Mt. Pleasant bidding for return to postseason

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, August 18, 2018 | 7:13 PM

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You could say Mt. Pleasant enters the 2018 football season with a veteran club.

Right down to the coach.

Well, it’s a more experienced bunch than when Jason Fazekas took over the program a year ago with just five returning starters.

Nine starters return this year, and Fazekas enters his second season at the helm. But Fazekas has served on the Mt. Pleasant staff for a total of 15 seasons.

His long connection with the program dates to his days as an offensive lineman for the Vikings, making unacceptable the idea of failing to qualify for the WPIAL playoffs for the first time in nine seasons.

“Our standard always is to take care of ourselves, be competitive in the conference and be competitive in the playoffs,” Fazekas said. “Last year was not up to the plan.”

The Vikings will look to improve on a 4-6 record that included a 3-4 mark in the Class 3A Interstate Conference, marking program’s first losing season since 2008. Part of the problem for Mt. Pleasant was inexperience.

Quarterback Lucas Pieszak has added a year of varsity experience after throwing for 1,011 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior in his first season as a starter.

“He was brand new last year,” Fazekas said. “He was very raw, but I was real happy with how he came on. Obviously, he has to be a big part of our offense.”

It’s an offense that also is expected to rely on senior running back Alex Kadylak, who doubles as an outside linebacker on defense, junior wide receiver/cornerback Jacob Johnson and 6-foot, 235-pound senior guard/defensive end Ethan Donitzen.

The 6-4, 190-pound Pieszak, whom Fazekas said is receiving attention from Division II schools, began as a wide receiver before being converted to quarterback during his sophomore season.

He was expected to lead the Mt. Pleasant JV team that year but missed a majority of games with an ankle injury.

Mt. Pleasant must overcome the losses of leading rusher Mike Govern (1,041 yards) and leading receiver Ryan Quin (25 receptions for 489 yards).

“We’re trying hard to take the necessary steps,” Fazekas said. “The conference is going to be very challenging again.”

With a year of leading the Mt. Pleasant program, Fazekas figures to be more comfortable in his new role.

“It was quite a year,” he said of 2017. “We were able to keep almost everyone (on staff) together for the whole time.”

The roster grew last season to 60 players, an increase of 18 from the previous year. Mt. Pleasant welcomed 59 players to camp this season.

A big reason was the addition of freshmen to the roster.

“I actually had some ninth-graders who put their hand on the ground in games,” Fazekas said.

With Fazekas helping to coordinate efforts, Mt. Pleasant added a seventh- and eighth-grade team, allowing him to move the school’s freshman players to varsity.

“It was the right move, because now we’re starting to build up our depth again,” he said.

Schedule

Coach: Jason Fazekas

2017 record: 4-6, 3-4

All-time record: 323-254-9

Date, Opponent, Time

8.24, at Southmoreland, 7 p.m.

8.31, Hopewell, 7 p.m.

9.7, at Yough*, 7 p.m.

9.14, Derry*, 7 p.m.

9.21, Deer Lakes*, 7 p.m.

9.28, at CW North Catholic*, 7 p.m.

10.5, at Burrell*, 7 p.m.

10.12, Elizabeth Forward*, 7 p.m.

10.19, at Freeport*, 7 p.m.

10.26, Uniontown*, 7 p.m.

*Class 3A Big East Conference game

Statistical leaders

Passing: Lucas Pieszak

69-130, 1,011 yards, 12 TDs

Rushing: Mike Govern*

151-1,041 yards, 12 TDs

Receiving: Ryan Quin*

25-489 yards, 4 TDs

*Graduated

Dave Mackall is a freelance writer.

Tags: Mt. Pleasant