It had been a shell of the program that had previously finished three straight seasons with nine or more wins through the closing stretch of the 2010s. And while things didn’t initially change under Confer, with the team winning just two games in his first season at the helm, they would take a turn for the better in 2024.

This season, Bellefonte (7-5, 7-4 Laurel-Highlands I) set the tone for what we could expect from it in the coming years. After years of shortcomings, it surpassed its win total from last year by five and earned in its first playoff win since 2019, making it all the way to the District 6 Class AAAA title before falling to four-time defending champ Juniata, 20-6.

Even that loss reflected progress, with their previous run-in with the Indians ending in a 39-0 shellacking. And while that doesn’t make a loss in the district championship less difficult to deal with, it does show that the program is moving in the right direction, and fast.

“This year’s team will forever be special because they got us over the hump and a winning season for the first time since 2019,” said Confer on this year’s success. “The seniors leave a legacy of pushing the program back to respectable status. This team has brought excitement back to the community, the student body, school administration and the parents.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte senior quarterback Liam Halterman (15) celebrates with a fan after scoring a rushing touchdown in the team’s semifinal win at Rogers Stadium two weeks ago. The Red Raiders defeated Greater Johnstown 38-18.

When asked what was key to that improvement, Confer was quick to highlight his revamped coaching staff, coupled with the hard work of his players.

First-year offensive coordinator Matthew Masullo, first-year defensive coordinator Terry Bumgardner and a deep array of veteran assistant coaches were all key contributors in helping the program take a large leap forward. Former Bellefonte and Central Mountain head coach Shanon Manning served as the team’s special teams coordinator, strength and conditioning coach and defensive line coach and was also highlighted by Confer as considerably impactful.

“We added new defensive and offensive coordinators, a special teams coordinator and strength and conditioning coach his season. I was fortunate to be able to bring three veteran assistant coaches on staff this year and a young and motivated assistant coach with college playing experience,” said Confer, who nears 30 years of coaching experience of his own within the area.

“Those additions helped push us to the next level this season. (They) put in tons of time this year with the players and together, it was a recipe for success. The players worked hard in the offseason, and we were able to compete in more 7-on-7 contests throughout the summer.”

Under Masullo, Bellefonte’s offense saw upticks in both the run and the pass, going from a unit that averaged 224 yards and nine points per game to one that eclipsed both 300 and 30 respectively through 12 games this season.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte junior Logan Rarrick (50) leads the Red Raiders out on the field ahead of its District 6 Class AAAA semifinal matchup against Greater Johnstown. Bellefonte defeated the Trojans, 38-18, to earn its seventh win of the season and first playoff win since 2019.

Senior quarterback Liam Halterman had a career year, accumulating over 1,800 all-purpose yards and developing considerably in efficiency, where he improved his touchdown-to-interception ratio from 7-to-6 to 9-to-2 and completion percentage from 52 to 61-percent.

On top of that, he (130 rushes, 646 yards) led an imposing rush attack, finishing the season with 13 rushing touchdowns, 11 more than last year.

Coupled with the efforts of Kaven Smith-kirk (85 rushes, 438 yards), Aden Howell (38 rushes, 406 yards), Ashten Howell (43 rushes, 329 yards) and Isaac Gall (59 rushes, 294 yards), the Red Raiders upped its run production by almost 1,000 yards from last season, rushing for just over 2400 yards on the season and just under six yards per attempt.

Defense was much of the same, as they went from surrendering 31 points per game to just under 20. The unit as a whole attributed 16 interceptions and 21 sacks.

Senior linebacker Noah Weaver was all over the field throughout the season, leading the team in tackles with a staggering 134. Junior Logan Rarrick made the move to defensive lineman this season and relished it, leading the team in both sacks (5) and tackles-for-loss (24). And seniors Aden Howell (five interceptions), Halterman and Jaedan Gabrovsek led a stout secondary, with Gabrovsek holding his own as the team’s No. 1 corner while also leading the team in receiving yards (509) and touchdowns (7).

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte sophomores Quinn Park (7) and Mason Englert (68) celebrate after recovering a fumble against Juniata in the District 6 Class AAAA final last Friday. The Indians won 20-6.

As indicated, the Red Raiders will see a considerable amount of production on both sides of the field graduate come Spring. The likes of Halterman, Aden Howell, Gabrovsek and Weaver played huge roles in turning the tide when it comes to this program’s trajectory.

“This group of seniors will be missed next year,” said Confer. It is always hard to replace seniors who contribute heavily in at least two phases of the game.”

But that doesn’t mean Confer and his coaching staff aren’t confident they can build on this team’s success next season.

Smith-kirk and Swiss-army-knife Ashten Howell have two seasons left to improve, coming off a season where they contributed over 1,000 all-purpose yards combined. Junior Isaac Gall will continue to offer that prosperous backfield flexibility as well, as a more hard-nosed, between-the-tackles style back. And Ian Valimont and Logan Rarrick – both three-year starters – will continue to provide veteran leadership on the offensive line alongside promising freshman Sam Witner.

Defensively, Rarrick will also look to build off a career year on the line, alongside starting defensive end Quinn Park and safety Jackson Long, the latter two of which will see their offensive roles bolstered as well.

Along with having key contributors set to return, this team heads into next season with newfound confidence, knowing what they’re capable of and trusting their revamped staff. After years of hardships, the Red Raiders are back to battling for district crowns.

And above all else, they aren’t satisfied.

“We are not content with seven wins,” expressed Confer. “The group of players we have returning plus the current eighth graders that will be moving up next year will be hungry for more. We will be looking for younger guys to step up next year and find a role for themselves.”

While four-time defending District 6 Class AAAA champion Juniata remains a lofty obstacle in Bellefonte’s pursuit of its first district title since 2019, Confer isn’t focused on that as the team heads into the offseason. With successful development already in progress, the goal is to simply continue improving as a program.

“We just need to worry about ourselves and getting better each year,” said Confer. “The rest will fall in line.”