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Henry Huber on football: Bellefonte continues overcoming adversity after last year’s hurdles

By HENRY HUBER 7 min read

Heading into its three-week stretch of Centre County opponents, Bellefonte football had more obstacles to overcome than just assured opponents. Eight starters from the start of the season were out with injury against Penns Valley, with that number only decreasing by one for the ensuing Curtin Bowl.

Much of its linebacker core and both lines have consisted of sophomores and freshmen, including some that weren't in the original mix like TJ Novitsky and Mason Jackson. And last season's tackles leader Carson Crawford - a current captain - has been out since Week 3.

Those losses have certainly come with well… losses, with the team falling shutout fashion to Bishop Guilfoyle and enduring what many considered an upset against the Rams two weeks later. But like last season, the coaching staff has continued pushing to find ways to work with what it's got, and the players have kept bringing all they have come game time.

It's a combined effort that paid off in a big way on Friday.

After dropping one rivalry game in demoralizing fashion the past week, the Red Raiders weathered the next in route to a bounce-back victory, defeating Bald Eagle, 17-10, in a grueling, physical contest of wills. It was a big win given both what it's had to overcome and what lies ahead, as it prepares to make a push for the top slot in District 6 Class AAAA - now back at .500.

"It's huge because we don't have a lot of guys right now. We've got a lot of guys injured, but we've got a lot of young guys stepping up and playing big roles against these teams," said senior captain Ashten Howell, who scored Bellefonte's go-ahead touchdown in overtime.

"Last week we fell short, but this week we really showed up. Our morale gets shaky at times, and I think that's really going to boost us through the rest of the year."

It's a victory that reinstalls the team's belief in themselves when it comes to handling adversity, belief that was established last season.

Bellefonte's path to last year's District 6 Class AAAA championship featured similar hardships. Through the latter half of the campaign, it fielded three separate quarterbacks, dealt with numerous changes in the backfield and held a 3-6 record heading into Week 10. It responded by winning its next three games to clinch its first states bid since 2019.

While this year's obstacles haven't had the same effect on its skill positions, an intact, experienced line was a big reason why the Red Raiders made that push in 2025. They've managed to pick up multiple solid wins despite missing that here, matching last year's Week 9 win total through six weeks, avenging two 2025 losses and reclaiming the Curtin Bowl trophy.

"We've been playing down a couple of those guys since after Week One, and we've accumulated a couple more injuries since. It's a testament to these kids fighting through because we have what we have," said Bellefonte head coach Tony Confer.

"We have 38 kids on the roster, so we don't have a bunch of kids. There's JV kids in there that sometimes aren't necessarily ready for Friday night. But they're the next man up, and they've done a great job responding to that. The coaches have done a great job coaching them up and getting us in a position to be successful."

Adverse scenarios didn't just come up in the form of injuries on Friday. They also came in the form of overcoming tough moments and shortcomings.

After protecting a 7-3 lead through much of the first half, Bellefonte got punched in the mouth just two minutes into the second. Bald Eagle quarterback Chase Cane caught the Red Raider secondary in a bad spot, finding tight end James Cowan wide open for a 40-yard touchdown. And Bellefonte's initial response ended in a three-and-out.

But with the Eagles threatening to fully turn the momentum their way and take a two-score lead, Bellefonte was able to quickly put itself in a better spot, forcing a punt before finding an answer offensively. A Parker Jodon jet sweep turned into 32 yards and set up the Red Raiders in field goal range, and Noah Tomlinson scraped in a 35-yard field goal to tie it up.

From there, the Bellefonte defense wouldn't let Bald Eagle catch it off guard again, holding the Eagles scoreless for the rest of the game, including from ten yards out in overtime. The special teams unit blocked a field goal that would've given the Eagles a lead late in the third quarter. And while the offense saw three second-half drives finish in BEA territory without points, it answered the call with the game on the line.

Out of the Wildcat formation on fourth-and-two, Ashten Howell looked off a defensive front that had generated eight tackles for loss up to that point, trusting his young offensive line and punching it in for the go-ahead score. And defensively, the Red Raiders stuffed an initial run before forcing three incompletions to complete the overtime win.

"The kids responded well," said Confer. "We probably should have won the game down there, or at least had an opportunity to have a game-winning field goal before the end of regulation. There's a lot of mistakes we need to clean up, but I'm super proud of these kids."

"It feels really good to get the job done tonight. It feels really good for the kids because they've been through so much. At the end of the day, it's all about them," he added.

It's a win that gives the team plenty of confidence moving forward. While its previous loss to Penns Valley prevents it from sweeping the county, Bellefonte remains more than motivated to finish county play strong against Philipsburg-Osceola (4-2) in Week 6.

"One of our goals every year is to win the county," said Howell. "We messed it up last week, but we're still going to go out and fight against P-O. We know that we can battle against them."

SOPHOMORE GROWTH

After seeing tremendous success as a freshman at corner, Bellefonte sophomore Parker Jodon maintained that strength while developing considerably as an offensive force at receiver. Blistering speed on the outside, improved route running and assured hands having him leading the Red Raiders in all receiving categories, with 14 receptions, 393 yards and six touchdowns through six games.

His four touchdowns - three receiving, one kick return - were a big reason the Red Raiders defeated Clearfield, 28-21, in Week 4, and he followed that up by logging two more of the receiving variety - including a 92-yarder - in a near comeback against Penns Valley. And while that touchdown streak was halted against the Eagles, he still netted 60 yards on four touches, setting up Bellefonte's two scores in regulation with gains of 21 and 32 yards.

Coupled with correlating development from sophomore quarterback Alten Howell as a passer, Jodon's jump in offensive impact has made Bellefonte's offense more versatile compared to last season. While the Red Raiders are still run first, they've shown potential when it comes to the pass game and establishing a more balanced attack.

"We've been practicing a lot, getting coaches up, and we've been getting all the blocks that we need so that it just falls into place," said Jodon on their connection following the previous week's matchup against Penns Valley. "I'm grateful for that."

The deep ball has become a consistent part of their arsenal, and opponents will likely be forced to respect it more as that connection continues to blossom. Both are sophomores, so there's plenty of more time to grow. And considering how far they've come already, that's particularly notable.

"Parker really shows up every week. When he touches the ball, he goes for yards. And Alten, my brother, has really improved since last year," said Ashten Howell when discussing individual standouts. "I think having them out there, they're really taking on big roles."

Henry Huber is the sports editor at The Express. He can be reached by email at hhuber@lockhaven.com. Follow him on Twitter/X at @HenryHuber_.

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