South Fayette looks to turn hard-luck losses into conference wins

By: Chris Harlan
Wednesday, August 10, 2022 | 8:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

There was a zero in the wins column, but South Fayette’s conference record didn’t tell the entire story.

Yes, the Lions finished 0-5. But as they start this season, they’re still confident they’re a team that can compete in the rugged Allegheny Six, even if the conference standings from last year didn’t always show it. Look closer at 2021 and you’ll see a team that had chances that got away.

Capitalizing on those opportunities is key.

“When you go back, and we watch film all offseason, we were very close in games,” said coach Joe Rossi, entering his 16th season at South Fayette. “Against Moon, we were at the 1-yard line to tie it and we couldn’t punch it in on first and goal. Saint Clair we’re up two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and they score on a Hail Mary to beat us.

“We had a couple losses where we laid an egg but not too many. With most of the games in this league, you can’t have mistakes. They’re magnified.”

South Fayette finished 4-6 overall with four nonconference wins, but losing seasons by the Lions have become rare. Consider, this was their first since 2008, which was Rossi’s second as the team’s coach.

So, the team is chasing a bounce-back year.

The Lions graduated a strong senior class including a 1,700-yard passer, but they return enough experience to compete and have a dynamic playmaker in Nate Deanes. The 5-foot-9, 175-pound junior is a wide receiver, running back, kick returner and defensive back who also makes calls for the defense.

“Nate Deanes is just an overall great football player for us,” Rossi said. “We’re a fairly young group, we lost some good seniors, but some good pieces are back.”

Deanes earned first-team all-conference honors last season as the Lions’ leading rusher with 602 yards on 129 carries. He added 318 receiving yards on 27 catches.

Rossi said coaches will move Deanes around the offense this season, playing him more as a slot receiver. The return of senior running back Christian Brandi (225 rushing yards) and the growth of sophomore Talan Mizenko give South Fayette some position flexibility.

The quarterback spot is less settled.

The likely starter is junior Nico Lamonde, a 6-2, 170-pound passer. But freshman Drew Welhorsky (5-11, 160) is also in contention to replace last year’s starter Landon Lutz, who passed for 1,714 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior.

“Both are getting some nice reps,” Rossi said. “Nico is probably the front runner right now, but Drew has done a really nice job for a freshman.”

Along with Deanes, junior Michael Gimigliano and senior Wesmyn Wright are returning wide receivers. Junior Dom Monz, a transfer from Seton LaSalle, bolsters the wideouts. Monz played for South Fayette as a freshman.

“He was really dynamic at the JV level,” Rossi said. “We were sad to lose him but obviously welcome him back with open arms.”

Solidifying the offensive and defensive lines are seniors Cameron Rosinsky and Nate Sponik and juniors Tim Haviland and Matt Boyce. Boyce also transferred back from Seton LaSalle.

The Lions return more experience on defense than offense. Among those who contributed last season are Deanes, Brandi, Mizenko, linebackers Spence Hondru and Morgan Spagnolo and defensive back Connor Cirra.

This fall will be South Fayette’s third season in Class 5A. The Lions went 3-2 in conference in 2020 and earned a playoff spot. They’re hoping to find similar success again.

“Last year we felt we could have snuck a few wins,” Rossi said. “Moon goes to the title game and we were right there with them (in the Week 5 game). The league is that way. It’s going to be again this year as well.”

South Fayette

Coach: Joe Rossi

2021 record: 4-6, 0-5 in Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference

All-time record: 501-384-39

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.26 Chartiers Valley, 7

9.2 at West Allegheny, 7

9.9 Montour, 7

9.16 at Peters Township*, 7

9.23 Canon-McMillan, 7

9.30 Moon*, 7

10.7 at Plum, 7

10.14 at Baldwin*, 7

10.21 Bethel Park*, 7

10.28 at Upper St. Clair*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Landon Lutz*

147-249, 1,714 yards, 13 TDs

Rushing: Nate Deanes

129-602, 4 TDs

Receiving: Logan Yater*

57-485, 4 TDs

FAST FACTS

• South Fayette has won WPIAL titles in three different classifications: Class A in 1936 and ’64, Class 2A in 2010, ’13 and ’14 and Class 4A in 2018.

• Spolnik (defensive tackle) and Hondru (inside linebacker) earned all-conference honorable mention honors last season.

• South Fayette graduate Justin Watson (Class of 2014) is one two former WPIAL stars playing receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs. The other is Shady Side Academy grad Skyy Moore.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.