Bucknell University Athletics
Slater, Matzura are not only teammates, they are roommates
8/19/2005 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 19, 2005
By Eric Thomas,
Sports Writer
Shamokin News-Item
Fans of the hit television show "Seinfeld" may remember an episode where Elaine found replacements for Jerry, George and Kramer. Kevin, Gene and Feldman were part of the "bizarro world," that made for one of the funniest episodes ever.
Something "bizarro" is taking place on the campus of Bucknell University, and it involves the football team, too.
A former Southern Columbia player and a former Mount Carmel player, best friends? The same two former local stars roommates? That is kind of bizarre, no?
But that is the situation now between Ryan Slater and Steve Matzura. The two used to slug it out on Friday nights either at the Silver Bowl or Tiger Stadium, and now, they are the best of friends and roommates.
"It's weird -- we talk about it all of the time," said Slater. "People ask us, `You guys were rivals in high school;' yeah, whatever -- now we're teammates and best friends, so it's great."
What makes this story so much better is that Matzura and Slater picked one another as their choice for roommate.
"I guess people think it is kind of odd, because Southern and Mount Carmel aren't supposed to get along, but once you go to college and you're on the same team, it's a totally different story."
"I'm sure that when they (Mount Carmel and Southern Columbia) play each other during the season they don't talk much that week," joked Bison head coach Tim Landis. "I think it is a great thing, and it speaks so well to the area high school football that we play. Now they come to college together, and they become teammates immediately, and now they are roommates. To me that is a great thing."
The two had known each other in name only and as competitors most of their football lives. Matzura was a defensive star on the last Red Tornadoes team that won a state championship back in 2002. That same year, Slater was a member of Jim Roth's first state championship at Southern since 1994. The next year, when Matzura was recovering from a nagging shoulder injury as a freshman for the Bison, Slater was filling in for an injured Henry Hynoski in the Tigers second straight state title victory.
"I didn't really know him too well in high school, just saw him on the field once and a while and just heard of him. I found out he is a real good guy just like me, even though we were rivals on the field," Matzura said. "When you become teammates, it's different. When you come from the (same) area growing up, you can relate to each other. I didn't think it would work out that we'd be this good of friends, but now we're roommates."
"I just remember him being all over the place making every tackle," Slater said. "I was thinking, `oh my God, he's so good.' Now he's on my team, and everything is good."
When Slater decided to make a visit to the Bucknell campus, it was Matzura who gave him the tour.
"When he came up, I didn't know what to expect from him, and I told my friends I was hosting a Southern kid -- and they said (jokingly), `Do you really want to?'" said Matzura. "I really didn't expect him to be such a good friend, and have it work out like this."
"We just clicked, and last year just became really good friends and hung out a lot, and it just ended up that way," Slater added. "I look to him a lot with just asking what to expect from practice and everything." Now, they are as close as ever, despite the Hatfield and McCoy relationship their alma maters will always have. Both will see significant playing time this season under Landis. Slater is listed as the first-team inside linebacker going into the season. Matzura, despite his time off from injury, was able to work his way up the two-deep roster as the second-team outside linebacker behind Jim Lachman.
Both also feel they will be successful based on their experience at winning big games in high school.
"I think that's something that coaches look for all of the time, players who know how to win and come in with a winning attitude. I think that's something we carry with us, winning state championships, to the next level with us and win here," Slater said.
Both have also made the most of whatever playing time they have received over the last two years as well. After Matzura tore his shoulder muscle, he made only one appearance, that coming on the junior varsity team against Lackawanna when he logged seven tackles. Since then he has been a mainstay on the special teams.
Slater earned a varsity letter as a freshman last year, playing in 10 of 11 games, mainly, like Matzura, on special teams. Against Lackawanna, as a member of the junior varsity, Slater had six tackles and an interception.
Both have aspirations to be stars with the Bison before all is said and done. More importantly, because of their hard work and determination, they will have earned whatever time and starting positions they obtain this season.
The Bison coaching staff, specifically Landis and defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jared Backus, believe Matzura and Slater have what it takes to both be impact players and leaders as well.
"As a team we're really working hard on leadership," said Landis. "What I think we've all learned is that you can all be a leader by example, but at some point in time, to truly be an effective leader, you have to be a vocal leader as well, and I think that is the next step for Ryan. He is doing it by his play on the field, and he is doing it by the hard work in the classroom and off the field. I know Ryan wants to be one, and he will be an effective one."
As for Matzura, Landis believes his time has been spent well.
"That's why I look back at Steve's sophomore year last year, and him playing special teams and getting the opportunity to get into some playing time was a success for him. Now, we take another step, a step where he gets some playing time on the defensive side of the football as well as special teams."
"If you just sit back and realize the guys starting now at Bucknell had to do the same thing," said Matzura. "They were nobody when they got here, and now Sean Conover, Andy Decker, they're showing that they're superstars at this level. I think as long as you work hard, you can achieve that." For the upcoming season, Slater and Matzura will work together and will likely see time in the same formations together. Imagine that: a Southern Columbia Tiger and a Mount Carmel Red Tornado, rooming together and teaming up.
After hearing the story straight from Matzura and Slater, it really doesn't seem that bizarre after all.
