Somerset County rivals Berlin Brothersvalley, Meyersdale, North Star and Windber enter their fourth seasons as members of the Inter-County Conference in 2026.
District 5 schools Berlin Brothersvalley, Everett, Meyersdale, Northern Bedford County, North Star, Tussey Mountain and Windber make up the South Division.
The North Division consists of Claysburg-Kimmel, Curwensville, Glendale, Juniata Valley, Moshannon Valley, Mount Union, Southern Huntingdon and West Branch.
Meyersdale won the 2025 South Division title, and Claysburg-Kimmel claimed the North crown.
“The South section in the ICC has been as competitive as it can get ever since we joined the conference,” Meyersdale coach Ryan Donaldson said. “This year, I believe we will be joined by Northern Bedford (County), North Star and Berlin in the top tier of the conference. But, as competitive as this conference is, you don’t look past anyone and make sure you stay focused week to week and one opponent at a time.”
Parity is expected to rule the South.
“I truly think, similarly to last year, the ICC South is going to be very balanced,” Berlin Brothersvalley coach Dante Paul said. “Meyersdale has many key pieces returning from a district championship squad. Their backfield with Caleb Sines, Spencer Whitfield and Cooper Porter is going to be tough for teams to deal with.
“North Star has a massive offensive line who can also move very well and Kasey Yoder being the type of athlete that he is will cause defenses all sorts of headaches.
“Windber is always tough and Ike Serenko was one of the better freshmen I’ve seen in a while. He’s going to be fun to watch over the next few years. Also, Northern Bedford’s season last year was one that they don’t experience very often. I know their coaches will have them ready to compete every week, and I expect to see them take some major strides this year.”
Competitive teams fill the docket throughout the season.
“There’s a lot of good football teams in the South,” North Star coach Shane Smith said. “Meyersdale is very well-coached.
“They got a lot of good athletes. Meyersdale is going to be a tough game. Northern Bedford, I don’t know where they find their kids, but they just constantly retool year after year. They had a down year last year.
“(Coach) Garry Black is not going to let that happen two years in a row. Week 9, we have to travel to Berlin. I’m not sure when the last time was, I think the wheel might have been square the last time North Star beat Berlin. They’re another well-coached team with athletes. That’s going to be a tough game also.”
South Division
Berlin Brothersvalley
The Mountaineers have dropped nine district or subregional title games in the past decade.
No. 2 seed Berlin Brothersvalley fell to fourth-seeded Chestnut Ridge in the 2025 District 5 Class 2A title game, finishing 7-5.
PHOTO GALLERY | Berlin Brothersvalley football | 'Get back to work': Mountaineers seek improvement on offense
For the ninth time since 2015, Berlin Brothersvalley advanced to the District 5 or subregional title game in 2025. A ninth straight loss at that stage gave the Mountaineers a taste of what they needed to work on heading into 2026.
Berlin Brothersvalley returns nine starters on each side of the ball.
The Mountaineers will look to retool their offense, which combined for 12 interceptions and nine lost fumbles in 2025. Berlin Brothersvalley was shut out in four of its five losses.
Senior Brady Janidlo threw for 608 yards, 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2025. Junior Carter Durst supplied a team-best 868 rushing yards and nine scores. Seniors Carson Janidlo and Ryan Janidlo are the top two receivers from 2025 with 18 catches for 255 yards and six touchdowns and seven grabs for 145 yards and four scores, respectively.
Senior Jake Philip topped the team with 122 tackles in 2025. Durst added 79 stops.
Ryan Janidlo chipped in four sacks. Four different players recorded two interceptions apiece.
Everett
The Warriors are under the direction of first-year coach and Chestnut Ridge graduate Jason Musselman.
The Warriors went 6-5 and lost to Berlin Brothersvalley in a District 5 Class 2A semifinal.
Jakobe Harman, a Shippensburg signee, graduated after pilling up 4,887 rushing yards and 43 touchdowns over his career.
Senior Gavin Hall picked off two passes in 2025.
Meyersdale
Winning eight games in a row helped the Red Raiders finish 11-2 and as District 5 Class 1A champions for the first time since 2006.
All-state quarterback and safety Lance Jones and a talented senior class graduated. Senior Spencer Whitfield totaled 496 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, and junior Caleb Sines added 464 yards and five scores. Whitfield chipped in 15 receptions for 215 yards and three touchdowns.
PHOTO GALLERY | Meyersdale football | 'Made us a lot hungrier': Red Raiders aspire to stay atop ICC, District 5 rankings
Winning its first District 5 football title in 19 years made an indelible impact on the entire Meyersdale Area football program. It raised the bar for returning players to elevate their play, while increasing competition across the board for vacant positions that were filled by graduating seniors.
Senior Cooper Porter topped the team with 107 tackles. Sines and senior Gavan Steinberg each recorded three interceptions.
Meyersdale is bringing back six starters on each side of the ball from 2025.
North Star
Eight starters return on each side of the ball as the Cougars look for a spot in the District 5 playoffs.
The Cougars finished 4-6 in 2025 and will be led by first-year coach Shane Smith this fall. Smith was an assistant for three years under previous coach Bob Landis.
PHOTO GALLERY | North Star football | 'Really big up front': Cougars have solid foundation with Shane Smith leading team in 1st year
Eight starters return on each side of the ball as the Cougars look to improve on a 4-6 campaign from 2025. The ingredients are there for North Star to pounce forward within the Inter-County Conference and District 5 landscape.
Senior Kasey Yoder is a third-year starting quarterback after throwing for 972 yards, six touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2025. Yoder added 806 rushing yards and 10 scores, which included four 100-yard games. North Star’s top two receivers graduated from the 2025 team.
North Star’s top three tackles return in Brady Meyers, Yoder and Heath Landis.
Junior Louis Lepley and Yoder each picked off two passes.
Northern Bedford County
Five of the Black Panthers’ nine losses were within eight or fewer points in 2025.
The Black Panthers went 2-9 under 12th-year coach Garry Black. Eventual champion Meyersdale beat Northern Bedford County 28-6 in a District 5 Class 1A semifinal. The Black Panthers were 0-7 at one point. Northern Bedford County won two close games against North Star (27-26 in overtime) and Windber (28-21).
Junior Trace Baker threw for 535 yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2025. He added 322 rushing yards and three scores.
Senior Zach Bowers caught 19 passes for 373 yards and six touchdowns.
Bowers topped the defensive with 75 tackles and three interceptions.
Tussey Mountain
The Titans’ five-game winning streak was snapped as visiting Chestnut Ridge won 22-10 in a District 5 Class 2A semifinal.
Tussey Mountain finished 7-4. Senior Owen Miller threw for 959 yards, 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2025.
Noah Lucko graduated after running for 1,315 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Senior Jax Garner led the team with 305 receiving yards and four scores.
Then-seniors Kyler Reed (180) and Lucko (95) combined for 275 tackles.
Isaiah Gambol, who graduated, picked off nine passes.
Windber
Seven starters return on each side of the ball from a 5-5 squad in 2025.
Windber started 4-1, but endured a 1-4 finish to the season.
PHOTO GALLERY | Windber football | 'Extremely motivated': Young Ramblers eager for fresh slate in 2026
A 1-4 finish to the 2025 season did not sit well with the Windber Area football team. A 4-1 start was derailed partially by an off-the-field hazing incident and falling short in multiple close contests.
Previous coach Matt Grohal was suspended midway through the 2025 campaign because of a hazing incident and he did not return in 2026. He is now the offensive coordinator at Forest Hills.
Frank Tallyen is leading the Ramblers this season. Sophomore Ike Serenko racked up 708 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Senior Dalton Strick hauled in 31 passes for 316 yards in 2025.
Senior Dylan Woodruff topped the squad with 73 tackles. Serenko added 53 stops and a team-best four interceptions.
Strick and Woodruff picked off three passes apiece.
North Division
Claysburg-Kimmel
The Bulldogs will make the jump up to the Class 4A level for the next two seasons.
Bellefonte, Central Mountain, Forest Hills and Greater Johnstown also compete in that classification.
Claysburg-Kimmel went 9-3 in 2025 and lost in the District 6 Class 1A semifinals to Juniata Valley. The Bulldogs are coached by Ferndale Area graduate and fourth-year coach Chuck Kassick.
Gradated Mason Campagna, a Penn State baseball recruit, threw for 2,147 yards and 27 touchdowns and added 1,459 rushing yards and 23 scores. Junior Gavin Treon totaled 48 catches for 812 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Curwensville
The Golden Tide will look to improve on a 2-8 season from 2025.
Under second-year coach Brad Sopic, Curwensville beat Southern Huntingdon County and West Branch a year ago.
Curwensville will have to replace its top passer, rusher and receiver from 2025.
Senior Lincoln Hoyt compiled 511 rushing and 105 receiving yards for six total touchdowns. Junior Colby Proud picked off two passes.
Glendale
A playoff team in 2025, the Vikings went 4-7.
Under second-year coach and Northern Cambria graduate Chase Hill, Glendale will have to replace its top passer, rusher and receiver from 2025.
Senior Levi Hamilton compiled 30 catches for 367 yards and five touchdowns.
Senior Tanner Ammerman added 38 grabs for 336 yards and two scores.
Senior Mason Brink totaled 73 tackles and 14 for loss of yardage. Hamilton managed to supply four sacks.
Juniata Valley
At 10-3, the Green Hornets reeled off two separate five-game winning streaks on their way to finishing as District 6 Class 1A runner-up to Bishop Guilfoyle Academy.
Senior Andrew Clark ran for 1,787 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2025. Clark totaled 10 100-yard games. He broke off a 77-yard run. Senior Elah Glenny caught 38 passes for 748 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. Senior Gavin Smith added 30 receptions for 467 yards and three scores.
Clark made 88 stops on defense. Juniata Valley will have to replace graduated Logan Harpster, who totaled 118 tackles and 13 sacks in 2025. Junior Konner Harker picked off four passes.
Moshannon Valley
The Black Knights bring back most of their top statistical leaders from 2025.
Under 12th-year coach Michael Keith, Moshannon Valley went 4-7 in 2025.
Junior Brady Mihalko threw for 1,726 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2025. Senior Rocco Reifer totaled 1,222 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
Junior Jack Moore hauled in 33 passes for 608 yards and seven scores.
Senior Mason Abernethy retrieved 26 passes for 517 yards and four touchdowns.
Senior Gavin Lovell supplied 171 tackles in 2025. Junior Alex Reifer added 112 stops.
Mount Union
A depleted roster forced the Trojans to end their 2025 season at 7-3.
After forfeiting to Meyersdale in the regular-season finale, Mount Union ended its season before entering the playoffs.
Coach Jamie Brumbaugh will be counting on senior Nasir Collins, who totaled 875 passing yards and 10 touchdowns and added 1,635 rushing yards and 22 scores in 2025.
Collins racked up nine 100-yard rushing games. Senior Tyjier Hooper totaled 25 receptions, 442 yards and seven touchdowns.
Senior Levi Hunsinger compiled 121 tackles to lead the defense. Collins added 80 stops and five interceptions. Junior Brayden Richards came up with six sacks.
Southern Huntingdon County
The Rockets went 3-7 in 2025 after going a combined 1-19 the previous two seasons.
Second-year coach Fred Foster and the Rockets lost a 19-13 triple-overtime game to Tussey Mountain in Week 2.
Senior Cohen Snyder supplied 971 passing yards, six touchdowns and 12 interceptions a year ago.
Three sophomores led the receiving corps in 2025, topped by Ahssad Carowick’s 11 catches for 292 yards and two scores.
Junior Jase Watkins topped the defense with 63 tackles in 2025. Junior Corbin Whitsel added 54 stops and two interceptions.
West Branch
Former Tyrone assistant and first-year coach Kenn Vandevander was hired to lead the Warriors.
West Branch went 0-10 in 2025 and have lost 22 straight games dating back to 2023.
Senior Frank Leskovansky threw for 538 yards, five touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2025. He added 283 rushing yards and two scores.
Senior Justin Esposti made 48 tackles.
Jake Oswalt is a copy editor for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter @TheWizOfOz11.
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