Recap of Southern Columbia’s Run
Written by: Dave Fegley on Thursday, December 24th, 2015. Follow Dave Fegley on Twitter.
Looking back at the Tigers 2015 season
State Championship article (if you missed it): https://www.easternpafootball.com/news/stairway-to-seven/
Every sports season ends at some point. Only two teams in each classification get to battle it out for the top prize, but there are hundreds of other teams throughout the state that would do anything to be in the position to compete for a Pennsylvania gold. Regardless if a team gets upset, misses the playoffs, goes winless, or makes a state championship, memories are made along the way. Some memories are better than others, but in the case of Southern Columbia, there are many visuals that will be engrained in the player’s heads for a lifetime. Below is a look back at the Tigers 2015 PIAA Class AA State Championship undefeated journey:
Week 1: Mifflinburg 49-21
Southern Columbia lost their starting quarterback and the season looked like it might be in question. The Tigers won the game aided by six rushing touchdowns, and Nick Becker returned in a hospital gown during the fourth quarter after leaving the first quarter in an ambulance.
Week 2: Bloomsburg 56-19
Backup Drew Michaels got his first start at quarterback and took advantage of the opportunity by throwing three touchdown passes including two to Steve Toczylousky as the Tigers wore down the Panthers.
Week 3: Shamokin 49-27
The Tigers came out and took care of business early by putting the game into the Mercy Rule by halftime. Becker returned after getting good results with his MRI and threw two touchdown passes to Hunter Thomas.
Week 4: Danville 42-14
Blake Marks scored on the opening possession of the game from 57 yards out and the offense didn’t slow up. Southern’s offense had success both in the air and on the ground in the win over a young Ironmen squad.
Week 5: Central Columbia 40-0
Southern Columbia’s defense shut out the Blue Jays on Homecoming night. The running trio of Hunter Thomas, Jared Torres, and Blake Marks needed only 15 total attempts to pile up 292 rushing yards and four scores.
Week 6: Mount Carmel 42-0
The Red Tornadoes came into Tiger Stadium the same way that they left by not putting a single point on the scoreboard. The big play on offense was a 68 yard touchdown pass from Nick Becker to Steve Toczylousky to start the onslaught.
Week 7: Warrior Run 56-7
The first time since week four that the Tigers defense gave up any points. No worries though as the score came on a fourth quarter touchdown pass against Southern’s backups. Steve Toczylousky caught three passes, all for touchdowns, and 119 yards in the win.
Week 8: Lewisburg 49-24
Southern Columbia traveled to Bucknell University to take on the Green Dragons on a Thursday night. The offense scored 49 first half points in the victory. Hunter Thomas had a 78 yard kick return in the game and Nick Becker threw a pair of touchdown passes.
Week 9: Central Mountain 62-7
The Tigers came out of the halftime break on fire by outscoring the Wildcats 34-0 over the final two quarters. Steve Toczylousky intercepted two passes and returned one for an 85 yard score. He also caught two TD passes.
Week 10: Selinsgrove 21-14
Neither team scored a point in the second half, but Southern’s one touchdown lead at halftime was all that they needed to win and finish the regular season undefeated. Blake Marks iced the game late in the fourth with an interception.
Week 11 : Troy 42-22
Hunter Thomas rushed for 134 yards and three touchdowns, and Jared Torres added 101 yards and two scores in the Tigers opening round playoff victory over the Trojans. The first drive of the game the Tigers drove 96 yards for the opening touchdown.
Week 12: Hughesville 56-20
Hunter Thomas, Jared Torres, and Blake Marks combined to rush for 367 yards behind the push of the offensive line against the Spartans. Billy Marzeski also took a kick back 73 yards for a touchdown in the district semi-final victory.
Week 13: Montoursville 56-50
Hunter Thomas ran for a career high of 238 yards and scored three times in the dramatic District IV AA Championship win over the Warriors. Cam Young intercepted a pass and returned it for a 33 yard touchdown to start the second half.
Week 14: Berks Catholic 34-21
This group of Tigers won their first ever state playoff game over the Saints. Hunter Thomas had over 100 yards both rushing and receiving in the game with the highlight being a 74 yard reverse that he scored on late in the fourth quarter. The defense held the Saints high-scoring offense in check when they needed to make a stop.
Week 15: West Catholic 34-19
Southern Columbia’s defense forced seven turnovers including five interceptions in leading the team to the win against the Burrs in the Eastern Final. Nick Becker rushed for three touchdowns in the game, and Hunter Thomas rushed for 108 yards.
Week 16: Aliquippa 49-14
History has been made. The Tigers became the first school in PIAA history to win seven state championships. The defense came up clutch once again by forcing seven turnovers for the second consecutive week. Billy Marzeski was the leader with two interceptions including one returned for a touchdown. Tyler Keiser was a perfect 7/7 on his PAT attempts which set a new Class AA record for the state title.
Team MVP:
The offensive and defensive lines win this award. There wasn’t a particular player that you can say just blew people off the ball every single play, but the Tigers won each game in the trenches on both sides of the ball. SCA’s offensive line consisted of Gabe Delbo, Josh Yoder, Aaron Kroh, Dale Houser, Andrew Bell, and Garrett Henry. “I don’t think the offensive line could have done much better than we did. We had to replace three starters, but they did a great job. Our success was capped off by a state championship”, said offensive tackle Aaron Kroh. Add in the fact that Nick Becker was sacked less than 10 times all season, and you can say that the offensive line set the tone. The defensive line starters were Chase Tillett, Nick Freeman, Chris Grosch, and Delbo. “Our defensive line made it a point to stay disciplined and do our role. Our mentality each play was to blow up the player across the line and to dominate the line of scrimmage,” Delbo said. Troy Donlan also saw a lot of action as the season started to wind down on defense as did Yoder. Southern Columbia’s offense rushed for 5,104 yards this season which averages out to be 319 yards per game. The defense held opponents to just 108.7 yards rushing per game which in total was 1,739 over the 16 games played. A pretty impressive 3:1 ratio considering most of the second halves of games were the Tigers reserves competing against the oppositions starting units.
Offensive MVP:
Somehow this player only garnered 2nd Team Heartland Conference honors, but he was the leader in offensive production for the highest scoring offense in the state. Hunter Thomas was consistently dominant in the regular season, but he turned into a highlight reel over the final six games. “It all starts up front with the offensive line. This year our whole line played consistent, and we couldn’t have run the way we did without their efforts. It also helps having two other great runners in the backfield like we had this season,” said Thomas. The junior halfback rushed for 867 yards and 12 scores in the postseason run. For the season, he averaged an astounsing 11.4 yards per carry to go along with 32 total touchdowns. By going over 1,000 rushing and 500 receiving, he became just the second player in SCA history to hit both marks the same year.
Defensive MVP:
There were a handful of deserving candidates to get this award, but there was a tie for the top spot. The two senior inside linebackers, Matt Bell and Austin Knepp, were run-stoppers all season long. “I feel like football is a real emotional game. To be a good player you have to play with a lot of intensity, and when everyone was excited we played better,” said Bell. His 128 tackles this season gives him the third best in school history for a single season and Knepp’s almost identical 127 is the fourth best mark. “The hardest thing was just learning a whole new playbook this year, but the coaches at Southern Columbia are great. It got easier as the season went on and I became more comfortable,” said Knepp who moved into the district at the end of last school year.
Breakout Player:
This was the easiest of the awards. Steve Toczylousky started to come along nicely as the 2014 season progressed. In the offseason, the wide receiver and safety made it a goal to become the best that he could be. He now holds SCA’s single-season receiving touchdown record with 12. “We all worked really hard in the offseason knowing that we had the chance to accomplish something special. Now looking back and reflecting, it’s awesome to know that I was a key player on a state championship winning team,” said Toczylousky. The senior also caught 30 passes for 758 yards. On defense, Toczylousky added seven interceptions to go along with 51 tackles.
Unsung Hero:
Blake Marks & Hunter Thomas got most of the media attention during the regular season, but it was their senior fullback Jared Torres that elevated his game to a high level in the District IV AA Playoffs. “I just did the best I could do trying to help the team win. I liked the attention being focused on the other guys. They had great years, but it took a team effort to accomplish what we did,” Torres said. During the three game district run, he eclipsed the 100 yard mark in all three of the games. His totals were 101, 119, and 121 yards respectively to go along with five touchdowns.
Comeback Kid:
Nick Becker was hurt on his first carry of the season. The quarterback’s shoulder popped out of the socket on the way to the ground. He had previous operations and injuries to his shoulder, but this was the first time it didn’t pop right back in. “When the injury happened, I honestly thought it was the last time I would play high school football. When I got the news that I could come back, I just rehabbed as hard as I could. There couldn’t be a better final ending to the season,” the quarterback said. The senior surprised many folks by returning to play two weeks later against Shamokin. He would start the rest of the season and helped to guide the team to the final in Hershey.
Wounded Warrior:
Blake Marks injured his kidney during the summer of his junior year, and his junior season eventually ended after he tore knee ligaments. Going into his senior season, he was selected as one of the team captains. He felt the effects as the season wore on, but there is no better medicine than a state championship. “I think it’s the same for every football player by the end of the year. Everyone is banged up because of the nature of the game. Last year my injuries were much more serious. This year I just had some nagging effects from previous injuries,” said Marks who was one of three Tigers to rush for over 1,000 yards in 2015.
Undervalued Assets:
Both Ross Crowl and Jake Potter knew that they would see time during the 2015 season, but neither was listed as an every down starter. The two senior outside linebackers didn’t put up stats that will jump off the page at people or make any all-star teams, but they did what was needed during the times that they were out there. “It wasn’t a really big deal to me having to rotate. I just wanted to go in and do the best that I could when I was on the field,” said Potter. The duo was responsible for rotating at one of the outside linebacker spots and did exactly what they needed to do in order to help the team win games during the undefeated run. “The main thing is just staying in your position and doing your job. Whether it was stopping the run or the pass, it was important to be disciplined,” Crowl stated.
Rookies of the Year:
Troy Donlan and Oak Six were the only two freshman on this year’s squad. Neither one of them figured in to being a starter, but by the end of the year they both were in the mix. Although neither started a game in the playoffs, both of them were crucial components on the lines. “My role was to come in and give any of the defensive lineman a break when they needed one. I just tried my best to clog up holes and I got more time in the playoff run,” Donlan said. Six converted from an offensive tackle to a blocking tight end and Donlan saw a lot of snaps at defensive tackle.
Mr. Consistency:
Tyler Keiser has been Southern’s kicker for the past two seasons. He doesn’t get to practice much with the team since he is a member of the Tigers soccer team. Even without a ton of reps throughout the season, Keiser’s left foot was almost automatic. “The biggest challenge once soccer season ended was finding a way to keep my leg fresh. Obviously having more time once soccer season was over, I tried to make sure to not over kick and hurt myself,” the left footed kicker said. He converted on 91 of his 95 PAT’s which is nearly 96%.
Prime Time Performers:
In today’s world of football, lots of teams like to pass. In the playoffs all it takes is one big play to give a team momentum and change the game and sometimes the outcome. Nobody learned this more than SCA’s two defensive backs. The Tigers were nearly upset in their District IV Championship game when Montoursville scored 50 points thanks to a bunch of third and fourth down conversions via the pass. After that game, Billy Marzeski and Cam Young made it a point to not let it happen again. “With how explosive our offense was this year, our pass defense had to be a key because teams had to pass to try and get back in games. After Montoursville scored 50 on us, I think our pass defense played much better,” said Young. He finished as the team leader with eight interceptions. In Marzeski’s final game as a Tiger, he intercepted two passes to help his team win the school’s seventh state championship. His first one saved a touchdown, and the other he returned for a touchdown in the first half helping the team build a lead.
All-State Recipients:
Southern Columbia had five players earn all-state honors. Those included Nick Becker, Hunter Thomas, Josh Yoder, Matt Bell, and Cam Young. What put this team over the top though was their unselfishness and team mentality. “The state championship is more of an accomplishment because we did it as a team. We’ve grown up together dreaming of winning it one day and the best part was doing it as friends,” Yoder said. The Tigers head coach was also named the Class AA Coach of the Year. It was Jim Roth’s fifth time winning the award, and he became only the second coach in PA history to win the award in two different classifications.
Plays of the Year:
-Bill Marzeski had the best game of his career in his final game as a Tiger. He had arguably the two best plays in the State Championship victory over Aliquippa. He intercepted a pass in the end zone in the first quarter to keep the Quips from going up by two touchdowns early in the game. He also picked off a pass and returned it for a touchdown to put the Tigers up 21-6 late in the second quarter. “He stepped up and made two huge plays. He came a long way after making the tough switch from being a linebacker last year to moving to cornerback this season. The two biggest plays he made all season happened to come in the biggest game,” said Jim Roth.
-With Southern leading Montoursville 56-50 late in the fourth quarter of the District IV Championship game, the Tigers defense needed one stop to earn the district crown. That stop came on a fourth down sack by inside linebackers Matt Bell and Austin Knepp which put the finishing touches on a game that was dominated by both offensive units.
-In the season opener against Mifflinburg, safety Steve Toczylousky came off the edge on a blitz and knocked the ball out of the hands of the quarterback. Defensive end Chase Tillett was there to scoop it up and return it 38 yards for the first touchdown to open the season. “With the amount of point that our offense produced this year, it was fun to be able to get the scoring started this year on the other side of the ball. I made a joke before the season started that I was going to score the first touchdown of the year just kidding around, but it was cool to be able to actually do it especially with how we finished the season up,” Tillett stated.
-Jared Torres had a 34 yard run against the Troy Trojans in the first round of the playoffs. He didn’t score on the play, but the bruising back broke seven tackles and carried four Troy defenders the final six yards before being brought down. The crowd gave him a standing ovation for the effort, and the fullback scored two plays later.
-Hunter Thomas pulled off a bunch of highlight reel plays throughout the course of the unbeaten season, but his best may have come in the state playoff win over the Saints of Berks Catholic. The junior took an inside-reverse handoff and ran down the Southern sidelines for a 74 yard touchdown to give the Tigers a two touchdown cushion in the fourth quarter.
Quotes of the Year:
-“You know something. Interviews would be a lot easier if we knew what was being asked before you ask it. That probably doesn’t make any sense, but I’m not good with coming up with things off of the top of my head, and it makes it worse when guys like Blake (Marks) make fun of everything that I say,” Steve Toczylouksy said after his three touchdown catches in a home win over Warrior Run during the regular season.
-“If our defense puts up a shutout and our offense scores more points than the other team, we will win every game,” senior Jake Potter said after SCA shut out Central Columbia. Yes, this may be the most obvious statement of all time, but will result in a win in any sport.
-“Last week I was listed as the third string quarterback and just hoping to get the chance to play at the end of some varsity games. Now seven days later I am starting in a varsity game. It has certainly been a crazy week and obviously not what I anticipated,” Drew Michaels said after starting the second game of the season at Bloomsburg in place of injured starter Nick Becker.
-“Blake’s just a gamer. He seems to make big plays when we need them the most. You can tell he has spent a lot of time out on the playground and that’s just a phrase because he lives nowhere near a playground. The point is if you know him, he is always out doing something. The kid can’t sit still,” said Southern coach Jim Roth after Blake Marks clinched the Selinsgrove game with an interception.
-“I think we were the best team in the state. We won the state championship. That’s why they call it the state championship,” Billy Marzeski said after the Tigers victory celebration following their state championship against Aliquippa.
Top Statistical Performers:
Passing:
Becker- 1,750 yards (20 TDs & 10 INTs)
Michaels- 234 yards (3 TDs & 1 INT)
Rushing:
Thomas- 1,593 yards (24 TDs)
Marks- 1,048 yards (16 TDs)
Torres- 1,034 yards (15 TDs)
Fetterman- 377 yards (2 TDs)
Becker- 359 yards (10 TDs)
Receiving:
Toczylousky- 758 yards (30 catches & 12 TDs)
Thomas- 582 yards (36 catches & 5 TDs)
Young- 287 yards (20 catches & 3 TDs)
Marks- 229 yards (23 catches & 2 TDs)
Torres- 125 yards (8 catches)
Defense:
Bell- 128 tackles
Knepp- 127 tackles (2.5 sacks)
Marzeski- 94 tackles (4 INTs)
Marks- 88 tackles (4 INTs)
Tillett- 68 tackles (8 sacks)
Young- 55 tackles (8 INTs)
Potter- 54 tackles
Crowl- 53 tackles (2.5 sacks)
Toczylousky- 51 tackles (7 INTs)
Delbo- 50 tackles (3.5 sacks)
Stats of the Year:
-The three-headed-monster of Hunter Thomas, Blake Marks, & Jared Torres became the first trio in PIAA history to all go over the 1,000 yard rushing mark and win the state title. It also marked the first time in school history that this was accomplished regardless of how the season ended. Hunter Thomas finished with 1,593 rushing yards, Blake Marks had 1,048 yards, and Jared Torres totaled 1,034.
-With Jim Roth’s win in the state championship, he finished the 2015 season with 381 career victories. He now sits fourth in Pennsylvania history. George Curry (455 wins), Jack Henzes (404 wins), and Jim Render (384 wins) are the only coaches to have won more games. “I didn’t win all of the games. We won all of the games. Without the great assistant coaches and talented players that have gone through the program over the years, we wouldn’t have been able to have all of this success. The program takes pride in having a great tradition and support from all around which helps lead to the accomplishments,” Roth said. The United States all-time leader is John McKissick of Summerville, South Carolina who retired before this season with 621 victories after coaching for 63 years. Roth just finished season number 32.
-Southern Columbia won 11 games this year via the Mercy Rule. Not a bad average over a 16 game span. The only teams that they didn’t have at least a 35 point lead on at any point in the game this year were West Catholic, Berks Catholic, Montoursville, Selinsgrove, and Mifflinburg.
By the Numbers:
7: The number of State Championships Southern Columbia now has. They were tied with Berwick at 6, but now have the Pennsylvania record all to themselves
93: The Tigers went in to the final tied with the Quips for the most PIAA playoff victories at 92. Now the Tigers have that record to themselves as well heading into 2016.
20: Southern Columbia (14 appearances) and Aliquippa (6 appearances) combined to have played in 20 state championships. This is the most out of any two teams to matchup in a state final in PIAA history.
100+: It is just the fourth time in school history that two different players finished with over 100 tackles in the same season. This year’s inside linebacker duo of Matt Bell and Austin Knepp reached that mark.
737: The amount of points SCA’s offense produced this season. The Tigers scored the most points in the state and averaged 46.1 points per game. In 2006, the team scored 755 in the last state championship winning season.
33: The number of quarters that SCA’s defense held the opponents scoreless this season. That is over half of the 64 total quarters this season that they played.
8: Cam Young had eight interceptions this season which is the fourth most in a single season. Justin Barnes had 11 in 1994 and Matt Murdock (2002) & Keith Day (2011) finished seasons with 9.
1,750: The number of passing yards Nick Becker threw for this season which was a career high for him. It is also the fifth most single-season passing yards in school history. The top 4 are: Matt Kaskie- 2,146 (2000), Matt Kaskie- 1,919 (1999), Brad Osevala- 1,807 (1995), & Brad Fegley- 1,770 (2011).
12: The number of touchdown receptions that Steve Toczylousky had this season which set a new single-season school mark breaking Andy Helwig’s old record of 11.
36: The new record for catches in a season by a running back which Hunter Thomas set in this 2015 season out of the backfield.
107: Becker completed a career high 107 passes this season which is just four off of Brad Fegley’s school record of 111 set in 2011.
That’s a wrap on the 2015 football season. I would like to thank all of the readers that read my weekly articles on the top team in the state. I try my best to recognize as many players as possible, and I hope that everyone enjoys the literature. Congratulations to the players, coaching staff, cheerleaders, band, fans, and everyone else that makes the Southern Columbia football tradition what it is. Following the black & gold each week is a fun journey because every game brings new memories and enjoyment. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and I look forward to volunteering my time again next year to cover the Tigers in 2016. To the 25 seniors, welcome to the SCA football alumni club!
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December 30th, 2015 at 6:35 am
Dave,
This was one of the absolute best “reads” on this site. Tremendous review and it gives many of us who don’t know much about the history of the SCA program a much better feel about their success they’ve attained and how good a Coach Roth is.
Is there any chance that Roth could expand his horizons and take a non conference game at a larger venue like Harrisburg or Philly? I saw this team play twice over the last four years (both at Hershey) and I was very impressed with how well coached this team is and how the players respond.
I wish there were more teams in this state that have the pedigree SCA has attained.
Again, great story.
December 26th, 2015 at 6:28 pm
Great review for a great team. Thanks .
December 24th, 2015 at 3:38 pm
I can that was the first time I seen Southern Colunbia play football ans was very impressed with their style and coaching. Was a great game and a great turn out for those boyzz . Congrats on all your records and your 2015 state championship I’m sure you will be back. From what I hear you have some good football players coming up threw the ranks.. Good luck to all , cya next year
December 24th, 2015 at 9:51 am
SCA and GOLD
As an outsider, but long-time football fan, whose total relationship to SCA was drving past the school in 2014 on the way to Knoebels in the summer; I was impressed most with, what I call the “overall team concept” that I saw in this years title game.
Over my 65 seasons of watching hs football I have seen teams win because they have a superstar, or many D1 prospects, excessive speed, tremendous coaching, etc. But I am most impressed with the teams where everybody does their job, stays focused, has desire, and executes the basics to perfection. This is what I saw this year in the Tiger’s win. Congratulations to the Tigers, players, staff, administration, parents, fans, and community.
December 24th, 2015 at 9:36 am
Tiger Pride,
I agree with you that many players had great seasons for Southern this year, but obviously they can’t all be on the All-State team. More importantly, these guys developed memories that will last a lifetime and that is something that can’t be taken away from them ever.
The selection process is not perfect because it’s impossible to pick exactly the best kids in the state. I used the example yesterday talking to someone that a high school could go 0-10 and have arguably the best offensive lineman in the state. Unfortunately for him, he won’t make the all-state team because he will get overlooked for being on a bad team.
Instead of being mad that someone didn’t make it, I would just recommend being happy that the Tigers are State Champions. It’s the holiday season, so let’s try and stay positive and not get so personal. I understand some points you are trying to make, and can see that you were hoping your son made the all-state team, but I think all the kids would agree that the gold is what matters to them the most!
December 24th, 2015 at 1:49 am
Wow. What an incredible journey it has been for the seniors. You guys had ups and downs but finished at the highest point. Very cool to see. I have watched you all grow up from when you were in diapers to now being state champions and I can’t wait to see you guys go through college (even if my wallet takes a hit) or get jobs and grow into successful leaders!
I don’t want to release my name because I don’t want to start any controversy, but I think the all-state situation needs to be fixed. How can you rely on newspaper writers to pick the best players in the state. The majority of them haven’t ever seen 95 or more percent of the players play games. You mean to tell me that a sports writer can confidently pick the top players in the state? Think again. I felt my son was certainly an all-state caliber player this season but didn’t get picked by the “know it alls”. Congrats to the guys that got picked, but every year people seem to get shafted out of being selected. This year (alphabetically by last names) Delbo, Knepp, Marks, & Toczylousky all put up impressive performances on a weekly basis. In fact, some of them I think most people would consider had better seasons than some that were selected. I just went to the SCA website to help prove my point. Back in 2011, the Tigers, when they last made a championship, only had 2 players picked and made it just as far. Assuming the information on this article is true, Tyler Levan finished with almost 400 more yards and five more touchdowns than Thomas and he didn’t get an all-state selection. Thomas was certainly deserving, but the numbers don’t match up and Levan put up well-rounded numbers behind a less-talented line. Brad Fegley was probably an even bigger snub. He played both ways which Becker didn’t and he was still able to put up better numbers across the board than Becker did this year. Fegley had more passing yards & also threw zero interceptions that year compared to the 10 Becker threw this year. Lastly, Keith Day intercepted more passes than Young in 2011 and he also had more tackles. Plus he was a much more prevalent part of the Tigers offense back then.
Why not just get rid of this whole all-state thing if it just leads to controversy and disappointed kids. Somebody must be making some good money off of this process!