State High Football Dominates the First Game of the Season

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Jacob Will

The State High football team poses with the Seven Mountains Bucket Trophy. The trophy is a seven sided bucket, and each side is made from a different wood harvested from the mountain that separates the two schools.

State High football is back, starting the season off with a raging victory over Mifflin County High School this past Friday, Aug. 27, ending the game with a score of 51-6.  

This season’s strong start meant everything for the team, led by Captains TJ Yoder, Jashaun Green, Jack Roeshot, John Scott, Kyle Kurzinger, and Stephen Scourtis. 

 “We’re gonna be playing a lot of tough competition through the Mid-Penn Conference this year, so the 51-6 [win] is a great confidence builder for the team,” said junior Lake Blake, a newcomer to the team this year. 

Captains celebrate their victory over Mifflin County. From top left: TJ Yoder, Jack Roeshot, Kyle Kursinger, JW Scott, Stephen Scourtis, and Jashaun Green. (Jacob Will)

The game started off with an opening touchdown, thrown by quarterback Finn Furmanek, junior at State High, to slotback TJ Yoder, senior at State High. This was followed by a 26-yard field goal from kicker Quinn Murphy, and to end the first quarter, Branden Price ran in a touchdown coming off of a punt return. The team entered the second quarter up with a score of 24-0, and Murphy was able to extend that lead with another field goal, giving the Little Lions a score of 31-0 at halftime.  

The team was largely driven by State High’s own mantra, Stand Together Achieve Through Effort. 

“Our captains- especially Jon Scott and TJ Yoder- are great role models focused on hard work,” Black explained, when asked what motivated the team. 

The score held steady throughout the third quarter, ending with a rushed in touchdown, by Furmanek, during the last seconds of the third quarter. The fourth quarter saw two touchdowns, one by Sophomore Owen Yerka and one by newcomer Ty Salazer.

The team is already looking past their victory. Despite their success, Black says there were, “a lot of things that were sloppy that we can clean up. This game is a great opportunity to sharpen our skills and become more connected as a unit.” 

When asked about the energy after the game, Black lightheartedly said “What happens in the locker room stays in the locker room,” but followed up with-  “we were hyped before the game and after the game…everyone was pretty excited. Just having the opportunity to play means everything.” 

The team is set to play Downingtown East this Friday, Sept. 3, at Memorial Field; it will be the team’s first home game of the season.