Area teams not lacking in offense, talented players
Peters Township quarterback Jake Cortes scrambles to elude a Bethal Park tackler during Class 6A Southeastern Conference action. Cortes directs an Indians offense that averaged 24 points per game last season.
Drew Saxton is the latest in a long line of talented South Fayette quarterbacks. He has passed for more than 4,700 yards in two seasons and has led the Lions to a 22-2 record.
There was a time, not long ago, when high school football was played in a box – the tackle box, the area between the offensive tackles. The game was straight-ahead smashmouth football. It was the Woody Hayes-style of three yards and a cloud of dust. However, when the wide-open spread offenses began gaining popularity throughout college football a decade ago, it was only a matter of time until pass-happy, high-scoring offenses began popping up in high school football.
Predicated on multiple formations with as many as five wide receivers and a quarterback in the shotgun – or a running back taking a direct snap from center – the spread helps stretch defenses, making them defend the entire field instead of the just the tackle box. Some offenses emphasize the long pass while others rely on short passes to move the ball. And with defenses committing more players to cover wide receivers, that leaves fewer defenders in the tackle box, which increases the chances of a running back breaking a long run.
These modern offenses give underdogs a better chance to score and powerhouse teams more ways to get the football to their best athletes.
It has added up to more offense, more points and even longer games. Last year, the teams in the coverage area of the Observer-Reporter and The Almanac combined to average 24.1 points per game. Two teams, Washington and South Fayette, averaged more than 40 points per game.
With all of those points being scored, there were plenty of players accumulating impressive offensive statistics. Many of those standouts are returning this season, which should again be a high-scoring campaign.
Here are 10 offensive skill-position players to watch this season:
Jake Cortes, Peters Township
If Peters Township is to make the WPIAL Class 6A playoffs for the first time, then Cortes will likely be a big reason why. The 6-5, 215-pound senior quarterback passed for 2,036 yards and 19 touchdowns for an Indians offense that averaged 25 points per game. If Peters Township is improved, as expected, those numbers should spike.
Ryhan Culberson, Fort Cherry
You’ve heard of a dual-threat quarterback, right? Well, Culberson is a triple-threat player. The 6-3, 195-pound senior spends most of his time playing quarterback for the Rangers but he also can play wide receiver. Culberson was a one-man wrecking crew last season, when he passed for 763 yards, rushed for 1,128 yards and caught four passes for 142 yards. All told, Culberson had a hand in 35 Fort Cherry touchdowns as the Rangers advanced to the second round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs before running into eventual champion Clairton. Fort Cherry lost some good players to graduation, so expect Culberson to continue both running and passing, and he’s likely to catch double-digit passes. The first WPIAL quarterback to run and pass for 1,000 yards in a season was Waynesburg’s Lee Fritz in 2000. Culberson has the potential to match that accomplishment.
Joey Koroly, Trinity
If Trinity is to get over the hump and move into the top half of the Class AAAA Big Nine Conference, then Koroly will likely have another terrific season. Koroly gives Trinity a breakaway threat at tailback and a pass-catching threat out of the backfield. Last season, he rushed for 1,264 yards. He did his best work against the rebuilding programs in Fayette County – Albert Gallatin, Laurel Highlands and Uniontown – rushing for a combined 741 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Geno Pellegrini, Charleroi
Charleroi has been a popular choice during the summer months for the area’s most improved team. One reason for the optimism is Pellegrini, a shifty, hard-to-tackle, multi-threat quarterback. He passed for 1,013 yards and nine touchdowns last year and rushed for an additional 362 yards and six scores. The Cougars have plenty of receivers with potential, so those numbers should increase as Charleroi strives to end a playoff drought and make a run at the Century Conference title.
Ben Peternel, Bentworth
A wide receiver in Bentworth’s pass-happy offense last season, Peternel led all WPIAL pass-catchers with 59 receptions for 1,062 yards during the regular season. He also scored 10 touchdowns and averaged 18 yards per reception. What makes Peternel’s numbers so impressive is that Bentworth played several games last season in rainstorms that left the grass field in Ellsworth a muddy mess, something that hampered the Bearcats’ passing game. Like Culberson, Peternel could be changing positions on each play this season. With the graduation of quarterback Josh Hughes (1,846 yards, 18 touchdowns last season), the Bearcats need a new quarterback and Peternel was being given a chance to win the job during summer camp.
Noah Plack, South Fayette
Every good passing team needs a dynamic receiver and South Fayette has one in Plack, a talented tight end who recently committed to Football Championship Series powerhouse Delaware. Plack, who also is a force on defense, caught 35 passes a year ago, averaging more than 19 yards per reception and scoring 10 touchdowns. If he stays healthy, expect those numbers to increase as the Lions should have another high-powered offense.
Dylan Rush, Mapletown
The elusive senior scatback is the leading returning rusher in the area with 4,298 yards. Last season, Rush rambled for 1,852 yards and scored 22 touchdowns and 144 points in only a little more than nine games. Though only 5-9, 180 pounds, Rush has proven to be durable. He had three games last season in which he carried at least 40 times and finished the year with 300 carries. A threat to score on every play, Rush has been timed in the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds.
Drew Saxton, South Fayette
When was the last time the quarterback at South Fayette wasn’t a player to watch? Saxton is the latest in a long line of talented Lions quarterbacks. All the talented senior has done is direct South Fayette to championships and wins in big games. Saxton passed for 2,638 yards and 30 touchdowns last year while guiding the Lions to the Class AAAA Northwest Nine Conference title. He has led South Fayette to a 22-2 record as a starter and has passed for 4,703 career yards and 61 touchdowns.
Brendan Small, Ringgold
Ringgold made it to the WPIAL Class AAAA semifinals last season and Small, a talented running back, was in uniform for only half of those games. That tells you a little about how much talent the Rams had on the roster a season ago because Small is one of the best players in area when healthy. He still ran for 822 yards, averaged 7.9 yards per carry and scored 11 touchdowns as a junior. That was after rushing for 843 yards and averaging 9.3 yards per attempt as a part-0time player as a sophomore. If Small can stay in the lineup, Ringgold will have one of the most exciting players in Class AAAA.
James Stocker, Mt. Lebanon
To win a conference championship in Class 6A, a team needs a talented quarterback. Mt. Lebanon had one last year in Stocker and he directed the Blue Devils to the Southeastern Conference title. Stocker is back for his senior season after passing for 2,065 yards and 19 touchdowns a year ago. Look for Stocker to become more of a dual-threat quarterback this season as he is expected to utilize his running ability more often.
While the big numbers on offense are nice, this is still Western Pennsylvania, where tough defenses are celebrated and dominant linemen are produced like they come off an assembly line.
Here are five more players to watch on defense and in the trenches:
Drew Engel, Canon-McMillan
A ball-hawking defensive back who had seven interceptions last year for an improved Big Macs defense. Engel is expected to put up some big numbers on offense this year after being moved to wide receiver. Though not a blazing runner, Engel has what Canon-McMillan head coach Mike Evans describes as football speed. “On offense, nobody catches Drew. When he’s on defense, he runs down everybody,” Evans said.?
James Gmiter, Bethel Park
A giant of two-way lineman, Gmiter (6-5, 305) has given an oral commitment to West Virginia, where he is expected to play on the defensive line. Scout.com has rated him the top defensive tackle prospect in Pennsylvania. Gmiter will be a key player for Bethel Park, which has a shot at winning the Class 6A Southeastern Conference title.
Ben Phillis, Trinity
A hulk of a lineman, Phillis (6-5, 300) has committed to Akron in the Mid-American Conference. He is the guy who clears the way for Koroly. One of the top linemen in the WPIAL, though he has played offensive tackle for only two years.
Isaiah Schoonmaker, Washington
The Observer-Reporter Defensive Player of the Year as a junior, Schoonmaker is a disruptive force as an outside linebacker. He racked up 65 tackles, four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 12 tackles for losses and 17 passes defended last season. He also blocked two punts. Schoonmaker was a coveted player during the summer recruiting season and has given an oral commitment to Miami (Ohio) in the Mid-American Conference. Schoonmaker expects to take on a larger role on offense for the Prexies, who are coming off an 11-1 season. He will play both running back and wide receiver and said his goal is to have 2,000 all-purpose yards.
Blake Zubovic, Belle Vernon
One of the most dominant blockers in the WPIAL, the senior has given an oral commitment to Pitt, where he will likely follow the footsteps of another Belle Vernon product Derion Johnson and play on the offensive line for the Panthers. Though he is 6-6 and 295 pounds, Zubovic is an excellent athlete who played catcher and first base for the Leopards’ baseball team. That athletic ability has made Zubovic versatile enough to play both guard and tackle on offense and end and tackle on the defensive line.