2024 Team Preview: Susquenita Blackhawks (3)

Written by: David Mika on Monday, August 5th, 2024. Follow David Mika on Twitter.

Head Coach: Joe Chrismer (1st Year)

Assistant Coaches:
Chris Kurtz
Dillon Bennewitz
Michael Kurtz
Zach Dawson
Dustin Kumler
Brain Waters
Josh Miller
Joe Chrismer III

Team Name: Susquenita Blackhawks

District: 3

Class: AAA

League: Mid-Penn Conference, Capital Division

2023 Record: 5-5

8/25 @ West Perry (AAA) 7:00 pm L 22-45
9/01 Biglerville (AAA) 7:00 pm W 42-7
9/08 @ Schuylkill Valley (AAA) 6:15 pm L 14-48
9/15 Upper Dauphin* (AAA) 7:00 pm L 27-44
9/22 @ Line Mountain* (AA) 7:00 pm L 21-27
9/29 Camp Hill (AA) 7:00 pm L 3-22
10/06 Newport* (AA) 7:00 pm W 42-14
10/13 @ Halifax* (A) 7:00 pm W 20-13
10/20 James Buchanan* (AAAA) 7:00 pm W 48-6
10/27 @ Juniata* (AAAA) 7:00 pm W 18-7

Key Starters lost:
Derek Gibney (QB/P)
Drew Gibney (WR/DB)
Roman Brenny (DE)
Tristen Brown (OLB)
Ryan Keefe (ATH)
Bryce McKee (WR/DB)
Tyler Evans (C/MLB)
Patton Warren (OL)
Kamar Lewis (OL/DL)
Wyatt Jumper (RB/DE)

Offensive Starters Returning:
Athan Robinson (ATH)
Blaise Swancer (WR)
Braden Law (OL)
James Frey (OL)
Jacob Brown (RB)

Defensive Starters Returning:
Athan Robinson (ATH)
Braden Law (LB)
Andy Herrera (DB)

Special Team Starters Returning:
Corey Warren (K)
Jacob Brown (Returner)

2024 Returning Player Stats:
Jacob Brown (RB/DB)
Offense:
55 car 183 yds 1 rushing TD
6 rec 49 yds 1 rec TD
Defense:
37 Total tackles

Athan Robinson (ATH)
Offense:
20 car 151 yds 2 rushing TDs
34 rec 437 yds 3 rec TDs
Defense:
73 total tackles

Blaise Swancer (WR/DB)
Offense:
50 rec 693 yds 10 rec TD
Defense:
14 Total Tackles

Braden Law (LB)
Defense:
75 Total Tackles

Corey Warren (K)
Special Teams:
PATs 26/29 90% FG 3/4 75% 35 Total Points (2nd in school points)
19 KO 732 yds Long 53 yds

Andy Herrera (DB)
Defense:
22 total tackles

2024 Outlook: With the transition of the Mid-Penn the Capital Division will be tough but in order for us to be successful this year, we will need to be a TEAM and play mistake free football.

Offense: We return some big assets from last year even losing Drew Gibney. First time in four years we will have someone other than Derek Gibney take the general position and the competition is heating up. We have various holes to fill on the Offensive line and within the Wide Receivers. The focus will be on developing players to step into the graduating seniors positions.

Defense: We lost two top tacklers in Tyler Evans (110 tackles) and Kamar Lewis (90 tackles). We have some experience that will be coming back and looking to see how the youngers player step into a larger role than relief last year. We need to find a way to bring back some of the old style Susquenita Blackhawk intensity of the Synder days while improving our tackling. The defense of the side we will need to play smart, fast, and assignment football to excel this year.

Special Teams: Losing Derek Gibney’s leg does hurt us for punting side in flipping field position and will be looking to fill this position. Returning Corey Warren will assist in shorting the field this year as he enters his second year as the place kicker for the Blackhawks. He is currently sitting second in career points in school history and with the improvements in accuracy and some added distance the lefty should help transition points instead of going for it on 4th.

2024 Susquenita Blackhawks
Interview with Head Football Coach Joe Chrismer IV@CoachChrismer23 @Susquenita_FB #PAHSFB @hsfbamerica pic.twitter.com/jGxtkYKci5

— EasternPAFootball (@EPAFootball) July 24, 2024