Juniata’s season left it’s mark this season en route to Elite Eight

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: November 25, 2023

Photos by Bob Hockenbrock

MIFFLINTOWN – At the end of a high school football season, only one team from each classification will raise their hands in victory but it should not take away from the great teams that battled to make the post season and beyond.

Such is the case with the Juniata football team that made school history this season in finishing in the Elite Eight and a rematch with Selinsgrove in a contest that was a rematch from the early on in the regular season.

Though the game did not end the way the Indians might have wanted it too, falling 44-14 but it cannot take away from the journey that the team had traveled to get to the Elite Eight.

It started off with a season opening run that had Big Red play the ‘best of the best’ in the area. The team went up against teams like West Perry, Selinsgrove and Troy (all made the post season and then some).

The team used the experience and confidence that it learned from those games and put it into action, finishing with an 8-7 record and it’s fourth consecutive District 6 title.

Under Coach Kurt Condo, the team made it clear early into its fourth game that it was on its way, rolling off a 5-game winning streak led by the clutch quarterback play by Wyatt Ehrenzeller, who found a favorite receiver in Jasper Shepps. Shepps and Ehrenzeller made it quite the air show. Also coming up clutch in the receiving department was wide out Connor Boreman. Boreman and Shepps provided a great 1-2 punch through the season.

Add to that a very solid running game led by Seth Laub, Heath Hutchinson and veteran Javier Lopez.

Mix that with an opportunistic defense the team marched its way into the the District 6 championship contest against Bellefonte.

The team dominated once again in the title tilt winning 37-0.

Things continued to roll through the next two games as Big Red defeated DuBois 36-22 and then Meadville 21-7.

The journey might have ended in Selinsgrove but the memories of this year’s team will last a lifetime for the families, fans and players.

The Indians proved to add another chapter to its long and distinguished legacy.