Vanderbilt commit Adam Gehm, Seneca Valley football’s ‘difference-maker,’ raring to leave his mark
-
Seneca Valley head coach Don Barclay demonstrates how to do linemen drills during football practice Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at NexTier Stadium at Seneca Valley High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Seneca Valley quarterback Andrew Loebig (11) looks to pass during football practice Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at NexTier Stadium at Seneca Valley High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Seneca Valley Cayden Parker (4) catches a pass during football practice Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at NexTier Stadium at Seneca Valley High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Christian Saeler (17) gets hyped up during football practice Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at NexTier Stadium at Seneca Valley High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Seneca Valley head coach Don Barclay overseeing drills during football practice Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at NexTier Stadium at Seneca Valley High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Seneca Valley quarterback Andrew Loebig (11) throws a deep pass during football practice Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at NexTier Stadium at Seneca Valley High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Seneca Valley quarterback Andrew Loebig (11) gets the team pumped up after football practice Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at NexTier Stadium at Seneca Valley High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Seneca Valley head coach Don Barclay talks to the team during football practice Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at NexTier Stadium at Seneca Valley High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Cayden Parker (4) catches a pass during drills at football practice Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at NexTier Stadium at Seneca Valley High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Tommy Wuycheck (68) competes in linemen drills during football practice Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at NexTier Stadium at Seneca Valley High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Adam Gehm (3) blocks for Cayden Parker (4) on a run play during football practice Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at NexTier Stadium at Seneca Valley High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Tommy Wuycheck (68) competes in linemen drills during football practice Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at NexTier Stadium at Seneca Valley High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
From left, Seneca Valley’s Cayden Parker, Adam Gehm Tommy Wuychecck are photographed during Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler Senior High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley’s Tommy Wuycheck during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley’s Cayden Parker during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley’s Cayden Parker during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley’s Adam Gehm during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley’s Adam Gehm during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley football players Cayden Parker, Tommy Wuycheck and Adam Gehm talk to sports editor Jake Merda Adams for an upcoming episode of "Eye on Sports" during Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Gricel Hernandez/Butler Eagle
JACKSON TWP — When a football team has a unique weapon, it’s best to use it.
First-year Seneca Valley football coach Don Barclay plans to do exactly that.
Adam Gehm returns for his senior season at tight end for the Raiders. The three-star recruit ranked the No. 48 TE in the country by 247 Sports is committed to Vanderbilt. He is immediately concerned with more of an impact offensively for Seneca Valley this fall.
And Barclay loves it.
“He should be a difference-maker for us,” Barclay said. “A tight end with that kind of frame and athletic skill? We need him to touch the ball at least eight times a game for us, if not more.”
Gehm, 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, likes the sound of that.
He caught approximately 10 passes for 100 yards last season. As a sophomore, he pulled in 20 passes for 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
“I’d love to be more of a focal point. I’m hoping that happens,” Gehm said. “My biggest goal is to score more touchdowns in the red zone. I know I can be an impact player there.
“As an offense, we didn’t throw the ball much at all last year, maybe five to 10 times a game. We’re more experienced in the passing game this year, and I’m looking forward to seeing us open things up more.”
Gehm should make an impact in a variety of ways. When he’s not catching the football, he is an imposing blocker in the running game.
“Adam is a strong tight end all the way around,” Barclay said. “He’s such a big target in the passing game. ... I know we’re going to get good work out of him in a variety of ways. He’s gotten stronger physically and that’s going to help, too.”
Being a standout player at his position is a benefit few high school teams have.
“It is rare for a high school team to have a gifted tight end like him,” Barclay said of Gehm. “He can create a lot of problems because defenses just don’t see that. We need to make that work for us.”
Gehm said he wants to catch a handful of passes per game and become a prime target for quarterback Andrew Loebig.
“Having Andrew back helps because we’re familiar with each other,” Gehm said. “I think we’ll be more effective as a tandem this year. Playing 6A football in the WPIAL is rough. The games are so physical up front, and I hope to force opponents to account for me more this year.”
Besides playing tight end, Gehm will line up at defensive end for the Raiders.
He has plenty of motivation to shine on that side of the ball as well.
“We made the playoffs last year, but we were below .500,” Gehm said. “We need to have a winning season, get a higher seed this time. I want to help make that happen.”
