Sportsbeat Preview: Northern Bedford Panthers

NEW ENTERPRISE (WTAJ) — Last fall Northern Bedford’s senior class capped off an incredible run, with the team’s third District 5 title in four years. It was the kind of class that didn’t come through the small school too often. It’s the kind of group that is hard to replace.

“I think the easiest thing that that we’ll talk about early in the season with our guys, is you’re not that person. You’ve got to play your game and become the best version of yourself that you can be, you’re not somebody else,” Head Coach Gary Black said. “You were part of last year’s team. But just like every team, it’s it’s a new team. It’s a new season, and we want to make our own identity.”

The Panthers graduated as much talent as any school in Central PA. Gone is three-year starting quarterback Eion Snider who threw for 4,888 yards, and scored 74 total touchdowns as a starter. Graduated is leading rusher Adam Johnson who posted consecutive thousand-yard seasons, 3,423 yards total in four seasons and 52 touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Ben Gable graduated, as did all-conference linemen Josiah Bowser and Brock Beach.

In all, only the team brings back just a couple of starters. But embracing a new identity excites Black.

“That was a great group of players And they could they could line up and they could play ball,” Black said. “They just won. And now I feel like when you get a team that can’t just show up and do that, you have to as a coach, you get to work harder as a coach. And, you know, I’m excited about that opportunity.”

NBC may trend more into the air this fall. Backup quarterback Vaughn Schleinkofer takes over and gets leading receiver Aaron Bowers back.

“That’s where our most experience is, is between the relationship between the quarterback and the receiver,” he said. “So that’s a good place for us to start.”

“We’re definitely trying to fill the voids, but because of who left and the people that are coming up, we have to change to who we have now lost a lot. Like Adam Johnson is definitely a good running back. We lost him, so I think we’ll change to a higher percentage of passing plays,” added Schleinkofer.

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Northern Bedford has been a machine under Black, going 77-30. He enters his tenth season with the program.

Key losses: Eion Snider (QB/DB) Adam Johnson (RB/LB) Josiah Bowser (Ol/DL) Brock Beach (OL/DL) Rece Dibert (TE/LB) Ashton Detterline (FB/LB)

Key Returnees: Vaughn Schleinkofer (QB) Aaron Bowers (WR/DB) Aidan Pittman (WR/DB)

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