Aug 17, 2025 4 min read

By John Sacco

For the Observer-Reporter

newsroom@observer-reporter.com

The offense has the skill position players to help Waynesburg Central get back to the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs for a third consecutive season.

However, before that can happen, the Raiders’ offense and defensive linemen must continue to grow and get better.

“I don’t know if it’s about my expectation,” said coach Joe Kuhns, in his first year of his second stint at Waynesburg, where he teaches art.

“I think the kids have pretty high expectations of themselves. I’m the new guy on the block and they were together last year. They know more about their expectations than I do. But I think the expectations are for us to get in the playoffs and try to make a run this year.

“This team has been together for so long. These junior and senior classes have been playing together for their whole lives and I think that’s kind of the strength. They’re very familiar with each other and it’s a good team group.”

The Raiders will again compete in the Class 2A Century Conference against Carlynton, Charleroi, Keystone Oaks, Seton LaSalle, Sto-Rox and Washington.

Waynesburg is opening at home Aug. 22 against West Greene and will play at Jefferson-Morgan and then at home against California before moving into conference play.

Players Kuhns will be looking to for production include senior Zachery Jiblits (5-7, 130), senior tight end-linebacker Jeffrey Blair (5-10, 195), junior quarterback Teagen Crouse (5-8, 154), junior wide receiver-defensive end Jack Ricciuti (6-3, 190).

Crouse, who caught 24 passes a year ago, moves to quarterback, replacing Jacob Stephenson, who rushed for 1,081 yards and scored 20 touchdowns.

“Teagan’s going to be really good,” Kuhns said. “He has his own personal quarterback coach. He’s been doing it for quite a few years. He’s good technique-wise and at being able to read defenses.

“He’s football savvy for a kid who hasn’t been a starting quarterback yet. If he must work on anything, it’s having fun. He’s so darn serious about it.”

Kuhns succeeds former Waynesburg mentor Aaron Giorgi, whose job was opened in the offseason.

When Giorgi took over in 2021, Waynesburg’s recent history had been marked with tough times. The Raiders broke a 24-game conference losing streak in 2021. They went a little more than four years without winning a conference game prior to that. In all, Waynesburg had lost 45 of its last 48 conference games and 53 of 60 games overall.

Giorgi led the Raiders back to the WPIAL playoffs in 2023, it’s first time in the postseason since 2014.

Waynesburg went 7-4 in 2023 and lost to Imani Christian in the opening round of the playoffs. The Raiders’ four wins to open that season was the first time the program opened 4-0 in 23 years.

This past season, Waynesburg finished tied for second place in the Century Conference, going 4-2 in league play and 6-5 overall.

The Raiders defeated Washington, 21-13, for their first win over the Little Prexies and first win at Wash High Stadium since 2008.

Waynesburg lost to South Allegheny in the opening round of the WPIAL playoffs.

This is Kuhns’ second stint at Waynesburg.

He previously coached at Waynesburg for three seasons.

He most recently coached Beth-Center and California. He coached California to six consecutive playoff berths. Kuhns, a California University graduate, left the Trojans’ job in 2008 with a 38-36 record from 2002 to 2008. Following a strong 2005 regular season, Kuhns coached his team to its first playoff victory in 19 years. The following season, the Trojans won the 2006 Tri-County South Conference championship.

In five years (2016-2020) at Beth-Center, Kuhns had a 19-30 record. The Bulldogs won 17 games in Kuhns’ first three seasons. Beth-Center qualified for the WPIAL playoffs all three seasons but lost in the first-round each time – twice against Steel Valley.

Derek Bochna will serve as the Raiders’ defensive coordinator. Other assistants include Dave Sarra, Tim Bennett, Adam Knight, Colby Kuhns.

“I’m super excited,” the head coach said. “It’s hard to walk away once you’re into it.”