The Lowellville Rockets are halfway through the 2024-25 high school football season and the Rockets are 4-3. They are 5th place in the Scarlet Division and they are 2-2 in conference play. I had the chance to interview star receiver and safety Josh Pazel and tight end and middle linebacker AJ Boehlke.
Josh began his football career by playing running back in pee wee and junior high, but when he transitioned to high school he bacame a wide receiver. Josh says his strongest attribute on the field is his speed. He says, “I’m a national track athlete so it’s hard for them (the opponent) to keep up.”
Josh’s goal for this season is to rack up 1,000 receiving yards because it’s the most well known milestone for a wide receiver. In Josh’s opinion the hardest thing about being a wide receiver is how he always has a job. “It gets very tiring because you always have to be doing something, like blocking or going out for a pass every play even if you know you aren’t going to get the ball.”
Josh says his favorite thing about high school football is “Playing with people I have played with my whole life because we have field chemistry.”
AJ Boehlke, a junior, has been playing Lowellville football since the third grade. AJ’s goal this year is to make All-State, get over 100 tackles, and make First Team All League. When asked about his strongest attribute on the field, AJ says, “My IQ because I can read what the opponents are running on offense and get to the ball sooner.”
AJ claims that the harvest part of playing middle linebacker is “having to set up the defense correctly and make sure everyone is lined up in their positions correctly.”
This year AJ is looking forward to playing the Springfield Tigers and possibly tie for first in the MVAC. AJ says his favorite thing about football is the bond with his teammates. “The bond we have with our teammates and I think it gives us the edge on other teams.”
Good Luck to the Rockets for the rest of their season!
