Competition breeds champions, and Tamaqua head coach Sam Bonner couldn’t be happier with what he’s seeing through the first two weeks of practice.

“I feel like we’ve had a pretty intense two weeks of practice,” the 19th-year Tamaqua head coach said. “We have a lot of positions that aren’t set in stone. I think that competition makes you better, and we definitely have more open competition for positions this year than we’ve had in the past.”

That intensity stems from a culture that keeps producing results year after year.

This summer’s turnout tells the story perfectly — 43 kids on the roster, with 24 of them attending 90% of the offseason workouts.

“I don’t think we had a workout where we had under 32 kids,” Bonner said. “We had some workouts where we had 40 kids. That’s not bad for a 43-man roster.”

While losing 11 or 12 seniors from any football team typically hurts, here’s the thing about Tamaqua — they reload, they don’t rebuild. And with 13 seniors in the fold this year, there’s plenty of veteran leadership to guide the way.

That mentality served them well last season.

The Blue Raiders are coming off a roller coaster 2024 season that perfectly captured what makes high school football so compelling. A blazing 6-0 start was followed by four straight losses to close the regular season, which included a battle with state champion Northwestern Lehigh.

But championships aren’t won in October — they’re won in November. And when it mattered most, Tamaqua delivered, capturing the Eastern Conference Championship with a signature win over Pequea Valley to finish 7-4.

“Obviously, you never try to get down, but starting off 6-0 and then losing four games back to back, it was a tough way to end the regular season,” Bonner reflected. “But it lifted our spirits to get a chance to finish up with the win, finish with an Eastern Conference championship, and finish with seven wins.”

Now comes the challenge every successful program faces — replacing proven talent while maintaining championship expectations.

“Seven or eight of them were probably pretty good players for us for a couple of years,” Bonner said of his departed senior class.

While many positions remain up for grabs, one spot is solidly locked down — quarterback, where senior Chase Serfass has earned the keys to the offense.

“He doesn’t have a lot of varsity experience, but he’s a kid that’s been in the program since he was in seventh grade,” Bonner said. “He knows the offense. I think he developed a lot over the past off-season, realizing that he has a chance to be that guy.”

Serfass embodies everything Bonner looks for in a quarterback — intelligence, work ethic, and dependability. The senior has been putting in work since last season ended, hitting the weight room and preparing for this moment.

“He’s one of those guys you could count on being at every practice, scrimmage, being in every workout,” Bonner noted. “Dependability is a big factor as well.”

Of course, culture and preparation only take you so far when you’re up against one of the most talent-filled schedules in the area.

After opening with Pen Argyl, the Blue Raiders face a stretch that includes North Schuylkill, Pottsville and Jim Thorpe.

“There’s no breeze in our schedule,” Bonner said with the matter-of-fact tone of a coach who’s been doing this for 19 years. “We go from Northwestern Lehigh to Southern Lehigh. We don’t get too many breaks.”

Having Bonner at the helm for his 19th season provides the kind of stability that championship programs require.

“I always try to make it that once you’re a Tamaqua football player, you’re a football player for life,” Bonner said. “Friday nights, we have guys that come back and stop in the locker room and talk to us.”

That connection showed when the Blue Raiders captured their Eastern Conference title — Bonner’s phone lit up with messages from former players spanning nearly two decades.

“It’s great to see guys that you coached 20 years ago that didn’t forget,” he said.

Bonner’s steady hand and the program’s deep-rooted culture will guide the Blue Raiders through the personnel changes, just as they have for nearly two decades.

And this year’s journey begins on Aug. 22 against Pen Argyl.

POSITION BREAKDOWN

QUARTERBACKS

Senior Chase Serfass is the heir apparent to Luke Kane. Serfass has been preparing for this moment since seventh grade. Serfass has been hitting the weight room and developing into a leader. Junior Kaden Krajcirik provided valuable competition for Serfass, splitting reps at camp.

RUNNING BACKS

Tamaqua will likely feature both junior Quinn Coleman and sophomore Terrence McDowell as its 1-2 punch. Junior Camden Walker returns after missing last year. The “fourth” punch of the backfield is converted lineman and Swiss army knife Malachi Stewart. The fullback squats 500 pounds and will offer some serious bang with the ball and critical lead-blocking ability.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Senior Brady McCabe offers fantastic size at 6-2. He’s a three-year starter who’s been the go-to target, and can also move to tight end. Frosh Gavin Shannon is 5-11 and likely still growing. The promising newcomer “caught a lot of the coaches’ eyes in the summertime.” Sophomore Ace Schickram will play the flanker role. Teegen Phillips moved from tackle to tight end. He has size and speed. Damian Jazowski is currently in a boot but expected back by week two.

OFF/DEF LINE

Three seniors and a junior will be up front for Tamaqua. Returning starter Logan Pribila will be at left guard, while senior Logan Zimmerman will be at RG after being limited by an injury most of 2024. Three-year starter Shawn Chen will be at center, with junior Flynn Coleman at LT, and sophomore Carter Trotmon at right tackle. On the D-line, you’ll see a majority of the same group, but Phillips will be at defensive end with Jazowski as the other bookend. Stewart, Trotman, Flynn Coleman will see reps.

LINEBACKERS

Quinn Coleman pulls double-duty at both running back and linebacker, showcasing his versatility. Walker will do the same and join him in the mix, while Bangor transfer Jon Kraeuter will add depth up the middle.

SECONDARY

Chen will be a key cog of the secondary, and he also plays center on the other side of the ball at 160 pounds. Schickram and McDowell will play defensive back, while Myles Schlosser and Peyton Schwartz will be in the mix.