Thomas Jefferson in position to continue program’s championship tradition

By: Ray Fisher
Monday, August 12, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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The legacy continues for the Thomas Jefferson football program as Bill Cherpak begins his 30th year as head coach.

Cherpak has a 309-56 career record to rank behind only Jim Render (406) and Joe Hamilton (342) in wins among WPIAL football coaches.

“We have always strived to be a program that was consistent year in and year out, and the wins are a byproduct of that consistency,” Cherpak said.

In 2023, the Jaguars finished 8-2 in the regular season after a 6-0 start and were 1-1 in the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs.

“We obviously lost some really good players from last year’s team, but I expect we will be very competitive again this season,” said Cherpak, whose teams have never missed the playoffs. “Our goals remain the same: win conference, WPIAL and PIAA championships.

“The summer program has been going well and everyone is working hard. We currently have around 90-95 players on the roster. That bodes well for the future of the program.”

Three movers and shakers on this year’s squad are seniors Shep Turk, Luke Kosko and Brayden White.

“Our leaders are definitely Shep, Luke and Brayden,” Cherpak said. “We are expecting huge things from them this season.”

Turk is a 6-foot-5, 280-pound two-way tackle. He is a Pitt recruit who was the first Pennsylvania or WPIAL prospect to commit to the Panthers. Turk made a verbal commitment May 13.

“Pitt was it for me. They checked all the boxes,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “It is a blessing to not have to worry about that decision any longer.

“It always was a goal of mine to be committed before my senior year and even for the summer. I can just concentrate on getting ready for the season with my teammates and be able to enjoy the season and go after a championship with them.”

Turk, a third-year starter, also had offers from Bowling Green, Buffalo, Temple, Navy, Boston College, Kent State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Lehigh and Maine.

He becomes one of several TJ players to join Pitt’s football program, following Devin Danielson, Lucas Nix and Dom DeCicco. Cherpak was an offensive lineman for the Panthers.

“Expectations are high as usual at TJ,” Turk said. “The goal is a state championship. Watch out for TJ this year.”

Turk has been rejoined on the offensive line by seniors Luke Janosko and Kooper Kamberis, at guard and tight end, and Zane Sable, a junior center.

The Pitt football recruit captured a WPIAL wrestling championship in March in the 285-pound weight class. He ended the season 34-9 with 26 wins by fall and has a 68-31 career record.

Following a preseason position battle between Kosko and then-senior Brody Evans last year, the Jaguars opted to rotate the two talented quarterbacks in games.

The 6-4, 215-pound Kosko, who started his career as a freshman at Seton LaSalle, completed 61 of 106 passes for 996 yards and nine touchdowns. The strong-armed QB sat out his sophomore season due to WPIAL transfer rules.

He noted that the standard remains the standard at TJ.

“We are working on continuing the Thomas Jefferson tradition of being a dominant team,” Kosko said, “and reaching our expectations of every year — to win the conference, WPIAL and PIAA titles.”

Kosko is listed as a QB/LB but has directed his energies toward being the Jaguars’ starting signal caller.

“As of right now, I am focusing on offense but willing to do anything to help my team succeed,” he said.

Kosko landed a few offers from colleges early in his career — Charlotte and Marshall, to name two — but has verbally committed to Cincinnati to play baseball.

TJ wideouts Sean Sullivan (50-973, 13 TDs) and Jason Salmon (45-735, 6 TDs) proved to be one of the WPIAL’s leading senior receiving tandems last fall with 1,708 yards and 19 TDs between them.

White (6-0, 175) complemented Sullivan and Salmon with 23 catches for 330 yards and three touchdowns.

“We came up short in my junior year,” White said. “We are working towards our goal of getting back to the WPIAL championship for the first time since 2020 to end my senior year strong.”

White’s recruiting process is in its early stages.

Senior RB/LB Matt Martinis, who saw considerable action in the backfield in 2023, also was the Jaguars’ catalyst on defense with 67 unassisted tackles, 19 assists, one sack, one recovered fumble and one blocked kick. He was the team’s leading tackler as a sophomore as well.

Salmon had eight interceptions from his defensive back position.

Other players to watch on defense include Turk, White, senior lineman Justin Schmidt, sophomore LB Kane Eggerton, junior LBs Zach Villa and Elias Phiri, junior DE Dom Volomino and senior DB Nate Farison.

“Elias Phiri and Zach Villa did not play much varsity last year,” Cherpak said. “We are counting on them and Dom Volomino to step up on defense this year, along with several other young players.”

TJ tied for second with Latrobe and Trinity behind conference champion McKeesport in the Class 4A Big Seven last year, advancing to the WPIAL quarterfinals before losing to Montour.

The Jaguars are members of the Big 6 Conference in Class 4A this season along with Belle Vernon, Chartiers Valley, Laural Highlands, Ringgold and Trinity.

Thomas Jefferson

Coach: Bill Cherpak

2023 record: 9-3, 4-2 in the Class 4A Big Eight Conference

All-time record: 506-213-7

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 at Baldwin, 7

8.30 at Central Valley, 7

9.6 McKeesport, 7

9.13 Avonworth, 7

9.20 at West Mifflin, 7

9.27 Belle Vernon*, 7

10.4 Trinity*, 7

10.11 at Ringgold*, 7

10.18 Chartiers Valley*, 7

10.25 at Laurel Highlands*, 7

* Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Brody Evans*

91-181, 1,394 yards, 14 TDs

Rushing: Elias Lippincott*

102-571, 11 TDs

Receiving: Sean Sullivan*

50-973, 13 TDs

* Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Bill Cherpak passed George Novak (306 wins) last year in career coaching victories among WPIAL coaches. Cherpak has won five state championships, nine WPIAL and 22 conference titles.

• TJ’s veteran field boss has been named conference coach of the year eight times, AP Pennsylvania Class AAA Coach of the Year and ESPN RISE Eastern Division Coach of the Year.

• Thomas Jefferson was the top-scoring team in Class 4A last season with 463 points and a 38.5 ppg average. The Jaguars shut out two conference opponents, Ringgold and Connellsville, by the lopsided scores of 71-0 and 61-0.

• The TJ gridders scored 85 touchdowns and amassed 4,427 total offensive yards with 2,410 in the air and 2,017 on the ground.

• Graduated QB Brody Evans threw for 3,422 yards and 33 scores the past three seasons to rank among the Jaguars’ career passing leaders.

• Elias Lippincott wrapped up his football career with 2,344 yards rushing and 36 touchdowns. Lippincott (102-571, 11 TDs) and another 2024 graduate, Michael Banda (85-449, 8 TDs), clicked for 1,020 yards rushing and 19 TDs between them last season.

• Matt Martinis and Lippincott led the Jaguars in scoring a year ago with 13 touchdowns apiece.

• The TJ gridders, who were honored as the Trib HSSN Football Team of the Week following their 24-19 win against Belle Vernon, have reached the WPIAL semifinals 24 times in 26 years.

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