2024 Team Preview: Berwick Bulldogs (2)

Written by: David Mika on Tuesday, August 6th, 2024. Follow David Mika on Twitter.

Head Coach: CJ Curry

Assistant Coaches:
RJ Haas
Jorden Stout
Nick Dawson
Brian Remley
Bo Orlando
Jason Lanning
Owen Shoemaker
Dave Robbins
Brandon George
Ty Morzilla
AJ Vandermark

Team Name: Berwick Bulldogs

District: 2

Class: AAA

League: Wyoming Valley Conference, Division 2

2023 Record: 3-8

8/25 @ Southern Columbia (AA) 7:00 pm L 0-50
9/01 Valley View (AAAA) 7:00 pm L 19-34
9/08 Abington Heights (AAAAA) 7:00 pm L 21-47
9/15 @ Williamsport* (AAAAAA) 7:00 pm W 21-7
9/22 @ Wilkes-Barre * (AAAAAA) 7:00 pm L 21-34
9/29 Wyoming Valley West* (AAAAA) 7:00 pm W 35-7
10/06 @ Dallas* (AAAA) 7:00 pm L 6-42
10/13 Danville (AAA) 7:00 pm L 6-49
10/20 @ Crestwood* (AAAA) 7:00 pm L 27-33
10/27 Hazleton Area* (AAAAAA) 7:00 pm W 39-34
11/03 @ Valley View (AAAA) 7:00 pm L 7-12

Key Starters Lost:
Harrison Snyder (TE/DE)
Tyler Winter (RB)
Ethan Lear (QB)
Liam Carroll (OL/LB)
Josh Kishbaugh (CB/WR)
Braylon Hawkins (WR/DB)

Offensive Starters Returning:
SR. OT Chase Schuckers 6-2, 250
JR.OT JJ Leonard, 6-0, 250
SR. C Gavin Jones 5-9, 220
JR. OG Matt Gordner 5-10, 260
JR. OG Draven Geiger 6-0, 260
JR. WR Ty’Meere Wilkerson 6-2, 185
SR. WR Billy Hanson 6-1, 170

Defensive Starters Returning:
JR. DL JJ Leonard, 6-0250
JR. DE Skyler Nevel, 6-1, 180
JR. DB Caleb May, 5-9, 165
JR. DB Alex Estrella, 5-11, 170
SR. DB Billy Hanson, 6-1, 170
JR. DB Ty’Meere Wilkerson 6-2, 185

Special Team Starters Returning:
SR. P Sean Bankes, 5-9, 165

Key Newcomers:
SR. WR Julian Howie, 6-2, 185
SR. LB/TE Rocco Romeo, 5-11, 225
SR. RB/CB Sean Bankes, 5-9, 165
JR. FB/LB Everett Snyder, 5-10, 210
SO. OL/DL Nico Lonczynski, 6-1, 270
SO. FB/DL Aiden George, 6-1, 215
SO. RB/LB Gavin Galutia, 5-10, 170
FR. TE/WR/DE Gabe Decker, 6-2, 185

2024 Returning Player Stats:
WR Billy Hanson – 29 receptions, 238 yards, TD/4 INT
OL – One returning 11-game starter, Three returning 22-game starters

2024 Offensive Outlook: Losing most of our firepower from the previous season left big shoes to fill (QB Ethan Lear and RB Tyler Winter), but the team has been working endlessly to improve and take on bigger roles. We will go as our quarterback goes with a young, first-year starter. Entering camp there is a QB battle between JR. Ashton Smith and SO. Jake Lisnock. Both guys do things extremely well, but will ultimately come down to taking care of the football and being in command of the huddle as the leader of our offense. We will lean heavily on our experienced offensive line to control the LOS and help our young quarterback in the passing game. I believe we will have multiple threats at wide receiver (Ty’Meere Wilkerson, Billy Hanson, Julian Howie, Caleb May, Alex Estrella, and Gabe Decker). We will also have a running back by committee approach with Gavin Galutia, Sean Bankes, and Ty’Meere Wilkerson as well as two fullbacks who can help us out tremendously both in the run and pass game (Everett Snyder and Aiden George). Although we have a lot of youth in our offense, we have guys who have worked their tails off to be prepared to make plays under the lights on Friday nights.

2024 Defensive Outlook: We have an experienced and incredibly athletic secondary that I believe will be a major strength of our defense this season. They play lightning-fast, confident, and physical. We will have an entirely new group of linebackers, as well as some new faces on the defensive line. The front seven have made it a point to get physically bigger, faster, and stronger this off-season. They have developed a physical and hard-nosed attitude which has been great to see so far, but they know they can never get complacent and need to continue getting better every day in order to be successful as a team. We will have youth and some inexperience on defense, but playing together and as a brotherhood who believes in each other gives our defense confidence.

2024 Special Teams Outlook: Sean Bankes has great leg talent as a punter and we will rely on him heavily in our special teams approach to flip the field on special teams this year. We lost our long-snapper (Ethan Lear, who is going to Lincoln University on a full scholarship to long-snap), and our Kicker/Kickoff Specialist Luke Peters. There is an open competition for kicker to start camp, but we have four to five guys who have been consistently showing up in the summer to practice and get better and also play soccer for Berwick. They have been making great progress and have enjoyed the process of being in the weight room and practicing as well. We have two players who are great long-snappers Aiden George and Gabe Decker. I am confident in both of them as we enter into fall camp.

2024 Berwick Area Bulldogs
Interview with Head Football Coach CJ Curry#PAHSFB @hsfbamerica @NEPAFootball @Berwick_WETSU @bwkdawgs_fb @areaberwick pic.twitter.com/UNXsylfcH7

— EasternPAFootball (@EPAFootball) August 8, 2024