Mifflburg linebacker Isaiah Kurtz poised for breakout season at Mifflinburg High

A Pennsylvania Football News profile has given Mifflinburg linebacker Isaiah Kurtz a wider stage, and for a Union County program that just won its first outright district title, that kind of attention matters. Kurtz is listed as a Class of 2028 inside linebacker, No. 20, at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, and he also plays basketball for the Wildcats.

The profile shows why Mifflinburg believes Kurtz could become the next defensive centerpiece. His coach said Kurtz has added nearly 20 pounds since last season and has changed through work in the weight room and a stronger overall commitment. The coach called him “Isaiah Kurtz is another player who has completely transformed his body and commitment to the game over the last year.” Even without major varsity experience yet, the staff expects Kurtz to be a major piece at linebacker this fall, valuing his energy, toughness, leadership and the way he has influenced practice.

Kurtz’s own résumé fits the rise. He said he spent last season as a backup outside linebacker and on special teams, while also playing at the junior varsity level. He set clear goals for the fall, aiming for 100 tackles and a district championship. His profile also sketches the kind of player and fan he is, with Myles Garrett as his favorite sports star, Bill Belichick as the coach he would want making a high-pressure call, the Buffalo Bills as his favorite pro team and the 2023 Michigan-Penn State game as his favorite to watch. He said he wants to be like teammate John Parker Marr and listed Landon Murrary as his best opponent.

All of that comes against the backdrop of a Mifflinburg program that has shifted from hopeful to proven. Cody Botts, a 2016 Mifflinburg graduate and 2020 Lycoming College graduate, took over after Jason Dressler resigned and was approved by the school board on Feb. 22, 2024. In two seasons, Botts has gone 14-10 and guided the Wildcats to a 10-3 season in 2025, capped by a 35-12 win over Montoursville on Nov. 8, 2025, for the first outright District 4 Class 3A championship in school history. The 2002 title had been shared, making last fall a breakthrough for a program in PIAA District IV, Heartland Athletic Conference Division 2, with 463 students at 75 Market St. in Mifflinburg.

Botts’ selection to coach the District 4 South team in the June 19 UPMC North-South All-Star game at Milton’s Alumni Field only adds to the sense that Mifflinburg’s staff has become part of the broader District 4 conversation. If Kurtz keeps rising, the Wildcats may not be finished making that case.