Pennsylvania High School Coaching Changes

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

My good friend Dave Mika of EasternPAFootball.com and WesternPAFootball.net has done a great job of compiling a list of new head coaches for the 2012 season.

So far there have been 27 new hires, according to the websites.  Below is the list.

Eastern PA Coaching Changes

Dallas – Bob Zaruta
Dieruff – Kyle Beller
Fairfield – Darwin Seiler
Germantown Academy – Matt Dence
Hanover – Mike Ketterman
Imhotep Charter – Albie Crosby
Lansdale Catholic – Tom Kirk
Lehighton – Tom McCarroll
North Pocono – Greg Dohlon
Palisades – Kevin Ronalds
Salisbury – Andy Cerco
South Western – Damian Poalucci
Susquehanna Community – John Salinkas
Upper Perkiomen – Steve Moyer
Whitehall – Brian Gilbert
William Allen – George Clay
Williams Valley – Tim Savage

Western PA Coaching Changes

Altoona – John Franco
Brentworth – Bob Niziol
Charleroi – Ed Jenkins
Hempfield – Rich Bowen
Kane – Todd Silfries
Kiski Area – Dave Heavner
Kittanning – Frank Fabian
Neshannock – Fred Mozzocio
Penn Hills – John Peterman
Tyrone – Steve Guthoff

I also want to congratulate Dave on being honored for contributions to high school football at the Nike Coach of the Year Clinic.

West Catholic's Brian Fluck to be a Guest on High School Football America Thursday Night

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Brian Fluck is one of the happiest head football coaches in Pennsylvania.

Fluck, who is the head football coach at West Catholic High School in Philadelphia, will join me Thursday night to talk about the rebirth of Burr football.

On January 6th, Fluck and the rest of West Catholic community found-out that the school would be closed at the end of the current school year by the archdiocese.  On February 24th, after a tremendous outpouring of support from the community, the archdiocese announced that West Catholic and three other schools will remain open.

According to Fluck, the news got even better when his star running back David Williams, who has over 15 scholarship offers, decided to remain with the Burrs.  Williams had been considering going to AAA state champ Archbishop Wood, but Fluck reported to me today that he'll stay at WC.

Click here to listen to Thursday night's show LIVE at 7pm EST.

Fluck also appears on the February 16th show talking about the closing.  Click here to listen to that show.

West Catholic and Two Others Football Schools to Remain Open

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

There were a lot of hallelujahs coming from four Philadelphia catholic high schools recently when the archdiocese decided to keep open four schools that it announced it was closing on January 6th.

West Catholic, Conwell-Egan, Monsignor Bonner/Archbishop Prendergast and St. Hulbert (all-girls, no football) will remain open and be playing football in the fall thanks to a tremendous outpouring of support since the January announcement.

The decision was made after close to 20,000 financial donations were received from a wide range of people.

The announcement is especially exciting for West Catholic head football coach and alum Brian Fluck, who now has a chance to build on last year's 10-4 season that ended with a loss in the Class AA state semifinals.  However, there will be a question on whether Fluck will have his senior, blue chip running back David Williams in the backfield.

Williams, who moved to West after his sophomore season when North Catholic closed, had begun looking at other schools, such as defending Class AAA champ Archbishop Wood.

Back on February 16th I spoke with Fluck on the High School Football America radio show about the close.  Click here to listen to that interview.

Harold Fairclough Resigns at Allentown Central Catholic

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Two years after leading his alma mater to a PIAA Class 3A title, Harold Fairclough has resigned as Allentown Central Catholic's head football coach.

Fairclough, who played on the Vikings' 1993 state champion team, went 49-27 in six years as head coach. The Vikings were 9-6 this past season, losing to 3A champ Archbishop Wood 70-14 in the state semifinals.

Fairclough's last three teams were led by quarterback Brendan Nosovitch, who recently signed his letter of intent to play at South Carolina.

Before his team's loss to Archbishop Wood, I spoke with Fairclough on High School Football America on December 8th.

Click here to listen to that interview.

Lansdale Catholic Names Successor for Jim Algeo

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Tom Kirk is the new head football coach at Lansdale Catholic.

Kirk replaces the legendary Jim Algeo, who retired at the end of the season, after 44-years as the Crusaders  head coach.  Algeo retired with a record of 293-193-15.  Coach Algeo led LC to the 2004 PIAA Class AA title.

The Crusaders went 2-7 in 2011.

National Letter of Intent Signing Day - Pennsylvania High Schools

Brandon Acidiacono - OL (Archibishop Wood) - Rutgers
Adam Bisnowaty - OL (Fox Chapel) - Pitt
Harold Brantley - DL (Hershey) - Missouri
Matt Camilletti - WR (Pius X) - St. Francis, PA
DeVaughn Chollette - LB/RB (West Scranton) - New Hampshire
Trenton Coles - DB (Clairton) - Pitt
Mike Capara - LB (Woodland Hills) - Pitt
Brock Dean - LB (Bishop McDevitt) - Maryland
J.J. Denman - OL (Pennsbury) - Rutgers
Adam DePietro - OL (Lancaster Catholic) - Northwestern
Jason Emerich - OL (Blue Mt.) - Syracuse
Dontez Ford - S (Sto-Rox) - Syracuse
P.J. Gallo - TE (Council Rock South) - Maryland
Perry Hills - QB (Pittsburg Central Catholic) - Maryland
J.P. Holtz - TE (Shaler) -  Pitt
Jesse James - TE (South Allegheny) - Penn St.
Quinton Jefferson - DL (Woodlands) - Maryland
Eugene Lewis - WR (Wyoming Valley West) - Penn St.
Connor Mahoney - DT (Malvern) - Northwestern
Ryan McMullin - RB (Archbishop Wood) - Villanova
Tad McNeely - DL/OL (Allentown Central Catholic) - New Hampshire
Skyler Mornhiweg - QB (St. Joseph's Prep) - Florida
Chris Muller - OL (Boyertown) - Rutgers
Anthony Nixon - DB (Pittsburgh Central Catholic) - Maryland
Brendan Nosovitch - QB (Allentown Central Catholic) - South Carolina
Ian Park - OL (Upper St. Clair) - Northwestern
Desmon Peoples - RB (Archbishop Wood) - Rutgers
Deasyean Rippy - S (Sto-Rox) - Pitt
Blake Rankin - QB (Bloomsburg) - Rutgers
Andrew Scanlan - WR (Spring Ford) - Northwestern
Jack Schwaba - TE (Upper St. Clair) - Northwestern
Evan Schwan - DL (Central Dauphin) - Penn St.
Rushel Shell - RB (Hopewell)-  Pitt
Noah Spence - DE (Bishop McDevitt) - Ohio St.
Frank Taylor - OL (Archbishop Wood) - Boston College
Nyeem Wartman - LB (Valley View) - Penn St.

Dieruff Hires Alum to try to Turn Around Football Program

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

After three winless years at Dieruff, head coach John McDowell stepped down.

Now, the school has now turned to one of its own to try to turn around the Husky fortunes.  1997 grad Kyle Beller was hired earlier this week as the school's new head football coach.

Dieruff has only won three games since 2004.

Next season, the Huskies and crosstown rivals Allen will move to the Mountain Valley Conference for football.

Peters Township Football Program Investigated by Authorities

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that police in Peters are investigating the Peters Township High School football team after complaints that someone in the program is "permitting children to play sports with concussions or concussion-like symptoms."

The Post-Gazette article indicates that police are investigating whether head coach Rich Piccinini may have had a role in interfering with the team's athletic trainers as they treated injured players.

Click here to read the full story.

Trisciani Steps Down as Head Football Coach at Whitehall

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Whitehall High School has announced it's in the market for a new head football coach.

School officials have announced that Tony Trisciani has resigned to become the defensive backs coach at Villanova.

In five years with the Zephyrs, Trisciani led the school to a 36-22 record.