Loaded with experience, Bethel Park sets championship goals

By: Ray Fisher
Friday, August 9, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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Bethel Park was in the fight for first place all season in the Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference in 2023.

Same as the previous year, the Black Hawks ended up tied for second with Upper St. Clair and Moon with a 3-2 record in conference play.

Despite going 4-7 overall, coach Phil Peckich is upbeat about his team’s chances this year — with good reason. The Black Hawks have 10 returning starters on both offense and defense.

“I’ve very optimistic,” Peckich said after last season. “I think the experience we got will be a big help. I think we understood where we were going to be coming into the season after losing 22 seniors from a conference championship team.

“We had some obstacles coming into the year. We had to develop players to be in a position to make the playoffs and make a run. We were able to beat St. Clair, our big rival.”

Peckich is in his second year as head coach. He was promoted from offensive coordinator after working five seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, Montour, and three on the Bethel Park staff of Brian DeLallo, who resigned following the 2022 season.

“I think we need to continue to come together as a team,” Peckich said. “We have very high expectations. We need to stay healthy. If we stay healthy, we look to compete for the section title and WPIAL title.”

The Black Hawks had three players with more than 1,000 yards of offense a year ago.

Quarterback Tanner Pfeuffer passed for 1,879 yards and 21 touchdowns with six interceptions. He completed 115 of 226 tosses, averaged 16.3 yards per completion, rushed for four TDs and was named second team all-conference.

“Some of our expectations are to win a conference championship and the WPIAL as well,” said Pfeuffer, also a basketball standout. “Last season we were a young team, but I’m proud of the way everyone stepped up. We return a lot of starters this year.”

The 6-foot-6, 195-pound Pfeuffer has been offered football scholarships by the likes of Seton Hill, West Liberty, Rio Grande and Hampden-Sydney.

“It’s a goal of mine is to do whatever I can to put my team in a great position to win each week,” Pfeuffer said. “I have really been working on my footwork this offseason and throwing the ball with great anticipation.”

Ryan Petras, listed as an athlete/defensive back, accounted for 1,162 total yards and 14 offensive touchdowns last year.

The 5-10, 180-pound Petras was named Allegheny Six Offensive Player of the Year and earned first team all-state and first team all-conference plaudits as an athlete.

He scored once on a punt return and once on a kickoff return.

Ja Vaughn Moore picked up a team-high 1,002 yards and eight touchdowns from his running back position and caught 10 passes for 123 yards, giving him 1,125 total offensive yards.

Pfeuffer, who ended the regular season with a flourish, Petras, also a baseball standout, and Moore, a standout linebacker on defense, are seniors.

Pfeuffer racked up four games of 200-plus yards and three with 100-plus yards. He threw only four regular-season interceptions.

“Our team fought through a lot of adversity and never gave up,” Pfeuffer said. “We battled every week. We came up short of a conference title and a deep playoff run, but I’m proud of our team for battling.”

The third-year starter has thrown for 3,388 yards and 35 touchdowns over the past two seasons, connecting on 230 of 405 attempts. He is backed up by junior QB Evan Devine.

The versatile Petras, a Northwestern baseball recruit, led Bethel Park in receiving last fall with 52 catches for 734 yards, averaging 14.1 yards per reception, and also rushed for 428 yards on 53 carries, or 8.1 yards per attempt.

“I feel like we will be an improved team with all the seniors we have,” he said. “I think we have a great chance to win the conference and even the WPIAL championship.”

Senior WR/DB Jack Bruckner complemented Petras in the receiving department with 20 catches covering 485 yards — good for 24.3 yards per catch.

A three-sport standout who scored four times last season, Bruckner said the Black Hawks have been working diligently to be in title contention this fall.

“My goal is to do everything I can both on and off the field to help Bethel Park win our second ever WPIAL championship,” he said. “We need to be laser-focused on working hard, listening to our coaches, applying the gameplan and competing every day. We compete in one of the most challenging sections in the WPIAL. Peters Township made the state championship. USC is loaded with talent. Moon is always well-coached and talented.

“Our biggest strength is experience, along with the leadership on the team. We are returning close to 20 starters. A few of us have started since winning the section title our sophomore season. We know what it takes to compete and be successful in this section. I’m looking forward to a great senior year.”

Buckner was named second team all-conference at wide receiver a year ago, as was the 5-11, 185-pound Moore at running back.

Watch for the athletes at the skill positions prove to be high-profile players in 2024.

Bethel Park’s coaching staff also is looking for top-shelf contributions from seniors Clancy Orie (TE/DL), Mitch Paschl (WR/DB) and Randy Bergia (FB/DL); juniors Jovian Smith (TE/DL) and David Dennison (RB/DB); and sophomores Brady Bruckner (QB/WR/DB) and Santino Nowozeniuk (WR/DB).

Three returning starters on the offensive line are juniors Hunter Goelz, a 6-0, 235-pound center, Frank O’Mara, a 6-4, 245-pound guard who’s moved to tackle, and sophomore tackle Santino LaMolinare (6-4, 255).

Along with O’Mara, others in the picture to man a guard position include juniors Bryan McGuire and Gavin Baluh, seniors Denzel Meyers and Max Sellati and sophomores Nate Purcell and Ryan Bergia.

Defensively, the Black Hawks were sparked last fall by the 6-4, 255-pound Orie, then-junior LB Christian Davis and then-sophomore DB Kahanu’ola Kuewa, the team’s three leading tacklers.

Orie anchors a defensive line that also includes the athletic Smith (6-3, 225), Ryan Bergia (6-0, 275), Meyers (5-11, 285), McGuire (6-1, 255) and Purcell (5-11, 250), among others. The D-line looks to make some loud noise in the conference.

The linebacking corps is led by Davis, Moore and juniors Tim Ondo and Charlie Simmons.

The secondary appears to be a team strength behind Petras, Kuewa, Jack Bruckner, Dennison, Paschl, sophomore Will Sabatos, junior Landy Panarello, senior Jeremy Whitling and Nowozeniuk.

In all, there are 28 returning lettermen on this year’s squad.

Bethel Park was one of the top offensive teams in Class 5A last season, averaging 27.6 points per game. The team’s defensive average was 32.7 ppg.

The Black Hawks defeated North Hills, 33-10, Baldwin, 50-13, South Fayette, 49-29, and rival USC, 22-10, last season.

Bethel Park

Coach: Phil Peckich

2023 record: 4-7, 3-2 in Class 5A Allegheny Six

All-time record: 482-401-31

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 at Seneca Valley, 7

8.30 at Mars, 7

9.6 at Armstrong, 7

9.13 West Mifflin, 7

9.20 Trinity, 7

9.27 Moon*, 7

10.4 at Baldwin*, 7

10.11 Upper St. Clair*, 7

10.18 South Fayette*, 7

10.25 at Peters Township*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Tanner Pfeuffer

115-226, 1,879 yards, 21 TDs

Rushing: Ja Vaughn Moore

152-1,002 yards, 8 TDs

Receiving: Ryan Petras

52-734 yards, 9 TDs

FAST FACTS

• Bethel Park had 15 players named all-conference in 2023, led by first-team honorees Ryan Petras and Clancy Orie. Second-team honors went to Tanner Pfeuffer, Mitch Paschl, Ja Vaughn Moore, Jack Bruckner, Christian Davis, Kahanu’ola Kuewa, Hunter Goelz and Dylan Prindle. David Dennison, Jovian Smith, Jake Brown, Adi Medar and Santino LaMolinare received honorable mention status.

• Pfeuffer (QB), Petras (WR/ATH), Moore (RB), Randy Bergia (FB), Orie (TE), Jack Bruckner (WR), Paschl (WR), O’Mara (OL), Goelz (OL) and LaMolinare (OL) are returning starters on offense.

• Orie (DL), Meyers (DL), McGuire (DL), Smith (DL), Davis (LB), Petras (DB), Kuewa (DB), Dennison (DB), Bruckner (DB) and Paschl (DB) are returning defensive starters.

• Bethel Park advanced to the WPIAL playoffs for the fourth consecutive year in 2023 with only 10 seniors (including two kicking specialists) on the team. The Black Hawks were WPIAL semifinalists two years ago and ended up 10-2 overall.

• The Black Hawks have finished third, first, second and second in conference play the past four seasons.

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