Connellsville goes independent with momentum after .500 season

By: Jason Black
Thursday, August 29, 2024 | 8:39 AM

For a number of years, one of the main goals for the Connellsville football team has been to reestablish a winning culture that can be sustained long term.

That’s proven to be a difficult task, but last year, the Falcons seemed to take a legitimate step forward by posting a 5-5 record. It was only the third time in the past 20 years in which Connellsville has been able to finish with a non-losing season.

“It felt like we were trending in the right direction,” said Chad Lembo, who will once again share the head coaching duties with fellow coaches Jace McClean and Mick Lilley. “We had a ton of community support and that made a huge difference.”

Connellsville came up short of a Class 4A playoff spot but was competitive in a number of games throughout the season.

“The enthusiasm was the biggest thing,” McClean said. “The kids were excited.”

The Falcons are looking to build on the excitement and momentum gained in 2023, but they will do so as an independent program in 2024.

Following the 2023 campaign, it was announced that as part of the WPIAL’s realignment plan, the Connellsville football team would be bumped up to Class 5A for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

It was a step up in classification that Connellsville was not willing to accept.

Faced with the prospect of playing in Class 5A, the Connellsville Area School Board voted 9-0 to leave the WPIAL in football and play an independent schedule during the upcoming two-year cycle.

Connellsville joins Uniontown, Albert Gallatin and Brownsville as Fayette County schools that have opted to go independent in football.

“It was a decision that wasn’t taken lightly,” Lembo said, noting that a number of options were explored prior to the move to go independent was made official. “We did our due diligence, and if we thought we were putting any of our kids at a disadvantage, we wouldn’t have done it.”

“We were 5-40 the last time we were in 5A,” Lembo continued. “We’re trying to get our numbers back up and we put a lot of thought into this, and this is what we landed on.”

The numbers entering the season are up. During the first week of practice, Lembo reported that 62 players were on the initial roster.

McClean noted that he and his fellow coaches really didn’t have to do any kind of sell job on the players after it was announced that Connellsville wouldn’t be part of the WPIAL in football.

“The kids just want to compete,” McClean said, pointing out that being competitive as an independent team should help the program more than struggling as a 5A team while playing in the WPIAL. “It’s no fun being down by 45 points at halftime.”

No matter who lines up across from the Falcons on Friday night, the goals will be the same as they have been since Lembo, McClean and Lilley took on the role as coaches in 2022.

“Our focus is on improving and it’s going to continue to be our focus,” Lembo said. “When you focus on little things and making improvement, you will have success. We are developing a lot of kids from scratch and the goal will be to get everything worked out and (eventually) get back into the WPIAL.”

With 62 players on the initial roster, the Falcons got to work in the offseason, although Lembo and his staff admitted that they were hoping to see a bit better turnout in the weeks and months leading into the season.

“January through March, we probably had about 25 kids (attend offseason workouts regularly),” Lembo said, noting that the offseason training extends well beyond just lifting weights. Connellsville has invested in functional fitness, which includes a large dose of plyometrics among other aspects of the offseason training program. “Coming into the summer, we probably had around 30 or 35 kids. Last year, we were about 40 or 45 kids.”

Lembo also pointed out that many of the athletes who did not regularly attend offseason workouts were involved in other sports such as winter and spring varsity sports during the school year, as well as summer baseball.

At the start of camp, the coaching staff started to put everything together for the 2024 season.

“We want to see who will rise to the occasion,” Lembo said prior to the start of the August practices. “We want to see who will help us execute on offense and defense.”

On offense, there is plenty of work to do as the majority of last year’s starters have graduated.

At quarterback, there was a three-way battle entering camp between sophomores Rocco Farrell and Linkon Keller and junior Parker Lembo. Junior Caden Matthews was a late transfer from Southmoreland who could also play quarterback.

Chad Lembo noted that of the three, Farrell is the most experienced under center while Keller and Parker Lembo bring some raw ability. He also mentioned that all three have done their part to encourage their fellow teammates vying for the position.

“Those three have worked really well together,” Chad Lembo said. “It’s a healthy competition and they are going after it.”

Lining up in the backfield will be a number of potential candidates.

“We have a multitude of kids who can play tailback, fullback, halfback,” Chad Lembo said.

Seniors Grayden Gillott, Ben Metzger and Xavier Malone are the senior backs, with Christian Thomas, Jayden Mickens and Wyatt Hall making up the junior class of running backs. Mickens and Hall bring the most experience to the group of ground-gainers.

“They have different styles,” Chad Lembo said, noting that some of the backs run with finesse while others are more powerful.

On the outside, look for a group of seniors to make up the primary wide receiving core.

Major Stash, Vonny McBride, John Budd, Carter Wilson and Trent Huffman figure to be some of the go-to targets in the passing game. Senior Austin Elstner was slated to be a big part of that group, but a leg injury suffered in a 7-on-7 camp at Belle Vernon will cost him his season.

Chad Lembo noted that McBride brings a lot of potential and ability, while Stash is a burner who was one of the fastest athletes on the track team. Budd, Wilson and Huffman have also worked hard to improve their overall games.

At the tight end spot, expect juniors Geno Farrell, Ethan Foley and Josh Long to handle the workload.

“Long and Foley are fast and Geno is the most stereotypical tight end,” Chad Lembo said, noting that all three have shown the ability to run, block and catch.

The engine that will make the offense run is the offensive line.

“Our approach on the line is that a lot of the kids will play on both sides of the ball,” Chad Lembo said. “So really, we will have people moving in and out.”

Senior Tyler Gallis is one of the most experienced players on the offensive front. He will play at right tackle. Seniors Garrett Shearer and juniors Mike Work, Everett Brower and Travin Bagwell all have the potential to be a starting tackle or other position along the line.

Juniors Cooper Lembo, Glen Strickler and Ryan Brown will compete for starting time at the guard positions, along with sophomore Will Snyder.

“They are very mobile and physical and they’re adapting well,” Chad Lembo said.

Junior Roghan Hollis as well as sophomores Myles Hollis and Eli Greyno are top candidates to play at center.

“The line will be the strength of our offense,” Lilley said, noting that Gallis and Hall are the only two returning starters back from last year on offense.

While the offense will look to make steady gains throughout the season, there is hope for a big year from the defense as well.

“We are going to be much improved (defensively), but we will still be young,” McClean said.

Along the defensive front, look for experienced players Hall, Work and Gallis to compete as interior linemen.

“They played a lot last year,” McClean said.

Shearer, Brower and Bagwell will also be competing on the inside.

Expect Brown, Long, Strickler and Roghan Hollis to play defensive end.

The linebacking core will be comprised of a number of players who have shown the ability to make plays. Metzger, Cooper Lembo, Geno Farrell and sophomore Ryan Showman will likely play in the middle with Wilson, Stash, Gillott and Snyder setting up on the outside.

“The linebackers aren’t the biggest, but they can move,” McClean said. “They can chase the ball down.”

In the secondary, McBride, Budd, Rocco Farrell and sophomore Jeremy Jenkins will fill roles as cornerbacks while Keller, Huffman, Foley and Mickens will be relied upon as safeties.

“They can fly to the ball and they are athletic,” McClean said.

In terms of special teams, junior Hunter Brown and senior Derek Routzahn are candidates to handle the kicking duties with McBride and Keller likely doing the punting.

With a sizeable roster to work with, the coaches are looking for the Falcons to take the next step this season after producing a respectable record last year.

“As a program, the next step in the progression is to have a winning season,” McClean said.

The coaching staff understands that fans would love to see Connellsville football return to the glory days of the 1990s, but they urged patience as the program continues to develop and transform.

“It’s a different world now, but we would like to get back to that (winning) mentality,” McClean said. “We want the fans to be patient and be supportive. These kids are busting their butts to play on Friday nights. The kids are excited.”

Connellsville

Coaches: Chad Lembo, Jace McClean, Mick Lilley

2023 record: 5-5, 2-4 in the Class 4A Big Eight Conference

All-time record: 544-567-59

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 Latrobe, 7

8.30 Meadville, 7

9.6 at Albert Gallatin*, 7

9.13 Berlin-Brothersvalley, 7

9.20 at Morgantown (WV), 7

9.27 Butler, 7

10.4 at North Star, 7

10.11 University HS (WV), 7

10.18 at Uniontown, 7

Tags: Connellsville