2023 Season Preview: Susquehanna Township

Susquehanna Township had a bounce-back year last year after the previous 2 years they had down years. In the 2021 season they went 0-10 and the previous year 2-5 in a Covid short season. With an overall record of 6-5 and 4-3 in the competitive Colonial Mid-Penn Conference Susquehanna Township was able to bounce back last year and reach the 1st round of the PIAA Playoffs. Head Football Coach Joe Headen has been a staple on the sideline for Susquehanna Township since 2001. Headen has been one of the most successful Head Coaches in the area and his longevity at the program shows how successful he has been as a Head Coach. Spinning it forward to the 2023 season Susquehanna Township brings back a lot of talent and I expect them to compete for a League Title this year.   Top Returning Players:    [player_tooltip player_id='377180' first='Aubrey' last='Carter']. Carter is a talented prospect who plays defensive line for Susquehanna Township. His recruitment has really started to heat up with current offers from Monmouth, Old Dominion, James Madison, Central Michigan, and Colgate. Below is what I wrote about Aubrey earlier this year:   "Carter is a talented defensive lineman who is super quick off the ball. Looking at his film his get-off and how he uses his hands are excellent. Having violent hands and then using them to rip through offensive linemen is imperative and Aubrey does this very well. The other part of his game is he has a high motor. Several times on film he has chased down quarterbacks and ball carriers. "   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Aubrey5Carter/status/1671612306369699840?s=20 </div></figure>    Dorian Smith. Smith is a dynamic running back for Susquehanna Township. I just recently stumbled upon his film and I was blown away. Smith is a home run ready to hit running back. When he gets into the open field he just runs past helpless defenders. He has great lateral quickness and puts defenders in a bind trying to tackle him. Not to be outdone is his physical running style. He is a physical tough running back who rarely gets tackled by one defender. He also does a nice job with jump cuts and cutting off defenders who try to tackle him in the hole. Smith also played cornerback at a high level with good coverage skills. He does a nice job breaking on the ball to make a play against wide receivers. He also is not afraid to come upfield and be a run defender. Smith is a talented football player who with a strong Senior year should have a good chance to get recruited as a football player.    [player_tooltip player_id='386134' first='Mason' last='Lubold']. [player_tooltip player_id='386134' first='Mason' last='Lubold'] played center for Susquehanna Township last year. He showed he could play at a high level in the interior of an offensive lineman. Below is what I wrote about Lubold earlier this year: He has very good strength and uses it well against defensive players at the point of attack. He is especially good at blocking defensive tackles on a combo block and then peeling off for the linebacker. He is quick off the ball and uses that quickness to complete reach blocks against defenders. His snaps at center position also looked good, as he is able to snap the ball in shotgun snaps very well. Lubold looks like someone who can play Guard or Center with his strength at the point of attack.    [player_tooltip player_id='386309' first='Lex' last='Cyrus']. Cyrus is one of the best prospects in the State of Pennsylvania. Also in the spring he ran track and set a PIAA State record in the 100 Meter Dash and won Gold at the PIAA State Event. He recently picked up several college football offers including Penn State and West Virginia. Below is what I wrote about Cyrus earlier this year:   Every time he touches the ball he can take it for a touchdown. On at least three occasions Cyrus took a simple hitch route, caught the ball, and then raced to the end zone for the touchdown. Cyrus also is very good on deep balls. He can go up and make 50/50 catches look easy. Cyrus is an explosive wide receiver who should only get better going forward.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/lexcyrus8/status/1672742074322493443?s=20 </div></figure>    [player_tooltip player_id='402468' first='Torin' last='Evans']. Evans is the starting quarterback for Susquehanna Township. The left-hander showed a lot of progress last year as a 1st year-starting QB. He is a good athlete who moves well in the pocket. Evans throws the ball with anticipation well and into tight windows. He processes coverages well and knows where he wants to go with the ball. Evans also throws with good touch on the ball. When he needs to put some air under the ball he is able to. Finally one of the best parts of his game is his ability to scramble and make plays. He is good at keeping the play alive and looking downfield to find open receivers. Evans has a ton of talent and skys the limit for him.    Zi'Khere Leaks. Leaks has limited film but showed flashes in the little film I did see. He has good size standing 6'1 inches tall. He catches the ball well and has a good catch radius. I expect him to get more playing this year and with more opportunities, he should be able to have a bigger year on the field.    [player_tooltip player_id='402448' first='Jarrett' last='Kern']. Kern played wide receiver last year for Susquehanna Township, even though he has limited film he shows he has some talent and should be a contributor this year. He has been attending different College Football camps this summer, so I expect offers to come at some point. He recently visited Old Dominion, William & Mary, and Penn State. Here is what I said about Kern earlier this year:   At wide receiver, he ran good routes and caught the ball well. You can tell he has good skills and understands how to run routes. His stance and his start were good. At linebacker, he showed the ability to read and react and to make a play on the ball.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/jarrett_kern4/status/1671690114735525888?s=20 </div></figure>    [player_tooltip player_id='827680' first='PJ' last='Wilson']. Wilson played offensive tackle for Susquehanna Township last year. As an offensive lineman, he shows good strength and does a nice job engaging and blocking defensive linemen on a consistent basis. Wilson also has great size standing 6'3 inches tall. It really stands out in his film because he has these long arms that he is able to engage with defensive players and extend his arms to control them at the point of attack. Wilson also moves his feet well and you see this in his pass-blocking ability. Wilson with a strong Senior year should have a good chance to play College Football.    [player_tooltip player_id='402449' first='Jayden' last='Riley']. Riley played defensive line for Susquehanna Township last year. He is a disruptive force who was constantly in the backfield of the offense. He is a good athlete that does a nice job using that athleticism to cause issues for the offense. For someone who was a Freshman last year, he did a nice job of using his hands to rip through offensive linemen. The other key part of his game is he has a motor that never stops. He is constantly chasing plays down from behind. Riley is a well-schooled defensive lineman who has good technique and skill. He recently attended West Virginia's, the University of Pennsylvania's, and Villanova's football camps. With a strong Sophomore year College Football offers should be coming for Riley.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/cantstopjay24/status/1669677696727564288?s=20 </div></figure>   Final Thoughts: Susquehanna Township went through a rough two-year period a couple of years ago, but seems to be back on track going forward. Looking at the players that are coming back next year and you see the talent is impressive. They have talent on both lines of scrimmage, several good-skill players, and a difference-maker at wide receiver in [player_tooltip player_id='386309' first='Lex' last='Cyrus']. I expect Susquehanna Township to have a good year and should compete for a League Title.

Susquehanna Township had a bounce-back year last year after the previous 2 years they had down years. In the 2021 season they went 0-10 and the previous year 2-5 in a Covid short season. With an overall record of 6-5 and 4-3 in the competitive Colonial Mid-Penn Conference Susquehanna Township was able to bounce back last year and reach the 1st round of the PIAA Playoffs. Head Football Coach Joe Headen has been a staple on the sideline for Susquehanna Township since 2001. Headen has been one of the most successful Head Coaches in the area and his longevity at the program shows how successful he has been as a Head Coach. Spinning it forward to the 2023 season Susquehanna Township brings back a lot of talent and I expect them to compete for a League Title this year.