‘Surprise’ Season Promises a New Chapter for Quaker Valley Football

By Sebastien Holte

With a new coaching staff directed by Head Coach Tom Eshenbaugh, members of the Quaker Valley football team have seized the opportunity for a fresh start this season. The seniors were happy to finish a successful season, and underclassmen hope to preserve this momentum for future seasons to ensure that Quaker Valley continues to flourish. Senior Grayden O’Kelly emphasized the importance of resilience. “In past seasons, we would give up if we got down early, O’Kelly said. “But this year, in the Freedom and Keystone Oaks games, we stayed mentally strong and came back to win despite early deficits.” 

Sophomore Cameron Neal also attributes team success to mindset. “I saw each person become a little less selfish,” Neal said. “We started to play more as a team compared to the past years where the focus was on the individual performance.” Additionally, Neal believes the team’s success was due to brotherhood, a sentiment shared by many members of the team. “As we saw people quit or leave throughout the season, we grew to appreciate each other for wanting to stay and putting in the work to make each other better.” O’Kelly and Neal hope that the team will continue to use their grit in future seasons as Coach Eshenbaugh continues to guide the program.

The Quaker Valley varsity football team faces Central Valley High School on Oct. 10.

Photo Credit: Sebastian Holte