As the fall season ends, so do all the fall sports here at Montoursville Area High School. Teams such as the Girls’ Tennis, Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer, Cross Country, and Football all qualified for their district brackets.
MHS athletics are part of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association or PIAA. The state of Pennsylvania has 12 geographic districts.
All athletics here at MHS fall in District 4. According to the PIAA Competition formula Smallpdf—PDF Convert, AI Summarize, Merge, & Sign, PIAA classifies each school by “taking into account a school’s enrollment classification, success in post-season playoffs, and the number of transfers received.”
PIAA classified each school in the commonwealth by assigning them a number and an “A.”
For example, MHS athletics are classified as 2A. This scale begins at 1A and inclines up to 6A.
All athletes are very ecstatic about their post-seasons.
“I feel that our post-season bracket is very evenly distributed. We are a very strong, aggressive team that will always put up a fight no matter what,” said freshman Christian Berwanger. “If we don’t rush the game and take our time, there is a very good chance we will either place very well in our bracket or possibly walk away from districts victoriously.”
Berwanger is a member of the boys’ soccer team, and he hopes that he gets some playing time in districts and that their team will make it to the semi-finals, and qualify for states.
The boys’ soccer team has a winning record of 13-5, and they played their district quarterfinal game on Oct. 26 at Loyalsock High School against Wellsboro and unfortunately lost 3-2 ending the Warriors’ season.
According to the PIAA District 4 brackets, Montoursville is seeded as the number 5 seed. https://piaad4.net/sports/boys-soccer/post-season/brackets/2024/.
Girls’ soccer concluded its season on Oct. 23 with a tough loss to Hughesville 1-0 during the district quarterfinal.
They played their game at the Balls Mills soccer complex.
“My personal goal would be to not rush the plays,” said sophomore Faith Berwanger. “The team goal would be to play together and win.”
Even though the Warriors were eliminated from the post-season competition they still focused on their practices leading up to that game by taking them more seriously.
These girls played as a team, and they all played to their fullest potential and left everything they had on the field.
The Warriors ended their season with a winning record of 10-7-2 and entered into their game ranked as the number 6 seed. https://piaad4.net/sports/girls-soccer/post-season/brackets/2024/.
The cross country district meet was held on Oct. 24. at Bloomsburg University.
“For cross country runners you can qualify for states at districts,” said sophomore and cross country runner Avery Hannan. “Everyone goes to districts and it is usually held at Bloomsburg University. While at districts the runners need to run a certain time to be able to qualify for states. For AA the top two boys and girls’ teams are guaranteed to go to states and then the top 10 individual people after the top two teams also qualify.”
Hannan’s goal going into districts was to qualify for states, but unfortunately, she was four people away from meeting her goal.
This year the only state qualifier from MHS was senior Weston Fry, and he will compete in Hershey for the state meet.
The girls’ tennis team has also recorded a successful season with 10 wins, and five losses.
For tennis, there are doubles and singles. Both matches have already taken place.
Sophomore Elsa Kehrer qualified for singles doubles, along with senior Jill Stone.
Seniors Ally Witter, Lily Fortin, Kendall Simms, and Jill Stone all qualified for doubles districts.
To qualify for districts a player has to have a .500 record.
When entering into the post-season, Kehrer said that the practices get more intense.
When asked what it was like to compete at districts, Kerher said, “All of the parents and grandparents are there for each player every coach and college scout are there as well.”
The football team has concluded its regular season, and they have indeed qualified for districts.
The team has a neutral record of 5-5, and it will play
its district game on home turf on Nov. 2 at 7:00 p.m. against Mifflinburg.
Junior Carlos Tira said he wants to make an impact on his team, and also win their upcoming game, and obtain a chance to play Danville.
“I’m excited to play, we have a lot to prove. I think we have the team to win districts, it depends on how we practice and execute on game day, and it is one game at a time,” said Tira.
In preparation for their game, their coaches have shortened their practices but have kept up the intensity and expectations that are Montoursville football.
Feature photo (at top): Fall sports pose for their team photos. Featured sports are Cross Country, Football, Cheer, and Girls’ and Boys’ Soccer. These photos were taken by Albright and provided by the Yearbook Staff.
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