By HUNTER O. LYLE
BRADFORD, PA – Progress isn’t formed over night. It takes time, continuous dedication and rigorous trials and errors and while the Bradford football team has taken steps in the right direction as they build up their program, they must now do so with a vastly new plan of attack.
Before 2023, it had been three years since the Owls had notched a mark in the win column and even then it was a single 1-8 season in 2019. However, in the past two years, Bradford has seen a marginal uptick in their success. In 2023, they ended the season at 4-6 before a slight dip last year, ending 3-7.
“I just think that where we were lacking last year was, at times, consistency on offense. I didn’t think we could string drives together. We had some players and some playmakers, but we just couldn’t consistently gain yards and extend drives,” said Bradford head coach Jeff Puglio, who is going into his 17th year as head coach of the Owls. “I think this year, our plan is to just possess the ball a little bit more.”
The switch from Bradford’s traditional ‘Air Raid’ offense comes at a time when Puglio is taking over as the offensive coordinator. The emerging vision comes with the Wing-T, a system in which Puglio himself grew up with and played in during his own time as an Owl. It also comes as a solution to the void left at quarterback.
Over the past three years, Bradford has been able to utilize the talents of Talan Reese, a gun-slinger who tallied 6,527 passing yards and 48 touchdowns through the air, including 1,675 passing yards and 13 touchdowns during his senior season. With Reese heading to Wheeler University to continue his football career, Bradford is still searching for his replacement. Luckily, they have options.
“So for quarterbacks, it’s kind of up for grabs. We have a senior, Aidan Giordano, who’s played a lot of football for us on defense being behind Talan, and then we have Lucas Wallace, who’s a sophomore for us. We don’t really know who the starter is yet. Each of them has a little different style in their game, it’s just finding which one fits what we’re trying to do the best,” said Puglio. “Andrew’s got a big arm, a little bit bigger than (Lucas) I would think, where Lucas is a little bit more athletic. How we’re coming into the season, they’re both listed as quarterback one. We’re just going to see how it shakes out.”
Whoever is hurling come opening day, they will have a few options to pick from. The Owls’ No. 1 man down range last year was Logan Kohler, a quick and compact wrestler who wastes no time getting downfield. As a junior last year, Kohler took in 40 receptions for 698 yards – an average of 17.5 per reception – and six touchdowns. As the top option in the ‘Air Raid’ system, Kohler at times struggled to get open as he was on the receiving end of double and even triple coverage, something Puglio hopes the Wing-T will alleviate. Alongside Kohler are fellow returning receivers Lorenzo Aiello and Jordan Thompson, who caught for 249 and 129 yards, respectively.
Leading the ground game last year was Brody Haviliand, who returns for his junior season. As a sophomore, Haviland typically operated as a short-gain, smash-mouth engine, recording 281 yards on 72 carries – an average of 3.9 per touch. However, as the Owls’ look to expand the run game, Haviland could quickly move into the front of the pack.
Although their aim, as always, is to be a part of postseason football, Puglio knows it will take everything the team has to achieve that. That point is especially hammered in when looking at their schedule, one Puglio describes as ‘brutal.’ Of their ten opponents, the Owls face eight playoff contenders, including three District 9 champions in Port Allegany – who went to the PIAA Class A championships a season ago –, Brockway and Clarion.
“The goal every year is to have a playoff game, which we have fallen short of, but I just want to see the guys compete. Let’s stay healthy, let’s compete. Let’s come out every Friday optimistically and give ourselves a chance to win a game. I think that’s kind of where we’re at right now as a program. Let’s just give ourselves a fighting chance.”
2025 Schedule
(* represent District 9 League opponents)
Friday, Aug. 22: vs Port Allegany, 7 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 29: vs Otto-Eldred, 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 5: at Punxsutawney, 7 p.m.*
Friday, Sept. 12: at DuBois, 7 p.m.*
Thursday, Sept. 18: vs Brookville, 7 p.m.*
Friday, Sept. 26: vs Redbank Valley, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 3: at Brockway, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 10: at Clarion Area, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 17: vs St. Marys, 7 p.m.*
Friday, Oct. 24: at Kane, 7 p.m.*
