Dr. Watson said.
“We don’t have any Saturday games this year and only one really long road trip (Hazleton Area). So, that’ll be a huge plus for us as well.”
The Buckhorns open up the LFC regular season on Friday, August 25 against Honesdale. Due to ongoing renovations at the Daniel J. O’Neill Sports Complex, this game will be played at Western Wayne.
Opening kick-off is slated for 7 p.m. at Sharkey Rosetti Memorial Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Wallenpaupack Area set for the Lackawanna Football Conference season
