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Whether it be replacing several starters from last year's team, adjusting from college to the high school game, or navigating a demanding schedule, new Williamsport coach Mike Pearson faces several challenges entering his debut season.
Still, the former Chestnut Hill head coach and Lycoming assistant coach also knows he has a strong foundation to build upon. And it is one which statistics cannot measure but which could make a huge difference this season.
"These are a bunch of kids who are really hard workers," Pearson said. "We've been very thankful for the kids and their commitment. Even on days off, they are still asking what things they can do to try and get better."
Williamsport grew a lot better after previous coach Chuck Crews arrived in 2015, turning around what had been a struggling program and winning a district championship a year later. The Millionaires reached the last two District 2-6 Class 6A championships as well, dropping heartbreakers against Altoona and State College, respectively.
Many of the players who helped make those championship appearances possible have graduated, but the cupboard is far from bare. In addition to having some players who excelled as starters last year, Williamsport also features players who have performed well at the JV level and who are hungry to show they can carry on the program's success.
"It's been very motivating for the group that are juniors. They really want to make a statement for the hard work they have put into the program," Pearson said. "Based on positions, some of these kids were impact players but some of these kids, particularly on the line group, have not played a lot but are great kids and are anxious to show what they can do."
Austin Best is the lone returning starter up front and was key in helping Williamsport feature a balanced, exciting offense last season. If that line can quickly jell and play consistent football, Williamsport could feature an explosive offense because the skill players have both experience and big-play ability.
Best gives Williamsport a good nucleus to build around. He is a good player, but he also has the ability to make those around him better and that could provide a valuable asset.
"Austin played a whole lot as a starter and coming back for his senior year, he is really excited to play offensively and defensively," Pearson said. "He's a big leader in the weight room because wants to have a good senior year, but he also wants to leave his mark by being good to the younger kids and getting them to work hard."
Senior quarterback George Whaley split time with graduated Frankie Morrone last season and performed well, throwing for 758 yards and seven touchdowns, while rushing for 292 yards and two touchdowns. Caleb Williamson missed last year with an injury, but also is a talented player who could see time at quarterback. What excites Pearson more than Whaley's talent, however, are his intangibles.
"The kids are all working so hard and a lot of that starts with George Whaley," Pearson said. "He's such an amazing player in football and basketball, watching how he runs the team as a point guard in basketball is how he runs the team in football and George is going to be a leader for us offensively and defensively."
Nasir Hennigan is a three-year starter and headlines the running backs group. Hennigan missed some time last year, but still led the team in rushing for a second straight season, producing 728 yards. Injuries have hit Williamsport hard the last few years and losing Jamaire Harden for four games hurt a lot last year.
Harden could potentially be one of the state's premier receivers and opened his sophomore campaign a year ago by torching three straight opponents. He averaged nearly 100 yards per game and could form a dangerous duo with Yahzir Slaughter. Slaughter averaged 34.2 yards per catch in his first varsity season and may have just scratched the surface of what he can do last fall.
Linebacker Alonzo Rice and defensive end Nyriq Burks also could see some time offensively and will be two of the players the defense builds around. Both sophomores made big impacts in their first varsity campaigns with Rice being one of the leading tacklers and Burks producing seven sacks. The secondary could be particularly strong with Whaley helping anchor that unit.
Connor Poole provides Williamsport a special teams weapon as well. The soccer player gave football a chance last year and quickly became one of the district's best kickers and punters. He was 5 of 6 on field goal tries and 29 of 30 on extra points and has only improved since then.
Williamsport will be looking to make improvement throughout the season as it tries winning its first district championship since 2016. The Millionaires should have no trouble getting motivated for the opener since its against the team which ended its season a year ago on a last-minute field goal, defending champion State College. The home opener follows against Pittston follows a week later and Williamsport will be tested on a consistent basis throughout the season as it always is.
The focus, however, is not on those opponents. Williamsport is focusing on itself, controlling what it can control and doing what it can do. The Millionaires believe if they can handle all those aspects well, good things can follow.
"Those years in Philadelphia (at Chestnut Hill) when we had really good teams, I know it sounds like coach talk, but it was always about focusing on the task at hand that week. We learned a lot and had good opportunities and the big focus for us right now is to play well early and take care of the football, avoid turning the ball over and minimize penalties," Pearson said. "If we're able to do that I feel good about finding out how good a team we can be. What we can control is how we play. That's what we built the college program on and for the most part and that's what we want to do here."
2022 Football Players to Watch
Nariq Burks, DE/RB: Injuries hit Williamsport hard, but Burks was one of the players who emerged to help the defense keep thriving. Explosive off the edge, Burks piled up a team-high 7 1/2 sacks as a first-time starter. He made an immediate impact when given the opportunity, producing four tackles for loss in consecutive games against Central Mountain and Berwick. Burks produced sacks in five different games and made 15 tackles in his first two sacks. His two sacks against Central Mountain helped the Millionaires rally for an overtime win. Burks also played well in the district semifinals against Altoona and showed why he could provide some backfield punch. The energetic junior ran for 31 yards on four carries that night. On a young team, Burks could play a major role.
Jamaire Harden, WR/DB: Few wide receivers in the state were off to a much better start than Harden was last fall before a Week 4 injury sidelined him for four full games. As a first-time starting sophomore, Harden burst onto the scene, topping 100 yards in each of the first three weeks while producing four touchdowns. A big play threat who runs good routes and has breakaway speed, Harden caught an 86-yard touchdown in an opening night win against Crestwood. Harden was leading the district in most receiving categories before his injury. Despite missing four games, he still was the team's top receiver, catching 33 passes for 678 yards and six touchdowns. Harden also ran for a score and caught at least four passes in five of his eight games. Defenses will zero in on Harden but he is a potential game-changer this season.
Nasir Hennigan, RB/LB: Hennigan could provide the thunder to Harden's lightning and, when healthy, was one of the area's top backs last season. Limited to nine games, Hennigan ran for 668 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. When he came back late in the year, Hennigan played some of his best football, topping 100 yards in consecutive games against Hazleton and Altoona. He ran for a career-high 136 yards against Crestwood and topped 90 yards four times. Hennigan has produced more than 1,000 yards the past two seasons and also could play a big role on defense. As a sophomore outside linebacker, Hennigan was among the team's leading tacklers, averaging more than six per game while helping the Millionaires make the first of two straight district final appearances.
Alonzo Rice, LB/RB: Another sophomore who quickly worked his way into the starting lineup and made a good impact, Rice provided a glimpse of things to come in the Central Mountain win. That night he made a spectacular play, stoning the ball-carrier at the 1-yard line as Williamsport completed an impressive goal-line stand in a game it won by three points. Rice finished fourth on the team in tackles and is Williamsport's top returning tackler after making 71. He averaged 5.5 tackles per game and totaled seven or more five times. Rice made a career-high 11 tackles in the playoff win against Altoona and shined in a 40-7 win against Wyoming Valley West when he collected two sacks. Williamsport looks like the latest in what has been a quality pipeline of Williamsport linebackers.
--by CHRIS MASSE