Leps’ roster is low on quantity, high on quality
Mark Marietta
Missing the WPIAL playoffs last season stung the Belle Vernon High School football team.
The Leopards had been riding high for a handful of years.
But a difficult schedule, lower roster numbers and some untimely injuries helped to deny Belle Vernon a spot in the Class 4A postseason.
The Leopards are back down in Class 3A this season. Spirits are high despite roster numbers being low at around 34-35 players.
Belle Vernon is challenging itself with a season opener against rival Thomas Jefferson, so the Leopards will get a good evaluation of where they stand as a team before conference play begins.
Second-year head coach Scott Bryer expects a return to playoff football in 2026 but knows it won’t be easy.
“I think the schedule that’s ahead of us is one of the top ones,” Bryer said. “In our conference alone, we have two teams that won nine games last year in Elizabeth Forward and Southmoreland. We also have some teams that in recent history have put good teams on the field. I don’t know if the schedule has gotten much easier. Moving down helps keep roster sizes on a level playing field, at least a more level playing field than we were in the recent past.”
The Leopards will be in the Interstate Conference along with Derry, Greensburg Salem, Mount Pleasant, Waynesburg, Elizabeth Forward and Southmoreland. Belle Vernon will also play Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and Burrell in non-conference games.
Bryer thinks the quality of the roster can stand up to the obvious challenges.
“The quantity is low, but the quality, I think, is high,” Bryer explained, “We have some good players. I think we have a solid senior class. I’m looking for a big year from David Bergstedt (5-7, 165) on both sides of the ball. I think as an inside linebacker, you’re going to have a hard time finding a better one than him right now. But he’s really blossomed for us on offense. He’s going to be a weapon for us.”
Bergstedt was an all-conference linebacker last season, and he will be the Leopards’ hammer defensively. He will bring versatility to the offense. Bergstedt won’t be cast in just one role.
“We’ll use him at slot receiver, so we will kind of move him around a little bit. David is a Swiss Army Knife type. He plays offense with the same mentality he plays defense – very aggressive. He’s a nice asset to have on both sides of a ball.”
Bryer pointed to others the team will be counting such as senior two-way lineman Ethan Barron. He added that senior running back Cameren Jenko is versatile and productive. He ran for 135 yards against Central Valley in 2025. Chace Petrosky also returns in the backfield after nearly rushing for 1,000 yards last season. Petrosky set a school record with 335 yards rushing against Chartiers Valley.
“Chase really came on strong at the end of the season,” Bryer said. “We’re looking for big things from him. Barron’s our leader up front on both sides of the ball. Jenko is another one of those guys who, like Bergstedt, we can move all over the place. He’s going to have eyes on him, no matter where he goes. Against Central Valley last year was the first time he ever played running back in high school. He’s a weapon out of the backfield catching the ball and on defense he jumps off the film. So, he’s going to play some outside linebacker.”
Others Belle Vernon is counting on include senior Luca Ghilani, receiver and outside linebacker; senior quarterback Jace Gedekoh, who doubles as defensive end for the Leopards.
“We have good players and that is the one blessing,” Bryer said. “In terms of the quality of play and the opponents we face, I still think we have our work cut out for us.
“I think we made that turn probably midway through last year. Our senior class did a really good job of getting the culture back to where it needed to be. I thought we finished the year heading in the right direction. Those kids last year would have done anything to play one more game. So, when you look at it like that, I think we have things heading in the right direction and it really spilled over into the offseason.”
Bryer is assisted by Scott Knee, Chris Edenfield, Mike Metikosh, Tim Livingstone, Ryan McWreath, Logan Pfronger, Reiley Wilant, Scott Heckel, Jamason Wiant, Jack Bryer, Brett Berish, Tim Beck, Jim Trenk, Anthony Sauritch and Dylan Haney.