By Brian McLaughlin
PalmHarborSports.com
Thursday’s game is only a preseason affair, it doesn’t count … said absolutely NOBODY who is dressing for the spring football game between adjacent rivals Palm Harbor University and Tarpon Springs.
The two programs, who combined to finish 17-4 last year, will play in a Spring Kickoff Classic at 7 p.m. at PHU Thursday night (May 16). As usual, game tickets and parking can be purchased at GoFan (https://gofan.co/app/school/FL5995).
MORE GAME DETAILS HERE:
“I had a couple of coaches say no to us (to be on PHU’s 2024 fall schedule), based on what happened last year,” PHU head coach Mike Mullaney. “But we’re not exactly what we were last year at this point.”
But there is no denying that the PHU football program — which has won about 40 percent of its games in it 25+ year existence — has a different feel about things the past few years.
PHU’s district championship season in 2023 tied its best in school history, sporting the best team defense in history (12 points per game in reg. season). One of PHU’s rare losses was by one point to, you guessed it:
Tarpon Springs.
The Spongers, who celebrate their 100th football anniversary this fall, went 9-1 but didn’t make the playoffs.
Both teams are hungry, and pissed off, making for an unusual spring game atmosphere. There’s also that fact that before PHU existed starting in the 1990s, many of the youth in Palm Harbor attended Tarpon Springs HS.
But ultimately the point of spring football is to begin to find out which young players have what it takes to fill the shoes of the cornerstone players who have graduated. PHU has a crop of talented rising juniors who have performed well for two years at the junior varsity level and want to win a starting varsity position this fall.
“Our (2026 graduating class) is by far our strongest group in terms of numbers,” Mullaney said. “We have 25 or 26 rising juniors, whereas the senior class has nine or 10. We have some sophomores who should be good too.
“I would say in terms of the kids, there should be some expectations of success. We still haven’t gotten to that point with consistency that I’d like it to be. We had some kids last year who were totally bought in, kids who’d been around all four years and saw the success at the very end. Now it’s time for the next group.”
What new names will make a splash this spring? You have a chance to see with your own eyes Thursday night.
SPRING MVP?: Mullaney was very impressed with rising junior Karter Allen this spring. He will get reps Thursday on the defensive line and at right guard on offense. Allen is one of many rising juniors who have shown serious promise.
NOTE: A few players will be held out of the spring game for injuries and other reasons, but are expected to be back by fall drills. For instance, rising senior defensive lineman Brady Messick, who has been a terror in opposing teams’ backfields the past two years, will rest up after getting surgery for a labrum issue.
SUMMER CAMP: PHU will once again attend team camp at Webber University in Central Florida this summer. Mullaney said it’s hot, grueling, and an annual bonding trip for the team and the players who choose to embrace the experience.
RETURNING PLAYERS TO WATCH THURSDAY (Fall 2024 class designated):
QB/DB Will Seibert, Sr. — 931 total yards, 6 rushing TDs, 5 passing TDs
OL/DL Zach Horner, Sr. — Anchor on both sides of the line of scrimmage
RB/LB/DL Alex Malyszko, Jr. — Scored 5 TDs; can play multiple positions
WR/DB Jake Rennert, Jr. — Top receiver/playmaker with good speed
PK Mitchell Stricker, Sr. — May end up holding school’s career FG
