New era for Pine-Richland boys basketball tips off with enthusiasm

By: Shawn Annarelli
Sunday, December 13, 2020 | 1:54 PM

Joe Petcash was riding in the car with his dad in mid-June when they got a call that would put into motion the next era of Pine-Richland’s basketball team.

Bob Petcash answered discreetly, opting not to take it on speaker, and hung up after a few brief words with the good news.

“He just said, ‘I think I got the head coaching job,’ ” Joe Petcash said. “I was pumped.”

It wasn’t just the Petcash family who celebrated. The team also felt relieved.

“(Coach Petcash) has been a big part of the program for a while,” junior Luke Shanahan said. “He used to coach middle school and freshmen for a while, too. I know everyone on the team was happy. He was the perfect fit because we all knew him, we all liked him, and we knew he’d do a good job.”

Bob Petcash’s first year as head coach immediately presented new obstacles, like turning in a health and safety plan the day after he accepted the position. Last Thursday, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that high school sports would be paused until Jan. 4.

“The trickiest part of this transition with covid-19 is the responsibilities most coaches have never had to deal with,” Bob Petcash said. “But I tell the kids it’s a good life lesson. Sorry it has to be this way, but we’re preparing for anything that gets thrown at us this season. Every day is about dealing with adversity, and the kids have responded really well. I’m really proud of them.”

Joe Petcash is the only returning starter after the departures of Logan Murray, Kyle Polce, Patrick Shanahan and Levi Wentz.

He has played on the varsity team since his freshman year and averaged 12 points per game last season.

“Joey has a lot of experience, and he does a lot to help the younger guys understand what we’re doing to make the right plays,” Luke Shanahan said. “He’s a really good leader.”

Luke Shanahan and Andrew Alexander also earned a few starts but usually got playing time off the bench.

“Andrew is a really quick player and a really quick decision maker, so he’s a perfect fit at point guard for us,” Luke Shanahan said. “He can get around anyone, get to the hole and if the defense collapses, he can kick it out hopefully for a wide open three.”

Three newcomers to the varsity team include Joey Dudkowski, Dylan Serafini and Central Catholic transfer Jameson O’Toole, a strong mid-range shooter and the son of Pitt associate head coach Tim O’Toole.

“I didn’t know too much about (Jameson) outside of playing him twice last year,” Joe Petcash said. “He’s a great addition, and he fits in well because he can drive, kick, pass, everything we look for in our offense. He plays hard all of the time, so it’s great to have him.”

For all of the new starters, key contributors and coaches stepping up, the Rams will play relatively the same as in years past with a small, fast lineup.

The Rams recently started the season with an encouraging three-way scrimmage against Gateway and Highlands.

“It was the first time we played someone else live in a while, and I think we surprised ourselves,” Joe Petcash said. “It was good to see us play hard on defense and force turnovers. Offensively, we ran our sets well, passed well, shot well, and we played as a team.”

The Rams know the games will only get harder with section rivals like North Allegheny and Butler on the horizon.

“This year is a little different, because we’ll play three games against each of our section opponents,” Bob Petcash said. “Adjustments will need to be made as the season goes. I think we’ll probably win some games we shouldn’t, and we’ll lose some games we shouldn’t. I want to put them in a position to be prepared for every game, and I think we’re going to compete with everyone.”

Tags: Pine-Richland