Shady Side Academy sets sights on playoff berth after narrowly missing out in ’17

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, August 16, 2018 | 10:00 PM

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Last season, the Shady Side Academy football team finished strong but still fell short of the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs, despite a 5-2 conference record.

Second-year coach Chuck DiNardo feels this year’s squad has what it takes to make the cut this year.

“We are moving into a new class and a new conference this year,” he said. “The top four teams will make the playoffs. In 3A last season, only two teams from each conference made it.

“We have had an outstanding off-season that has seen our guys come together and do the necessary work to prepare for the long journey ahead. We have been working with the mentality of a group that was on the outside looking in at playoff time last year. The leadership from our returners has been tremendous. Our seniors are very committed to the program and want to do something special for their final season together.”

The offense returns nine starters to a unit that averaged more than 33 points. The Indians will need to replace linemen Josh Morrow and Tyler Hackaday.

Among the returning offensive starters is senior captain Skyy Moore at quarterback. Last season, he accounted for 33 touchdowns and 2,700 yards of offense. Moore was a first-team all-conference selection at quarterback and Allegheny Conference Player of the Year in 2017. He holds 14 scholarship offers, including Yale, Columbia, Buffalo and Fordham.

Also back is senior wide receiver Dino Tomlin (6-0, 165).

“He is a dynamic player who can make big plays with his speed,” DiNardo said. “Dino dedicated himself to his off-season program, and has transformed his body from where he was last year at this point.”

Tomlin was a first-team all-conference selection and has more than a dozen scholarship offers so far, including Pitt and Iowa State.

Senior wide receiver Billy Frohlich (6-3, 212) is a dependable second option for Moore. He had 567 yards with six touchdowns last year.

“He is a big, physical receiver who can take the top of the defense or go underneath and do the dirty work,” DiNardo said of the second-team all-conference selection.

Also back on offense is junior receiver Mason Tomlin (5-9, 145), Dino’s brother.

“He is very quick, very athletic and extremely intelligent,” DiNardo said. “We will try to get him the ball in a variety of ways.”

Junior receiver Alex Ludwick, senior running back Ivor Wood, senior tackle Ronan O’Connor, senior center Ethan Critchlow and sophomore guard Charlie Katarincic also return to the starting lineup.

The defense returns eight starters.

“We will be an aggressive, attacking unit that will aim to force offensive mistakes and turnovers,” DiNardo said. “We will seek to replace some losses up front due to graduation. Finding the best 11 on defense will be critical early on in camp, so we can begin to build some cohesion.”

Returning starters are Critchlow, a second-team defensive lineman, as well as O’Connor and Wood and linebacker and the Tomlin brothers, Ludwick and Moore in the secondary.

Moore was the conference’s co-Defensive Player of the Year. Junior linebacker Tanner Thomas (6-1, 190) was a second-team all-conference pick and also returns. Newcomer Alex Bellinotti, a senior who transferred from Burrell, will provide run stopping support at the linebacker position.

“We’re entering the season with a lot of optimism,” DiNardo said. “We’ll be playing some teams we’re familiar with like Valley, Apollo-Ridge and Summit Academy, and we have some strong new conference teams like East Allegheny, Avonworth and Steel Valley. It’s definitely a challenging conference.”

Schedule

Coach: Chuck DiNardo

2017 record: 6-3, 5-2

All-time record: 518-425-46

Date, Opponent, Time

8.31, Brownsville, 7 p.m.

9.7, at Valley*, 7 p.m.

9.14, at Steel Valley*, 7 p.m.

9.21, Neshannock, 7 p.m.

9.29, Apollo-Ridge*, 2:30 p.m.

10.6, at Summit Academy*, 12:30 p.m.

10.12, at Fort Cherry, 7 p.m.

10.19, East Allegheny*, 7 p.m.

10.26, at Avonworth*, 7 p.m.

*Class 2A Allegheny Conference game

Statistical leaders

Passing: Skyy Moore

48-108, 1,284 yards, 11 TDs

Rushing: Moore

164-1,426 yards, 22 TDs

Receiving: Dino Tomlin

30-714 yards, 8 TDs

Marty Stewart is a freelance writer.

Tags: Shady Side Academy