CTK ’16: 5-A Big East Conference Preview

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, August 19, 2016 | 9:25 AM

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The 5A Big East Conference bares a strong resemblance for the former Quad-A Foothills Conference, as Connellsville, Greater Latrobe, Kiski Area, McKeesport, Penn-Trafford and Plum all remain intact. The other three spots, though, are comprised of teams previously in the AAA Greater Allegheny Conference, Franklin Regional, Gateway and Armstrong.

Six of the nine squads qualified for the postseason last year, with Penn-Trafford reaching Heinz Field for the Quad-A title game and McKeesport also ranking among Quad-A’s best. If the Warriors and Tigers take even a slight step back this year, though, the conference could be wide open.

Of the three teams that did not reach the postseason last year, Gateway turns to a new coach to try to regain the success of past years, while Connellsville and Greater Latrobe aim to become more competitive and score some upsets.

Here’s a look at the teams that comprise the new section, and what 2016 may hold for the Big East Conference.

ARMSTRONG RIVER HAWKS

2015 was the inaugural football season for Armstrong, the newly-forced district resulting from the merger of Kittanning and Ford City. While the River Hawks were the new team in the WPIAL, they enjoyed immediate success, recording a 6-4 record. That record included five wins in Greater Allegheny Conference play, as well as a strong finish to the regular season, as Armstrong scored 38 or more points in each of its final four games, all victories. The playoffs provided a reality check, though, as the River Hawks were blasted by Thomas Jefferson, 42-7.

Nonetheless, the campaign set the foundation for what could be an even better season this year. Among the returning starters is running back Zane Dudek, who topped the 2,000-yard plateau and scored 25 touchdowns. Dudek finished second in the entire district in rushing yards, with only Aliquippa’s Kaezon Pugh ahead of him. For comparison sake, Pugh and the Quips played all the way into the PIAA Championship game, giving him several more games to top Dudek’s mark.

Dudek is joined in the backfield by a pair of players who received reps at quarterback in 2015. Michael Lohte, a rising senior, passed for nearly 600 yards on 70 attempts, while Dawson Porter, entering his junior year, notched 215 yards on 32 passes. The River Hawks did lose their top receiver, though, as Nick Croyle has graduated.

Coach Frank Fabian is hoping his team can avoid a letdown in year two, as Armstrong will have to leapfrog several former Quad-A and AAA powerhouses to return to the postseason.

CONNELLSVILLE FALCONS

Tim Karpiak enters his first-year as Falcons’ coach with at least one apparent objective: improve the defense. Last season, Connellsville lost seven games, and allowed 40 or more points in six of those contests. The Falcons did score a pair of victories, against winless Greater Latrobe, and Altoona in the season finale.

Connellsville returns a nice piece in quarterback Dylan Harshman, who threw for more than 350 yards and rushed for nearly 300. The soon-to-be senior will need to improve on his 3-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio from 2015, though. Still, his skills and leadership figure to be strengths for a Connellsville team that is relatively young elsewhere.

However, the Falcons lost their two leading rushers, Braden Hone and Steve White, who also paced the team in receiving yards. Luke White, a fullback who topped 400 yards rushing, returns for what could be a breakout junior season. Sophomore Noah Karpiak could be an instrumental part of the rushing game in 2016, while Zack Cavanaugh is back for the Falcons, and could see snaps at both fullback and halfback. Two lineman, tackle Cole Stash and guard Brock Bassinger, will be key members of the Falcons’ unit up front.

Stash and Bassinger are among the six returning starters to the Falcons’ defense, as well. They are joined by White, Cavanaugh and Joby Cook, all linebackers, and cornerback Arron Nichelson. Newcomers Dylan Bubarth and Karpiak could both see time in the secondary alongside Nichelson.

With five opponents from the previous Foothills Conference joining the Falcons, Connellsville will need to find a way to score a few upsets in order to make a playoff push.

FRANKLIN REGIONAL PANTHERS

The Panthers have been a staple of consistency since they dropped down to Class AAA more than a decade ago. After winning a state title in 2005, Franklin Regional has frequently made deep postseason runs. For longtime Head Coach Greg Botta, it must feel like he’s back in Quad-A, though, as he’ll see old rivals like Gateway, Plum and Penn-Trafford.

The Panthers appear to be ready for the test, as they won nine games in 2015, including a pair of playoff triumphs. After surprising regular-season setbacks to Hollidaysburg and Gateway, the Panthers righted the ship in the postseason with a 49-7 win against West Mifflin, followed by a 28-7 victory against Belle Vernon Area. Eventual champion Thomas Jefferson ended the Panthers’ campaign in the semifinals, however.

Franklin Regional lost a lot of talent and experience from that squad, as 22 players graduated, with nine of them continuing their football career at the college level. Among those departed standouts is dual-threat QB Santino Birty. Birty threw for just shy of 800 yards, and rushed for more than 1,100. He also tossed eight touchdowns, as he had a quartet of talented tight ends to target.

That tight end unit included Todd Summers and Jake Lauer, who are now playing for D1 programs. Bennett Verona returns after recording more than 100 yards receiving, as well as fellow tight end Simon Behr, who is expected to transition to quarterback. Behr, who recently committed to Army, fielded offers from several Ivy League schools.

Leading rusher Jacob Ross is gone, too, but Stephen Johns, who had 415 yards rushing, is expected to shoulder the burden at tailback. Newcomer Tyrese Kolman could also get some carries for what is perennially a strong running team. When the Panthers do look to pass, Nate Leopold will be a top option, while Zane Flynn, Adam Greweski and Vinnie Pysnik also look to capitalize on playing time.

Paving the way for the running backs is an offensive line that returns Bryce Lauer at center and Mike Babbit at guard. Eric Festa, Logan Miller, Noah Bright and Josh Heberle are other players who could fill spots along the offensive line.

Defensively, Verona, Behr and Lauer form a terrific trio at the linebacker spots, which will be perhaps the biggest strength of the Panthers. The other spots will feature new starters, though, with Festa and Miller likely to get snaps on the defensive line, and Flynn, Pysnik and Greweski expected to contribute in the secondary.

The Panthers will also have to reload on special teams, especially at kicker, where James Young converted 46 extra points last year.

In his 23rd season with the Panthers, Botta hopes to guide his team to its 13th-consecutive playoff appearance. Lack of experience could be a major hurdle, but the Panthers track record indicates they’ll be in the mix in late October.

GATEWAY GATORS

Once a team known for its consistent excellence, the Gators have suffered three straight disappointing seasons. That could be attributed, in large part, to instability of the coaching, as Gateway has had three head coaches since the departure of Terry Smith. Don Holl hopes to put an end to that instability, though, as he joined Gateway this offseason after having success at Seneca Valley.

Under the guidance of Tom Nola in 2015, the Gators finished 5-4, including a 4-4 mark in the Greater Allegheny Conference, but missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker. Gateway turned in its best performance in the season finale, a home victory against Franklin Regional.

A handful of the players who were key in that upset return this year, and look to restore the Gators to prominence. Central among the returning starters is quarterback Brady Walker, who passed for more than 1,300 yards as a sophomore. Walker has the skills to establish himself among the best signalcallers in the WPIAL.

He will likely lean on receiver Jaquan Brisker to be a top target this campaign. Brisker scored a team-best seven touchdowns last year, but often played in the shadows of Division-I recruit Aiden Howard and Malik Burks, both of whom have graduated. Harvey Hicks and Courtney Jackson may also become options for Walker in the aerial attack.

Meanwhile, Adam White, the Gators leading rusher, is also gone. Rashaun Tarrant is tabbed as a player who could have a breakout season to fill the void in the backfield.

The Gators bring back a trio of starters on the defensive side of the ball, too. Linebackers Damion Reed and Ahmad Wilson, and safety Dylan Urban return, while Hicks could contribute at linebacker, and Tarrant and Jackson figure to see snaps in the secondary.

However, the lines on both sides of the scrimmage lack experience and depth, with only offensive tackle Anthony Hampton back in the starting lineup. Consequently, Holl must develop those units quickly to allow his skill players to maximize their potential.

Kicker and punter Jordan Washington will be leaned upon to guide the special teams for Gateway.

LATROBE WILDCATS

To say that 2015 was a struggle for the Wildcats would be generous, as Greater Latrobe lost all nine of its games, and all of those defeats came by 14 or more points. To make matters worse, the team surrendered 41 or more points seven times.

As Head Coach Jason Marucco enters his third year at the helm, though, there are reasons for optimism. The Wildcats lost just 10 seniors, and return 17 letterwinners, along with a bevy of promising newcomers.

Among the returning letterwinners is quarterback Austin Butler, a Division-I athlete. Butler recently committed to Holy Cross for basketball, but he’ll likely need to be an impact player on the gridiron for Greater Latrobe to have success in 2016. A year ago, he threw for 832 yards, but tossed more interceptions than touchdowns (3-5 ratio).

Craig Stevens is undoubtedly the biggest loss to graduation. As a slotback, Stevens eclipsed 300 yards receiving, and 200 yards rushing, both team-leading marks. Jason Armstrong, a rising junior, will likely fill a similar role this season, as he recorded 15 catches and had 34 rushes last year. Mike Mucci and Zakharee Williams also project as slotbacks, while Preston Boerio and Keith Miller will be a traditional running backs.

Tom Gerusky could contribute as a returning receiver, while Mirko Pandini, Jared Kollar, Harry Witte, Keith Torillo and Nik Kellerman will also battle for snaps at the position.

Three offensive lineman return for the Wildcats, with Josh Kennedy at tackle, Jared Vasinko at guard and Trent Holler acting as center. Zach Yesho, Mike Pry and DJ Yasher could work their way into the rotation on the line, too.

Greater Latrobe returns the vast majority of its lineup on defense, as nine starters are back. Kennedy and Vasinko form the tandem at defensive tackle, while Holler will play at end. The linebacker corps will have four starters back, with Armstrong joined by Joel Cawoski, Blaine Sherback and Logan Novello. Butler and Gerusky will start in the secondary, at free safety and cornerback, respectively.

Many of those same newcomers could earn snaps on defense, with Mucci, Boerio, Pandini and Kollar all fighting for time at safety, while Witte, Miller, Kellerman and Williams are looking for time at cornerback.

Special teams will be experienced for the Wildcats, too, as Hunter Petrosky is back as the kicker, while Butler will again handle punting duties.

Giving their recent struggles, the Wildcats certainly will not be favored in many games. Marucco is hoping the team can make enough strides to be competitive, though, and improve on a daily basis.

KISKI AREA CAVALIERS

Kiski Area was one of the biggest surprises in the WPIAL last season, as the Cavs went from a winless team to a playoff squad in just one year. The Cavs finished with a 5-3 mark in the Foothills Conference, scoring upset victories against Hempfield and Plum. Although the Cavs were bounced by Bethel Park in the first round of the postseason, the contest was a one-score game.

Although Head Coach Dave Heavner hopes to build upon that success, his team graduated some of its top skill players, including the leading passer, rusher, and top two receivers. Gone is Chad Kuhn, the prolific QB who threw for nearly 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns, and rushed for more than 350 yards. Similarly, top rusher Tariq Gant (828 yards) has graduated, as has the receiving tandem of DeShawon Bracy and Cameron Turner, who combined for approximately 850 yards receiving.

Despite that, five starters are back on offense, including running back Jon Bracy, tight end Noah Clayton and offensive lineman Cameron Mika (center), Austin Woods (guard) and Dylan Magill (tackle). In addition to those proven commodities, Ross Greece and Drew Biss could get snaps at running back, while DJ Franklin and Andre Dixon may push for playing time at wide receiver.

All five of the returning starters on offense were two-way starters, with Mika and Woods serving as defensive tackles, Magill and Bracy as ends, and Clayton a linebacker. Two other starters return on that side of the ball, with Franklin playing linebacker, while Greece will man the free safety spot. Also, Isaac Reed could push for time at defensive tackle.

Nick Bisceglia will serve as the Cavs’ kicker and punter for the season.

Because Kiski’s turnaround opened some eyes last year, it’s unlikely that many teams will take the Cavs lightly this year. As a result, the team may have to work even harder than last year to meet higher expectations.

McKEESPORT TIGERS

In 2015, just one team was able to defeat McKeesport. Unfortunately for the Tigers, that team, Penn-Trafford, not only cost McKeesport the section crown, but also ousted them from the playoffs in a second-round overtime thriller. Aside from those games, the Tigers cruised against the rest of their foes, winning every game by a margin of 35 or more points. Their nine-win campaign included a 48-0 blowout of Seneca Valley in the first round of the Quad-A playoffs.

George Smith has been such a mainstay at McKeesport, so it’s hard to predict exactly how the Tigers will look without him on the sidelines this year. Matt Miller takes over for the retired Smith, who was noted for his creative Flexbone offense that allowed the Tigers to often run wild against opponents.

To that point, the team completed just 13 passes all of last season, but had three players rush for more than 500 yards. The top dog for McKeesport in 2015 was Khaleke Hudson, an athletic freak who has enrolled at Michigan. Hudson eclipsed 1,250 yards on the ground, more than 200 receiving, and scored 25 total touchdowns. Mark Cromerdie also enjoyed a terrific campaign, with nearly 800 yards rushing and 13 scores. Furthermore, Tymar Sutton, another Division-I player, ran for more than 500 yards and found pay dirt on nine occasions.

With all of those players gone, though, the Tigers could have a completely different look this year. Jayvaun Shears returns as the quarterback, although he produced more yardage on the ground than through the air last season. Newcomer John Harper could be a multi-purpose threat for the Tigers, as he may see snaps at both quarterback and running back, while Carlinos Acie figures to get some carries out of the backfield, too.

Split end Layton Jordan, and tight end Davon Brown are the other returning skill players on offense, while talented guard Curtis Harper, a Syracuse commit, and tackle Javon Short return up front. Jehrod Gregory will likely also earn time on the offensive line.

The loss of Hudson and Sutton could be even more significant on the defensive side, as “The Hitman” Hudson was a punishing safety/linebacker hybrid, while Sutton excelled at linebacker. To compensate for those losses, the defensive line will likely have to be a strength for the Tigers, as four starters return to that unit. Chief among them are tackles Curtis Harper and Brown, while Keith Knowell and Antoine Cook are back at the ends.

Also, Ray Zellars and Breon Green return to linebacker and free safety, respectively. John Harper and Acie are also pushing for time in the secondary, although that unit as a whole lacks experience.

Caleb Shork is back as both the kicker and punter for the Tigers.

Despite the massive changes, the goal remains the same for McKeesport: a conference title. If Miller can have even a modicum of success that his predecessor enjoyed, the Tigers should once again be near the top of the standings.

PENN-TRAFORD WARRIORS

2015 was a historic year for Penn-Trafford, as the Warriors came so close to etching their names among the all-time great teams. Unfortunately, the roadblock for Penn-Trafford once again came in the form of the Central Catholic Vikings, this time at Heinz Field in the Quad-A Championship.

Prior to that 24-17 defeat to the Vikings, the Warriors enjoyed an undefeated season, going 8-0 in the Foothills Conference, and following that up with a first-round dismantling of North Hills, an overtime thriller against McKeesport, and a come-from-behind win in the closing seconds against Pine Richland. The season was magical in many ways, and the offense reached or surpassed 36 points an astounding 11 times.

It’s hard to find a team that lost more at the offensive skill positions from last year than the Warriors, though. Three players who were staples of the team for the prior several seasons, quarterback Brett Laffoon, receiver Tim Vecchio and running back Jonah Lisbon, all have been lost to graduation. Laffoon passed for nearly 2,500 yards, and rushed for more than 500, as well. Vecchio, perhaps the best receiver in the WPIAL in 2015, compiled 1,116 yards on 53 catches, with 20 touchdowns. Lisbon, meanwhile, rushed for almost 1,400 yards, added more than 300 more via receptions, and scored 18 times. That trio will be impossible to replace, so the Warriors and seventh-year Head Coach John Ruane must find other ways to be successful.

Another Laffoon will likely be under center, as rising junior Cam will try to carry on his brother’s tradition. Meanwhile, Christian Jantz is projected to assume the workload at running back, while John Gay could also earn some carries. At receiver, Russ Richardson, Anthony Cervone and Cam Suman will try to fill the massive void left by Vecchio.

Fortunately for the Warriors, the majority of the offensive line is back, with four players who started at least seven games. Anchoring the group is center Will Schumacher and guard Logan Hawkins, both of whom earned All-Conference honors in 2015. Tackles Will Mayr and Josh Maglicco also return to the starting lineup, although the loss of standout linemen Andre Guest and Chris Stanford could loom large.

Those players also were key contributors on defense, where the Warriors were hit even harder by graduation. Just one notable starter is back, but he’s a good one. Linebacker Brendan Kelly led the team in tackles last season, and was first-team All-Conference performer. He’ll be counted on even more this year, although players like Laffoon, Tony Alcott and Dan Schneider could help form a fearsome linebacker corps. Meanwhile, Jantz, Richardson, Cervone, Gay, Suman and Colton Lonero could all fill spots in the secondary.

Nick Tarabrella returns at kicker, which will be an underrated aspect to the Warriors’ success. In 2015, he converted a school-record 77 out of 78 extra points, and was also perfect on five field-goal attempts.

Repeating last year’s success will be an incredibly tall task for the Warriors, but Ruane has shown a penchant for fielding teams that compete for a section crown on an annual basis. The new faces will have big shoes to fill, but Penn-Trafford could be a team that improves drastically during the course of the season.

PLUM MUSTANGS

Matt Morgan has done a tremendous job turning a previously beleaguered Plum team into a playoff participant in each of the past two seasons. After four consecutive victories to begin the 2015 campaign, the Mustangs showed signs of being an elite team, but Plum sputtered a bit down the stretch, and fell 42-28 to Mount Lebanon in the opening round of the Quad-A playoffs.

Plum returns some crucial skill players who could propel the team to new heights in 2016, though. Kevin Brown is back and will be an offensive weapon that Morgan can use in multiple ways. Last year he produced nearly 300 yards receiving and 250 yards rushing, but he has the skills to greatly surpass those totals. He will join incumbent running back Nick Coxon, who led the team with 520 yards on the ground, and fullback Dakota Sunday.

The passing attack will look different for the upcoming campaign, as Corey Thomas, who saw extensive time at QB, will shift to running back. Thomas threw for nearly 600 yards and seven touchdowns, but Ryan Waros, who was injured last year, will take over under center.

Waros will need to find some new targets, however, as top receivers Ashton Teeter and Patrick Crossey have both graduated. Rising senior Dante Bernardi could address that area of need, while RJ Hart, just entering his sophomore campaign, already looks to be a Division I receiver in the making.

Up front, the Mustangs return just one starting lineman, tackle Keyshawn Smith. Mike Giannuzzi also will assume a spot on the line, although the rest of the unit could be a question mark.

Brown, Coxon and Smith are the only returning starters on defense, but Brown and Coxon’s ability at defensive back will be huge for the Plum defense as it looks to rebuild.

Plum also lost a major asset in the strong-legged Jake Chapla, whose range on field goals surpassed 50 yards. Brown will serve as the returner, though, as his versatility will provide him with another avenue to use his gamebreaking abilities.

Morgan believes his team’s skill level and speed are key components to what should be another successful season. Plum could be right in the mix for a playoff spot once again this year.

MSA SPORTS PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH:

1.   McKeesport Tigers

2.   Penn-Trafford Warriors

3.   Franklin Regional Panthers

4.   Plum Mustangs

5.   Armstrong River Hawks

6.   Gateway Gators

7.   Kiski Area Cavaliers

8.   Latrobe Wildcats

9.   Connellsville Falcons

Tags: Armstrong, Connellsville, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Kiski School, Latrobe, McKeesport