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Bentworth gaining speed as it moves to turf

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The Bentworth Bearcats are hoping to run past their opponents this football season.

Veteran coach Ron Skiles aims to make use of a number of “athletes on both sides of the ball” to help Bentworth to a WPIAL Class AA postseason berth out of the Century Conference.

“We should be pretty good at throwing it and running it,” Skiles said. “We have pretty good team speed.”

That speed should be on display in the Bearcats’ opening game Aug. 25 against Class A West Greene at Washington & Jefferson College’s Cameron Stadium, which has an artificial surface.

Bentworth has contracted with W&J to play two games at Cameron Stadium this year – the other is Sept. 22 against conference rival Beth-Center.

Skiles said the Bearcats should benefit by playing on turf, which should help enhance the team’s overall speed.

“We are a passing football team. You can pass a wet ball but not a mud ball,” Skiles said.

“Playing at W&J is the result from last year and us playing four games in downpours. Our home field (in Ellsworth) took a hit pretty bad. The feeling was to not put so many games on it, give it some relief.

“We anticipate building a new stadium at Bentworth with turf and this will give us a chance to start getting used to it.”

The Bearcats will play three home games at the field, and will celebrate their Homecoming and Senior Night festivities in Ellsworth.

Earlier this month, it was also announced that the Bentworth Community Athletic Stadium Initiative (BCASI) was formed to serve as the fundraising arm for a new stadium with a track, to be built on grounds near Bentworth High School.

For now, the task at hand is the 2017 season and attempting to return to postseason play.

Bentworth will be relying on a mix of seniors and juniors to improve on a 5-5 mark and a 2-5 conference record in 2016.

The Bearcats finished in sixth place in the Century a season ago. They averaged 20.3 points a game and yielded 24.1. Bentworth qualified for the Class A playoffs in 2015, finishing third in the Tri-County South Conference.

Skiles pointed to seniors Ben Peternel, who is competing at quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back, along with senior Riordan Tush, a running back-linebacker, senior Aston Lopez, a center-defensive end and two-way junior lineman Daniel Sturcheck.

Other juniors Bentworth is counting on are Spencer Fereza, a running back-nose guard, and twins Bruce and Brice Hook, both receivers and defense backs.

“It’s hard to tell how we will do,” Skiles said. “We were moved to Double-A last year and our program isn’t quite there yet.

“We’re inexperienced in terms of players being in new positions. The question is can our coaching staff translate the knowledge to the players to be able to perform adequately and positively on Friday nights.”

Skiles said three players, including Peternal, are competing for the starting quarterback position. Other hopefuls are sophomore Shaun Dziak and freshman Trent Cavanaugh.

“We’re working with them quite a bit,” Skiles said. “And they are coming along. It all comes down to how much they can handle. We won’t know that for a little while.”

Skiles said Washington looks like the team to beat in the conference and that Beth-Center, Burgettstown and Charleroi are contenders.

“Charleroi really looks like it is on the move,” he added.

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