Mike Mastovich: No point(s), Berlin defense builds on shutout streak (WITH STAT LEADERS)

Oct. 6—As a veteran of 12 seasons as a head coach, Bob Landis is quite aware of the obstacle his North Star Cougars will face on Friday night at the Snyder of Berlin Complex.

"Obviously, nobody has scored on them yet this year," Landis said of the undefeated Berlin Brothersvalley football team. "We need to execute. We need to go out and see if we can find some things that are working well and try to capitalize."

Berlin Brothersvalley (6-0) has posted six consecutive shutouts, with a 245-0 scoring advantage over three WestPAC teams and three nonconference opponents.

"I think their team speed is very good. They fly around," Landis said.

"That's why they have (created) so many turnovers.

"Not a lot of teams have had success throwing the football against them. That's what we've kind of had some success at this season, throwing the ball. We'll see if we're up to the challenge."

North Star (2-4) is coming off its own 41-0 shutout victory over Meyersdale in Week 6.

The Cougars are led by quarterback Connor Yoder, who has completed 70 of 150 passes for 1,155 yards, and receiver Isaac Berkey with 18 catches for 331 yards.

"You want to keep the streak together as long as possible, but it's Week 7 and we have to face a challenge," Mountaineers coach Doug Paul said, noting that playing his starters for a half or into the early part of the third quarter isn't ideal preparation for the postseason.

The Mountaineers traveled to Brownsville and won 57-0 last week. Two weeks ago, in a WestPAC showdown of unbeatens, Berlin blanked host Windber 14-0 in the closest contest during the current streak.

It's the first time Berlin Brothersvalley has posted six straight shutouts since 1987, when then-coach Rich Renzi's Mountaineers didn't allow a point from Week 4 through Week 9.

Berlin outscored those six opponents 147-0 in wins over Laurel Valley (26-0), Meyersdale (21-0), Conemaugh Valley (5-0), Blacklick Valley (38-0), North Star (26-0) and Shade (31-0).

United handed Berlin Brothersvalley its lone loss (20-8) in the Appalachian Bowl at Point Stadium during an 11-1 season.

But the 1987 Mountaineers rebounded with a shutout victory over Shade (13-0) to claim the District 5 Class 1A crown. The state football playoffs did not begin until the 1988 season, so the Mountaineers closed with a cumulative 301-47 scoring advantage 35 years ago.

The 2022 Mountaineers defense is making its own history under the guidance of Paul and defensive coordinator Dante Paul, the former Berlin Brothersvalley all-state defender.

"I've been doing this a long time," Doug Paul said. "This is a really fun group to coach and a fun group to watch playing football."

The group plays as one tackle-hungry unit.

"It all starts up front," Doug Paul said. "We have two almost clones of each other, Holby McClucas and Cooper Huston, at the ends. Both are physical, freakish kids — 6-foot plus and can move. They're athletic and mean. They play with intensity."

That is a consistent theme for the Mountaineers defense.

"(Senior) Grant Mathias and (senior) Cory Jose, they can play any of the techniques inside. At linebacker, (junior) Cody Kimmel has just excelled. He's getting real close to being one of the best linebackers I've ever coached."

The defensive backfield is experienced.

"The back end with (junior) Pace Prosser, he's the quarterback of the defense, too," Paul said. "(Senior) Caleb Rohrs plays safety with a linebacker's mentality. Then, it's nice to have the athletic corners in (senior) Ryan Blubaugh and (senior) Will Latuch.

"The defense is a complete unit for us."

Facing adversity: Conemaugh Township senior quarterback Tanner Shirley remains atop the area passing statistics with 1,248 yards despite seeing limited time due to an injury in Week 6.

Shirley had only thrown four incomplete passes when he left the game with a leg injury in the first quarter of a 56-8 loss to Northern Bedford in a meeting of undefeated teams at Shade High School.

Indians coach Tony Penna Jr. said his veteran quarterback "should be good" to play against District 4 team Northwest at 5 p.m. Saturday in Davidsville.

Junior Jon Updyke, the area's top receiver with 30 catches for 628 yards, moved into the quarterback position with Shirley out.

Updyke had played quarterback and was among the area passing leaders during his freshman season and part of his sophomore year at Greater Johnstown High School before enrolling at Conemaugh Township.

Area sports fans were saddened by the death of Tom McCreary at age 60 on Tuesday.

Known as "The Voice of the Trojans," McCreary served as the public address announcer at Trojan Stadium, Doc Stofko Gymnasium and other school athletic venues for more than two decades.

"Tom will forever be 'The Voice' of the Trojans," Superintendent Dr. Amy Arcurio said.

"We have been blessed."

McCreary also was a scorekeeper for the Trojans softball program for many years and was part of teams that had success on the conference and district level in the early and mid-2000s.

An employee in The Tribune-Democrat mail room, McCreary served as the announcer and scoreboard operator at Sargent's Stadium during the Johnstown Collegiate Baseball League's 2022 season and playoffs.

Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.