PORT ALLEGANY — Before the Port Allegany football team escaped to the locker room, head coach Justin Bienkowski made sure to get the attention of his offensive linemen.
Blaine Moses, who had just torched Coudersport for 371 rushing yards and six touchdowns, wanted to take a picture with them. The group, smiles galore, posed with Moses and line coach Brian Neal.
Moments prior, the unit proved again that Port’s arsenal of young talent spans beyond its skill positions. After all, the five-man crew that spurred Moses’ explosive Monday night is composed of two freshmen, two sophomores and a junior.
“They keep coming back every play,” Bienkowski said. “Those five guys, until we subbed out, those five guys were in there every single play. That doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, but they’re just there every time. They’re consistent.”
Freshmen Carson Neely and Juuso Young, sophomores Braylon Button and Miska Young, and junior Corbin Hamilton make up and offensive line that has allowed the Gators to beat teams on the ground.
They’re not overly big, averaging a 6-1, 212-pound stature between the group, but they’re smart, and they enhance their chemistry each day.
“Very workman-like,” Bienkowski said. “Their attention to detail and how Coach Neal approaches it, they’re very tactician-like. They’re not big, bruiser type of guys but they get there, finesse you and let the physicality take over. Everything they do in practice is what we see in the game on Friday night.”
Neal began preparing the group in the spring, holding workouts two-to-three nights per week starting in late March. Given the workload that Port’s linemen have endured, their success has not surprised their coaching staff.
“Those guys as linemen are working year-round,” Bienkowski said. “They’re weight room kids, field guys. It just so happens that now we’ve got cameras and videos on them to see what they do.”
Neal has been influential in shaping the progress of the young group, instilling the workman-like attitude that Neely, Button, Hamilton and the Youngs bring to the field each week.
“He just wants those guys to find work,” Bienkowski said. “He doesn’t want them out there looking around, standing around. Just go find somebody to engage.”
The Gators have averaged 235 rushing yards per game and six yards per carry en route to a 2-2 start. Those numbers were dwarfed against Coudy, however, as Port’s eight yards per carry led it to 426 rushing yards.
Port’s skill players, including Moses and quarterback Drew Evens, appreciate the help they get at the line of scrimmage, as well.
“They can see what (the linemen have) done. They can see the fruits of their labor,” Bienkowski said. “The fact that those guys in front of him are the same guys he was squatting with, power cleaning with, bench pressing with at 6:30 in the morning all spring and summer. There’s not a shocker to anybody involved how that goes and how that works. Everything that we saw (Monday) was just another Tuesday or Wednesday at practice for them.”
Port’s youth was always going to define this season. After all, its backfield trio of Moses, Evens and Noah Archer each have another year of school after this one.
The team’s rapid improvement at the line of scrimmage, however, has been instrumental in the Gators competing with some of the area’s top teams. Their two losses have been to Smethport and Keystone, who boast a combined record of 9-0 thus far.
“I think they’re progressing along,” Bienkowski said. “They’re showing that they’re kids; they’re going to make mistakes; they’re going to continue to be coachable. It might be a couple small steps forward, but we’re always growing, always gaining and always getting better at practice. I think that’s going to continue to be an everlasting work in progress.”
Bienkowski’s staff has been able to count on the selflessness of its players, a characteristic that starts from the team’s leadership.
“I’m not giving you coaches speak. I’m not blowing smoke,” Bienkowski said. “We don’t have a single kid on our team that’s a “me” kid. I think (Moses), (Evens) and (Archer) wouldn’t allow that, because those kids don’t need any pats on the back.”
Another test awaits the Gators on Friday, when they’ll travel to Union/A-C Valley after just three nights of rest.
