NTL FOOTBALL: NEW SAYRE COACH INFULENCED BY NTL COACHING LEGEND (June 17, 2026)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
SAYRE — New Sayre football coach Guy Kapichok played for the legendary Miller A. Moyer at Canton, and plans on implementing a lot of what made his teams successful.

"Just about everything we do will be influenced by Coach Miller," said Kapichok.

"Everything I do, stressing being on time, being tough, executing, but showing some love, that's coach Miller," he noted.

"All the long play calls that Coach Miller had and that we'll be using were for a reason. We make all these line calls so that we can execute at a high level.

"I think about him every day when I do this because he would love the fact that our blast looks like our play-action pass," said Kapichok with a laugh.

Kapichok has been around football since playing at Mansfield University. He coached with Lyle Wesneski, then Tyler Sechrist at Canton, and Craig Dawsey at Towanda, and also played for the semi-pro Northern Tier Bruins, while raising his kids.

He took a job at Sayre as a wood shop teacher three years ago, and was on the Redskin coaching staff last year.

"I coached with Ricky (Linblad) last year, and we were dealt a tough ship to sail," he said. "I enjoyed coaching with Rick and we did about as good as we could do when you lose your quarterback. 

"No team that lost their quarterback succeeded last year," noted Kapichok. "Look at Athens in the playoffs. Look at Jersey Shore in the playoffs.

"Every team that lost their quarterback struggled," added Kapichok. "We just lost ours four minutes into the year, and then used six different kids there the rest of the season."

Kapichok takes over a Sayre program that has two wins in the last three seasons and has lost 14 in a row.

He agrees that building numbers and changing the culture are two of the immediate goals.

"I was a little disappointed in our recruiting," he said. "We had a list of 40 kids through the school ... we got some of them, so we'll take it.

"We're at 25 kids, and I was worried we might be at 16, so we got about nine kids to come out," he noted. "I feel like we're solid there.

"We're having excellent practices, but I'm ready for Montrose (scrimmage) ... we're executing good, but we have no litmus test against other competition.

"Culture-wise, it's been about being on time, showing respect, and working your butt off ... and the kids have worked their butt off," added Kapichok. "They're changing the culture. I don't have to do any of that."

Kapichok's staff will consist of Kevin Craig at offensive coordinator, Bill Johnston at line coach, and Brian Musick at linebacker coach.

Kapichok reason for pursuing the job when it opened last fall dates back to 2022.

"I felt horrible when that season got canceled," he said. "I was coaching in Towanda, but I put myself in their shoes and I don't blame kids that aren't here anymore. 

"I don't know if I would have stayed here, but the kids that stayed here deserve coaching," Kapichok said.

Kapichok said his goals for his teams aren't necessarily based on wins and losses.

"Our goals are to play it 100 percent every snap, and then turn around at the end of the game and look at the scoreboard," he said. 

"Really, our goals are to stretch the field a little bit on offense," noted Kapichok. "It was a little bit too tight last year, it limited us in what we could do. 

"And we need to get 11 guys to the ball on defense.

"Every coach knows how to win," noted Kapichok. "You run the ball, and stretch the field vertically on offense. On defense, you tackle, and then on special teams, you cover and you win the turnover battle. 

"Every coach knows how to win. It's just having enough guys to get in there and do it," he added.

Kapichok wants to get involved with the youth program, but knows he has to get the varsity team's house in order first.

"We had a youth camp, and probably 15 kids there," said Kapichok.
 
"If we (the varsity team) come out and do our thing, and look good ... it's up to us to put a good product on the field. and have the youth run out with us and be proud to be with us," he added.

Sayre opens the season Aug. 28 at home against Towanda.



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