CTK 2012 – WPIAL AA Allegheny Conference

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, August 23, 2012 | 8:13 AM

Freeport and Shady Side Academy tied for the conference championship two of the past three seasons. This year could be more of the same.

Many are pegging Freeport and Shady Side Academy as the teams to beat this year. Both teams are experienced and have some talented players. But Burrell and Ford City can’t be overlooked.

The Allegheny Conference changed a little this season. Apollo-Ridge and West Shamokin both dropped out of the conference and moved down to the Class A Eastern Conference. That should help West Shamokin, which hasn’t won a game since the 2007 season.
Moving into the Allegheny Conference is Kittanning and East Allegheny. Kittanning drops from Class AAA while East Allegheny moves over from the Class AA Interstate Conference.

Here is a look at the Allegheny Conference.

BURRELL BUCCANEERS:

After going 6-4 in his first season as coach, Kevin Horwatt has a team that is experienced and could make plenty of noise. Cole Bush is one of the best players in the conference, and probably in all of Class AA. He is a two-time all-conference selection, 6-2, 220-pound standout linebacker. But he also led the team in rushing last year with 1,032 yards.

Chad Tonks was a second-team all-conference selection a year ago and will open holes for Bush along with Shane Cornuet, Nick Nitowski, Matt Hess and Cory Klems. Tonks also starts at inside linebacker.

Derrick Beattie was a second-team all-conference linebacker last year and also plays fullback. Nick Pattock is a returning starter at receiver-cornerback.

A key will be quarterback play. Zach Middleby graduated, but James Liput saw some playing time last year, completing 20 of 45 for 214 yards.

DEER LAKES LANCERS:

After making the playoffs for the first time in school history in 2010, the Lancers fell back down the mountain in 2011, finishing with a 2-8 record (1-6 in conference).

But a number of non-seniors saw playing time last year and that could prove valuable this season. Junior Josh Plocki returns at quarterback after completing 46 of 107 for 481 yards last season. Tyler Seitz saw some playing time at running back and should be a bigger part of the rushing attack this season.

John Grebinoski returns at tight end.

While the Lancers need to improve in many areas from last year, the offense struggled the most, averaging only 12 points a game.
 

EAST ALLEGHENY WILDCATS:

The Wildcats have had horrible news off the field this summer concerning two former players, as Charles Davis and Chauncey Williams were both shot and killed. Williams was the team’s leading rusher a year ago.

As for on the field, the Wildcats have a new coach this year as Jason Ruscitto takes over for Dennis Edwards, who resigned after last season. Ruscitto most recently coached at Sto-Rox, where he was 36-20 in five seasons from 2006-10.

Don’t be surprised if East Allegheny is fighting for one of the top spots in the Allegheny. The main reason is skill-position players. Junior quarterback Kyle Whipple showed plenty of promise as a sophomore, pasiing for 814 yards. Also back is K.J. Marshall, who ran for 358 yards on 91 attempts.

Senior receiver Shawn Adair was all-conference last year while Jason Henshaw returns at tight end. Jaison Faulk is a player to watch at running back and linebacker while three starters return on the lines – Terrance Johnson, John Demas and Lonnie Johnson.
 

FORD CITY SABERS:

The Sabers always seem to be in the hunt for the Allegheny title and things should stay the same this year. Ford City can build off some momentum established at the end of the 2011 regular season. After starting 1-3, the Sabers won four in a row before losing a first-round playoff game to Greensburg Central Catholic.

The reason for optimism is the return of the starting quarterback and leading rusher. Senior David Lattanzio completed 42 of 71 for 496 yards last season. Those are modest numbers, but the experience was valuable and he could have a bigger 2012 season.

Devin Willyard is one of the most versatile players in the conference. He led the team in receptions last year with 27 for 362 yards. And he was the leading rusher with 850 yards on 126 attempts.

The defense will be anchored by linebacker Ben Young, who was all-conference a year ago.
 

FREEPORT YELLOWJACKETS:

With eight starters returning on both offense and defense, this could be a big year for Freeport. A year ago, the Yellowjackets finished 7-3 and their defense was outstanding, allowing only 11 points a game.

Talent abounds everywhere for Freeport as four first-team all-conference players return – running back Damon Smith, lineman Brian Welsh, linebacker Alec Stivers, defensive back Brendan Lynch and linebacker Josh Wisniewski.

Smith ran for 1,376 yards on 239 attempts last season. While Lynch was all-conference at defensive back, he also was the starting quarterback. He rushed for 410 yards on 71 attempts, and completed 34 of 58 for 578 yards.

Freeport has some beef on the lines, too, with 6-3, 290-pound Nathan Rummel and 6-5, 290-pound Shane McKillop. Other returnees are tight end-defensive back Tony Devivo, receiver-defensive back Josh Brestensky, receiver-defensive back Jesse Hubert, running back-defensive back Dustin Koedel and running back-defensive back Travis Hall.

KITTANNING WILDCATS:

Maybe things will be a little better for the Wildcats after dropping down from Class AAA. In the Greater Allegheny Conference last year, Kittanning finished 1-8, scored only 15 points a game and allowed 35 a game.

But the conference isn’t the only major change at Kittanning. The Wildcats also have a new coach as Frank Fabian takes over for Sam Panchik. Fabian was the head coach at Redbank Valley the past two seasons and also spent six seasons as an assistant at Redbank Valley.

And now another big change: Fabian plans to run the spread offense. That is a huge change because Kittanning had run the wing-T for years.

Two players were second-team all-conference selections last year in the Greater Allegheny – lineman Tyler Crissman and receiver Sterling Henry.

SHADY SIDE ACADEMY INDIANS:

Coach Dave Havern believes his team is lacking in depth, but it’s certainly not lacking in experience. A total of 12 starters return from last year’s team. One player who graduated, though, will be sorely missed. Reggie Mitchell was a dual-threat quarterback who was the team’s leading rusher. He is now at the University of Wisconsin.

Matt Granato, a 6-1, 195-pound senior, is set to take over at quarterback. Despite Mitchell’s departure, the running game could be strong with 5-8 junior Jarred Brevard and 5-10 junior Dennis Briggs. Brevard rushed for 725 yards on 98 carries in 2011 while Briggs had 538 on 70 attempts. Aaron Horne returns at receiver and outside linebacker.

One of the other top returnees is senior two-way lineman Joe Bray, who was first-team all-conference on offense a year ago. Josh Loper was a first-team all-conference pick at defensive end last season.

The other returning starters are linemen Chad Wallace, Chris Bush, Pat Laughran and Jake Farrell; receiver-defensive back Tyrel Hill, tight end-linebacker Charles Calabrese and kicker Mike Pohl.
 

SUMMIT ACADEMY KNIGHTS:

It’s hard to know what to expect from Summit Academy from year to year because the school for adjudicated youth has pretty much a new roster every season.

Along with a new roster is a new head coach this year. Athletic director and Knights assistant coach John McCloud takes over for long time head coach Steve Sherer.

The Knights have come close to grabbing a playoff spot a few times in recent year. A year ago, they finished 3-4 in the conference, two games out of a playoff spot.
 

VALLEY VIKINGS:

Chad Walsh takes over as coach after 14 years as an assistant at Valley, Highlands, West Shamokin and Kiski Area.

Walsh takes over a team that hasn’t won a game since October of 2009. Valley takes a 22-game losing streak into the season, but maybe things will be a little easier after a drop from Class AAA to AA.

The Vikings need to improve on both offense and defense, but there is hope because six starters return on both offense and defense. Senior receiver-defensive back Chaz Cheatham and junior quarterback Ty Matthews are two of the returning starters. Dylane Clarke also returns at running back. Kanaan Briggs is back at tight end-defensive end, Kevin Frame at WR-LB, Demetrius Houser at RB-DB and Dale Lesko ar RB-LB.

Returning starters on the line are Terrell Fields, Bryant Ludwiczak and Marcus Davenport.

MSA Sports Predicted Order of Finish:

9.  Valley Vikings

Tags: Burrell, Deer Lakes, East Allegheny, Ford City, Freeport, Kittanning, Valley