Local sports

Shore looks to win district title after three straight runner-up finishes

Jersey Shore's football team will be playing with a chip on their shoulder this fall.

Long seen as the area's perennial power, with enough district and conference championships to warrant an extra trophy cabinet or three, the mentality of Jersey Shore in 2026 is to get back to their championship winning ways.

After securing a district championship thus reaching the state playoffs in five straight seasons from 2018-22 -- culminating with three Final Four appearances and a spot in the 2020 PIAA Championship game -- the Bulldogs have been the maid of honor to the district championship in each of the last three seasons.

But three straight district championship defeats have not damaged the Bulldogs' resolve.

"When you look at our roster (from last year) think about how many freshmen and sophomores that we started" said Jersey Shore coach Tom Gravish during last Friday's HAC football media day event. "And even some of those sophomores got injured, and other sophomores took their spots until they got healthy. We played a considerable number of people, and we really liked their excitement and their energy and they will be a year older. So (we) feel that we are going to be a really quick and fast football team."

In those three district championship defeats, the Bulldogs lost to Selinsgrove in 2023 (44-19) and Shamokin in 2024 (28-27) and 2025 (37-0).

If Shore is to improve on their 8-4 mark from last season, the schedule would have little to do with it. Despite dropping to the Class AAA level in 2026 on the gridiron, the Bulldogs will feature a nine-win Montoursville team as their only Class AAA opponent on the schedule.

Their only opponent below Class AAA? Southern Columbia.

Yet when you discuss matters with Gravish, in addition to some of their athletes represented during media day like junior quarterback Nolen Pauling, the only emotion presented is belief that 2026 can be the year Jersey Shore sits atop the HAC and District 4 thrown once again.

"I think as a team, we grew," discussed Pauling, who recorded numerous individual accolades in both football and baseball during his sophomore year. "We were a bit on the younger side (last year). I think in my freshman year, Elijah (Jordan) helped me a lot, and it really helped for my sophomore year. We all had a good year, next year, we are looking to have an even better one."

While suffering losses primarily in the skills position, the Bulldogs retain a majority of their starters in the trenches in addition to Pauling and standout tailback Kash Herrit, who both exude a level of speed and agility that places them among the best in the area.

With two senior wide outs graduating, Pauling will have underclassman standout Carter Rhinehart potentially as his number one option to keep the air game going.

"It's been amazing," discussed Pauling on his chemistry with Rhinehart, who is looking to be a top receiver with the Bulldogs in 2026. "We went to Penn State and West Virginia (for 7 on 7 camps) and Carter was one of my main targets every single game there. He's athletic, and he can jump high for jump balls. So it is really easy to throw to him."

The student-athletes will be led on by coach Gravish once more, who in over a decade-and-a-half in charge, took the Bulldogs to heights thought impossible a generation to go.

And with another year of football upcoming, Jersey Shore's all-time winningest coach, like his players, are hungry for the next chapter upcoming

"It's just a lot of fun being around the players and being around our Jersey Shore community," reminisced Gravish. "All of Jersey Shore is part of our family, you know? Our fans, our booster clubs, whether it is the cheerleaders, band, teachers, administrators, everybody is always on the same page and the same team. We always say there is not a better place to play a football game than on a Friday night at Thompson Street Stadium."