2024 Team Preview: Southern Columbia Tigers (4)
Head Coach: Jim Roth Assistant Coaches: Andy Mills Mike Johnston Brandon Traugh Wesley Tillett Ardie Kissinger Rick Steele Ken Ruckle Alex Carawan Team Name: Southern Columbia Tigers District: 4 Class: 2A League: PA Heartland Athletic Conference, Division II 2023 Record: 15-1 8/25 Berwick Area (4A) 7:00 pm W 50-0 9/01 Shamokin (4A) 7:00 pm W […]
2023 Team Preview: Southern Columbia Tigers
Head Coach: Jim Roth, 40th season Career Record: 484-67-2 2022 Season: 13-3 (13th PIAA Championship) Assistant Coaches: Andy Mills Mike Johnston Brandon Traugh Wes Tillett Rick Steele Ardie Kissinger Ken Ruckle Roger Nunkester Alex Carawan Team Colors: Black and Vegas Gold Home Field: Tiger Stadium (Jim Roth Field) District: 4 Class: AA League: PA Heartland […]
Player Preview in 100 Days – Day 100: Gavin Garcia, Southern Columbia HS
Player Name: Gavin Garcia School: Southern Columbia Class of: 2022 Primary Position: RB Secondary Position: CB Jersey Number: 5 Height: 5’8 Weight: 180 40-Yard Dash: N/A GPA: 4.0 + 2nd class rank Other Sports: Wrestling and Track Starting Experience (Years): 2019 Stats: He rushed for 1,700 yards on 103 carries and 28 touchdowns. He caught […]
Player Previews in 100 Days – Day 97: Jake Davis, Southern Columbia HS
Player Name: Jake Davis School: Southern Columbia HS Class of: 2021 Primary Position: CB Secondary Position: WR Jersey Number: 10 Height: 5’10 Weight: 165 40-Yard Dash: 4.5 GPA: 3.4 Other Sports: Basketball 2019 Stats: On defense he had 43 total tackles and nine interceptions. Hudl Highlights: Twitter: @JakeDavis1020 Coaches comments: Jake had an outstanding junior […]
Player Previews in 100 Days – Day 76: Wade Kerstetter, Southern Columbia HS
Player Name: Wade Kerstetter School: Southern Columbia Class of: 2021 Primary Position: TE Secondary Position: MLB Jersey Number: 46 Height: 5’11 Weight: 200 40-Yard Dash: 4.6 GPA: 4.0 Other Sports: Baseball Starting Experience (Years): 2019 Stats: On defense he had 42 tackles. Hudl Highlights: Twitter: @w_kerstetter Coaches comments: After starting at the tight end position […]
2019 Team Previews: Southern Columbia Tigers (4)
Head Coach: Jim Roth (36th year) Assistant Coaches: Andy Mills, Mike Johnston, John Marks, Al Cihocki, Roger Nunkester, Brandon Traugh, Andy Helwig, Alex Carawan Team Name: Southern Columbia Tigers 2018 Record: 16-0 (PIAA 2A STATE CHAMPIONS) Twitter: @socotigersports Hudl Highlights: Key Starters Lost: QB – Stone Hollenbach OL – Troy Donlan OL -Oak Six OL – […]
Player Previews in 100 Days – Day 100: Julian Fleming, Southern Columbia (4)
Player Name: Julian Fleming School: Southern Columbia Class of: 2020 Primary Position: Wide Receiver Secondary Position: Defensive Back Jersey Number: 4 Height: 6’3″ Weight: 210 40-Yard Dash: 4.48 GPA: 3.5 Other Sports: Basketball, Track & Field Starting Experience (Years): 3 years 2018 Stats: Offense: 78 receptions for 1,524 yards (19.5 avg) & 22 TD’s Defense: 20 tackles, 9 pass breakups, 4 INT’s (3 TD’s) Honors: Gatorade PA […]
Player Previews in 100 Days – Day 99: Gaige Garcia, Southern Columbia (4)
Player Name: Gaige Garcia School: Southern Columbia Class of: 2020 Primary Position: Running Back Secondary Position: Outside Linebacker Jersey Number: 23 Height: 5’10” Weight: 210 40-Yard Dash: 4.5 GPA: 4.0 Other Sports: Wrestling, Track & Field Starting Experience (Years): 3 years 2018 Stats: Rushing: 201 carries for 2,042 yards (10.2 avg) & 38 TD’s Receiving: 13 receptions for 284 yards (21.9 avg) & 8 TD’s Special […]
Player Previews in 100 Days – Day 91: Max Tillett, Southern Columbia (4)
Player Name: Max Tillett School: Southern Columbia Class of: 2020 Primary Position: Linebacker Secondary Position: Safety Jersey Number: 8 Height: 6-0 Weight: 195 40-Yard Dash: 4.55 GPA: 3.7 Other Sports: Baseball Starting Experience (Years): 2 years 2018 Stats: 124 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 5 hurries, 2 INT’s Honors: AP Class 2A All-State (LB) PFN Class 2A 2nd Team All-State (LB) 1st Team EasternPAFootball.com 1st Team PHAC Division 3 […]
Player Previews in 100 Days – Day 72: Preston Zachman, Southern Columbia (4)
Player Name: Preston Zachman School: Southern Columbia Class of: 2020 Primary Position: Linebacker Secondary Position: Wide Receiver/Quarterback Jersey Number: 14 Height: 6-2 Weight: 205 40-Yard Dash: 4.53 GPA: 3.7 Other Sports: Wrestling and Baseball Starting Experience (Years): 2 years 2018 Stats: Receiving: 19 receptions for 372 yards (19.6 avg) & 4 TD’s Passing: 29 for 44 completions, 597 yards, 8 TD’s – 1 INT Rushing: 10 […]
Player Previews in 100 Days – Day 70: Gavin Garcia, Southern Columbia (4)
Player Name: Gavin Garcia School: Southern Columbia Class of: 2022 Primary Position: Running Back Secondary Position: Defensive Back Jersey Number: 5 Height: 5-8 Weight: 170 40-Yard Dash: N/A GPA: 4.0 Other Sports: Wrestling, Track & Field Starting Experience (Years): 1 year 2018 Stats: Rushing: 101 carries for 1,179 yards (11.7 avg) & 23 TD’s Receiving: 6 receptions for 139 yards (23.2 avg) & 2 TD’s Honors: […]
Player Previews in 100 Days – Day 65: Cal Haladay, Southern Columbia (4)
Player Name: Cal Haladay School: Southern Columbia Class of: 2020 Primary Position: Inside Linebacker Secondary Position: Outside Linebacker Jersey Number: 28 Height: 6-1 Weight: 205 40-Yard Dash: 4.75 GPA: 3.8 Other Sports: N/A Starting Experience (Years): 3 years 2018 Stats: 131 tackles, 5 sacks, 12 hurries Honors: AP Class 2A All-State (LB) PFN Class 2A All-State (LB) Press Enterprise LB of the Year 1st Team Daily Item […]
Player Previews in 100 Days – Day 61: Lear Quinton, Southern Columbia (4)
Player Name: Lear Quinton School: Southern Columbia Class of: 2020 Primary Position: Defensive End Secondary Position: Offensive Line Jersey Number: 67 Height: 6’2″ Weight: 225 40-Yard Dash: 4.95 GPA: 4.0 Other Sports: Wrestling Starting Experience (Years): 2 years 2018 Stats: 68 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 14 hurries Honors: PFN Class 2A All-State (DE) 1st Team Daily Item All-Star 1st Team Press Enterprise All-Star 1st Team News Item All-Star […]
Five-Star Wide Receiver Julian Fleming Commits to Ohio State
Friday was a day like no other for Southern Columbia junior Julian Fleming. At 10:30 am, in between class periods, the top ranked high school wide receiver in the United States made his college decision public. With a short two minute video clip, Fleming posted on Twitter and Instagram that he would be heading to […]
2018 EasternPAFootball.com Class 2A Coach of the Year, Jim Roth, Southern Columbia (4)
Jim Roth’s Southern Columbia Tigers simply cruised through their regular season, moving their regular season winning streak to 71 games, and then went on another dominant playoff run that was capped off with another state championship and finishing 16-0. During the playoffs, the Tigers won five of their six games via the Mercy Rule including […]
2018 EasternPAFootball.com Class 2A Player of the Year, Julian Fleming, Southern Columbia (4)
Julian Fleming was chosen as the 2018 Gatorade Pennsylvania High School Football Player of the Year on the day before Southern Columbia’s PIAA Class 2A State Championship. The junior, who makes an impact in all three phases of the game, can now add another award to his lengthy list. For the second year in a […]
2018 PIAA Class 2A High School Football Preview
Southern Columbia (15-0) vs. Wilmington (13-1) HERSHEY – Southern Columbia (15-0) will play in their 17th state championship game and go for a record nine state championships. The Tigers will face Wilmington out of District 10, a 27-6 winner over Steel Valley. The Tigers beat Wilmington 48-0 in last year’s Class 2A title game. The […]
2018 Team Previews – Southern Columbia Tigers (4)
Jim Roth (35th year at SCA) Record: 412-63 (never had a losing season) 8 State Championships (PIAA Record) 16 Eastern Championships (PIAA Record) 2018 Schedule: Assistant Coaches: Andy Mills Al Cihocki Mike Johnston Don Traugh Roger Nunkester Alex Carawan Offensive Starters Returning: (7) QB Stone Hollenbach (Sr) RB Gaige Garcia (Jr) WR Julian Fleming (Jr) WR […]
2017 Class 2A Coach of the Year, Jim Roth, Southern Columbia
Early on in the 2017 regular season, Southern Columbia head coach Jim Roth became the youngest coach in Pennsylvania high school football history to win 400 games. Three months later, he became the first coach in Pennsylvania high school football history to win eight state championships. His Tigers went a perfect 16-0, winning 13 games […]
2017 Class 2A Co-Players of the Year, Julian Fleming and Gaige Garcia, Southern Columbia
Any school in Pennsylvania, and the country for that matter, would love to have either Julian Fleming or Gaige Garcia suiting up for their football team. Having both of them suiting up for the same team is something that every other school in the PIAA is envious about. The Southern Columbia Tigers have the luxury […]
Tigers Continue Tallying Titles
Jimmy and the Championship Factory As I sat in my tree stand a couple of weeks ago, less than 24 hours removed from Southern Columbia wrapping up another undefeated state championship winning season, something really hit me. Don’t get worried, it wasn’t a bullet or an arrow, but rather a sense of guilt. Sitting high […]
Eight Is Great
Tigers finish off perfect season for state gold Last season, Southern Columbia walked off of the field at Hershey Park Stadium with their tears of defeat soaking into the turf in Chocolate Town, suffering a lopsided defeat in the PIAA Class 2A State Championship. Just 363 days later, the Tigers returned to that same field […]
2017 PIAA Class 2A Title Game Preview: Southern Columbia (4) 15-0
Southern Columbia Tigers: Class 2A Eastern Champions District IV & Heartland Conference Division III Record: 15-0 Wilmington Preview Jim Roth’s Tigers are headed back to Hershey for the 16th time and looking to win an 8th state championship for Southern Columbia. “We have had a successful run, and the guys have set the bar at […]
Tigers Score Trophy Buck
Southern Columbia wins yet another Eastern Championship The first week of deer season didn’t end well for the Bucks, but then again the ending hasn’t been good for anybody that has faced off against the Tigers all season. “Our guys came out and took care of business against a quality football team with a deep […]
Tigers Send Saints Marching Home
Southern Columbia stays undefeated Public vs Private School Sports Debate Southern Columbia might be the worst enemy of every other public school in the PIAA. The Tigers just keep taking down these all-star teams and that is why the team in Black & Gold is the leader in winning success across the state since the […]
Tigers Take Title
2nd half dominance gives Southern Columbia the win It’s not too often that the two most historic teams in a state match up at any point during a sports season. Not only did fans get to watch the Southern Columbia Tigers take on the Mount Carmel Red Tornadoes, but they got to see it with […]
Southern Columbia All Business
Garcia carries Tigers over Blue Jays Give Central Columbia credit. The Blue Jays won more games this season than any of their other teams have won this century. They went 9-3, which topped the 8-3 record that their 2004 team posted. Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, they aren’t the only Columbia in the county. There […]
Tigers Claw Panthers
SCA wins in Fleming’s absence Nobody in the stadium deep-down believed that North Penn-Mansfield could upset top-seeded Southern Columbia. However, give the Panthers credit for coming out and competing for the better part of the first half. “I am proud of the way our guys came out with confidence. We were excited to play against […]
Southern Columbia Stays Undefeated
Tigers and Seals provide fans with excitement and worry Friday nights matchup between the Tigers and Seals at Harold L. Bolig Field in Selinsgrove was the definition of one helluva football game. Arguably the two best teams in the area, it was Southern Columbia proving once again that they are unquestionably the best team in […]
Sixty Straight For Southern
Tigers defense too much for Blue Jays A lot has taken place since the last time Central Columbia has beaten Southern Columbia in football. Bill Clinton was just starting his second term in office as the POTUS, the first iPhone was still a decade away from being released, the Twin Towers were still standing in […]
SCA Claims Conference Crown
Tigers beat Ironmen on Senior Night Friday the 13th comes around about once a year and is considered to be the most unlucky and frightening day on the calendar. Unfortunately for Danville, their bad luck meant that they had to take on the state’s top ranked team in Southern Columbia who has an offense that […]
Southern Storms By Montoursville
Fleming sets another record in the romp Spoiler alert if you aren’t a regular follower of Southern Columbia football, Julian Fleming is a human highlight reel on the gridiron. His nickname, Highlight, started as a joke when he put highlights in his hair last summer as a freshman, but since then he has taken over […]
Tigers Feast On Black Panthers
SCA had historic offensive performance Let’s not sugarcoat it, nobody was looking forward to the matchup between Southern Columbia and Milton on Friday night. The Tigers came in riding a 56-game regular season winning streak dating back to 2011. The Black Panthers hadn’t won a single game since early in the 2015 season. With that […]
Southern Slays Lewisburg
Fleming Sets School Record First year Lewisburg head coach Marc Persing was forthright after Friday’s game when talking about the opposition in black and gold. “Let’s make no mistake about it, that is one of if not the best programs, not just the team, but programs in the state of Pennsylvania. I told our kids […]
Roth Wins 400th Game
Southern Hammers Hughesville Southern Columbia head coach Jim Roth decided to let the clock run out for halftime on Friday night with his team less than 15 yards from the end zone and all three timeouts left in his pocket. No, the Tigers weren’t in desperate need to score, the game was handily in check […]
Tigers Top Tornadoes
Kicking and Defense Provide Lift During Southern Columbia’s now 54 consecutive game regular season winning streak, the Tigers have put points on the board at a staggering pace. Most have come from the offense during that span, but in Friday night’s 29-7 victory over rival Mount Carmel Area, the offense got some needed assistance in […]
Tigers Too Tough For Panthers
Southern Columbia’s defense dominant again Every high school football fan in District IV knew what Southern Columbia had coming back on offense this season. A running back in Gaige Garcia that broke the PIAA freshman rushing record last season, the top ranked receiver recruit in the country in sophomore Julian Fleming, the school’s single-season passing […]
Tigers Decimate Indians
Southern’s Fleming Breaks School Record Southern Columbia’s Julian Fleming is considered one of the best players that this area has ever seen. Giving a player the title of “once-in-a-generation” puts them in a category of their own. In the professional sports world, some of the athletes that are mentioned with this phrase include Michael Jordan, […]
2017 Team Preview – Southern Columbia (4)
If any coaching staff in the state knows how to manage the pressure of high expectations, the Southern Columbia staff would top the list. High expectations come with success, and the Tigers have been the leader in that category for three decades. The black & gold have set the standard by winning more games than […]
Class 2A Coach of the Year, Jim Roth, Southern Columbia
In 2015, Jim Roth’s Southern Columbia Tigers won a 7th PIAA State Championship setting a new state record. He was named the PIAA Coach of the Year. This season however, the case could be made that the man in charge of the Tigers for the past 33 seasons did an even better job. “We knew […]
Class 2A Player of the Year, Hunter Thomas, Southern Columbia
Southern Columbia has had its share of great runners throughout the years, but it would be awfully difficult to keep Hunter Thomas off of the school’s Mount Rushmore for running backs. “It was such an honor to play for the most accomplished program in all of Pennsylvania high school football. I’m going to miss putting […]
Steel Valley Steals State Gold
Proud Partners of West had career game against Tigers A couple of firsts took place on Saturday afternoon inside of Hershey Park Stadium. Most importantly for Steel Valley, they won the school’s first ever football state championship. They also became the first team in PIAA history to Mercy Rule every opponent in every […]
PIAA Class 2A preview: Tigers Looking for Back-to-Back State Titles
Steel Valley Preview Class AA Eastern Champions: Southern Columbia will be playing in their state record 15th state championship game when they take on undefeated Steel Valley this weekend in Hershey. Jim Roth’s squads have played in over half of the possible state finals since the game’s implementation in 1988 which is just remarkable to […]
SCA Again: Beast of the East
Tigers headed back to Hershey Not many people, if any at all, outside of the Southern Columbia football program thought it was fathomable to make a return trip to Chocolate Town. After all, the Tigers graduated 26 seniors including 10 starters on the defensive side of the football, and they have almost double the amount […]
30 In A Row For SoCo
Garcia breaks state record in SCA victory Southern Columbia’s coaching staff has proven to be the most successful staff in all of Pennsylvania for the last three decades. With that being said, it’s hard to pick out the most surprising season during the championship-filled run, but this year may just be it. After losing 25 […]
Another Year, Another Gold
SCA players rewrite the record book The questions coming into 2016 were more about who was going to replace Southern Columbia by season’s end at the top of District IV AA. Now the questions center around who on Earth will be able to stop the Tigers offense in all of Pennsylvania in AA. “We know […]
Tigers Title Bound
Thomas propels Southern in dominating victory Hunter Thomas entered his senior season expecting big things. After all, he was chosen as an all-state running back after helping to lead Southern Columbia to a state championship in 2015. Unfortunately, two separate injuries have caused him to miss the better part of four games this season. However, […]
Southern Has Historic Night
Tigers offensive output was scary Halloween ended almost a week ago, but the Southern Columbia offense has continued to be scarier than Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, & Freddy Krueger. The Tigers opened up District IV AA playoff action with a 69-34 Mercy Rule victory over Towanda. The 69 points were the third most ever scored […]
Roth’s Tigers Have Been Unbeatable
5 Straight Perfect Regular Seasons Sometimes in life, it’s important to just sit back and appreciate greatness. Whether you’re a supporter of Southern Columbia football or not, the reality is what they have done, are doing, and will almost certainly continue to do is great. For the fifth straight season, the Tigers will head to […]
SCA Wins 50th Straight
Tigers Torment Blue Jays Go back to week nine of the 2011 regular season if you are looking for the last time that Southern Columbia has lost a regular season game. In that game, the Tigers gave up a two touchdown lead in the fourth quarter to Mount Carmel Area to lose 22-21. Ironically, the […]
