Mifflinburg’s Isaiah Kurtz earns Academic All-American football honor

Isaiah Kurtz’s climb from offseason project to Academic All-American gives Mifflinburg football a different kind of headline heading into 2026. The Mifflinburg High School standout was named to High School Football America’s 2025 Pennsylvania Academic All-American team, a group that honors varsity contributors who posted at least a 3.7 GPA or a 92 on a 100-point scale.

Kurtz’s profile shows why his recognition reaches beyond a simple award. EasternPAFootball.com listed the Class of 2028 linebacker at 6-foot and 210 pounds, wearing No. 20, with a 4.9-second 40-yard dash and a 4.0 GPA. He plays basketball as well, a detail that fits the kind of multi-sport discipline local families often look for in a student-athlete, especially in a small-program setting like Mifflinburg.

Coach Cody Botts said Kurtz did not have an every-down starting role last season, but transformed himself in the offseason. Botts said Kurtz added more than 25 pounds, became one of the team’s offseason leaders and is expected to play a major role at inside linebacker in 2026. That combination of academic consistency and physical development is what has pushed Kurtz into a more visible place on the Wildcats’ roster.

The honor lands at a moment when Mifflinburg football has real momentum to protect. The Wildcats finished 10-3 in 2025, won the District 4 Class 3A championship on Nov. 7 with a 35-12 victory over Montoursville, and claimed the program’s first district championship game win. They also beat Danville 56-14 in the playoff bracket and shut out Lewisburg 35-0 on Oct. 25.

The larger meaning for Union County is hard to miss. A player from Mifflinburg with a 4.0 GPA, a growing frame and a likely expanded defensive job represents the pipeline the Wildcats are trying to build: students who can handle the classroom, develop physically and carry a winning program forward. For younger athletes watching from the stands and for families tracking what Mifflinburg football is becoming, Kurtz is the clearest example yet of that standard taking hold.