Scholastic Notebook – 09/23/2011

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, September 23, 2011 | 5:12 PM

A few injuries to running backs and a need for some more production made Shaler football coach Neil Gordon look for a new dimension in the backfield. So, naturally, he turned to one of the biggest players on the team.

J.P. Holtz is 6 feet 4, 240 pounds. He will play either tight end or linebacker at Penn State next year (he already has committed to the Nittany Lions). But for now, he’s a …

Tailback?

"He brings a different mentality to us when he goes to running back," Gordon said.

A "big" mentality.

It’s not often you see players as big as Holtz dotting the "I" formation. Then again, it’s not often you see big players as athletic as Holtz. He played running back some last year, but he was back at tight end for this year. Until last week when Holtz rushed for 102 yards on 15 carries in a victory against Bethel Park.

"Right now, he’s just so versatile," Gordon said. "We’ve tried to make us a little bit of a nightmare for someone to prepare for. If we put him at wideout and someone is playing him with a 5-9 corner, then J.P. can run and catch.

"If we put him at tight end, then teams are going to have to work a long time on not giving him a free release off the ball.

"Then if we go with the Power I with him at tailback, there’s a major issue there, too. He is football-smart enough and savvy enough that he can learn them all."

Shaler has a big game tonight against North Hills.

"You could see him anywhere," Gordon said.

State Record Possible?

Hopewell’s Rushel Shell could very well break the WPIAL rushing record tonight. He has 7,512 and needs only 134 to reach the mark of Fort Cherry’s Mike Vernillo, set from 1996-99.

But it is starting to look like Shell might have a chance at the state record.

Steelton-Highspire’s Jeremiah Young has the record at 9,027 yards. That means Shell needs 1,515 yards to reach Young.

Hopewell seemingly has a good shot at making the WPIAL playoffs. That would mean Shell would have six regular-season games and at least one playoff game. If he plays seven games, he would need to average 216 yards a game.

If Hopewell could win two playoff games and make it to at least the WPIAL semifinals, Shell would need to average only 168 yards.

By the Numbers

* South Side has two of the top receivers in the entire WPIAL. Justin Gentile and Mike Konopko are tied for second with 16 receptions each. Quarterback Jonathan Magusiak is 17th in passing yardage with 445 yards. Despite the impressive stats, South Side is 0-3 and has scored only 28 points.

* McKeesport certainly has a few big-play offensive players. Quarterback Ed Stockett is averaging 23.9 yards per completion. Running back Donte Patterson has 439 yards rushing and is averaging a whopping 15.7 yards per carry.

* Franklin Regional leads the WPIAL in scoring at 53.3 points. McKeesport is second at 53.0 and Beth-Center third at 49.3.

* Monessen and Beaver have not allowed a point yet.

Woodland Hills and the NFL

Woodland Hills has the second-most NFL players this season with seven. St. Thomas Aquinas of Florida is first with eight.

This comes from a study of opening-day rosters in the NFL done by USA Football. The organization also found that the town of Pittsburgh is tied with Indianapolis and Cleveland for 10th among hometowns for NFL players. The top five are Miami with 27, Houston 24, Los Angeles 18, Dallas 15, Cincinnati 13, Detroit 13, Jacksonville 12, New Orleans 11 and Tampa Bay 11.

Top Player Cleared

Ryan Skovranko will get to play basketball in the WPIAL this season after all.

Skovranko is a talented 6-foot-6 sophomore who transferred from West Mifflin to Lincoln Park in the spring. The WPIAL ruled him ineligible, saying the transfer was for athletic intent.

Skovranko appealed the decision to the PIAA, and the PIAA Board of Control overturned the WPIAL earlier Friday, making Skovranko eligible to play this season.

Fore

The WPIAL Division II boys golf championships are Monday at New Castle Country Club. Serra’s Max Kaminsky is looking for his second consecutive title. He is only a sophomore.

Where Are They Now?

* West Virginia Wesleyan quarterback Adam Neugebauer, a graduate of North Allegheny High School, leads the entire country in touchdown passes for Division II football. Neugebauer, a senior, has 15 touchdown passes in three games and has helped West Virginia Wesleyan to a 3-0 record. A few weeks ago, Neugebauer was named the Division II player of the week for the country after completing 36 of 50 for 340 yards and four touchdowns in a 28-23 victory against Bentley. For the season, Neugebauer has completed 97 of 138 (70 percent) for 1,033 yards. His yardage total is No. 4 in the country in Division II.

* Chris Drager, a Thomas Jefferson graduate, is the starting tight end for Virginia Tech.

Tags: Beaver, Franklin Regional, Hopewell, Lincoln Park, McKeesport, West Mifflin, Woodland Hills