The return of a quartet of two-way starters and several other experienced players has the Abington Heights football team positioned to contend again this fall.
Jayden Anglin, who rushed for 1,397 yards and was one of the team’s top defensive players from his linebacker position, is back, along with guard/defensive end Thomas Reese, guard/inside linebacker Max Gordon and cornerback/part-time quarterback Noah Kayal.
The Comets have been to three straight District 2 Class 5A championship games, including a 2024 title and state playoff appearance. Last season, they finished second in the district and tied for second in Lackawanna Football Conference Division 1 when they were 4-2 in the division and 9-3 overall.
Anglin was an all-District 2 selection at running back by NEPAFootball.com. He was also an LFC Division 1 first-team, all-star and a second-team choice at linebacker. Anglin ran for 15 scores and had seven games of 100 yards or more rushing, along with catching nine passes for 94 yards and a touchdown and ranking second on the team in tackles with 50 and leading with three interceptions.
Reese was a second-team, all-star in the offensive line. He was third on the team with four sacks.
Gordon and Chris Bohn, a part-time starter at linebacker, each ranked among the team’s top five tacklers last season.
Kayal started at cornerback, where he was a second-team division all-star. He also made four starts at quarterback when Nick Bradley was hurt, and also spent time at receiver. Kayal was 39-for-72 for 539 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions as a passer, carried 30 times for 108 yards and also caught nine passes.
Evan Keiper, the second-leading receiver with 18 catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns, also returns to the offense. The Comets will have to compensate for the loss of Bradley and Gavin Anders, the leading receiver in the entire district with 74 catches and also the team’s top tackler.
Chris O’Boyle, who was at center, and Eamon Stevenson, who replaced O’Boyle when he was injured, are both back.
Rodman Azar returns at free safety after intercepting two passes last season.
Abington Heights also has experience in the kicking game.
Jack Hartshorn was a second-team all-star kicker. He made 49 of 50 extra-point attempts and six of eight field goal tries while also sending 14 of his kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. He also handled the punting when Bradley was out.
Michael Arcure returns as the long snapper.
As the team continued off-season workouts and prepared for the start of conditioning sessions, then two-a-days, coach Joe Repshis and his staff had a long list of candidates to fill other spots in the lineup. Many of those players have been in the program and bring at least some experience with them.
Rodman Azar, who made five catches in 2025, and Arcure are among the wide receivers. Liam Peoples, Anthony Hanyon and Race Moraski are other wide receivers.
Additional candidates include Anthony Castellani, who could also play running back, and Cooper Manning, who could also play tight end, are other possibilities at wide receiver.
Chris Bohn could play quarterback or tight end. Adam Hufford is another tight end.
Wil Cox, Ben Levan, Jesse Reed, and Landin Sobolewski are the fullback candidates.
Scott Weiland is another running back.
Adrian Azar, Bruce Batala, Vince Vergnetti, Tyler Reuter and Nate Jury are possibilities to fill out the offensive line.
Manning, who had three sacks last season, is a defensive end, along with Bruce Batala, Cox, Hufford and Tyler Reuter.
Other defensive linemen include Adrian Azar, Jury, O’Boyle, Stevenson, Vergnetti and Sawyer Wilson.
Levan, Reed, Landin Sobolewski, Scott Weiland and Carson White are linebackers.
Arcure, Castellani, Hanyon, Keiper, Moraski and Peoples are possibilities in the secondary.
