Chartiers Valley confident of improvement in Knause’s 2nd season

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, August 14, 2018 | 9:48 PM

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Chartiers Valley took its share of lumps in coach Dan Knause’s first season last fall. The Colts went 2-8, 2-6 in the tough Allegheny 9 (now 8) that features perennial powers Upper St. Clair, West Allegheny and Woodland Hills.

Some of the struggles might have been expected for a team that was beginning a rebuilding process under a new coach. But Knause and his players are confident they will see a big jump in Year 2.

“Year 1 is laying a foundation,” Knause said. “You want to do well, and you do everything you can but kids are adjusting.”

Added running back Connor Barrett: “Last year was kind of a transition. It was more us getting comfortable with (Knause) … and buying in to him. But this year, I think everyone on the team has bought in to what he’s about.”

For any team, success generally starts up front, and a group of linemen that was green and untested last season returns almost intact. Hunter Curran, James Lang, Jayden Davis and Doug Krausa return on the line, and there should be some depth as Chase Bruggeman, Nathan Kraemer and Hunter Richie are competing for the fifth line slot.

Barrett (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) will be the linchpin of an offense that is lacking experience at the skill positions. A former receiver who was converted to running back last season, the senior rushed for 296 yards, caught 20 passes for 252 yards and scored six touchdowns.

The offense will be directed by a new quarterback. Socrates Boulis and Griffin Beattie split reps over the summer, and Knause said he wouldn’t rule out using both during the regular season.

The receiving corps of Shawn Banas, Troy Donofrio and Thomas Heckroth will be asked to do much more this season with five of 2017’s top six receivers graduated.

“They’re all athletic kids, and we’ll definitely need some production from them,” Knause said.

Defensively, Lang, Curran, Davis and Mike Rennie form the line. Banas, all-conference honorable mention as a defensive end last season, will move to middle linebacker to take advantage of his athleticism. Donofrio will be in his third season anchoring the secondary from his safety spot.

But all the experience and all the comfort in Knause’s system won’t mean much if the Colts don’t hold onto the ball. Turnovers were an issue for much of the season, and in the two games they won — probably not coincidentally — the Colts won the turnover battle.

Barrett said it is an area they have been working to clean up over the offseason.

“Our turnover ratio is what killed us in a lot of games,” he said. “It didn’t give us a chance to score. We’ve been practicing to make sure our ball security is 10 times better.”

Knause said he believes the team will make big strides this season. Now that the players are familiar with his system, they can go out and simply play and react.

He said the Colts improved toward the end of 2017, but he would like to see better results earlier this time.

“I think like anywhere, winning solves a lot of problems,” he said. “I think the kids believe in what they’re doing, but they need to see the results of it early.”

Added Barrett: “The culture here has changed. We have very high expectations of our team, of ourselves and of each other.”

Schedule

Coach: Dan Knause

2017 record: 2-8, 2-6

All-time record: 228-331-5

Date, Opponent, Time

8.24, Ringgold, 7 p.m.

8.31, West Allegheny*, 7 p.m.

9.7, at Armstrong, 7 p.m.

9.14, at Norwin, 7 p.m.

9.21, Moon*, 7 p.m.

9.28, at Baldwin*, 7 p.m.

10.5, Bethel Park*, 7 p.m.

10.12, Peters Township*, 7 p.m.

10.19, at Upper St. Clair*, 7:30 p.m.

10.26, at Woodland Hills*, 7 p.m.

*Class 5A Allegheny 8 Conference game

Statistical leaders

Passing: Reed Bruggeman*

94-162, 1,690 yards, 19 TDs

Rushing: Steve Alauzen*

92-593 yards, 2 TDs

Receiving: Anthony Doyle*

30-652 yards, 10 TDs

*Graduated

Charles Curti is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Charles at ccurti@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CCurti_Trib.

Tags: Chartiers Valley