Chartiers Valley making every day count
Evan Cyprowski breaks up a pass intended for Lamont Payne during a Chartiers Valley pre-season football practice.
By Eleanor Bailey/Almanac Sports Editor/ebailey@thealmanac.net
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Dan Knause spent the last five seasons as head coach at Chartiers Valley. He was hired Thursday as Trinity’s football coach.
Chartiers Valley football coach Dan Knause stresses a point to his player during a post-practice huddle.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Lamont Payne is focused on catching passes this football season as well as intercepting them as he will be a returning two-way starter at wide receiver and defensive back for Chartiers Valley.
Abraham Ibrahim will be relied upon both offensively and defensively as a wide receiver and safety for Chartiers Valley this football season.
Abraham Ibrahim will be relied upon both offensively and defensively as a wide receiver and safety for Chartiers Valley this football season.
By Eleanor Bailey
Almanac Sports Editor
ebailey@thealmanac.net
BRIDGEVILLE – Make Today Count is a worthy motto for the 2021 Chartiers Valley football team as the Colts anticipate being far better in November than they are in August.
“Success doesn’t happen overnight. It is earned,” said CV coach Dan Knause. “This is a daily process and the players need to realize the importance of daily practice and daily development because in order to compete for a section title and be in a position to win every game we play, in we need to make every day count.”
Last fall, with a veteran team, the Colts made that happen.
CV was the Parkway Conference runner-up, losing only to Aliquippa. The Colts finished 6-2 overall after falling to Belle Vernon in the WPIAL playoffs.
This year, the Colts return only five starters on offense and four on defense.
“We are going to have a lot of first-time Friday Night guys,” said Knause.
“We have holes to fill but we think we have the personnel and potential to fill the gaps. We are excited because we have shown some flashes of ability to be very good. But we are unproven and there’s the unknown.”
Anthony Mackey though is quite established and familiar. The 6-0, 171-pound senior ranked among the WPIAL passing leaders with 1,057 yards and 11 TDs last season. He also ranked as CV’s second-leading rusher with 556 yards and seven scores.
In addition to leading the offensive attack at quarterback, Mackey will shore up the secondary that was decimated by graduation. Mackey will play cornerback, a spot vacated by Jordan Demus, an all-conference performer who has moved on to West Liberty.
“Anthony is a gifted, intelligent athlete that did special things last year,” Knause said. “He leads by example and we will expect him to increase that leadership he has established because we are going to need him on the field, particularly on defense.”
The Colts also will rely upon Abraham Ibrahim and Lamont Payne, Jr. on both sides of the ball.
A 6-3, 203-pound senior, Ibrahim is a two-way returning starter at wide receiver and safety/outside linebacker. He was second on the team with 273 receiving yards and five touchdowns. On defense, he had 45 tackles and led the team in sacks.
“Abe is just a role model of a person. He does all the right things on the field, in the classroom and in society,” Knause said. “He’s a gifted athlete. Fluid and explosive with great ball skills,” Knause added.
A 6-1, 174-pound junior, Payne had seven receptions for a 12.9-yard average per catch. As a cornerback, he posted 31 tackles as a sophomore.
“We look for Lamont to build off his experience and be more dominant this year. We expect him to increase his production offensively, and because played every snap on defense as a sophomore he’ll anchor the secondary.”
In addition to Payne and Ibrahim, Austin Stein returns at inside linebacker. A starter since his sophomore season, the 5-11, 190-pound senior racked up 42 tackles last year.
Stein will be utilized as a tight end/H-back on offense along with Patrick Mulligan, who has experience on defense, starting the last half of the season at outside linebacker.
“We want those guys just to be physical blockers and athletic enough to catch the ball out of the position,” Knause explained.
Tayvon Sherrell (6-1, 292) returns at defensive tackle.
“He’s explosive with a ton of potential,” Knause said. “He just needs more reps.”
Aside from Ben Ohm (6-1, 280), the O-Line lacks varsity experience. Sherrell will be a major contributor along with Mason Copeland (6-6, 315), who Krause says has a huge frame and has made huge strides at tackle.
Tony Vanzin, Robert Cibrone, Jake Thompson and Dylan Flanagan are competing for slots on the line.
All switch over to defense and rotate into the positions only with DeShawn Sanford at end.
On offense, supporting Ibrahim and Payne as wide receivers will be Joseph Heckroth and Logan Burkel as well as first-year players Max Lewis and Jackson Kulbago.
Featured in CV’s two-back offense will be Mulligan, who had 176 yards rushing last season, Gavin Owens and Chase Dalbon.
Owens is expected to make a splash on defense at safety.
“We are excited about him,” Knause said. “Though he is new to the position, we expect a lot of him.”
The Colts are keen on standout wrestler C.C. Beattie and sophomore Austin Efthimiades. They give the Colts depth in the secondary.
“We are concerned about defense,” Knause said. “We are replacing three or four in the secondary and we are unproven on the front end and the back end.”
Joey Krug solidifies CV’s special teams. A soccer player, he will handling the kicking responsibilities.
After last year’s success, the Colts are expected to build upon what Knause has established since taking the helm at his alma mater in 2017.
“I’m proud of our players. They have bought into the process with no pats on the back. They get a great life experience in believing in themselves when others don’t and that’s an important lifeskill to have,” Knause said.
“There is an understanding of the expectations in the program and these kids witnessed CV football and saw that we can win. We’ve built confidence in the program and proved that the past does not equal the future. But it doesn’t mean it will just happen again. We have to earn it.”