Farrell's Brandon Chambers leaving Tomcats his pawprint

He has some serious records at Thiel, where the football team is unbeaten.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- Brandon Chambers, a senior wide receiver for the Thiel College football team from Farrell High, will leave a record-breaking legacy that will be hard to top at the college after this season.
Chambers, who entered this year with six school records, has continued his record-breaking pace to help power Thiel's turnabout under coach Jack Leipheimer.
One of 20 Youngstown-area players on the roster, Chambers already has added one more record this season and is nearing another mark, which means he could finish with as many as eight records. And he also ranks No. 2 in three other categories.
Through eight games, Chambers caught 51 passes for 768 yards and seven TDs to help the Tomcats to win their first Presidents' Athletic Conference title since 1972, and stay undefeated with a school record eight wins.
He led the PAC in receptions per game (7.29) and receiving yards per game (109.7).
Has seven records
Chambers' career records entering this season were for receptions (113) and receiving yards (1,726), which have been increased to 164 and 2,494, respectively, through eight games this season.
His single-season records were for receptions (71, 2004), TD receptions (12, 2004) and punt return yards (267, 2003), while he has a single-game mark for receiving yards (283, 2003, against Bluffton).
Chambers, who also returns punts and kickoffs, boosted his career punt returns to a school-record 44 this year to surpass Kipp Hilliard (42, 1988-90).
And Chambers also is honing in on the school career TD receptions record held by John Gibson (Boardman). Chambers has 25 TD receptions and needs three more to surpass Gibson (27 from 1967-69).
Chambers' No. 2 rankings are for single-season receiving yards (1,006 in 2004) behind Jim Kick (1,147 in 1981), single-season punt return yards (267, 2003), and kickoff return average (26.9 in 2004 behind Fred Miller (27.9 in 1992).
Strong area support
Other Youngstown-area starters are offensive left tackle Nelton Neal (Warren Harding), a four-year regular; junior cornerback Steve Boyle (Howland), junior defensive tackle Logan Malie (Sharon) and junior wide receiver Tom McIntire (Reynolds).
No. 2 players on the depth chart are junior outside linebacker Chris Hlinka (Chaney), sophomore wide receiver Mark LaScola (Wellsville), junior defensive end Robert Hughes (Rayen), junior fullback Greg Gustovich (McDonald) and sophomore defensive tackle Denver Goodman (Mineral Ridge).
McIntire, a senior wide receiver, is Thiel's second-leading receiver with 37 catches for 462 yards and two TDs.
LaScola, a sophomore WR, is the No. 3 receiver with 18 catches for 356 yards and three TDs.
Boyle, a junior cornerback, ranks No. 4 in tackles with 26.5, and has three interceptions and four pass breakups.
Gustovich, a junior OLB, has punted six times for a 34-yard average, while Malie, a junior DTR, has 21.5 tackles, including four for losses of eight yards.
Rest of area roster
Rounding out the area delegation are seniors Sixto Rivera (FB, Chaney) and Kenneth Avery (SS, Farrell) and sophomores Michael Mukaabya (free safety, Union) and Caleb Quimby (OL, New Castle); and freshmen Rick Hlinka (QB, Chaney), David Myers (TB, Crestview), Adam Moore (free safety, Union), Eddie Dekker (K, Mercer), David Dillon (WR, Brookfield) and Josh Bable (DE, Union).
kovach@vindy.com