York Suburban athletic director Ron Coursey has put together a six-game schedule for the second annual showcase, which is scheduled for August 23 and 24.
York City School District welcomes employees to the New Year
The York City School District welcomed its employees to WellSpan Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 12, 2024.
York Suburban athletic director Ron Coursey has taken a big step forward with the 2023 York Rose Bowl, raising the bar for the second edition of high school football’s kickoff showcase.
This year’s Rose Bowl will feature six games over two days, Aug. 23 and 24. After a doubleheader on Friday at York Suburban, pitting the host Trojans against South Western, four games will be played on Saturday at Small Athletic Field downtown, with York High taking on Central Dauphin East on home soil.
The rest of the schedule is heavyweight battle-filled. On Friday, Philadelphia powerhouse Imhotep Charter faces Toronto-area Clarkson North, and Saturday morning kicks off with Imani Christian of Pittsburgh and West Catholic of Philadelphia. In the afternoon, Susquehanna Township faces Penn Hills and Bishop McDevitt faces Baltimore’s Mount St. Joseph.
“I think we’ve gotten bigger and better this year,” Coursey said. “I think the matchups are better. … We’re just going to raise the level of the event, and it’s already been a great event. We’re going to take it to the next level and make it phenomenal.”
Coursey took over as York Suburban’s athletic director in January 2023 and brought with him his love of special events. In addition to the Rose Bowl, Coursey organized the Hoops for Harmony basketball showcase on Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend last school year. He had organized similar events at previous stops in Chambersburg and Woodland Hills in the Pittsburgh area.
Last year’s Rose Bowl consisted of five games, all in Suburban. Both days were packed, but only the first game of the weekend – York Tech’s 14-7 win over James Buchanan – was a doubt at the end. Suburban and York High lost by more than 30 points each to East Pennsboro and Harrisburg, respectively, and Imhotep beat Virginia’s Life Christian Academy 87-0 on Saturday. On paper, at least, this team should be much more competitive.
“My goal is not only to highlight and showcase student athletes, but also to create exciting matchups that are entertaining for the fans,” Coursey said. “After three losses last year, I don’t think we quite accomplished that. I think we’ve done a much better job this year of creating appropriate matchups and games that remain exciting until the very end. That’s what people want – when they’re paying money to watch a showcase, they want to see good football.”
Putting together such a squad often requires a nationwide search, but this event will have an international flavor with Clarkson North, the first Canadian team to compete in central Pennsylvania. The Mississauga, Ontario-based team plays against U.S. teams at the national level and has several Division I prospects, which could make for an exciting matchup against reigning PIAA Class 5A champion Imhotep.
“I was looking for a team that was willing to travel and talented enough to play against Imhotep,” Coursey said. “So I contacted an event organizer I knew … and he put me in touch with the AD and head coach at Clarkson North. They were incredibly excited to be in the event, they can’t wait to play against such a high-caliber team as Imhotep, and (the coach) thought it was a great opportunity to get his kids some exposure and play in an event that is getting more and more prominent every year.”
Imani Christian is back in the Rose Bowl after losing 42-27 to Steel-High last year. The Saints will face West Catholic, a traditional rival in the Philadelphia Catholic League, at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24. They will be followed at 1:30 p.m. by Susquehanna Township and Pittsburgh-area Penn Hills, both teams with berths in their respective district playoffs in 2023.
Bishop McDevitt and Mount St. Joseph met in Week 1 last season. McDevitt won 20-14 to start a 13-1 season that included a District 3 Class 4A title. Both the Crusaders (now in 5A) and Gaels have league title aspirations this fall and will face off at 4:30 p.m. Both sides are looking to make a statement.
York High, making its eighth consecutive playoff appearance, closed the showcase with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff against up-and-coming Central Dauphin East. The Bearcats are playing at home this time after facing Harrisburg at York Suburban last year. Next Saturday’s games were moved to Small Athletic Field, a larger stadium with more on-site parking, after large crowds tested the limits of Suburban’s campus at the first showcase.
“I think York High, both AD Jeff White and coach Russ Stoner, have been very accommodating to the idea of being able to host a home game as part of this big show. They’ve been very accommodating in allowing us to come in and use the facility, and I think it’s just going to be a better fan experience and a better game day experience.”
Stoner’s organization Accountability for Life is helping organize the event, and a grant from the Explore York tourism program has provided additional funding to help Coursey improve the fan experience, including a DJ for entertainment and post-game meals for players.
Tickets for each day are $10 for adults and $5 for students and can be purchased online through GoFan or with a card at the gate. All six games will be streamed on the Roxamore Sports Network with commentary from Sports Shooting Stars.
