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Henry Huber on football: Shore’s Pauling breaking boundaries, making strides at QB

By HENRY HUBER 6 min read

Heading into Jersey Shore's Week 10 matchup against Central Mountain, quarterback Nolen Pauling needed just 14 yards of offense to eclipse 3,000 on the season. Every first-drive play had the potential to secure him the milestone, and the one that got him there just so happened to showcase what he brings to the table as an athlete and a Bulldog.

Facing a third-and-short with the score still knotted at 0-0, a designed pass play broke down as multiple Wildcats pressured him from the left. Pauling rolled right, found green and proceeded to make magic happen, poking holes in Central Mountain's wall of defense with well-timed cuts while avoiding the sideline in route to a 22-yard touchdown.

"Really at the start, it was a passing play," said Pauling when recalling the play. "I rolled out of the pocket, saw some open space. I saw Kole Corman coming full speed at me, so I knew I had to go in to not get hit, juked another kid and found the end zone."

It was a play that displayed one of the many reasons the junior was in position to achieve that milestone in the first place. With over 2,500 yards passing and an additional 845 on the ground, Pauling ranks at the top of the state in total yards and is a big reason the Bulldogs have weathered a tough schedule despite adversity.

However, although the milestone felt good, it wasn't what fueled another electric performance for Jersey Shore's starting quarterback. The Bulldogs went into Week 10 coming off back-to-back lopsided losses, and Pauling wanted to do his part in re-upping the team's momentum heading into the first week of postseason.

"It's really for us," said Pauling. "It's a good achievement for me, but we wanted to come in and get a win, and now we're focusing on next week."

"We have Shamokin, so that'll be a big game. We've just got to go into the week prepared and have a good week at practice. Hopefully, play a good game (next Friday)," he continued.

Jersey Shore (5-5) certainly got back on track Friday, in large past thanks to Pauling.

On 27 pass attempts, the junior completed 70 percent of them for 353 yards and four touchdowns. Passing wise, he surpassed his career high for yards and tied it for touchdowns, and he added two scores on the ground and an interception defensively to help lead the Bulldogs to a 53-27, shake back win over their rival Wildcats.

"We got a couple guys back, Isaac (Shirey) and (Connor) Winters; they played some really good games," said Pauling when asked about the win. "Obviously, Carter (Rhinehart), he's a dog. You throw it to him, and he'll make a play. But I think we came into practice this week with a good game plan."

For Pauling, it was far from his only season-defining performance.

The Bulldogs have dealt with gut-wrenching injuries on offense from the very beginning of the 2026 season, losing starting running back Kash Herritt in Week One and being down two backs and receivers for much of the season. That's forced Pauling to take on more of a workload, but he's handled it with grace.

In the team's first two games against North Schuylkill and Montoursville, Pauling rushed 12 or less carries into 124 yards and two scores while remaining efficient as a passer. He totaled 690 all-purpose yards and ten touchdowns in those contests, as Jersey Shore started 2-0 against two tough foes.

Later in the season, with the Bulldogs enduring a three-game skid, he again made magic happen with his legs while the pass game was a bit more limited by DuBois (6-4). His 142 rushing yards and four scores were a big they pulled off a 28-14 win there, cutting the team's losing streak at three.

Through ten games, he's already eclipsed his sophomore yardage total by over 900 yards. He's improved considerably as a runner and on his deep ball, surpassing last year's average rush and completion by two and four yards respectively, and he still has another year to continue developing.

"He worked really hard this offseason and had a great week of practice this week. The sky's the limit for him," said Jersey Shore football head coach Tom Gravish on Pauling following Friday's win. "

He'll continue to get better and better every day and hats off to the rest of the guys for giving him enough time to throw the ball and run the ball. Our wide receivers, O-line and running backs have all been working really hard to piece our offense together."

Whatever happens this Friday at Shamokin (8-2), that 'sky's the limit' claim applies to Jersey Shore football in general moving into the future. With just three senior starters graduating at the end of 2026, the Bulldogs will hold a lot of experience in 2027, with Pauling headlining that future promise.

MORE THAN A GAME

At the tail end of Friday's rivalry game, one moment documented Central Mountain's maturity as a team and empathy towards its counterpart.

Jersey Shore's Ridge Hale endured a gut-wrenching injury on the Bulldogs' final drive. And though tired and frustrated at the end of a long game and longer season, the Wildcats took the time to kneel for the freshman as he was helped off the field, with senior Gavin Heverly approaching him to offer words of affirmation.

It was a moment that stuck out to Jersey Shore head coach Tom Gravish, who expressed his appreciation towards Central Mountain's empathy in that moment.

"I want to give credit to the Central Mountain kids for taking a knee over there and clapping for our injured player. Class act from the players, coaches and fans," said Gravish.

"I think we've got a special rivalry with Central Mountain. It's a respective, cousinly rivalry. It's hard-fought, but it's clean. It's a special thing being that close, and we appreciate their people and their fans."

FOR HIM

Following Bald Eagle's 48-7 win over Forest Hills on Friday, it was revealed that the victory held a crushing amount of added weight. One of their teammates - name undisclosed - was recently diagnosed with cancer.

The Eagles won in his honor on Friday, and they'll continue battling in his name moving forward into postseason. Thoughts and prayers go out to the individual as he takes on this difficult battle, and we at the Express wish him good health and a speedy recovery.

"The kids are playing for him," said Bald Eagle football head coach Jesse Nagle. "They're playing for one another, and it was a great win on Friday night."

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