Big 30 Defense: Smethport’s Cooney Voted Player of the Year in Breakout Season

Bradford Era – by Jeff Uveino Travis Cooney’s talent was clear to Smethport’s coaching staff from the time he arrived as a freshman. Cooney didn’t just get a taste of varsity football as a 9th-grader in 2018 — he was the starting middle linebacker on a team that enjoyed an undefeated regular season and won two playoff games. Since then, he’s grown into one of the Big 30’s premier…

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Making the News: Fran DeLancey

Bradford Era – by Marcie Schellhammer The average time a person stays at a job in the U.S. is 4.1 years. But Fran DeLancey is anything but average. DeLancey retired last month after 43 years at The Bradford Era, where he was the Smethport-area correspondent. He described some of the changes he’s seen over his career. When he started, correspondents called in their stories over the phone, “and then…

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Smethport Defeats Curwensville – Earns Trip Back to Semis

Bradford Era – by Jesse Kolodkin Curwensville kept the game close but Smethport’s offense would not be denied on the way to a 46-27 playoff win. Smethport got off to a fast start, scoring twice before Curwensville scored once and taking a 12-0 lead. Noah Lent and Ryan Mason were finding lanes in the ground game and Lent took a great shot to Brandon Higley for a 25-yard touchdown….

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History of Backus Co. Heard at Historical Society Dinner

Bradford Era – by Fran De Lancey Jamie Pierotti, the guest speaker at the annual fall dinner meeting of the McKean County Historical Society Thursday, highlighted the history of The Backus Company in Smethport whose founder, John C. Backus, invented the automatic pinsetter for bowling in 1905. A prolific inventor, Backus contracted with another Smethport firm, Holmes and Gilfillen, to manufacture the pinsetter. “These original pinsetters were used by…

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Jack, Lent Look to Lead Smethport Back to Playoffs

Olean Times – by Jeff Uveino      With only three returning starters on each side of the ball, Adam Jack’s team will feature plenty of new faces this fall. Luckily for Jack and Smethport, however, his returners were some of the Hubbers’ most valuable players a season ago. Senior quarterback and reigning Big 30 Pennsylvania Player of the Year Noah Lent will lead a Hubbers team that hopes to…

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Smethport’s Alfieri Takes Golf Career to CalU, Hopefully Beyond

Bradford Era – by Nate Steis      Growing up just a few blocks away from a golf course has turned out to be a blessing for Connor Alfieri. The Smethport product will soon enter his second year golfing for the California University of Pennsylvania (CalU) Vulcans men’s golf team. His father, Tom, first introduced him to the game as a youth, as the duo would spend time at Smethport…

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Johnson Headlines Group of Big 30’s Impactful Smethport Defenders

Bradford Era – by Jeff Uveino      His 5-5, 145-pound frame might not stand out on the street. But as Braedon Johnson has shown throughout his career, it’s tough to miss him on the football field. Johnson starred at Smethport in four varsity seasons, growing into the team’s top offensive weapon while anchoring the Hubber defense from the secondary. He got two more chances to showcase his defensive talent…

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Smethport Area School District Superintendent David London Delivers Commencement Address

Bradford Era – by Fran De Lancey Smethport Area School District Superintendent David London spoke about leadership Friday evening when he delivered the commencement address to the Class of 2021 in the first outdoor graduation program in recent memory. “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things,” said London, quoting President Ronald Reagan. “He is the one who gets the people to do the…

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Smethport Students Release Fingerlings into Marvin Creek

Bradford Era – Fran De Lancey As part of the newly established Wildlife and Fisheries Studies science elective at Smethport Area Junior-Senior High School, ninth graders participated in the PA Trout in the Classroom for two semesters this school year. The second semester class released approximately 110 rainbow trout fingerlings — two-four inches long — in Marvin Creek in Smethport Friday morning. Class members are Kellie Kinney, Brooke Mandley,…

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Smethport Holds Parade, Follows Traditional Memorial Day Schedule

Bradford Era – by Fran De Lancey Lenny Anderson, past-commander of McKean County Post #2497 Veterans of Foreign Wars in Smethport, spoke Monday at the Memorial Day exercises in Smethport, which saw the return of the traditional parade and schedule after being interrupted last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Anderson reminded the audience not to forget the real meaning of this day. He said, “Memorial Day, to some,…

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