New Brighton ready to move forward after challenging season

By: Jonathan Bombulie
Friday, August 18, 2023 | 7:01 PM

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When a team goes winless like New Brighton did last season, it has two options.

Players can either burn the memory into their brains and use it as motivation or they can burn the game tapes and immediately turn the page.

Lions coach Tony Caltury decided to take a little from column A and a little from column B.

Throughout the long winter and spring months, Caltury wanted the winless season to motivate players in the weight room.

“It was energetic motivation — to show that’s not New Brighton football and what the program is going to be,” Caltury said.

Then, once the weather turned warmer and the Lions returned to the field, it was time to put the zero in the rear-view mirror.

“We sort of wiped the slate clean at the start of summer and focused on 2023,” Caltury said. “We can only worry about what’s happening today and what we can do today.”

That healthy balance of looking back and looking forward has New Brighton feeling more optimistic heading into 2023. A whole of bunch of returning starters also helps.

“With the way our season went, a lot of our guys might not have been ready, but they got varsity experience,” Caltury said. “That’s invaluable. Coming into this season, they’re ready for the Friday night lights.”

The experience begins under center with Brian Taylor back for a second season as starter.

“We fully expect him to take leaps and bounds this year,” Caltury said. “He had a great offseason. Been at the gym since January. He has a stronger grasp of the offense and really has matured since last year.”

Giante Moore, who was injured in Week Zero last season, is back and should be a focal point of the offense. Nyzier Humphries is also a key ball carrier.

Mike Veon is a sophomore receiver who showed promise at the end of his freshman year.

Perhaps most importantly, four starters return on the line — seniors Hunter Lewis, Payton Predko and Travis Davis and junior Brayden Dietz.

“We want to play as fast as we can within our scheme,” Caltury said. “It’s tough being a 2A team. We’ve got 28 kids on the roster, so most of our kids are playing both ways and special teams. When we can, when we think there’s an opportunity, we will play fast, but we also have the option to slow it down when necessary.”

The strength of the defense looks to be at middle linebacker with Lewis and Predko.

Moore and Taylor are the safeties with Veon holding down one of the corner spots. Davis, Travis and Tyler Marquette will be counted on in the trenches with Humphries and Jayden Salada at outside linebacker.

“Alignment and assignment,” Caltury said, describing the emphasis this preseason on the defensive side. “Not doing anything outside of what we’re taught to do. Playing with high energy and getting to the football. Our approach is to get 11 guys to the football on every single play and create some chaos when we can.”

New Brighton

Coach: Tony Caltury

2022 record: 0-10, 0-7 in Class 2A Midwestern Athletic Conference

All-time record: 563-495-59

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.25 Laurel, 7

9.1 Hopewell, 7

9.8 at Rochester, 7

9.15 Beaver Falls*, 7

9.22 at Mohawk*, 7

9.29 Neshannock*, 7

10.6 at Ellwood City*, 7

10.14 at Western Beaver*, 12:30

10.20 Riverside*, 7

10.27 at Freedom*, 7:30 pm

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Brian Taylor Jr.

Rushing: Nyzier Humphries

Receiving: Kyler Rombold*

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• New Brighton has made the WPIAL playoffs in three of the last five seasons, winning a first-round game in 2019 and 2021.

• New Brighton has won three WPIAL football titles, claiming back-to-back championships in 1950-51 and beating Jeannette, 35-6, to claim the Class AA title in 1994.

• With 138 boys in grades 10-12, New Brighton is the fifth-smallest Class 2A school in WPIAL football. The smaller schools are Washington (133), Ligonier Valley (134), Brentwood (134) and Apollo-Ridge (135).

• New Brighton’s closest loss last season was an 18-13 setback against Ellwood City. QB Brian Taylor Jr. threw for one touchdown and ran for another.

Jonathan Bombulie is the TribLive assistant sports editor. A Greensburg native, he was a hockey reporter for two decades, covering the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 17 seasons before joining the Trib in 2015 and covering the Penguins for four seasons, including Stanley Cup championships in 2016-17. He can be reached at jbombulie@triblive.com.

Tags: New Brighton