‘Sky is the limit’ as B-C starts over with Ruscitto
By John Sacco
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
Don’t tell Tony Ruscitto you can’t go home again.
Ruscitto, hired just weeks ago, feels good about returning as Beth-Center’s head football coach.
While he’s still getting to know and evaluate the Bulldogs’ personnel and progressing on the installation of his system, Ruscitto is upbeat and enthusiastic.
He said the players have opened their hearts and minds to a new coaching staff, system and atmosphere.
“As far as our coaches are concerned, we are tickled pink,” said Ruscitto said. “The kids are picking up the system pretty fast and they like the system. The sky is the limit, and they can go as far as they want.
“We don’t have a lot of depth but that is always a problem in Double-A.”
Ruscitto has served as head coach at several schools in his career, including Beth-Center in 1989 and 1990.
He formerly was the head coach at Mon Valley Catholic, Belle Vernon, Canon-McMillan, California, Duquesne and South Allegheny. He was an assistant coach under Bill Connors at Beth-Center and Ringgold and an assistant to his son, Jason, at Sto-Rox. Last season, Ruscitto was an assistant coach at Uniontown.
Ruscitto’s coaching staff includes Tom Corazzi, his long-time defensive coordinator. He said he has six coaches and five volunteers.
It seems Ruscitto and his staff have won over some of the players.
“We weren’t worried about waiting so long for the new coach to be named,” said junior quarterback Dominick Revi. “It’s not really been a problem. We kind of had a feeling we would get Coach Ruscitto.
“Honestly, the offseason work in the weight room was organized and well-attended.
“We think we can be at the top of our (Century) conference and hope to possibly win it. We have some good seniors and juniors. We have big hopes for this year. We’re hungry.
“This has been amazing. With the coaching staff we have, we think we have a chance to win our conference.”
Ruscitto credited the offseason program that was operated by members of the Bulldogs’ staff under previous coach Joe Kuhns, who resigned earlier this year.
After Kuhns’ son, Colby, suffered a second ACL knee injury in the spring playing baseball for Beth-Center, the veteran coach decided to walk away from coaching.
In addition, Ed Woods, the California High School football coach, is ironically Beth-Center’s weightlifting coach.
Ruscitto said Woods did a phenomenal job maintaining and operating the weightlifting program.
“They all did a good job and worked to keep the program running,” Ruscitto said. “Ed did a great job in the weight room. I’m extremely impressed with what he accomplished.”
The Bulldogs have 11 seniors on their preseason roster, six juniors, five sophomores and five freshmen – 27 players in all.
Ironically, three underclass All-Century Conference members for Beth-Center in 2020 are not on this year’s roster.
Ruscitto is excited about the prospects for freshman Jonah Sussan.
The coach said Revi and Sussan have made great strides as quarterbacks and both will be on the field.
“Since we took over, they both have gotten better,” Ruscitto added. “There’s still work to do but I’m happy with the progress.”
The past two seasons were quite difficult as the Bulldogs lost 15 of 17 games, including 12 of 13 Century Conference games.
Beth-Center will again compete in the Class 2A Century Conference with favorite McGuffey, along with Washington, Charleroi, Waynesburg, Chartiers-Houston and Frazier.
In addition to their conference games, the Bulldogs were originally scheduled to play four non-conference games. The season opener was to be Friday against Greensburg Central Catholic. Ruscitto, however, said that game has been canceled.
“We just won’t be ready to play a game then,” he said.
Beth-Center will instead open its season Sept. 3 at Class A California, and then play West Greene in the home opener Sept 10. The Bulldogs’ other non-conference game is Sept. 24 at Class AAA Elizabeth Forward, a WPIAL finalist in 2020. The Bulldogs will meet the Warriors in Week 4 this season.