South Fayette hopes success in other sports bolsters football program
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Friday, August 9, 2024 | 6:01 AM
South Fayette quarterback Drew Wehorsky throws a pass during practice on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in South Fayette.
South Fayette head coach Marty Spieler walks onto the field for the Lions’ first practice of heat week on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in South Fayette.
South Fayette’s Aiden Martincic works out during practice on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in South Fayette.
South Fayette head coach Marty Spieler works with his team during the first practice of heat week on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in South Fayette.
South Fayette quarterback Drew Wehorsky works out during practice on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in South Fayette.
South Fayette head coach Marty Spieler throws a pass during practice on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in South Fayette.
This fall, the South Fayette football program will be led by new faces on the field, but they aren’t new to having successful seasons representing the Lions in other sports.
Junior Drew Wehorsky will step under center for the Lions, who were 4-6 overall and 1-4 in the Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference last season.
He will look to orchestrate the offense of first-year coach Marty Spieler, who takes over for Joe Rossi. Rossi resigned in the offseason after guiding the Lions for 17 seasons and winning four WPIAL titles and two state championships.
Wehorsky backed up Nico Lamonde the last two seasons and even saw action in two games during his freshman campaign. Spieler is confident in Wehorsky taking over at quarterback because of what he has seen him do on the lacrosse field. Wehorsky, who plays attack, led the lacrosse team to the semifinals in the WPIAL Class 2A and PIAA Class 2A playoffs.
“There is a pandemic in our society that all these kids think they need to be one-sport athletes. I really like watching our athletes play other sports, and it’s no better than watching Drew compete in lacrosse,” Spieler said.
“He has a fire about him that is not only a fire of expectations of himself but of his team. When he works as hard as he does, the guys want to work hard for him. He’s a competitive kid that at the end of the fourth quarter isn’t going to be giving you anything different than what he’s going to give you in the first. He’s going to be a high performer all the way through.”
Lamonde threw for 1,939 yards with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions and added 302 yards on the ground. The Lions also have to replace their top receiving target from a season ago, Michael Gimigliano, who finished with 865 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
Senior receiver Aiden Martincic will take on a bigger role as the Lions’ only returning skill position player.
In the backfield, Spieler will rely on senior running back Talan Mizenko to take over for graduate Nate Deanes. Mizenko, a WPIAL qualifier in wrestling, will split carries with senior Sylas Aitken.
Aitken will see action at slot receiver as well in Spieler’s spread offense.
Juniors Mason Green, Tyler Ring and Conor Hiser will anchor the offensive line.
On defense, the Lions will switch to a 3-4 with Ring, an all-conference selection, returning on the line.
Senior middle linebacker Travis Watkins will be the signal-caller on the defense. Watkins has seen success on the lacrosse field as the team’s goalie.
The Lions return four starters on defense with Aitken at outside linebacker and junior Ray Schuler at corner. Martincic will see action in the defensive backfield.
“Nowadays, we don’t have the big bodies that we used to have back in the day,” Spieler said.
“We want to make sure we are gap sound, keeping the ball in front of us and hopefully causing enough confusion for the offense as much as we can. It’s tough on the offensive line to learn all they need to learn so we are going to make it tough on them with our defensive front.”
The Lions started the season with two wins and a close loss before dropping three games in a row where they were outscored 73-10, including losses to Peters Township and Moon.
“We need to work harder. I feel like last year in the summer was really lackadaisical, but this year we’ve really stepped it up with conditioning and lifting and overall the attitude that we bring to each and every practice,” Martincic said.
“We need to contribute to being great leaders for everyone else. Whether it’s a scout player or a star player, everyone needs to work as hard as possible.”
South Fayette
Coach: Marty Spieler
2023 record: 4-6, 1-4 in Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference
All-time record: 510-395-39
SCHEDULE
Date, Opponent, Time
8.23 Chartiers Valley, 7
8.30 Shaler, 7
9.6 Canon-McMillan, 7
9.13 at Elizabeth Forward, 7
9.20 at Belle Vernon, 7
9.27 Baldwin*, 7
10.4 Upper St. Clair*, 7
10.11 at Peters Township*, 7
10.18 at Bethel Park*, 7
10.25 at Moon*, 7
* Conference game
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing: Nico Lamonde*
172-216, 1,939 yards 15 TDs
Rushing: Nate Deanes*
93-487 yards, 7 TDs
Receiving: Michael Gimigliano*
59-865 yards, 8 TDs
* Graduated
FAST FACTS
• South Fayette has won WPIAL titles in three different classifications: Class A in 1936 and ’64, Class 2A in 2010, ’13 and ’14 and Class 4A in 2018.
• The Lions have won two state titles in program history — 2013 and ‘14.
• Spieler won a WPIAL Class 4A title during his senior season at Woodland Hills in 2000. Spieler split time at QB with future NFL player Shawntae Spencer.
• Spieler had college coaching stops at Cincinnati, Allegheny, Buffalo, Florida A&M and Missouri State. Spieler was Mt. Lebanon’s offensive coordinator under coach Bob Palko from 2020-22 and was the quarterbacks coach for the Lions last season.
Tags: South Fayette
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