Windber's Katula is Thee ~ MAN ...

[THE CHOPS]

Windber's Kotula is Thee~ MAN !!!

Windber’s Kotula: A halting presence

By MATT JORDAN
The Tribune-Democrat

Josh Kotula plays the most important position for one of the area’s best defenses.

And he plays it very, very well.

The junior from Windber led the area in tackles during the past season, racking up 156, including 111 solo stops, and earned his spot as The Tribune-Democrat’s Defensive Player of the Year.

“It means a lot,” said Kotula. “But I can still improve and get better for next year. The seniors this year were great and I learned a lot from them helping me out. The seniors, they made me better. The defensive linemen, both seniors and juniors, and players like Brenan Franchic really helped me out.”

Other finalists for the award included Ligonier Valley sophomore defensive back Brandon Boyd and Greater Johnstown junior defensive lineman Aaron Brezovic. It was a season with many different players excelling in several different defensive roles.

For the 5-foot-8, 152-pound Kotula, his success continued even after Windber was forced to switch schemes during the season.

“We’ve been running a 5-2 for quite a few years, and we’ve been very successful with it because we had a good middle guard and that’s where it starts,” said Ramblers coach Phil DeMarco. “But we had some injuries, specifically with Jason Mash, and we had to go to a 6-1 front. Our defensive line and defensive ends did a good job of keeping people off of (Kotula) and he just flourished in that 6-1 defense.”

Kotula was challenged by the change in roles, but grew to enjoy the added responsibility.

“It was a lot of pressure, but I was used to it from starting during my sophomore year. I knew that my defensive line would take care of me and it was fun to be able to go sideline to sideline. My coach, (Jeff) Slatcoff, helped me through it and we worked well together this year.”

For Kotula, it’s been quite a week. On Tuesday he was named to The Associated Press Pennsylvania Class A second team.

“It’s a credit to him and a credit to our defense,” said DeMarco. “It started last year as a sophomore, where he led the team in tackles. He has that knack. He’s aggressive and he’s quick and he likes to get to the football and hit people. When you have a kid like that, you can’t go wrong.”

Kotula isn’t the biggest player on the field but he provided nearly 19 percent of the tackles for a group that allowed only 88 points during a 10-2 season that concluded with a loss to PIAA runner-up Duquesne in the state quarterfinals.

He averaged nearly 13 tackles a game for the Ramblers, and in several instances, watched the latter stages of a game from the sideline as DeMarco substituted in his younger players during lopsided victories.

Against Duquesne, Kotula totaled 17 tackles, including 10 solo stops, and helped hold the high-powered Dukes offense to only two touchdowns.

Kotula also spent time on the other side of the ball, as the team’s second-leading rusher with 543 yards on 79 carries.

But it’s defense that he prefers.

“It’s all emotion and how bad you want to get to the ball carrier and make the play,” he said. “With defense it’s just raw: Go out there and hit someone.”

While Kotula looks forward to building on this success next year, he is also quick to look back at some of his football roots.

“I went to St. Benedict’s and my coach, Bill Newcomer, gave me the love for the game and started everything with me. And my grandpa, Nick Beckey, played offensive line for Windber. He was only 135 pounds and he is my inspiration, being a small guy and making things happen.”

"THE CHOPS".

[Born_to_Ramble]

It's nice to see Josh rewarded for his hard work. He's a great kid, and it's a pleasure to watch someone who plays that hard and is so fundamentally sound.

[El-Moldo]

Will he be the next Archie Griffin?

[El-Moldo]

See where he had 111 solo stops. Didn't Windber have a D-line this year? Didn't realize that teams like Shade, Meyersdale or Ferndale could blow holes in it, only to have linebackers mop up. Plus this kids only a junior. First time since the inception of the Tribune all-area team was started, that someone other than a senior has won either offensive or defensive player of the year. Of all the kids who played defense this year, out of almost 30 schools, he won the award. Must be a monster.

[Born_to_Ramble]

Yeah, he's just a really aggressive football player who attacks the ball and uses quickness, agility, and outstanding tackling technique to get the job done. Windber's defensive line was very good this year. Nobody really "blew holes" in it. It's just that the linebackers in the 5-2 and 6-1 defense have a lot of responsibility in stopping the running game of the opposition. Many of those solo tackles were on plays that lost yardage. The defensive front did a great job of stuffing the run at the line of scrimmage and created the opportunity for Kotula to make the plays, which he did. I guess you could say that he could pull off an "Archie Griffin" by winning the same award next year.

[owen]

el moldo, didn't know if you realized this, but most teams put their best defensive players at linebacker and a lot of schemes are put into place so they can make a good deal of tackles.

[El-Moldo]

Wasn't Windber on offense most of the year? Didn't they mow everybody down by big scores. How much defense did they play?

[Gunner18]

moldy, didnt you know that ferndale has one of the most potent offenses in the state? :lol:

[Opinionguy]

I personally HATE the Tribune's way of picking the Defensive Player of the Year.

Defensive Stats are total Garbage in High School. Either because tackles are inflated or Safeties are allowed to play center field to cover the pass and don't have to give run support.

Compare High School stats to NFL stats. The quarters are twice as long in the NFL, yet if you achieve 10 tackles in a game you are player of the week in some cases. Yet in high school, some schools have 8 guys on defense breaking the 10 a game total. GARBAGE.

I'm not trying to take anything away from this kid here. I'm sure he is a great player and deserved consideration for the award. But when the Tribune starts off by saying "These players were their respected leaders in the Statistics for each side of the ball", that is where the problem lies.

It happens time and time again with the Tribune. The paper is a total joke.

[THE CHOPS]

Opionionguy,

I see what your saying & i agree somewhat, But The papers have to give credits somehow & High School football is like comparing apples to oranges, when you place them against the N.F.L.

Besides, The T-D must be doing something right, they still have "you" reading that joke paper :oops: :o

"THE CHOPS".