The Greencastle-Antrim
High-School Blue Devil Varsity Football team comes from a long line of both victories and accomplishments, as well as mental direction and drive. Typically, the Varsity Football team is known for their 4-time win in the Mid-Penn Conference Championships in 1998, 2008, 2010, 2011, and back-to-back Division Championship wins in 2010 and 2011. However, in the upcoming season it is abundantly clear that their lineage of championships is founded in their strong will to cultivate both brotherhood and union within the team from not only Coach Jason Thurston’s goals for the upcoming season, but the various testimonies from rising seniors on the Blue Devils Varsity Football Team.

The Fall 2025 Varsity Football season will mark Jason Thurston’s first year coaching at Greencastle-Antrim High-School. Thurston was appointed earlier this year by the Greencastle-Antrim School District (GASD), and announced on March 20, 2025, in a GASD Board of Directors meeting. Though new, Coach Thurston is no stranger to coaching students and elevating teams. His experience spans across 25 years between both head coach and assistant coach positions. Eleven of his 25 years coaching was spent in Shippensburg, where Thurston gained knowledge of Greencastle-Antrim Football team’s offensive and defensive strategies. With the perspectives of both playing against the Greencastle-Antrim football team, and playing with the members, Thurston is expected to boost the team’s morale, while still holding onto functioning past techniques.

There are 10 rising seniors on the Varsity football team this season. Their names and positions are as follows: Noah Shifflett, a winger and safety; Blake Reuter, a running back and corner on the defensive side; Mason Mallott, a guard and defensive end; Lars Galinanes, a fullback linebacker; Seth Kielik, a cornerback; Landon Reed, an offensive tackle; Gavin Knable, an offensive guard and defensive nose guard; Lane Barry, a quarterback; Asher Whitson, a halfback, punter, and middle linebacker; and Jackson Bernardo, a middle linebacker and right guard. With the diversity between these positions the seniors hold, the Greencastle-Antrim Blue Devils Varsity Football team is sure to claim more victories this upcoming season.

Unfortunately, one of the rising seniors expected to play in the upcoming season is out due to injury. Landon Reed, wearing number 71 on the field, broke his collarbone over the summer. He states his main goal, for now, is to focus on getting healthy and strong enough to play when he is cleared later in the season. Rather than emphasizing his deprivation of the sport, Reed gave an unexpected response in his interview on the Coach’s Corner with Andy. In discussion of his future on the team, Reed stated, “…in the meantime, I’m just going to try and be a coach to some of the younger guys and be a teammate to the rest of my teammates.” This statement, along with many of the other player’s interviews, portrays the sheer weight of dignity these young men hold, and the effects of close collaboration on individuals in this “ultimate team sport,” as Coach Thurston puts it. Reed’s projected comeback is in the middle of the season; be sure to attend, and cheer on number 71 in his first game back with the rest of the team!

In addition to the team-wide goal of brothership and community, each of the seniors have their own goals they are looking to accomplish in their final year playing under the Blue Devils name. Lane Barry, the quarterback on the Varsity football team, is hoping to, “accomplish at least a 1,000-yard passing,” so he can be a part of the school’s trophy case and become a part of its football legacy. With three years of experience being a quarterback on the team, Barry contains an overwhelming amount of experience and knowledge regarding his position. Not only may he achieve his goal in the upcoming season for himself, but for the rest of the team and future quarterbacks to come.

Similarly, Jackson Bernardo, a middle linebacker and right guard, aims to beat the school tackle record of 105 set by Forrest Rhyne in 2019 according to The Record Herald. Though this is Bernardo’s “all-time goal” playing the sport, he states other than the goal, he wants nothing more than to “have a good time” in his final season. Living and playing well are a few goals of the Varsity Football team that seem to surpass all other achievements, providing the players with dedication, leadership, and pride in their work.

In the remaining portions of the team’s interview, many players reflect on their desire to become better at the sport alongside their teammates, rather than individually. Gavin Canable puts it plainly, “it [working together and connecting] comes here in the summer when we’re working out, and all the hard times. Then, it really translates to the fall when we’re progressing on the field.” The Blue Devils Varsity Football team’s chemistry truly shines through their players, a direct reflection of their prior coaching and experience on the field. It is clear Coach Thurston’s first year coaching at the high school will be one to remember.

Be sure to support the Greencastle-Antrim Blue Devils Varsity Football team at their kick-off game on Friday, August 22, 2025, for their first home game against Waynesboro at 7:00 PM! Football game fees are charged at the gate, priced at $5 for adults and $2 for students, or non-resident senior citizens. However, if you are looking to support the Varsity Blue Devils Football Team for their entire Fall season, activity passes are available for purchase that offer discounted rates as opposed to paying full price per game. Activity Passes for high-school sports are as follows: Adult Punch Cards provide 7 game entries for $25, Annual Family Passes allow immediate family members into the game for $150, and Annual Individual Passes are issued to one individual for $70, and more!

Visit the Greencastle-Antrim School District website, gcasd.org, for further information on ticket prices and purchase, as well as access to the Fall 2025 Football season. Additionally, if attending the game is not an option, and you would like to watch your fellow teammate, family member, or classmate in action, most games are livestreamed on the Greencastle-Antrim School District website through the “Athletics Live Streaming” link.