There’s been a lot of focus this off-season about what Allentown Central Catholic lost from its PIAA AAA championship team of one season ago, namely the bulk of the offensive line. Sure, without a good line, skill is negated, but word has it that the Vikings have reloaded up front around the centerpiece of returning Associated Press all-state selection Tad McNeely.
Of course, the skill position talent at the disposal of head coach Harold Fairclough is something to be envied – South Carolina recruit Brendan Nosovitch (28-2 (.933) as a varsity starter) is the headliner – he has thrown for 5,440 yards and run for 2,665 yards in his varsity career, and is coming off a junior season of 3,112 passing yards, 1,647 rushing yards and 68 total touchdowns, an unprecedented season for a quarterback, both in the Lehigh Valley and in state history.
Junior running back Colin McDermott ran for more than 1,660 yards last season and three returning receivers – Kevin Gulyas (1,281 yards), Jalen Snyder-Scipio (393 yards) and Noah Robb (241 yards) also return, though Nosovitch might miss the presence of Jack Sandherr and Shane McNeely, a pair of targets in the ACC aerial assault who combined for 52 receptions, 863 yards and 11 touchdowns last year.
Defensively, G.B. Harkins, Teddy Airoldi, R.J. Taylor, Snyder-Scipio, McNeely and Robb all made notable contributions in the Vikings’ run to the state championship. Kickers Kevin Jarossy (34 PATs) and Tim Digiacomo (47 PATs, two FGs) also return. Only time will tell if ACC is destined to make a repeat appearance in Hershey for the PIAA finals – something it has never before accomplished in program history – and a feat met by only three other District 11 representatives – Bethlehem Liberty (2005-06), Pottsville (2005-06) and Wilson Area (2005-06).
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