Allegany football ready to 'ride' for seniors

Mar. 5—CUMBERLAND — High school sports is, has been, and always will be, about the kids.

For Allegany football coach Bryan Hansel, it's no different. Despite all the outside runarounds and tug-of-wars, his players have stayed focused and have been able to make the most of a pandemic football season.

"I think overall it has just been a stressful, confusing time for the kids," said Hansel. "They were sent home from school last March without much guidance of any kind to when they would return. During that time, they were working out in pods; but it couldn't be run by coaches or ACPS employees, so it was a difficult time to track and organize.

"Then, the students came back in July for three weeks to get shut down again. They were waiting to play in the spring season, then started back up in a drop of a hat in October. This went three weeks and one game week, to get shut down again the day before a Fort Hill matchup. And now we are here with this spring season. I feel for the kids, I really do. The stress, the unknowns, the back and forth, the starting and stopping, it has just been really hard for them."

The Campers made the most of the one game they played before COVID postponed action, defeating Northern 21-14 at Greenway Avenue Stadium.

Trevan Powell led the charge on offense and the Allegany defense stifled the Huskies into turnovers on their first five possessions. Powell, lining up under center, had 23 carries for 212 yards to account for a majority of Allegany's 269 yards of offense.

It may have been a long time away from the football field, but Hansel and his team were able to improvise and get together, in a sense, to still work on some things.

"We have used our class time to do film study, defensive install, offensive install, workouts, etc.," said Hansel. "We use the platform Schoology, where I am able to share my screen with them and we can really go over any and all of the mental side of the game. We also use the same platform to watch film using HUDL and we walk through these things with our guys."

Despite not having a proper preseason, Hansel said his players took advantage of the time they had to work together to improve and, he thinks, many came back in better shape than they were in the fall.

"I know a lot of our guys have been getting together and working out every single day," he said. "We have several groups of them that workout together at the Y and other places to continue working out.

"When this first began players organized themselves in pods and would work out at various outside locations. I think our kids have really been working during the pandemic. We have had several kids come back in better shape than they were in the fall, so you have to love that."

Not to the same degree as the student-athletes, but the pandemic has caused plenty of headaches for coaches around the area.

"It has been like no other year of coaching that we have ever experienced," Hansel said. "It has been hard to prepare because we don't know what we are preparing for. Is there a season? When is the season getting played? Who will we play?

"It has just been difficult to sit down, make a list, create a plan, and attack the plan full speed. I think our coaches have done a great job being flexible and working with kids to prepare for this spring season, to the best of their abilities."

While there isn't a playoff run or region title to play the shortened season for, the players have all found one common goal and reason to suit up: the seniors.

"I guess when you look at the season you have to be happy more than anything else," said Hansel. "And that reason is the seniors. I have told our guys that we are playing these four games for them. They are the reason we are playing this out, one more ride with our seniors.

"One more bus trip with them. One more locker room jam session with them. One more film study with them. One more practice with them. One more play with them. One more game with them. One more winning bus ride home with them. Just a chance to support the seniors and do it for them, it is our focus, it is our drive; it is our purpose for this season."

The Campers host the first game of the shortened football season tonight against Mountain Ridge at Greenway. They will then have a week off to prepare for a game as the visitors against crosstown rival Fort Hill on March 19 before traveling to Mountain Ridge on March 26. Allegany closes the season on Saturday, April 10, against Fort Hill.

Hansel & Co. aren't too worried about the weather, however, no matter how unpredictable March in Western Maryland can be.

"It hasn't changed our preparation because as this entire year has shown us, we can prepare all we want for as long as we want but everything will change in the drop of a hat," Hansel said. "The weather is crazy this time of the year here, but so far we have been pretty blessed with good weather.

"It has been a hell of a year full of so many unexpected changes, adjustments and decisions. Things changed daily or weekly. It has been rough to deal with and rough to be a part of. I hope there isn't another sports season like this past year. I hope that for all parties involved."

Kyle Bennett is a sports reporter for the Cumberland Times-News. Follow him on Twitter @KyleBennettCTN.