YAIAA football Week 1: A coaching return, potential playoff previews and a Rose Bowl
It always sneaks up on you.
The start of summer quickly turns into the start of heat acclimatization, which quickly turns into the first week of high school football season. The YAIAA's 22 teams will play 19 football games this weekend — there are three games pitting local teams against each other.
Here are some of the storylines to follow.
Miller returns to West York
When Ron Miller was named West York's head coach in February, he said one of his goals was to see "Bannister Street crowded again."
Friday will be the first chance to see how crowded the stadium gets in his return to the Bulldogs sideline. West York hosts ELCO in its season opener.
Miller famously led the Bulldogs to the 2008 District 3 Class 3A title during his dominant nine-year stretch with the program. But plenty has changed since Miller stepped down in 2014. The Bulldogs have not had a winning season since then. Miller himself had just one winning campaign during a four-year run at Dallastown.
This season represents a new page for both the coach and the program. The Bulldogs bring back some experience but it's difficult to predict how quickly they'll jell. For his part, Miller has brought back much of his staff from his first stint at the school.
ELCO is coming off a 4-6 season but brings back star running back Jake Williams, who rushed for over 1,800 yards and 17 touchdowns last season.
New-look Central York faces immediate test
The same question lingers over YAIAA Division I once again: Can anyone beat Central York?
But while the Panthers might remain the class of York County, they will be tested in their non-conference schedule. And their opener on the road against Central Dauphin on Friday will not be an easy game.
A perennial Mid-Penn powerhouse, the Rams went just 3-7 last season. Central York beat them, 36-19, on opening day. But Central Dauphin brings back most of its lineup including Division I linemen Anthony Robsock (Maryland) and Evan Bushong (James Madison) and quarterback Key’Ron Plummer, who missed most of last season with an injury.
The Panthers will have plenty of players making their varsity debuts Friday — including whoever their new starting quarterback is. But with eight starters back on defense and star running back Juelz Goff, Central can stack up with most teams.
Both these teams should compete for spots in the eight-team playoff in District 3 Class 6A.
Central York hasn't lost a season opener since 2014 — interestingly, to Ron Miller's final West York team.
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Delone gets thrown into the fire with playoff rematch
Delone Catholic has District 3 championship aspirations every year. The Squires never deny that.
They've come up just short of their ninth title the past five years — losing four times in the title game and then in the semifinals last season.
But that semifinal was not close. Trinity outclassed the Squires, 56-17, on its way to the PIAA Class 2A Final Four. The Shamrocks previously beat Delone 35-7 to start the regular season.
The Squires get another shot at the Shamrocks on the road this Friday.
The Squires bring back about half their starters on both sides of the ball and feel better about their ability to compete with Trinity this year. Still, the challenge won't be any easier. The Shamrocks bring back most of their top players from last year including quarterback Caleb Wray and sophomore running back Messiah Mickens, who just announced his verbal commitment to Penn State.
Delone senior quarterback Denver Ostrum will have plenty of motivation after missing last season's playoff game due to PIAA transfer rules (he previously played for South Western). Delone hasn't beaten Trinity since 2018, but a strong effort this Friday — even in defeat — should have it feeling good about the rest of the season. The Squires have bounced back from 0-3 starts to make the playoffs three times since 2019.
The "Rose Bowl" come to York County
The headline event of the weekend is York Suburban's York Rose Bowl Kickoff Classic, which will feature five games between Friday and Saturday.
York Tech vs. James Buchanan, 5:30 p.m. Friday
York Suburban vs. East Pennsboro, 8:30 p.m. Friday
Imhotep vs. Life Christian Academy (Virginia), 2:30 p.m. Saturday
Steel-High vs. Imani Christian (Pittsburgh), 5:30 p.m. Saturday
York High vs. Harrisburg, 8:30 p.m. Saturday
Along with featuring three local teams, the event will showcase some of the top players in Pennsylvania. Steel-High is the defending PIAA Class 1A champion and features Division I recruit quarterback Alex Erby. It's also a new era for the hosting Trojans, which graduated star running back Mikey Bentivegna last year.
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The headliner of the event is Saturday's finale — the first time York High has played Harrisburg since 2015. The Bearcats have played difficult opening matchups since 2019 (excluding the COVID-abbreviated 2020 season) — losing to Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Governor Mifflin and Woodland Hills.
This one likely won't be any easier. Harrisburg graduated a pair of star running backs from a team that reached the Class 6A state final last season, but brings back much of its vaunted defense and junior quarterback Shawn Lee Jr. It will be a tough test for a Bearcats team breaking in a number of new varsity players, including new starting quarterback George Banks.
Again, the Bearcats have never avoided challenges under head coach Russ Stoner.
New coaches making debuts
There are six new coaches in the YAIAA, and only Miller has returned to a school where he previously was the head coach. The rest of the list:
Hanover's Jarrel Burnett
Spring Grove's Tom Trone
Littlestown's Corey Bittle
Fairfield's Larry Devilbiss and John Packard
York County Tech's Scott Mathena
YAIAA football Week 1 schedule
All games 7 p.m. unless noted:
Friday's schedule
Northeastern at Dover
Columbia at Eastern York
Wyomissing at Kennard-Dale
South Western at Susquehannock
ELCO at West York
Lancaster Catholic at York Catholic
East Pennsboro at York Suburban, 8:30 p.m.
Biglerville at Pequea Valley
Delone Catholic at Trinity
Spring Grove at Waynesboro
Littlestown at Boiling Springs
Red Lion at Ephrata
Hanover at Annville-Cleona
Fairfield at Juniata Valley
Central York at Central Dauphin
Dallastown at Hempfield
James Buchanan vs. York County Tech at York Suburban, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday's schedule
Bermudian Springs at New Oxford, 7 p.m.
Harrisburg vs. York High at York Suburban, 8:30 p.m.
Matt Allibone is a sports reporter for GameTimePA. He can be reached at 717-881-8221, mallibone@ydr.com or on Twitter at @bad2theallibone.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: YAIAA football Week 1 preview: Ron Miller returns at West York and more
