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Chris Masse on football: Bennett is a leader with Montoursville as a talented LB

One can highlight how good a football player Montoursville’s Dylan Bennett is many ways. He or she could focus on him being one of the state’s top linebackers or showcase his offensive versatility or his intelligence essentially making him a player-coach.

But to get the best feel for how good Bennett is one could simply say that he might even be a better football player than he is a wrestler. That’s the same Dylan Bennett who was a 182-pound state runner-up last winter and who holds a 110-21 scholastic record. But yeah, football might still be his best sport.

One will not get any arguments from Bennett’s football coaches or teammates. The senior is a freak athlete with a Bill Belichick-like football mind who has helped the two-time defending District 4 Class AAA champions start 6-0 while overcoming a series of costly injuries. He was outstanding again Saturday at Loyalsock, making seven tackles, quarterbacking a nasty defense and making a game-changing 40-yard third-quarter catch as Montoursville won the district final rematch, 23-12.

“Football is a little bit different than wrestling. If you mess up on the wrestling mat that’s on you. No one else is looking at you like you screwed up,” Bennett said. “In football if I screw up I’m letting my whole team down. I prepare pretty well for each game because I don’t want to let my teammates down.”

He never does.

Bennett is a consummate leader and as good a linebacker as Montoursville has had in the 2000s. That is pretty high praise considering this program has produced multiple all-state linebackers, but it is warranted. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior runs like a deer, hits like a truck, attacks the passer like a defensive end and covers like a cornerback. He provides Montoursville an exceptional and versatile weapon and his finger prints are all over this team’s success. In addition to leading Montoursville in tackles for a second straight season, Bennett has a sack, an interception and is a captain of a unit which has let just one team score more than 12 points in a game.

Other linebackers may produce gaudier numbers, but few are as valuable. It’s not just the plays he makes, but the plays he helps others make. A thinking man’s player, Bennett often calls the defensive plays and skillfully helps his teammates make sure they are in the right places at the right time. He is a renaissance man, combining brains and brawn.

“He’s the smartest player on the team,” fellow linebacker Heath Jones said after also playing a strong game Saturday. “If I mess something up he’s there telling me what to do and what I did wrong and he really helps me out there.”

“Coach (Dave) Myers gives them certain things they can do that they work on during the week and Dylan Bennett is the guy out there who is making the adjustments and making the calls and saying, ‘let’s do this, let’s do that,'” Montoursville coach J.C. Keefer said. “Coaches are waiting to see what we’re doing and then changing the play, but we have Dylan Bennett out there to be able to adjust things. It’s unbelievable what he allows us to be able to do on that side of the ball.”

Bennett was having an outstanding sophomore season two years ago before a midseason injury ended it. Having him back for a full season elevated Montoursville’s defense a year ago and the Warriors shutout five opponents while going 12-2 and repeating as district champions. Despite some new faces this year, there has been no drop off with Montoursville posting a shutout and holding four teams to single digits.

Bennett packs an offensive punch, too. The tight end sometimes lines up as the quarterback in the Wildcat formation and is a superb blocker who has played a role in Montoursville’s running game being so strong. He has produced four touchdowns and his tremendous, diving 40-yard catch ignited a 10-point fourth-quarter flurry against Loyalsock as Montoursville went up, 23-6.

“He might be the best blocker we’ve had in a long time. He is a bad son of a gun. you do not want him across from you and that the wrestling mentality,” Keefer said. “He just wants to go out and maul you. That’s what he does and at linebacker it’s the same thing.”

Bennett likes wrestling, but he loves football. That is a big reason he likely will play football instead of wrestle in college. It’s his football passion that rubs off on others and that has made Bennett such a trusted leader. Throughout the whole COVID-19 crisis, Bennett has been a rock and joined with his senior teammates to make sure all the Warriors were working and would be prepared if the 2020 season started.

Look at the results so far. All the work has paid dividends. Bennett is emptying his tank each week and so are his teammates. It’s all Bennett on the wrestling mat, but it’s all the Warriors on the field and Bennett has them aiming high.

“Dylan is basically the guy I look up to because my whole life. Until this year I’ve been behind those guys and I’ve been watching him get better and better,” Jones said. “It’s really nice having him. He’s a great leader. He really gets everything out of you when you’re out there. He really inspires you to do well.”

THE FIGHTER

Loyalsock two-way starter Chase Cavanaugh produced 187 total yards against Montoursville and added 10 tackles. The quarterback fought hard for all his rushing yards, took some thunderous hits throughout the game and still threw for 135 yards and a touchdown. He is 6-feet, 160 pounds, but Cavanaugh plays like a giant and wows both his teammates and opponents with his Rocky Balboa-like toughness.

“Chase Cavanaugh is one of the toughest kids I’ve ever seen play because he was getting popped,” Keefer said. “He was taking a pounding and was slow to get up several times, but he always did.”

Cavanaugh never flinched when a Connor Watkins injury forced him into the starting role two years ago. He has produced consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, growing into one of the district’s top dual threats as well as a super leader. Cavanaugh is approaching 5,000 career total yards and produced his 50th and 51st career touchdowns Saturday. The stats are impressive, but the way Cavanaugh accumulates them stands out more.

“Chase is as tough a human being mentally and physically as you’ll ever find on Earth. It’s the way he plays. You can’t tell that kid not to check if the stove is hot because he will go do it,” Loyalsock coach Justin Van Fleet said. “He plays an incredibly physical, aggressive style of quarterback and we kind of rally behind him. He’s the leader of this team in large part and he brings that to the table so we’re obviously very proud to have him on this team. He’s a kid that is a joy to coach.”

RESURGENT RAIDERS

Montgomery is playing its best football of the year and throttled Wyalusing, 43-19. The Red Raiders (3-3) produced their most yards (587) of the 2000s and offensive linemen Brent and Bradley Leon, Gage Mebane, Gaven Strouse and Thayden Miller overpowered a defense which had not let an opponent score more than 21 points, opening big holes all night.

Montgomery has scored 81 points in its last two games and Almeida (13 of 17, 200 yards) went over 1,000 yards for a second straight year while Kaide Drick and Colby Springman ran the ball at will. In these last two victories, Montgomery has gained 966 yards while hurting opponents with power and balance.

Almeida became the area’s first 1,000-yard passer and Maurice Walters caught a 60-yard touchdown pass which sealed the win. Walters has produced scores of 60 and 67 yards the last two weeks and is one of five receivers who have caught at least 15 passes this season.

EXTRA POINTS

Cowanesque Valley may be the area’s youngest teams, but it is showing lots of promise and rallied from a 20-point halftime deficit to beat Bucktail, 23-20. Jacob Schmitt accounted for three touchdowns, Michael Sipps and Kade Sottolano combined for 25 tackles and CV revealed some impressive character … South Williamsport running back Zack Miller ran for 170 yards and a touchdown in the Mounties’ 35-18 loss at Athens. South likely will still reach the District 4 Class AA playoffs if it beats Towanda Friday … Hughesville’s Devin Swank accounted for 193 yards and Joey Swink threw for a career-high 221 in the Spartans’ 31-20 loss at Midd-West.

DR. MASSE’S TOP 5 RANKINGS

1. Montoursville (6-0): Hunter Hanna is the lone starter back from last year’s offensive line and has become the anchor of a standout unit which has been shuffled, but never damaged. Hanna has played center, right guard, right tackle and left tackle and the rebuilt line has paved the way for nearly 400 yards per game. A stabilizing presence again Saturday when 1,000-yard rusher Rocco Pulizzi and Dylan Moll were lost to injuries, Hanna helped Montoursville rush for 254 yards and clinch the win with a late, six-minute touchdown drive.

“I can’t say enough about that kid and our whole offensive line, but that’s the kid we bounce around,” Keefer said. “Hunter Hanna has played everywhere and he doesn’t skip a beat.”

2. Jersey Shore (5-0): Owen Anderson has caught 65 passes over the past two seasons, including a 37-yard touchdown in Friday’s 16-0 win against Shikellamy, while also playing excellent defense. That in mind, it is easy to overlook how good a punter Anderson has been. His two clutch fourth-quarter punts helped Jersey Shore pull away and clinch a third straight HAC-I championship. Anderson pinned Shikellamy inside the 5-yard line with consecutive punts and the defense kept it there, forcing a safety and then setting up Jersey Shore at the Brave 27. The Bulldogs scored the clinching touchdown from there and secured the top seed for the District 4 Class AAAA playoffs.

3. Williamsport (5-0): Its scheduled game last Friday against Pittston was canceled, but the Millionaires worked quick and set up a showdown with perennial power Harrisburg tonight at Millionaire Stadium. It provides an excellent opportunity for a team off to its best start since 2016. Williamsport is allowing just 191 yards per game and defensive ends Nassir Jones and Avery Campbell have combined for 11 sacks. Sophomore Nasir Hennigan is enjoying a breakout season and has a team-high 39 tackles while Campbell, Jones, Sebastian Robinson, Roman Morrone and Riley Bower all have made 23 or more tackles. The Millionaires are play twice at home this week and host defending 4A Eastern Region champion Dallas Saturday.

4. Canton (3-0): Canton has handed three opponents there only loss and played smothering defense Saturday as it blanked two-time defending District 4 Class A champion Muncy, 19-0. Canton has won three straight regular-season games against Muncy, but the Indians have beaten it in the last two district finals and they are scheduled to meet again for the championship in two weeks. Canton also throttled Athens, 33-9 last Monday and sophomore Riley Parker went for 292 yards and four touchdowns in the wins. Fellow sophomore Hayden Ward ran for a career-high 137 yards against Muncy as Canton scored 19 second-half points. The defense has shined in consecutive games with Weston Bellows returning a fumble 83 yards for a touchdown against Athens and Canton collecting 10 sacks in last week’s win.

5. Muncy (5-1): Despite not having nine players due to COVID-19 contact tracing, Muncy still was tied at halftime against Canton and that says a lot about this team’s toughness. This also is a team that has won five district playoff games over the last four seasons against teams which defeated it in the regular season so do not expect Muncy to buckle following Saturday’s loss. The defense kept Muncy in the game against Canton and the starters have yet to allow a team to reach 20 points.

Players of the Week: Kaide Drick, Montgomery and Heath Jones, Montoursville

A relentless worker who never goes down easy, Drick played his best scholastic game against Wyalusing, running for a career-high 286 yards and four touchdowns. The area’s No. 2 rusher, Drick has reached career-highs the past two weeks, gaining 456 yards and scoring seven touchdowns. His yards against Wyalusing were the second-highest produced by a Montgomery player in the 2000s and four of his touchdowns. Jones had never played tailback before and was the backup fullback until Week 4, but was outstanding after replacing Pulizzi and Moll, running for 98 yards over the final 2 1/2 quarters. Jones ran hard, fought for tough yards and also played an excellent defensive game. The senior linebacker made five tackles and his fourth-quarter blitz forced a hurried throw which Dillon Young intercepted to set up the game-clinching touchdown.

Game of the Week: Jersey Shore at Central Mountain

Yes, Jersey Shore won the first game, 55-7, but the Bulldogs learned against Shikellamy that past results do not matter. Jersey Shore had beaten Shikellamy, 53-0, in Week 2 so this backyard rematch could be a good one. It is the first time they meet in the regular-season finale with both teams have winning records. Central Mountain has improved a lot since the first game and is seeking its first win against Jersey Shore since 2012.

Chris Masse may be reached by email at cmasse@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @docmasse.

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