By Abigail Simpson
At high schools in rural Pennsylvania, there’s no season like football season. As excitement grows over the summer until it bubbles over at the first game of the season, Northern Nation always goes into it with the same mindset that the newest season will be the best season they’ve had so far. However, they always seem to fall short.
This season, the Polar Bears are aiming to make this season different from the last. Currently, the Polar Bears have a 6-2 record, sitting at 3rd place in their conference, and 6th in the rankings, heading into playoffs within the coming weeks. Although how they’ve got there has been no easy feat.
Senior offensive and defensive linebacker, AJ Vail chalks up their success to Northern’s strong ability to play as a team.
“The games that we have lost, definitely, haven’t played as much as a team as we have in the games we’ve won,” Vail noted. He also recognizes that in past years, Northern has fallen short due to their lack of team play. Even this year, during the two times they fell to both Spring Grove and Shippensburg, there was an increase in individual play and a decrease in team play.
Another strength that’s helped the team reach their successive wins this year comes from their physicality and speed, both which contribute to their ability to complete fabulous inside run plays and stop the opposing teams’ runs up the middle.
Heading into playoffs, Vail also acknowledges the changes that need to be made within his own play and the team play, in order to reach the Polar Bears playoff goals.
Vail stressed the importance of, “playing within the system,” he continued to explain how if the Polar Bears were out of system, “it creates a gap and it becomes a problem.”
While the Polar Bears normally do well when it comes to playing within the system, when they don’t, they often end up getting beat, which is not the ideal situation.
This 2021 season will be Vail’s last year in the Northern Football jersey, a journey that has been some of the best times of his life. When asked what the best part about playing high school football, he didn’t waste much time in thinking about it.
“The atmosphere,” he replied, “especially when we’re at home. You can’t beat it.”
There was nothing but positive remarks made about Northern Nation, the high school’s infamous student section. Led by seniors Andrew Wolf and Ryan Delafield, Northern Nation has brought the hype to each Friday night.
Although the student section travels to all of the away games, there is something so special about playing at home. For Vail, he has a special responsibility at home games.
Vail carries out the American Flag at each game, which he views as a huge honor.
“It’s me thanking everyone who has allowed me, whether I know them or not, has allowed me to continue to play the game that I love playing every day,” he says of his senior year responsibility.
As the Polar Bears finish up the regular season and head into playoffs, there’s only one thing to say: “Go Bears!”
Vail carrying out the American flag. Photo by Curt Werner
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