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Mid Penn Conference – Keystone Division (AAAAA)
Head Coach: Chris Pavone – 5th season
Key Returning Players: Braedon Basehore (Sr., OL/DL), Alex Csongradi (Sr., RB/DB), Jackson Kipp (Sr., OL/DL), Roman Russek (Sr., QB/DB), Aaron Villifane (Sr., RB/LB), Ryan Craig (Jr., OL/DL), Chris Kleinfelter (Jr., OL/DL), Anthony Pinko (Jr., TE/LB), Jackson Smith (Jr., OL/DL), Kyler Sparks (Jr., FB/LB), Mason Kyper (So., WR/DB), Jaxin Robinson (So., QB/DB)
Emerging Game Changers: Geno Doone (Sr., TE/LB), Adam McKelvey (Sr., FB/LB), Joshua Tshudy (Sr., TE/DL), Brayden Buffington (So., WR/DB), Tyler Craig (So., OL/DL), Owen Kupstas (So., TE/LB), Coda Jones (Fr., FB/LB)
Palmyra Football Season Outlook
There were plenty of moments in 2025 when Palmyra wasn’t far away.
Now, with experience returning throughout the lineup and a promising group of younger players developing, the Cougars believe they may be entering a window in which close games can start turning their way.
Palmyra finished 3-7 last fall, but three losses during one four-week stretch were decided by a combined five points. The Cougars lost to Shippensburg 13-12 before responding the following week with a 9-7 victory over Waynesboro that snapped a 27-game Keystone Division losing streak.
“Ultimately, we were super close in a lot of games in 2025 and with a lot of experience coming back across the board, we are excited in the potential this fall for our program,” Head Coach Chris Pavone said.
Nowhere is that experience more apparent than on offense.
Palmyra returns all five starting offensive linemen, along with senior quarterback Roman Russek, who enters the season with more than 15 varsity starts. Russek completed 88 of 155 passes for 975 yards and six touchdowns last fall while adding 257 rushing yards and four scores.
In front of him, seniors Braedon Basehore and Jackson Kipp join juniors Ryan Craig, Chris Kleinfelter, and Jackson Smith to give the Cougars uncommon continuity up front.
There will be new opportunities at the skill positions following the graduation of Travis McDannell, Brayden Hoover, Braxtin Risser, Talon Speck, Nate Holt, and Riley Litzenberger.
Senior backs Aaron Villifane and Alex Csongradi provide experience, while sophomore Jaxin Robinson gained valuable varsity snaps as a freshman, rushing for 172 yards and also seeing time at quarterback. Mason Kyper is another young player who already has significant varsity experience after intercepting four passes as a freshman.
Those younger contributors are a big reason Pavone likes where the program is headed.
“We seem to be entering our ‘window’ with some really solid juniors and sophomores working their way up in our program and mixing with a solid group of seniors who are ‘Team First,'” Pavone said.
That senior class carries additional significance. It is the first group Pavone and his staff have coached continuously since ninth grade, giving the Cougars veteran leaders who have spent four years growing within the program.
Defensively, Palmyra returns experience at all three levels.
Junior Kyler Sparks recorded 35 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and three sacks last season, while Basehore contributed seven tackles for loss and two sacks. Junior Anthony Pinko returns after making 55 tackles and recovering two fumbles, including one for a touchdown, while Villifane recorded 61 tackles.
There is also playmaking experience in the secondary. Kyper intercepted four passes, Sid Harrison had three, and Louis Loew, Wyatt Fogleman, and Robinson add additional options on the back end.
The Cougars must replace Peter Diguardia and Jake Schelhorn, but the amount of returning experience should ease that transition. Seniors Geno Doone, Adam McKelvey, and Joshua Tshudy, sophomores Brayden Buffington, Tyler Craig, and Owen Kupstas, and freshman Coda Jones are among those expected to compete for larger roles.
Palmyra also returns experience on special teams with Brenden Crout at kicker, Pinko at punter, Csongradi in the return game, and Craig handling long-snapping duties.
Across all three phases, the desired identity is the same: play fast, physical, and aggressive football while limiting mistakes and creating game-changing opportunities.
The schedule will quickly show how much last year’s experience has mattered.
Palmyra opens against Garden Spot before traveling to Red Land and returning home against Mifflin County. From there comes a challenging Mid-Penn slate featuring Hershey, Waynesboro, Northern York, Mechanicsburg, Lower Dauphin, Gettysburg, and Shippensburg.
The Cougars spent much of last season learning just how small the difference between winning and losing can be.
With a senior class that has spent four years growing within Pavone’s program, a deep junior group, and sophomores who already have varsity experience, Palmyra believes its opportunity is beginning to arrive.
Now comes the challenge of turning close into wins.
2026 Palmyra Football Schedule
| Date | Opponent | H/A | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Aug. 28 | Garden Spot | H | 7:00 PM |
| Fri., Sept. 4 | Red Land | A | 7:00 PM |
| Fri., Sept. 11 | Mifflin County | H | 7:00 PM |
| Fri., Sept. 18 | Hershey | A | 7:00 PM |
| Fri., Sept. 25 | Waynesboro | H | 7:00 PM |
| Fri., Oct. 2 | Northern York | H | 7:00 PM |
| Fri., Oct. 9 | Mechanicsburg | A | 7:00 PM |
| Fri., Oct. 16 | Lower Dauphin | H | 7:00 PM |
| Fri., Oct. 23 | Gettysburg | A | 7:00 PM |
| Fri., Oct. 30 | Shippensburg | A | 7:00 PM |
2026 Palmyra Football Roster
| # | Player | Year | Position | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aaron Villifane | Sr. | RB/LB | 5’8″ | 190 |
| 2 | Mason Kyper | So. | WR/DB | 5’10” | 145 |
| 3 | Louis Loew | Jr. | WR/DB | 5’8″ | 140 |
| 4 | Sid Harrison | Jr. | WR/DB | 5’8″ | 145 |
| 5 | Jaxin Robinson | So. | QB/DB | 6’1″ | 160 |
| 6 | Adam McKelvey | Sr. | FB/LB | 5’9″ | 185 |
| 7 | Brenden Crout | Sr. | K | 5’6″ | 125 |
| 8 | Roman Russek | Sr. | QB/DB | 6’2″ | 200 |
| 10 | Camden Cope | So. | QB/DB | 5’6″ | 120 |
| 11 | Owen Kupstas | So. | TE/LB | 5’10” | 215 |
| 12 | Logan Oum | Sr. | WR/DB | 5’11” | 145 |
| 13 | Wyatt Fogleman | Sr. | RB/DB | 5’9″ | 150 |
| 14 | Joshua Tshudy | Sr. | TE/DL | 6’5″ | 230 |
| 15 | Micah Porter | Jr. | WR/DB | 6’0″ | 145 |
| 17 | Brayden Buffington | So. | WR/DB | 6’2″ | 170 |
| 18 | Elijah Reed | Jr. | WR/DB | 5’8″ | 135 |
| 19 | Ethan Sargen | So. | WR/DB | 5’10” | 155 |
| 20 | Brandon Curry | Fr. | WR/DB | 5’7″ | 120 |
| 21 | Matthew Burns | Sr. | WR/DB | 6’2″ | 170 |
| 22 | Caden Varney | So. | RB/DB | 5’6″ | 130 |
| 23 | Marcus Wahby | So. | FB/LB | 5’8″ | 160 |
| 24 | Chandler John | Fr. | FB/LB | 5’8″ | 150 |
| 25 | Alex Csongradi | Sr. | RB/DB | 5’9″ | 180 |
| 26 | Dominick Conlin | Fr. | WR/DB | 5’9″ | 125 |
| 27 | Cadin Smith | Jr. | RB/LB | 5’7″ | 160 |
| 28 | Andy Csongradi | Fr. | WR/LB | 5’6″ | 140 |
| 31 | Jayden Hernandez | So. | RB/LB | 5’7″ | 160 |
| 32 | Marcus Henry | Fr. | TE/LB | 5’8″ | 155 |
| 33 | Carter Reigle | Fr. | RB/LB | 5’8″ | 150 |
| 34 | Coda Jones | Fr. | FB/LB | 5’11” | 170 |
| 37 | Korbin Bashore | Jr. | WR/DB | 5’7″ | 130 |
| 38 | Kyler Sparks | Jr. | FB/LB | 5’8″ | 180 |
| 44 | Geno Doone | Sr. | TE/LB | 5’10” | 210 |
| 47 | Eliel Solano | So. | WR/DB | 5’5″ | 140 |
| 51 | Garrison John | So. | OL/DL | 6’0″ | 260 |
| 54 | Noah Siegrist | So. | OL/DL | 6’3″ | 235 |
| 55 | Ryan Craig | Jr. | OL/DL | 6’0″ | 270 |
| 56 | Braedon Basehore | Sr. | OL/DL | 5’10” | 220 |
| 57 | Tyler Craig | So. | OL/DL | 6’1″ | 240 |
| 58 | Noah Krupko | Jr. | OL/DL | 6’0″ | 220 |
| 62 | Thomas Knight | So. | OL/DL | 5’10” | 235 |
| 64 | Jackson Kipp | Sr. | OL/DL | 5’9″ | 230 |
| 67 | Wesley Ward | Sr. | MGR | 5’10” | 180 |
| 68 | Brayden Litzenberger | Fr. | OL/DL | 5’7″ | 225 |
| 71 | Remington Haldeman | So. | OL/DL | 5’9″ | 250 |
| 74 | Tyler Augenbaugh | So. | OL/DL | 6’1″ | 255 |
| 75 | Chris Kleinfelter | Jr. | OL/DL | 6’1″ | 230 |
| 76 | Jackson Smith | Jr. | OL/DL | 6’4″ | 260 |
| 77 | Gregory Stoak | Jr. | OL/DL | 5’9″ | 330 |
| 79 | Dakota Custer | Fr. | OL/DL | 5’8″ | 285 |
| 80 | Eli Diguardia | Fr. | TE/DL | 6’1″ | 185 |
| 82 | Wesley Craig | Fr. | FB/LB | 5’8″ | 170 |
| 84 | Kaiden Whitman | Fr. | OL/DL | 5’10” | 180 |
| 85 | Zachary Brown | Fr. | FB/LB | 5’5″ | 150 |
| 87 | Anthony Pinko | Jr. | TE/LB | 6’0″ | 200 |
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