Buehner proud of Mustangs’ recent playoff history
The Laurel Highlands football team has qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for four consecutive seasons, and Mustangs coach Jack Buehner emphasizes that achievement when motivating his players. “We’re the only school in our conference that has qualified for the WPIAL playoffs four straight times,” Buehner said.
“Our players need to be proud of that. It’s not easy given the framework of high school football today, considering the restrictions that every school faces.”
Buehner said that athletic programs face the same obstacles as families and individuals in a tough economy. “There are not a lot of extras spent on athletics. Parents and players find ways to offset that.”
He said, “It takes a commitment from the players and coaches to be willing to commit to a stringent off-season program. I’m proud of what our athletes and coaches have achieved. That’s special.”
Buehner also recognizes the challenges offered by the new Keystone Conference alignment, with Southmoreland and Yough dropping to Class AA and the addition of WPIAL power Franklin Regional, Ringgold and Hollidaysburg.
“I know nothing about Hollidaysburg other than it’s an extremely long trip. I don’t like to see high school athletes have to get on a bus for more than an hour. On road trips, all schools travel for most games to places 15 to 20 minutes apart while we have to find a way to travel two hours.”
The Mustangs will host Hollidaysburg this season and won’t have to make the long trip through several counties until the 2011 schedule. Still, Buehner is not fond of having to send a junior varsity bus for several hours on a Saturday morning within hours of the conclusion of the previous night’s varsity game.
“From what I hear, Hollidaysburg is elated to be in the WPIAL, but they have to travel to the farthest sites in the WPIAL every other week,” he said. “Albert Gallatin, Uniontown and Laurel Highlands couldn’t be further away for them. I hope they figure out how it doesn’t have to be that way” in the future.
Franklin Regional has won WPIAL and PIAA championships, and Ringgold is highly competitive in football. “Everybody in the league will have a good football team,” Buehner said. “It will be a challenging year. We have a lot of clout now with good schools and good traditions.
“Football is the daddy of all the sports for the whole landscape of Pennsylvania. It’s the most important sport and sets the tone for the school year.”