North offense picks up scheme quickly before Ken Lantzy All-Star Classic

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

SIDMAN, Pa. – The North has extra help on its offensive roster this week with five players from Penn Cambria in the lineup.

Coach Jason Grassi has witnessed his own players also serving as assistant coaches to help others learn the offense that features run-pass option elements.

“They’ve all done that so far,” Grassi said of Matthew Eckenrode, Grant Gides, Ayden Himmer, Brady Jones and Logan Price giving helpful tips to their teammates ahead of the 55th 1st Summit Bank Ken Lantzy All-Star Classic at 7 p.m. Friday at Greater Johnstown High School’s Trojan Stadium.

“We have our offensive coordinator (Brandon Nicodemus) and one of our other coaches (Brent Davison), they’re running the offense. It helps with those five guys and those two coaches. These guys have been great with helping them, lining them up and telling where to go and what to do. That’s kind of unique. It’s going to help our offense on Friday night.”

“It’s kind of a semi-difficult scheme that we run,” said Price, who plays center.

“Once you make it easy and simplify it, then you can explain it to the other guys in their terms. It makes it a little easier for them to understand.”

Quarterbacks Brady Jones and Lance Jones (Meyersdale) are the triggermen leading the offense. Both Joneses were all-state selections in 2025.

“I played with Brady for a long time,” Price said. “He’s been our quarterback for about eight years. Lance is a cool dude. He seems like more of your traditional quarterback – real tall, real lanky and can throw the ball deep. He gets after it. He really wants to learn new things, learn the playbook.

“He puts the team in front of him.”

Brady Jones totaled 5,394 passing yards and 59 touchdowns to go with 1,424 rushing yards and 20 scores over his career. He helped the Panthers win 2024 and 2025 District 6 Class 3A titles and advance to the PIAA semifinals during each of those seasons.

“Brady’s had a great two days from a leadership standpoint and just running the offense,” Grassi said. “Obviously, he’s comfortable doing it. When you watch him practice, he’s making throws, he’s running the football, he’s doing what he does. That’s what you expect out of a three-year starter on offense. I like what he’s doing leadership-wise with that, telling guys where to go, patting guys on the butt and helping them out that way. He’s a been a big part of that offensive install for us.”

Lance Jones, who will play collegiately at NCAA Division III St. Francis University, compiled 3,925 passing yards and 39 touchdowns over his career. He added 292 rushing yards and eight scores.

“He’s another great quarterback,” Grassi said of Lance Jones, also an all-state basketball player at Turkeyfoot Valley. “He’s a little bit different than Brady. He’s more of a pocket guy, but he can run it when he has to. He throws the ball really well. He has a good head on him. He has a good quarterback mind. He wants to learn. He asks questions.”

Brady Jones has helped Lance Jones pick up the nuances of the offense.

“We’ve been talking on Snapchat,” Brady Jones. “I’ve been sending him the playbook. Any questions he has, I can help him out.”

Bishop Guilfoyle Academy’s Jake Kissell, signed to play at NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision member Villanova, is an offensive threat. He totaled 1,759 rushing, 1,014 receiving and 522 passing yards over his career to go with 44 touchdowns.

Expect a lot of diversity when the North takes the field Friday.

“I do really like Penn Cambria’s offense,” said Chestnut Ridge’s Cade Emerick, who will play tight end before continuing his football career at NCAA Division III Juniata College. “They do a run-pass option, which is different from Ridge’s, obviously.

“It’s a nice change.”

The players have enjoyed getting to know players from other schools across the region.

“We have a great group of guys,” Emerick said. “We’re just having fun playing football for the last time in high school.”

Getting to compete in the annual game is an honor, according to Price.

“It’s always been a dream of mine,” Price said. “Freshman year, I never thought I would ever play in something like this. I’m beyond honored to be able to play in this game and represent Mr. Ken Lantzy.”

Despite the quick transition, Grassi believes his team has meshed well.

“It seems like we’re coming together pretty well,” Grassi said. “You have to do it in a quick period. We have practice tomorrow (Wednesday) and that’s pretty much it for practice. It’s a quick turnaround, but I think the guys are getting along pretty well. They’re practicing hard and doing what we need to do.”

The North’s offense also consists of McCort-Carroll Catholic’s Angelo Gallucci and Caleb Rodriguez, Cambria Heights’ James Holtz, Claysburg-Kimmel’s Tyler Mowry, Conemaugh Valley’s Eric Korhut, Homer-Center’s Gabriel Ruffner, Ligonier Valley’s Anthony Lonas, Meyersdale’s Caleb Snyder, Northern Bedford County’s Ben Clark and Tussey Mountain’s Noah Lucko.

Jake Oswalt is a copy editor for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter @TheWizOfOz11.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos