The 2024 edition of the Greencastle-Antrim football team is going to look a lot different than last year’s model.

Start with the fact that only seven positions out of 22 return starters.

Connor Rennekamp

The Blue Devils remain in the Mid Penn Colonial Division, but they have some different opponents because of a league re-alignment, and G-A has dropped from Class 5A to 4A for at least the next two seasons.

Add all that up and it will be a challenge for Greencastle to match last’s success, when the Blue Devils went 7-3 in the regular season, claimed the No. 10 seed in the District 3 playoffs, and fell 21-3 to South Western in the first round. It was G-A’s first appearance in the playoffs since 2011.

“We have a lot of new and young faces and a lot of holes to fill,” Greencastle coach Devin McCauley said. “We’re working hard on technique — the kids have worked very hard in the offseason — and trying to get them to speed up their play.

“After our scrimmage (vs. New Oxford), I left there feeling miserable. But then I watched the film and I saw some good things and I felt better about everything. With all the new starters, we just have to keep getting better and better each week.”

The Blue Devils’ defense brings back four starters. JD Flynn (sr., 6-0, 215) and Connor Rennekamp (sr., 6-5, 232) will anchor the unit from their linebacker positions. Flynn averaged over 8 tackles per game last year.

The one returner on the defensive line is senior Jeremiah Fogle (6-2, 248), who contributed 6 sacks last year.

JD Flynn

In the backfield, Carter McCauley (sr., 6-4, 180) will lead from his safety position.

Coach McCauley said, “I think the strengths of our defense are the safeties (junior Noah Shifflett, 5-10, 173 joins McCauley there) because they can give us good run support as well as play against the pass; and we’ll lean on the two experienced linebackers, plus Fogle up front.”

Cameron Harbaugh (sr., 6-1, 265) and Loki Huffman (so., 6-1, 258) are slated to join Fogle up front, while Ben Belleau (jr., 5-10, 187) and junior Wyatt Hull (6-3, 173) will man the other linebacker positions. The cornerbacks will be Seth Kielek (5-11, 183), a freshman, and Mason Gelsinger (5-10, 155), a senior.

On offense, Harbaugh is a returner at left tackle, Rennekamp is the returning tight end (5 catches, 38 yards) and Carter McCauley (39 catches, 588 yards, 15.1 average, 5 TDs) was a second-team Colonial pick a year ago at wide receiver.

“Rennekamp has really been playing at a high level so far,” coach McCauley said. “He’s been blocking well and we have to get him involved more in the passing game.”

In addition to Harbaugh, the offensive line will include center Nathan Painter (jr., 6-0, 208), right guard Mason Barkley (jr., 6-0, 195), right tackle Michael Gratton (sr., 6-1, 192) and left guard Mason Mellott (jr., 5-9, 215).

“The line is a little undersized, but they are athletic and performed pretty well in the scrimmage,” McCauley said. “We did move the ball on the ground.”

Cameron Harbaugh

The backs will include Lars Galinanes (jr., 5-11, 195) at fullback, Shifflett in the slot and Asher Whitson (jr., 5-10, 181) and Blake Reuter (jr., 5-9, 175) at halfback.

McCauley said, “Reuter, who transferred in from Chambersburg, can be a real threat with his speed and shiftiness — we’ve got to get him the ball in space. We really want to be able to run the ball, because we’re breaking in a new quarterback.”

It will be up to senior Sean Marshall (6-1, 180) to take over from two-year starter Logan Alvey at quarterback. Marshall has played two years as the junior varsity QB.

“It’s his turn now,” McCauley said. “He’ll realize that the varsity game is a lot faster. We need him to take care of the football and to get better each week.”

Greencastle does return a quality kicker in senior Andrew Bowers, who will handle the punting duties, too.

NEW-LOOK DIVISION: The Colonial Division has done a remake. Teams from last year that remain are G-A, Big Spring, East Pennsboro, Susquehanna Township and West Perry. New teams are Middletown, Trinity, Milton Hershey and Boiling Springs.

For non-league encounters, the Blue Devils play at Waynesboro the first week and have a crossover game at home on Oct. 11 vs. Juniata. The other eight games will be division games.

“I’m probably indifferent to the changes,” McCauley said. “We’ll see some new faces and competition, and there will be some unknowns. But I’m fine with it. The committee tried to go with enrollments, so with us dropping to 4A this year (by only 4-5 kids), it seems right. It’s a little more travel for us, but it makes sense.”

OPENER AT ‘BORO: Greencastle plays at Waynesboro this Friday to open the season.

“We lost Waynesboro and Shippensburg from the schedule, and both were short travels and rivals,” McCauley said. “When we found out we only get one non-league that we can choose, it was natural to play Waynesboro. We should have a lot of people there for that game.”

The Indians are coming off a 2-8 season under coach Mark Saunders, but ‘Boro was a young team and returns several quality players, including RBs Nathan Nolan, Hayden Nolan and Tank Benedict and QB Rayshawn Hewitt.

McCauley said, “We saw their scrimmage and they were using a spread pistol offense, something a little different. They look like they have some speed and some size up front.

“It’s the first game of the year, and it’s against a rival. We’ll both be juiced up.”

SCHEDULE
Aug. 23, at Waynesboro, 7
Aug. 30, home vs. Susquehanna Twp., 7
Sept. 6, at Middletown, 7
Sept. 13, home vs. East Pennsboro, 7
Sept. 20, at Big Spring, 7
Sept. 27, home vs. Trinity, 7
Oct. 4, at Milton Hershey, 7
Oct. 11, home vs. Juniata, 7
Oct. 18, home vs. Boiling Springs, 7
Oct. 25, at West Perry, 7