Written by Xena Moore
Following a tough loss to Claysburg-Kimmel, the Mount Union Area High School varsity football team found themselves with a 7-2 record for the season. While their record is impressive, the season has not been without struggles for the team. On the evening of October 20th, Mount Union coaches and players announced the difficult decision to end their season due to numerous injuries and a depleted roster.
Injuries plagued Mount Union this season. Going into their matchup against Clayburg-Kimmel, Mount Union only had fifteen healthy student athletes on their roster. Many of Mount Union’s senior players fell victim to injuries early in the season with only one healthy senior remaining on the roster as of the tenth week of the season.
Mount Union senior Abe Weirich had his season end before it even began after finding out he needed multiple surgeries to remove torn cartilage from his knee. Weirich knew after his injury that he would be unable to play any games during his senior season. Weirich said not being able to play took a toll on his mental health stating “It is very hard, but I try to make an impact as student coach now.”
Due to Weirich’s absence, sophomores Brayden Richards and Henry Petron had to fill in for him. Weirich stated that he thinks both Richards and Petron did a very good job filling in for him this season.
Alongside Weirich, Mount Union seniors Micah Atherton and John Welsh also saw their seasons come to an end early due to long-term injuries. Aspen Brumbaugh was the only senior on the Mount Union roster to end the season healthy. Weirich said “It’s very unfortunate that many of us got hurt leaving him be the last senior healthy.”
As a result of the injuries, Mount Union had to rely on their younger and less experienced players. Junior Ty’Jeir Hooper was asked about the unseen impacts of the injuries on the team. Along with players being forced to play more snaps during the games, Hooper mentioned that the injuries have “changed up the chemistry between the players and also probably [affected] trust.” Hooper also cited communication as a major hurdle to overcome when dealing with injuries.
The increased playing time on the remaining healthy players added up over the course of the season. Even the players available to play were slowly being affected by injuries. Juniors Nasir Collins and Levi Hunsinger were both dealing with injuries during the team’s game against Claysburg-Kimmel. While the decision to end the season may have been sudden and come as a shock, many players had a feeling the season was going to come to an end early even before the decision was made official.
Mount Union will most likely end their season with a 7-3 record once they officially forfeit their final game scheduled against Meyersdale. While the season ended in a way no one was hoping for, Mount Union will return 19 of their 23 rostered players next year that are motivated to make up for the disappointing end to the 2025 season.