Beth-Center trying to piece together a winner
By Joe Tuscano
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter
Any high school football coach will tell you that putting together a team is like finding the pieces to a puzzle, especially when it comes to smaller classifications.
Just ask Tim Trump, the first-year head football coach at Beth-Center High School. The Bulldogs went 1-8 overall last year but a few missed opportunities and some better play could have easily pushed that record closer to .500.
The biggest piece to find is at quarterback, where Jonah Sussan graduated. Sussan led the Bulldogs in passing yardage and was a capable runner, and that’s the first piece to the offensive puzzle Trump must find during camp.
“We have a lot of youth and lack depth,” Trump said. “A lot of the guys got playing time so I’m banking on that this year. Some of them have to mature. Once they mature, I’m really looking forward to that because they are going to be really good. I hope it happens this year. I do think we’re going to surprise some people.”
Chase Bebout, who played sparingly last year, will get first shot at replacing Sussan. Bebout passed for 80 yards last year.
“Bebout is pretty accurate,” Trump said. “He throws a nice tight spiral. When he’s on, he’s on. In some 7-on-7s, he threw some nice passes.”
Bebout, who will run multiple sets, will have Danny Duncan, Cincere Cruse and Deasean Whipkey to throw to when he drops back.
In the backfield, Trump has Whipkey, a sophomore who led the team with 612 yards rushing and nine touchdowns last year, He will be joined by Teagan Veatch, who is the only senior in the backfield, and Homer Headlee, who will play fullback. Cruse has a chance to be an effective runner and receiver if he can stay healthy.
Trump said he won’t deviate from what has long been a Beth-Center offensive tradition.
“Right now, we are trying to split the carries up evenly,” he said. “Whoever has the hot hand will carry the load. We tell the kids we want to win. We don’t have selfish players. These kids don’t go around saying, ‘I’m the man.’ They are going to do whatever it takes.”
Brody Bebout will handle left guard and Blake Stopko will play left tackle. Luciano Ruscitto, whose grandfather is former Bulldogs head coach Tony Ruscitto, will center the line. Bradley Detrick will be at right guard and Dominick Minucci will be at right tackle. Jax Taylor and Evan Miller will be the tight ends.
On defense, Brody Bebout, Stopko, Ruscitto, Detrick and Minucci will grab spots on the line. Cruse, Whipkey and Veatch will play either linebacker or defensive back.
Trump sees California and Jefferson-Morgan – the top two teams in the league a year ago – as the teams to beat again in the Tri-County South Conference.
“I’m really excited to get this show on the road,” said Trump, who played at Beth-Center and Waynesburg University. “That’s what I’m really excited about, to work with the kids.
“We’re trying to get kids to come out but it’s difficult. I talked to everybody and they are struggling with numbers. (California head coach) Ed Woods told me he only has 28 kids out. Right now, I have 26. But I had 37 kids sign up. I think the cellphone is messing up these kids. You don’t see them out in the neighborhood like you used to. I learned a lot (of football) on the street. I learned to tackle, to run. I think technology is screwing things up.”
Beth-Center opens its season Saturday at Riverview and plays its first home game Aug. 29 against Leechburg.