Luvara cousins make family affair for W&J-Waynesburg game
Gabe Luvara
Vince Luvara (black shirt) leads the Washington & Jefferson defense against Gabe Luvara, his cousin and the offensive coordinator at Waynesburg University.
When the two teams line up for the first snap of the game Saturday afternoon, they should be aware that a fine bottle of wine might be at stake.
Whether Gabe Luvara, the offensive coordinator at Waynesburg University, or Vince Luvara, the defensive coordinator at Washington & Jefferson, has to pay depends on who wins the game.
No word on who springs for the pasta.
The two cousins will meet for the first time on the field at Wiley Stadium in the finale of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference schedule for both teams.
It’s surprising that it’s taken this long for the two to go against one another. Vince Luvara had been the defensive coordinator at W&J for eight years and Gabe Luvara spent the last three years at Robert Morris University and arrived at Waynesburg as part of coach Cornelius Coleman’s first staff.
“We should probably have some wine at stake,” said Gabe Luvara. “I think Vince’s wife, Stacey, has a little dinner bet on the game. So there will probably be a glass of wine at dinner, we being Italians.”
Waynesburg comes into this game with a 3-4 record in the PAC and a 4-5 overall mark. W&J is 5-2 in the conference and 7-2 overall. The Presidents are hoping, possibly against hope, that they could make the NCAA Division III playoffs. Gabe Luvara would like nothing better than to derail those hopes.
“I remember when he was playing at IUP and I was in fourth grade,” said Vince Luvara. “This is not the first time it’s happened. His dad was coaching the Frostburg State offensive line when we played them in 2017.”
Even though there have been a lot of chances, the two have never coached on the same team.
“He was at Louisville, Duquesne, Frostburg, Robert Morris and Waynesburg,” said Vince Luvara. “He texted me this morning. We usually talk about once a week.”
Vince Luvara’s coaching path started at Allegheny, wound through Miseracordia University, St. Louise de Marillac in Upper St. Clair, where he led the team to its first Diocesan championship in school history, and is now at W&J.
Three defensive starters earned First Team All-PAC honors in 2021 as the Presidents allowed just 16.2 points per game. The defensive unit ranked fourth in NCAA Division III in turnover margin (1.55). The defense intercepted 17 passes during the 2021 season.
The W&J defensive unit allowed just 11.75 points and 198.3 yards per game during an abbreviated 2020-21 season. Eight defensive players earned All-PAC honors, which included first teamers Keith Knowell, Sean Doran and Drew Ehrlich.
“I knew this week was coming,” said Vince Luvara. “But it’s not about us. It’s about W&J and Waynesburg.”
Angelo Luvara, Gabe’s father, was the coach at Potomac State and he coached George Messich, the current head coach at Mapletown High School, before the latter transferred to Pitt.
“I think it will be a good game,” Vince Luvara said. “It’s not about me and him. It’s about W&J and Waynesburg.”
Hash marks
Kickoff is 1 p.m. … Jacob Pugh has taken over as W&J’s starting quarterback. He was splitting the job with Colt Jones. … Senior quarterback Tyler Raines is in concussion protocol and is questionable to start for the Yellow Jackets.