FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Red Rover, Red Rover, Brockway Poised for Successful Season

BROCKWAY, Pa. – Heading north up Interstate 80 just off of exit 97, there sits a beautiful sports complex that the Brockway Rovers call home, Frank Varischetti Field, the place of tradition.

When you ask head coach Jake Heigel about his team, he’s an open book.

“We have a solid interior offensive line that will control the line of scrimmage,” said Heigel, “We are going to lean on those guys heavy this year.”

A lineman in college himself, Heigel understands the importance of the “hogs” on the line.

“The line is your foundation,” Heigel added, “If you control the line of scrimmage that opens the playbook up 100 fold.”

Heading into the season with a freshman under center, the Rovers will be a team that relies on the run game and uses that to have a successful passing attack.

Brockway begins the season with a roster size of 33, no surprise for a town with so much history in football. With notable wins against Cowanesque Valley and Curwensville last season, Brockway will be tested early and often during the beginning of the season.

“There’s tons of room for improvement and the boys have really bought into what we are doing this year,” Heigel said. “Off-season workouts felt more like the regular season, and we are at a good point so far.”

After going just 2-5 last season with Heigel as head coach, the Rovers are ready to come out fighting and be physical with every team they play for the entire game.

“We want to wear the other team down,” stated Heigel. “We do that first upfront with the line and then we spread it out to our playmakers.”

Taking over the reins during a season in 2020 that was sometimes in question because of COVID-19, Heigel and staff are making the most of their time this season.

“It’s nice to finally have a little normalcy back,” Heigel laughed, “There’s nothing like Friday Night Lights in Brockway, Pennsylvania. The entire town comes out and supports these guys.”

You can really feel the excitement building in this stadium as the players get more and more familiar with the offensive scheme.

“I definitely think we are heading in the right direction,” said Heigel, “We want to build off of last year and continue moving forward for the future.

“As a team, we all have one goal in mind, and that’s to win football games.”

Senior receiver Jalen Kosko will be a featured player in the Rover offense. The 6-foot-3, lanky speedster will find himself lined up outside the numbers for Heigel in hopes of getting him in single coverage for their young QB.

“We really hold ourselves to a high expectation,” Kosko said, “Last year we were more of a downhill team that focused on running the ball. This year we will be more spread out, trying the get the ball to our speed guys and scoring more touchdowns.”

Just taking one look at the skilled positions, the Rover offense will be speedy and look for the big splash play as a key to success.

“In this offense, each week there will be a different guy with the hot hand,” Kosko said with a smile. “You can’t stop all of us, so it just depends on who gets it going that game.”

On defense, it all starts with Peyton Maurer on the defensive line.

Maurer is a force to be reckoned with for Brockway.

“He’s such a great kid to have out there for you on Friday nights,” Heigel said, smiling. “It’s such a pleasure to coach him and have him on this team. He works so hard and does everything that we ask him to do. He’s going to have a huge senior season. He deserves everything that comes to him, he’s a leader on and off the field and a guy that defines Brockway football.”

Maurer, a true perfectionist, has high expectations for the defense this season.

“I think we are going to be really good this year, especially on the defensive line,” said Maurer, “Linebackers — sturdy. Defensive backs — sturdy. This defense is going to be fun to watch.

“We just have to take it game by game,” Maurer added. “We want to win, and we want to win now, right out of the gate we are going to bring it to you.”

Heat week was a week of focus for the Rovers, a time to make sure the Ts were crossed and the Is were dotted, but full pads mean full throttle and Brockway is all business heading into the opening week.

BROCKWAY AT A GLANCE

COACH: Jake Heigel

LAST YEAR: 2-5, 1-3 in the conference. Picked up wins against Cowanesque Valley and Curwensville.

STRENGTHS: The Rovers are packed with solid players at skill positions and a lot of size and power on the offensive line. … Senior DL Peyton Maurer is a name that you will hear early and often for the Rovers. … Jalen Kosko is a big body receiver that will high point the football and give secondaries problems all season long.

WEAKNESSES: With a new-look offense, there is always a chance for growing pains early on in the season. With a young QB under center, the playbook may not be blown open until after Week 1.

OUTLOOK: Based on their commitment to the offseason strength program and the excitement Coach Heigel and his staff have built, the Rovers may be a team that surprises the district and sneaks up on teams.


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