Union/A-C Valley’s football team is a consolidation of two high schools. That doesn’t mean its roster numbers are sizable.

In fact, they’re small.

As in tiny.

The Falcon/Knights will field a 22-player team when their season begins Aug. 27 at Brockway.

While players on the team constantly try recruiting others in their respective high schools to come out for football, those efforts are usually done in vain.

“These are just two really small schools,” Falcon Knight head coach Brad Dittman said. “There’s maybe 40 boys in each class. There’s just not that many kids to choose from.”

Yet this team wins — and is primed to win again.

Union/A-C Valley won five of the seven games it played last season. The Falcon Knights have qualified for the District 9 playoffs in each of the past three seasons.

Carter Terwint was the district’s Small School Defensive MVP and Caden Rainey was the Small School Offensive MVP. Both guys are back. Both guys are leaders.

Dittman puts a lot of defensive responsibility on Terwint, who plays linebacker. The senior makes sure everyone is in the right place on every play — and welcomes that added duty.

“I like it being on my shoulders,” he said.

Rainey never comes off the field. He returns punts and kickoffs, plays receiver and runs the ball, was a cornerback last year moving to safety, and may even get some time at quarterback this season.

He doesn’t care.

Whatever it takes to win.

The secret to this program’s success?

Conditioning — and having attitudes like those two players.

Dittman believes one of the plusses to having a small roster is no potential complaints about a lack of playing time.Because everybody plays.

Rarely does this team play anybody with smaller numbers. The revamped District 9 Football League has enabled the Falcon Knights to play a full schedule against other Class A teams, however.

Regardless, Union/A-C Valley’s football success comes from commitment, unselfishness and desire.

Those three elements can take any high school team a long way.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle