At any moment, the team could need you to man the helm. So, the fact of the matter is, backup quarterbacks must be constantly prepared.

That’s a reality Bellefonte freshman Alten Howell experienced last Friday. On a botched play nearing halftime against Penns Valley, Bellefonte starting quarterback Brennan Huntsinger suffered an injury while trying to recover a fumble. And while he was thankfully able to walk off the field with some help, that’d mark the end of his night.

With that, Howell would be tasked with handling every offensive snap for two full quarters. Also, it’s worth mentioning that the stakes at that moment were pretty high.

Heading into the break, Bellefonte (2-3) had just surrendered 13 unanswered points within the span of the second quarter’s final minute, going from leading by a touchdown to trailing 20-14 in the blink of an eye. It was realistically standing just 24 minutes of game time away from a four-game losing streak, with a plethora of tough opponents on the horizon.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte freshman Alten Howell, far right, participates in a huddle during a football game vs. Clearfield on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, at Rogers Stadium.

So, it’s safe to say Howell was under a lot of pressure, even if the offense wasn’t centered around him. One botched snap, fumble or pre-snap penalty could’ve widened the hole the Red Raiders were in, killing their chances of turning the season around.

However, as the title indicates, the freshman managed just fine. He certainly had help, as Bellefonte’s line played one of its best halves and running back Kaven Smith-Kirk took over. But when called upon, Howell also made great things happen, playing a key role in the team’s eventual comeback.

On its first offensive possession of the second half, Bellefonte faced a first-and-30 following two penalties. The penalties had taken the Red Raiders out of the red zone, and though Smith-Kirk picked up a 12-yard chunk on the ensuing play, second-and-18 still wasn’t ideal.

But that’s when Howell showed off his speed and grit, first gaining ten yards on an outside run then another 15 and a pivotal first down on a quarterback draw straight up the middle. The play caught the Rams off-guard, allowing the Red Raiders to convert a third-and-long. More notably, it set Bellefonte up at the PV 5, which it made the most of one play later to tie it at 20-20.

It didn’t take long at all for Howell to adapt to his role, shaking off the nerves and making an immediate impact. As Smith-Kirk tore Penns Valley up, turning 11 second half carries into 166 yards and two touchdowns, Howell kept the Rams’ focus multi-dimensional, never allowing them to fully key in on the track star.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte’s Kaven Smith-Kirk (11) runs for open field during a game vs. Clearfield on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, at Rogers Stadium.

“It was a tough spot to be put in, but I just practice, and the practice I put in showed on the field. Our coaches, everybody helped get me in the right mindset (too),” said Howell when asked about his nerves coming out of the break.

“And once we started putting up points, like that first drive, that’s where it’s like, ‘Everybody’s blocking, everybody’s going their job.’ And (the nerves) went right away.”

Later, after Bellefonte took the lead on a long run from Smith-Kirk and pulled off its second clutch defensive stop of the second half, the Red Raiders received the ball a long five minutes away from victory.

Smith-kirk picked up the first first down to help remove a chunk of time. Then, Howell produced his biggest play of the night to pick up the second, turning an outside run into a momentous 27-yard gain.

With Penns Valley running out of timeouts, they’d need just one more to seal the deal. And on third-and-three, Howell would be the one to secure the win for the Red Raiders, turning an outside run to the right into a game-sealing five yards. From there, he’d kneel out the rest of the clock, as Bellefonte earned its first victory of September.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain’s Kyle Everett (9) throws an eventual completed pass under pressure during a football game against Shamokin on Friday at Malinak Stadium.

Second to Smith-Kirk, Howell finished with 55 rushing yards on ten attempts, a number that was nerfed thanks to those three closing kneels. Prior to that, Howell had 70 yards on seven attempts, good for an average of ten yards per gain.

Coupled with taking care of the ball, Howell played a crucial role in getting Bellefonte back on track. While it’s unclear if Huntsinger will be cleared from injury before Friday, the team can rest assured knowing it has two players that can prosper under center.

“To step in and do what he did as a true freshman, what he did in the second half of this football game was pretty amazing,” said Bellefonte head coach Tony Confer on Howell.

“It’s a testament to him and the ability he has. He didn’t waver at all, went in there. We got things adjusted at halftime for him, talked to him a little bit. He came out and did the rest on his own.”

FAMILY TIES

Having grown up with two older brothers, Aden and Ashten, that have also manned the Red & White, with Aden graduating in 2025 and Ashten currently a junior at Bellefonte, Alten Howell has had plenty of factors working in his favor when it’s come to be prepared for his freshman season.

With understanding of seeing the field early in their own high school careers, they’ve helped him control the nerves that come with having a role fresh out of junior high. Each saw the field as sophomores, with Ashten seeing it as a freshman and playing a big role for the offense in 2024 as a sophomore

“Having two old brothers, they put me through out in building me up,” laughed Alten when asked what he’s learned from Aden and Ashten. “They’ve always told me that I’m gonna be a part of this team one day, and I’ve really got to step up and stop being scared just because I’m a freshman. They’ve really helped me come far.”

“My faith in God has also really helped me come far too. Prayer has really helped me,” he added when discussing what’s helped him leave his mark early.

It’s not every day you get to play on the same team as a sibling. So, Howell looks forward to competing alongside Ashten for the next season and a half. Even with Alten’s kneels, the pair combined for over 100 yards on 14 touches on Friday, with Ashten turning four touches into 51 yards and a touchdown.

“It’s just something I really cherish,” said Alten. “It’s only two years but making the most out of these two years, it’s going to be fun.”

TRACK SPEED

When discussing his 81-yard, game-winning touchdown following Friday’s game, Bellefonte junior Kaven Smith-Kirk was quick to credit his track speed for helping him make the most of the opportunity. If you were in Spring Mills on Friday, it’s likely that you would’ve inferred that he either competed in track or should compete in track based off that run and many more.

In the spring, Smith-Kirk ran a 23.06 in the 200-meter dash to place in fifth at the District 6 Class AAA championships. With the skills obtained from multiple years of running track, he’s been able to use that to his and his team’s benefit on the football field, especially through the last two games.

Against Clearfield in Week 3, he rattled off big run after big run to the tune of 209 yards, including a 40-yarder that set the team up for a game-tying score. Though it didn’t result in a win, Smith-Kirk was a big reason the Red Raiders were able to extend that game to overtime after being down 15-0 out of the break.

“It’s truly just trusting in our coaches, what they’re telling us to do and what we’re doing in practice,” said Smith-Kirk when discussing his success through the last two outings. “Good blocks, good handoffs. Get that out of the way and all you’ve got to do is read the blocks and do your thing. And I practice how I play; I practice very hard.”

Through the last two games, Smith-Kirk has turned 41 carries into 390 yards, good for an average of 9.5 yards per carry. Even without his 81-yarder against Penns Valley, he would’ve averaged 7.5 yards per rush through the second half of that matchup.

With those stat lines, the junior has cemented himself as a cornerstone of an offense that had been struggling to find its identity early in the season. He anticipated and accepted the heightened role heading into the second half of Friday’s game. And moving forward, he’s determined to do what it takes to help the team succeed.

“I didn’t know for a fact, but I was willing to do it,” said Smith-Kirk on taking up a heavier workload with the team trailing against Penns Valley. “I knew I was willing to put us on my back if I needed to and carry us to victory. So, when I had the opportunity, I was grateful. I actively tried to pursue it.”

With 507 rushing yards at the midpoint of the season, Smith-Kirk is on pace to scrape out a 1000-yard campaign when it’s all said and done. And with more performances like the last two, ‘scrape out’ may quickly become an understatement.

RIGHT DIRECTION

While the Bucktail (1-4) and Central Mountain (0-5) football teams each added another tally to their tough loss columns on Friday, the feeling surrounding those two losses was a bit different than in previous weeks.

In Bucktail’s case, its freshman-laden offense put forth its most promising performance of the season, finishing with 280 yards and 28 points in the 53-28 loss to Smethport. Even in defeat, head coach Kevin Ransom saw excitement and confidence in his players’ eyes in the late portions of the game and afterwards, and there’s hope that the young squad can carry that momentum forward.

“(Friday) night was a very real reminder that wins are coming. Wins are coming for Bucktail,” said Ransom on the performance. “I knew athletes were coming up from junior high, but I didn’t realize just how talented they were. These kids just continue to play hard, and it’s really refreshing as a coach to see.”

And for the Wildcats, they not only broke the touchdown barrier that’s haunted them since Day One but also put together a stout defensive performance through the final three quarters of Friday’s game. Against anybody, that would’ve been promising. But against Shamokin (5-0), the best team they’ve faced so far, it was a huge confidence boost.

“We were able to do some things offensively and defensively, we were able to make some stops, force them to punt. (Shamokin) wanted to work on their pass game and for the most part, we were able to shut that down. We picked the ball, and limited what they were able to do,” said Thompson on the performance.

“So, for the guys overall, the atmosphere afterwards was very positive. We were able to score, and you just saw it from the fans, from the players that, ‘Hey, we can do this.’ The defense has been playing well but now we can move the ball. It’s just a good overall feeling.”

As it stands, Central Mountain has suffered 17 losses in a row, and while Bucktail technically has a win on its 2025 resume, it came by forfeit, and the Bucks haven’t posted a competitive win since 2023 either.

But with continued progress from each developing program, who knows? Maybe that streak-altering win is right around the corner. The upcoming road there isn’t easy, but there’s increased optimism there.