Bradford Owls
Head coach: Jeff Puglio (7th season, 25-35)
2014 overall record: 2-8
2014 region record: 1-4 (fifth)
2014 playoff results: Did not qualify for the District 9 playoffs.
Top players lost: Kyle Langdon, Justin Fishkin, John Pantuso, Steve Zawatski, Zach Bartlebaugh, Rob Rice
Top returning player: Alex Colosimo
Assistant coaches: Steve Ackerman, Jerry Pattison, Davis Redington, John Siffrinn, Pete Kervin, Sean Costello
Outlook: Bradford was looking for a tougher schedule when it entered into an agreement to be a District 10 team in the sport of football. The Owls return to District 9 each year for the postseason if they qualify. It has been a rough few years for Bradford as they are 11-29 over the past four seasons since going 8-2 in 2010. The Owls will have to almost start over this year with only three starters back on offense and defense. Kyle Langdon, Justin Fishkin, John Pantuso, Steve Zawatski, Zach Bartlebaugh and Rob Rice are among the big losses for the Owls. Langdon led Bradford in rushing with 818 yards and 13 touchdowns on 134 carries, while Fishkin ran for 540 yards and five touchdowns on 73 carries. Bartlebaugh led the Owls with nine catches for 201 yards and threw for 221 yards. Pantuso, Zawatski and Rice are all losses on the offensive and defensive lines.
Bradford returns junior Kyle Kirk at quarterback. He took over last year and threw for 299 yards and the team’s only touchdown pass to Pantuso. Alex Colosimo is an all-region, second-team selection at all-purpose and is back at running back and linebacker. He ran for 509 yards and five touchdowns and caught eight passes for 36 yards last fall. Taylor Brautigam returns on the offensive and defensive lines, while Mitch Vleminckx returns at wide receiver and defensive back. Vleminckx had nine catches for 70 yards and could be a breakout player as a junior. Other younger players that could step up include junior lineman Alex Coppella and sophomore fullback and linebacker John Eakin.
Bradford will have to reconstruct its offensive and defensive lines as well several linebackers and defensive backs. The Owls open the season on the road at St. Mays and Oil City before a brutal stretch of games against Meadville, rival Olean (N.Y.) and playoff team Central Tech. Bradford will likely go through some growing pains this year, and their success will come down to how quickly the offensive and defensive lines come together.
Schedule
Date Opponent Time
September
4 at St. Marys 7
11 at Oil City* 7
18 Meadville* 7
25 Olean (N.Y.) 7
October
3 at Central Tech 7
9 Franklin* 7
16 at DuBois* 7
23 at Conneaut* 7
30 Brookville 7
November
6 Bye
*Region 5 game
Monday: Cambridge Springs
–Tom Reisenweber