Members of the PennLive prep football coverage team gathered Wednesday night inside PA Media Group headquarters to discuss the District 3 programs still surging in postseason play. Here are some unfiltered excerpts from those discussions.
Topic: Cumberland Valley Eagles
Time: 7:52 p.m.
Location: First Amendment conference room
Roll call: Eric F. Epler, Andrew P. Shay, Mike Bullock, Jeff Reinhart, John Tuscano
Shay: So it would be easy to say this is what was expected of a program that will play in District 3-AAAA Championship game No. 16 Saturday night. I would argue of all the Cumberland Valley teams I’ve watched play for a district title in my 22 years, this club is at the top of my list of biggest surprises to get this far.
There isn’t anything close to an FBS player in terms of talent on this squad. And that’s something first-year head coach Michael Whitehead has said repeatedly. The Eagles are smart, disciplined and mind numbingly efficient. Tyler Heisey is a pure leader. You think that hasn’t played a role? In a tight spot, on either side of the ball, look for No. 35 to either get the ball or be around the ball.
Based on pure football talent, this isn’t a District 3-AAAA Championship caliber squad. But what they do have, the Eagles are getting every ounce possible out of that. The defense has some bend, but don’t break elements. And it was forced to make some adjustments after a rough three-week ride. The response has been two straight games with fewer than 20 points surrendered.
Bullock: Whether one loves or despises the Wing-T offense that Cumberland Valley has employed for decades, staying persistent is an admirable characteristic that comes into play whenever an offense predicated on probing repeatedly with fullback dives, counters and sweeps works effectively. And with fullback Tyler Heisey hammering inside on those aforementioned dive plays and speedy halfback Tyler Updegraff working the flanks on counters and sweeps, CV has a pair of primary ball carriers that don’t become discouraged when a particular call fails to gain much ground. They just keep plugging away and when those two do get another opportunity, they finish off runs — with authority. Those two also trust the big eaters up front.
Only saw Michael Whitehead’s Eagles play one time, but they certainly took advantage when visiting State College opened the door several times during their season-ending meeting at Chapman Field. Stick the ball on the ground deep in your own territory, and there’s CV just waiting to respond with one of those scores that make opposing coaches groan and their bellies burn with fire. Move the ball down the field on these guys and fail to jam it into the end zone and Whitehead’s Eagles are likely to march it right down the field and light up the scoreboard. Just a good, heady group that will counterpunch for a spell — then hit you with a knockout blow.
Going back to that CV-State College contest — nearly 850 total yards of offense were piled up — Whitehead’s defensive corps conceded plenty of ground and even a few scores yet made the big, timely stop just when things began to look dicey. Going to use that counterpunching metaphor again, but these Eagles will absorb a few blows before responding with several of their own. Just when CV appears wobbly, Whitehead’s club clears its collective heads and makes some sort of play that just causes momentum to spin 180 degrees in the opposite direction. And usually that momentum swings toward the Eagles.
Epler: Those are two glowing endorsements, and I'll follow with one of my own. How many believed Whitehead Jr. would handle the transition into his first head-coaching gig this well? How many believed that two-headed backfield and offensive line would survive the rigors of the Commonwealth Division and beyond? If you answered no one to both questions then you've pretty much identified the foundation of this program. Blue-collar workers are the heart and soul of any money-making operation.
Epler on Twitter: @threejacker
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