BOYERTOWN >> Boyertown defensive end Michael Palmiero has understandably had some anxiety this offseason.

Palmiero and the team’s other seniors had their third head coach in four high school football seasons when the school hired Jami Sands in June. Getting to know someone new again wasn’t the ideal start to Palmeiro’s final season with the Bears.

But two months later, Palmiero is excited about what Sands and his coaching staff have in store as he prepares to finish his career in Boyertown.

“I was a little skeptical at first because this is our third high school coach,” Palmiero said. “When I heard good news about him, I started reaching out, and I really like him.”

Sands was a standout running back at Wilson High School, where he is in the school’s Hall of Fame, before playing at Kutztown. He was the defensive backs coach at Wilson High School for the past four seasons, helping the Bulldogs to a 30-12 record.

He takes over a Boyertown team that went 3-7 last season. Sands’ goal is to do his best to make sure Palmiero and his classmates have the senior season they deserve.

“If they can even put together an undefeated season this year, what have they overcome?” Sands said. “If they can do that, they’re a pretty tight-knit group.”

The Bears are aiming for a .500 record in 2024, an accomplishment they have not achieved since 2018. Their best season in the five years since then was a 5-6 record in 2022, which included a 5-5 regular season record.

Sands can work with about four to five returners on offense and three to four on defense.

“I’ve got a lot of guys running around that have accepted the roles I’ve given them,” Sands said. “There will be different faces in different places when the first snap happens against Upper Perkiomen (on Friday night).”

Most of these returnees come from the lines.

Palmiero and classmate Casey Shaak, an offensive and defensive player, are two players with experience. Junior offensive and defensive player Brody Ayres is a returning all-league player.

A few others also took turns at the front. Juniors Christian Calautti and Connor Houck were among those who stood out early on.

“Almost the entire product line is back this year, so we’re nothing new,” Shaak said.

Junior quarterback/safety Connor Foskey is expected to lead the offense behind the strong front-line group this season after quarterbacking the JV team last season. Senior running back/linebacker Nick Billetta and junior slot receiver/edge rusher Logan Oakes are two other names to keep an eye on for a group that will have to replace the all-league backfield of Cole Yesavage (1,462 rushing yards, 14 TDs in 2023) and Jason Oakes (363 yards, two TDs).

“I love the offense. It’s fun to run,” Foskey said. “I love the offensive coordinator, Coach Barr. He’s a great coach. He knows what he’s doing. I think we should do pretty well this year.”

Junior running back/linebacker Luke Hagan has earned a lot of praise as the mike linebacker. Senior linebacker/fullback Aidan McCullough will be another key part of the Bears defense.

Boyertown lost a couple of close shootouts last season to Pottsgrove (38-35) and Methacton (43-40), and this year’s team hopes to better control its opponents.

The players said things are different on that side of the ball, which also excited them.

“Our defense will definitely keep the number of goals down,” Oakes said. “Offensively, we’ll win a lot fewer games.”

Sands remembers facing Boyertown every year when he played at Wilson, so he is familiar with the program, but he is excited to meet the new players and coaches from the Pioneer Athletic Conference.

The Bears have another challenging task ahead of them in the Liberty Division, with Spring-Ford and Perkiomen Valley formidable as ever, alongside teams like Owen J. Roberts, Methacton and Norristown. Upper Perk, Exeter, Avon Grove and Downingtown East make up the list of amateur teams.

Sands said that despite the circumstances, his graduating class has a chance to accomplish something special that will last well beyond this season.

“If they can overcome that kind of adversity, keep their cool and make something good out of it, I think that’s really going to serve them well as they go along in life,” Sands said. “And that’s kind of cool. It’s one of those relationships where you see your teammates still being best friends 40 years later, 20 years later or whatever.”

Boyertown 2024 schedule (all games at 7 p.m.)

23.8. against Upper Perkiomen
30.8. in Exeter Township
9/6 against Avon Grove
9/13 in Downingtown East
20.9. in Methacton
27.9. in Perkiomen Valley
10/4 at Owen J. Roberts
10/11 against Spring-Ford
18.10. against Norristown
25.10., to be announced (PAC crossover game)

Originally published: August 21, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.