After a taste of winning, Allegany looks to continue climb

Aug. 31—CUMBERLAND — After a couple seasons that weren't up to the lofty standards of Allegany football, the Campers were back where they belonged in 2021.

Allegany went 8-3 last season, with all three losses coming to teams that played for the Class 1A title in Annapolis: Fort Hill and Mountain Ridge (twice). The Campers were the third-ranked team in the point standings in the entire state, but only two teams can get out of the West Region.

More important than the numbers, Allegany learned how to win again. Head coach Bryan Hansel hopes his players can keep winning in 2022.

"For us, we just want to be above .500 and try to build off the momentum we created for ourselves last year," the seventh-year head coach said. "Keep moving forward to get the program back on track."

Entering last season, few predicted the Campers would finish as the undisputed No. 3 team in the area, but they defied all expectations by playing a team brand of football.

Allegany ground out narrow road slugfests over Anacostia and Boonsboro, winning by 14-6 and 17-6 margins, to start the season. After falling at then-No. 1 Mountain Ridge, the Campers rattled off five consecutive wins, four of which were by three or more scores, against Albert Gallatin (21-14), Smithsburg (48-23), Southern (47-6), Keyser (31-14) and Northern (34-14).

After a loss to Fort Hill in Homecoming, the Campers bounced back with a 55-6 victory over Southern to open the playoffs — their first postseason win since routing Boonsboro, 49-7, in the first round in 2017 — before falling to Mountain Ridge in the Class 1A West Region Co-Finals.

Hansel has already seen the spoils of that playoff run during preparation for this season.

"One of the hardest things we had to do last year is teach them what winning takes," he said. "A lot of them hadn't experienced that. It created momentum during the offseason, a higher standard for them. Our offseason workouts were different in effort level."

Allegany does lose some standouts from last year's squad to graduation, notably fullback and linebacker Braylon White, who was an All-Area second-team performer on both sides of the ball.

White was the team's second-leading rusher with 111 carries for 652 yards and six touchdowns, and he was second on the squad with 80 tackles.

White's loss stings even more for Allegany on the defensive side than anticipated, as leading tackler and All-Area first-team linebacker Zach Michael suffered a season-ending injury during the offseason.

Michael collected 100 tackles as a sophomore last season, and he was expected to take on a greater role on offense in his third year atop Haystack Mountain.

"You can't replace him," Hansel said of Michael. "First team All-Area. Only thing he did was get bigger, faster and stronger. He's up to 225-230, gained an inch. As a sophomore last year, we used him sparingly in some things. We were going to make him a bigger part of our offense."

With the loss of Michael, Allegany will rely even more on quarterback Brody Williams and the offense, as the 6-foot, 165-pound gunslinger will take on greater responsibilities in his third year starting under center.

Williams, a junior, was Allegany's leading rusher a season ago at 712 yards on 106 carries (6.7 yards an attempt) and a team-high eight TDs. As a passer, he completed 34 of 80 passes for 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Entering the season-opener at Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, Williams will be a three-way starter, lining up in the secondary on defense and returning punts on special teams, though Hansel wants to get him off the return team sooner rather than later.

"He's probably our fastest player," he said. "I just think he's our version of a game-breaker. Need to use him in our RPO game to set up other backs. He's improved, we have some new members on our staff helping him work quarterback drills and on his footwork. He has a strong arm. I think he's taken big steps, he's gained weight."

In addition to losing White in the backfield, Allegany must replace Brayden Hedrick and Trevor Milburn, who were the team's third- and fourth-leading rushers, respectively, combining for more than 700 yards and eight scores.

Hedrick also displayed acumen for catching the ball out of the backfield, corralling 10 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns.

Allegany will rely on senior Cayden Bratton (5-11, 185) and junior Brett Patterson (6-0, 195) this season. Bratton had 36 carries for 257 yards and three touchdowns a year ago, and Patterson carried the rock 29 times for 161 yards and a pair of TDs.

"Brett's a tough kid," Hansel said. "He had good reps last year behind Braylon White. He's slimmed down, he's quicker. But he's also kept that same strength, he has lots of power.

"Cayden is one of those kids that competes. He's going to play hard. He's never going to think anyone on the field is better than him."

As is the case with any Wing-T team, the run game is of vital importance for Allegany. Few teams were able to stop the Campers in that department last year, as they carried the ball 434 times for 2,686 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Allegany has the athletes to replicate that production, it just needs the play up front to match.

"There are some cleanups still needed on the offensive line," Hansel said. "We're just trying to focus on our base run plays, make sure those are blocked right."

At split end, Allegany loses talented senior wideout Solly Green, who led the team with 16 catches for 342 yards and six touchdowns.

They'll use a variety of players at that position this year, namely junior Jacob Salonish (5-10, 180), junior Dae Dae Smith (5-8, 150) and Isaiah Fields.

"Jacob is significantly improved," Hansel said. "Heavier, stronger, ran track so he's gotten faster. We have to get him involved. He has to be reliable catching the football. Him and Isaiah and Dae Dae will be a big part of stretching the field."

Senior Clay Brode (5-10, 210) is the starting tight end. Juniors Gabe Browning (5-7, 170) and Landen Kifer (6-0, 155) are competing for who will line up alongside Brode in two tight end sets.

The offensive line consists of sophomore North Hagerstown transfer Lucas Bahrenburg (6-5, 260) at left tackle, junior Andrew Highland (6-1, 240) at left guard, senior Alex Kennell (6-1, 245), a three-year starter at center, senior Brendan Hogamier (6-1, 205) at right guard, and junior Dante Destefano (6-1, 210) at right tackle.

Junior Kenneth Ringgold (5-10, 160) will also see time at tackle and guard.

"I think we have a ways to go," Hansel said of his offensive line. "Alex and Brendan, they're returners, they're solid. Those are two guys that will be two of the better linemen in the area.

"The other three spots, we have to grow. Andrew Highland, a junior, has all the tools but he has to clean up the technique. Dante, Lucas, Kenneth are in their first year on varsity, so they have to clean up fundamentals. We're hopeful they'll improve as the season goes on."

Allegany's defense was one of its best in recent memory last year, holding opponents to 17.9 points per game — the Campers' lowest number since Hansel's first year at the helm in 2016 (10.5).

This year, Allegany will come out in a four-front, but that could change from week-to-week based on matchups.

"They play with a lot of effort," Hansel said of the defense. "We have things to fix on D-Line and linebacker. Our secondary has been solid, they had three interceptions in the first scrimmage (against South Hagerstown).

"We did have some alignment issues, which you expect in the first scrimmage. We'll get those ironed out. I think we can be really good."

On the defensive line, Browning and Kennell are the defensive ends, and Hogamier and junior Logan Wright (6-1, 270) pack a lot of muscle on the inside.

Kennell had 34 tackles, three sacks and seven quarterback hurries last year, and Hogamier had 32 stops and four hurries.

Expect Allegany to rotate Highland, junior Blaze Rotruck (6-5, 210) and junior Jacob Fraley (6-2", 245) on the line of scrimmage to keep its big guys fresh.

"Alex, all the way around, he's our best lineman," Hansel said. "Strong kid, big kid. Once he gets in better shape as the season goes on, he'll be even better. Brendan is great too. Defensive line needs better fundamentals. It's been a point of emphasis.

"Fort Hill and Mountain Ridge have great offensive line play. If our lines can't fix these things, you win and lose games up front."

Brode (67 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble) and Bratton (52 tackles, three TFLs, one interception and one sack) are the starters at outside linebacker.

Patterson (54 tackles and six hurries) and sophomore Jackson Resh (15 tackles) are in the inside backers. Patterson would've started at defensive end had Michael been healthy, but he's been forced to linebacker to fill that void.

"Our two outside backers played a lot last year, majority of the season," Hansel said. "They're ahead of the other guys, they'll be stalwarts and leaders taking control of that defense. Brett played inside linebacker in middle school. He'll improve as he gets experience. Jackson made some big plays in our scrimmage."

Of all the units on defense, Hansel was most impressed with his secondary during the Campers' first scrimmage.

Salonish has one side of the field locked down at cornerback after shining with three interceptions against South Hagerstown during the preseason. Senior Robert Eaton (5-5, 130), Kifer, Smith and Fields are in competition for the other corner spot.

Williams is expected to have a big season surveying the field at free safety.

"Jacob, he's a kid that tries to do everything fundamentally sound," Hansel said. "Brody is a solid free safety, knows how the quarterback reads the field, sees the field. He can get sideline to sideline well. We need someone to take up the second corner spot to shore up the defense alongside Salonish."

Junior Blake Powell is back for his third season starting at kicker. He made 3 of 4 field goals last year and 19 of 22 extra points — only missing PATs on three bad snaps. On kickoffs, 12 went for touchbacks.

Powell is also a standout member of the Allegany soccer team, for which he was named 2021 Co-Defensive Player of the Year.

"He spends a lot of time at soccer," Hansel said. "We're confident in him. He's a competitor. He's gotten stronger, so hopefully he can put 65-70% of kickoffs in the end zone."

Bratton and Salonish are the kick-off return guys, and Williams and Bratton will handle punts. You never want your quarterback on punt return duty, but Williams will be one of the guys in that spot until the Campers find a capable alternative.

Allegany made a notable addition to its coaching staff, adding 2005 Area Offensive Player of the Year and Robert Morris standout fullback and long snapper Jeff Link.

Link ran Allegany's offseason workouts and has been working with the offensive and defensive lines along with Aaron Kline, another member of the Campers' 2005 state title team.

Troy Cubbage, a member of the 1988 state championship team, moved up from junior varsity to work with the linemen for his ninth season on the staff. Jake VanMeter also made the move to varsity in his third season, where he's been coaching the defensive backs, offensive backs and skill positions.

Dylan Shockey, a 2014 Allegany graduate, is coaching the running backs and fullbacks in his fifth season.

Chris Atkinson, another state champion at Allegany, will again serve as the offensive coordinator in his seventh year on the staff.

Allegany added a pair of junior varsity coaches in Diovonta Jackson and Cole Dudiak. Jackson, who played defensive back and ran track at Fort Hill, will be the head coach. Dudiak, who played football and baseball at Allegany, is the junior varsity defensive coordinator. Sean VanMeter is back on the JV staff, coaching the offensive and defensive lines.

Jackson and Dudiak previously worked with the youth football organization the West Side Hunters.

Allegany opens the season at Hollidaysburg, followed by Boonsboro (home), Mountain Ridge (home), Albert Gallatin, Pennsylvania, (home), Smithsburg (away), Keyser (away), Northern (home) and Fort Hill (away).

"With the new playoff format, the state championship is going to come from our county more often than not," Hansel said. "Fort hill is at the peak. Mountain Ridge is climbing. They're two talented teams. We know it's going to be a dogfight."

Alex Rychwalski is a sports reporter at the Cumberland Times-News. Follow him on Twitter @arychwal.