TimesLeader.com

October 1
Two of a kind

Twin brothers Paul and Eric Ofcharsky power Abington to 4-1 start

Gerard Hetman Abington Journal Correspondent

CLARKS SUMMIT - Growing up together as twins, Eric and Paul Ofcharsky have always pushed each other to excel in many different activities and programs while also having some fun along the way. Now, as senior members of the Abington Heights football team, the twins are teaming up to help power the Comets in the continued pursuit of excellence on the gridiron.

Above Paul, left and Eric Ofcharsky, right.

Abington Journal Photo/ Stephanie Walkowski

At the midway point of the 2008 season, Abington currently stands at 4-1 and is coming off a win over previously undefeated Wallenpaupack. Along the way, both Eric and Paul have contributed heavily to the team’s success on both sides of the ball: the brothers line up at cornerback on defense, with Eric playing tailback and Paul at wide receiver when the Comets are on offense. While either Paul or Eric may be the star performer in any given contest, both brothers are always the first to pick each other up after a bad play or critique the other’s performance after the final whistle.

“It’s fun to be out there playing together, but we’re normally the first one to bust on the other if we mess something up,” Eric said with a laugh. “We try to help each other out as much as we can.”

Mixing it up

While the twins are easy to tell apart during games and practices because of different jersey numbers, the duo often make a habit of having some good-natured fun by mixing up their identity to confuse friends, teachers, coaches and even their own parents. But according to head coach Joe Repshis, one thing that is definitely not mistaken when speaking about the Ofcharsky brothers is the dedication and leadership the duo have contributed to the program, both on and off the field.

“Both Paul and Eric have been tremendous student-athletes for us during their four years in the program. They are truly leaders by example and serve as great role models for our underclassmen,” Repshis said. “Perhaps the best example that demonstrates this is their involvement in our off-season conditioning program. Attendance is completely voluntary, and I don’t think either of the Ofcharsky brothers missed even one session this season.”

Still, Repshis admitted that telling the difference between the two is nearly impossible without their uniform jerseys on, and he and his assistants often fall victim to a case of mistaken identity around the school or after practice. “I see them together so often that I normally call them by their last name,” Repshis said. “They really are that similar.”

One game at a time

After playing together with many of their current teammates at the midget football and freshmen level, the brothers have developed a strong connection with the rest of the team that sees the squad progress through the season by focusing on each individual opponent as the teams come up on the schedule. With games against divisional rivals Scranton and Delaware Valley looming on the horizon, it may be easy for Paul and Eric to look ahead to the big games, but they insist that they and their fellow Comets stick to the approach of one game at a time that is instilled in the team by Repshis and his staff.

When asked to give an example of how the team comes together to prepare and plan for a game, Eric referenced the team’s long bus ride to face the formerly unbeaten Wallenpaupack. “Paul and I sat at the back of the bus on the ride up and just talked with one of our linemen, Collin Bremer, about everything in the game plan and what we needed to execute to be successful. Everyone took a positive mindset into that game and we came away with a big win.”

Looking ahead, Eric and Paul say that while they both would like to study communications in college, they are undecided on where they will attend school after graduation in the spring. At the moment, they are just focused on having a strong senior year- both academically and athletically- and keeping the Comets football season rolling for as long as possible.

“I think as long as we keep taking things one game at a time, we have the opportunity to make a good run in the playoffs,” Paul said of the team’s postseason chances. “We’ve improved as a team in every game that we’ve played this season, and hopefully we can keep building as we go along.”