2026 Team Preview: Harriton Rams (1)

Rams Look to Establish a Tougher, More Physical Identity

The Harriton Rams enter the 2026 season focused on building a stronger foundation under head coach John McAllister.

After finishing 1-9 in 2025, Harriton faces the challenge of replacing much of its lineup while competing in a demanding Central League schedule. With only a handful of returning starters, the Rams will be young and inexperienced in several areas, but McAllister and his staff have established a straightforward blueprint for improvement: run the football, protect possession, tackle aggressively and create turnovers.

McAllister is joined by assistant coaches Jon Rothberg, Bill Fulton, Dave Lloyd, Dave Dickerson, John Fanelli and Nick Merriam as Harriton prepares for another season in District 1 Class 5A.

Looking Back at 2025

Harriton opened last season on a high note with a convincing 43-18 victory over Kensington.

From there, however, the Rams struggled through the Central League portion of their schedule. Harriton dropped nine consecutive games against Radnor, Garnet Valley, Marple-Newtown, Lower Merion, Springfield-Delco, Ridley, Strath Haven, Upper Darby and Penncrest.

The Rams particularly struggled offensively after the opener, scoring just 10 points over their final nine games.

That makes offensive improvement one of the biggest priorities heading into 2026.

The Rams will have to make that improvement with a largely new group, but they do return three experienced offensive linemen who can provide a foundation for the type of offense McAllister wants to establish.

Rams Want to Ground and Pound

There’s no mystery surrounding Harriton’s offensive philosophy entering the season.

The Rams want to become a ground-and-pound football team.

That approach starts with an offensive line featuring three returning starters: junior center Carter Smith, senior guard Everett Gentzel and junior guard Alexander Yun.

Yun provides size on the interior at 6-foot-1, 245 pounds, while Smith (5-foot-8, 190) and Gentzel (5-foot-11, 185) bring valuable varsity experience.

With so many new faces expected at the skill positions, having experience in the middle of the offensive line could be critical.

Harriton wants to establish the run, control possession and avoid putting its young players into difficult situations.

Protecting the Football Will Be Critical

The Rams have identified limiting turnovers as one of the biggest keys to offensive improvement.

For a team attempting to establish itself with a physical running game, staying ahead of the chains will be important. Negative plays, penalties and turnovers can quickly derail that approach.

Harriton’s goal will be to grind out first downs, control field position and capitalize when its defense or special teams provides the offense with a short field.

That may not produce an offense built around huge numbers, but the Rams are more concerned with becoming efficient and consistent.

For Harriton, success offensively could be measured as much by eliminating mistakes as producing explosive plays.

Experience Up Front Gives Harriton a Starting Point

Smith, Gentzel and Yun will be three of the most important players on the roster.

All three are expected to contribute on both sides of the football.

Smith returns at center and linebacker, Gentzel will play along the interior, and Yun brings size to both lines.

Their experience will be especially valuable because Harriton must develop new starters around them.

If the Rams can establish consistency up front, they’ll give their new quarterback, running backs and receivers a much better opportunity to develop throughout the season.

Defense Wants to Play Aggressive Football

Harriton’s defensive goals are specific.

The Rams want to become an aggressive, team-oriented tackling defense.

That starts with improving fundamentals. Harriton has set a goal of allowing no more than five missed tackles per game.

It’s an ambitious standard, but one that illustrates the identity McAllister wants his defense to develop.

Rather than relying on individual defenders to make plays in space, the Rams want multiple players pursuing the football and finishing tackles together.

That will be particularly important against the physical running games Harriton will encounter throughout its Central League schedule.

Creating Turnovers Could Change Games

Harriton’s other major defensive emphasis will be takeaways.

The Rams have set a goal of forcing three turnovers per game.

For a team committed to running the football and taking advantage of short fields, creating turnovers could become one of the fastest ways to improve.

Takeaways can provide an inexperienced offense with favorable field position while also preventing opponents from putting together long scoring drives.

Smith will be counted on to provide leadership at linebacker, while Gentzel and Yun return with defensive experience up front.

Junior Ryan Zheng, a 5-foot-9, 160-pound defensive back, is the other returning starter and will provide experience in the secondary.

With only four listed returning defensive starters, developing the players around them will be one of the most important storylines during the early portion of the season.

Special Teams Focused on Field Position

Harriton’s special teams goals also fit directly into the team’s overall philosophy.

The Rams want to consistently return kickoffs to at least the 30-yard line and average 10 yards per punt return.

Those numbers could make a significant difference for an offense attempting to establish the running game.

Better starting field position means fewer yards needed to produce points and gives Harriton more freedom to remain patient offensively.

Combined with the defense’s emphasis on creating turnovers, the Rams hope special teams can help manufacture the short fields their offense needs.

Players to Watch

Carter Smith, Jr., C/LB — Smith will be an important two-way leader. His experience at center will be valuable for an offense undergoing significant changes, while he’ll also be counted on at linebacker.

Alexander Yun, Jr., G/DL — At 6-foot-1 and 245 pounds, Yun gives Harriton some needed size in the trenches. His development could be critical to the Rams’ ground-oriented offense and defensive front.

Everett Gentzel, Sr., G/DL — One of the team’s few senior returning starters, Gentzel will be expected to provide leadership and experience on both sides of the ball.

Ryan Zheng, Jr., DB — The lone listed returning starter in the secondary, Zheng’s experience will be important as Harriton develops a new defensive group around him.

Challenging Central League Schedule Awaits

Harriton gets its first test in an August 22 scrimmage against Lower Moreland before opening the regular season on the road against Pottstown Area on August 28.

Then comes a challenging stretch of Central League football.

The Rams play their first three league games against Radnor, Garnet Valley and Marple-Newtown before hosting Lower Merion and Springfield-Delco.

October brings games against Conestoga, Strath Haven and Haverford High before Harriton closes the regular season at home against Penncrest on October 30.

One notable change from last year’s schedule is the addition of Conestoga and Haverford High, replacing Ridley and Upper Darby.

My thoughts on Harriton:

The biggest challenge for Harriton will be turning a young roster into a competitive unit as quickly as possible.

There isn’t an abundance of returning varsity experience, but the Rams do have something valuable: three returning starters along the offensive front.

That gives Harriton a logical place to build.

Smith, Gentzel and Yun can provide the foundation for a ground-oriented offense designed to control possession and limit mistakes. Defensively, those veterans will also be asked to help establish a more physical identity while younger players develop around them.

The goals aren’t complicated.

Run the football. Protect possession. Tackle as a team. Create turnovers. Win field position.

After a difficult 2025 season, progress for Harriton will begin with becoming more competitive from snap to snap and avoiding the mistakes that can turn close games into lopsided ones.

If the Rams can establish their running game, dramatically improve their tackling and consistently create takeaways, Harriton has an opportunity to make meaningful progress in 2026 while laying the foundation for the program’s future.