OLD FORGE — Max Urbas never thought he’d play football in high school.
He excelled as a basketball and baseball player at Forest City, but the school does not have a football team. It does, however, offer the sport through a co-sponsorship with Carbondale Area.
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Even presented with an opportunity, the 6-foot-2, 260-pounder was hesitant at first.
Then, encouraged after a meeting with Carbondale Area head coach Jeff Arthur, Urbas joined the varsity team as an inexperienced athlete his junior year. He loved it so much, it quickly became his passion and he developed into a physical two-way, all-star lineman.
On Wednesday, Urbas will play for the County in the 91st Scranton Lions Club Dream Game at John Henzes/Veterans Memorial Stadium.
“Playing in the Dream Game is something that I never even thought of,” Urbas said. “When I was elected for the Dream Game after two years of playing, it was shocking when the coach (Michael Schuback) sent me that text that I was actually on the team. I knew that I worked hard, and I really wanted to be here for this game.
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“I am just really glad that I get to represent Forest City and Carbondale through that hard work, and I think people in both towns will appreciate it.”
After taking the leap and making the decision to give football a chance, Urbas found out first hand the challenges, commitment, discipline, and knowledge a player must absorb to excel at full speed.
It took time and patience, but he still enjoyed every second of that first season.
“I felt like this was something I should have been doing my whole life,” Urbas said. “I just love it. I realized that I missed out on a lot.
“My first week, we played Nanticoke, and those guys were all 6-foot-3 and above and 250 pounds. They were tough dudes. I kept slanting inside because I didn’t know what I was doing. After a while, I learned how to shed blocks and how to get around guys. Once I learned how to play, it became a blast.”
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While becoming more enamored with football, Urbas continued to compete in his first two sports, basketball, where he was a sharpshooter, and baseball, where he was a slugger.
A year in the weight room paid dividends, and the 6-2, 270-pound Urbas entered his senior year confident, stronger, and more aggressive.
His work ethic at practice translated to success on the field.
Urbas teamed with Elijah Houdershieldt, an All-Region defensive lineman, to form an imposing front line. Carbondale Area rebounded from a Week 1 loss to Lakeland, where the defense gave up 40 points, and became the top-ranked unit in the Lackawanna Football Conference Division III. The Chargers yielded 209.4 total yards and 129.0 yards rushing per game on the way to the District 2 Class 3A playoffs.
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“At the start of my senior year, I started playing on offense and defense,” Urbas said. “Elijah and I had some good guys up front with us, Chase Roche and Jaiden Keller; they are big strong boys. We formed a really good line.”
Following his second full season in the sport, Urbas, 18, locked down first-team LFC Division III all-star honors on both sides of the ball to secure his spot on the County all-star roster.
His performances drew attention from college recruiters, and the relative novice chose to continue his football career at Bloomsburg University.
“I knew that I wanted to do it at the start of my senior year,” Urbas said. “Baseball was always there for me. Football is just a different game. You don’t know it until you play it. It was crazy, and to have an opportunity to go to a PSAC school is just amazing.”
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Before heading to preseason camp, Urbas is making the most of competing in practice against the best players the LFC has to offer at Old Forge Veterans Memorial Stadium.
He is eagerly awaiting the moment his name is announced on the loudspeaker during player introductions.
“This is awesome,” Urbas said. “We have a great group of guys. Everybody is working. You are with true college-level players and the best of the best around. It is great to play with them as teammates. It is really cool and a lot of fun.”
