Opening night recap: There's light at the end of the tunnel for Dieruff

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/ FROM KEITH GROLLER I don't want to make too much of it because sports is about winners and losers and Dieruff lost on Friday night to Pocono Mountain East. It was 39-12, which is still a lopsided outcome. But the Huskies impressed me in a couple of way. No. 1, I really like the enthusiasm and fiery spirit of Kyle Beller. I know some people questioned it when he was hired, thinking the school should have gone with someone more proven and established. But beller gives this program what it needs and that's a shot of adrenaline. I can't imagine someone who cares more, someone more determined than Beller. As is the case almost every Friday night, reporters get to go on the field as the coaches are talking to their team in the postgame huddle. I got down to catch Dieruff before they left the field and was very impressed with how Beller talked to the kids after the loss to Pocono Mountain East. He was upbeat and encouraging while still emphasizing that much more work needs to be done. He struck the right tone. He knows that it would be easy for his kids to slip into old habits and get discouraged when they are not being rewarded with wins. Beller is not going to let these kids get down on themselves. No. 2, the players didn't quit. Down 28-0, they kept battling, kept hitting. No. 3, a number of Husky individuals stood out, especially quarterback Quentin Williams and running backs Shakur Lester and Kasey Myers. I also liked the overall hustle of Jovon Reyes, Eddie Rodriguez, Matt Riddick and others. Some of these kids can play. Look, Dieruff may not win two games this season. The Huskies may not win one. But I believe that with Beller in place and some good, young kids in the program, there is a future there that will include more competitive football. And if you care about this program, that's all you can ask. *********** As for the rest of the MVC, I think the league has to be pleased with opening-night results. While East beat Dieruff in a league game, ES South and Pocono Mountain posted impressive nonleague wins over Lehigh Valley Conference competition and believe me, that's the measuring stick for most of these MVC progams. They feel overshadowed by the LVC, and anytime they can beat a LVC, it's big. Yes, preseason favorite Stroudsburg lost to Northampton, but I get the sense that not a lot of tears were shed for Joe Bernard. It seems that Joe, for whatever reason, has ruffled some feathers in his short time in the MVC. ES North got a win over Honesdale and Pleasant Valley gave Nazareth a more competitive game that it did a year ago. Finally, a big thank you to Cardinals coach Phil Dorn, AD Bob Bailey and the rest of the staff at PM East for treating me so well. And especially, I have to thank the custodians who let me stay late after the game in the pressbox so that I could get my story and stats back to Allentown in time. It was my first football game at East and I was generally impressed with the whole operation, including the refreshment stand, and the professionalism in the pressbox. I hope to be back.