Aug 17, 2024 4 min read

By Joe Tuscano

For the Observer-Reporter

newsrooom@observer-reporter.com

When Nate Parry was hired to replace Ed Dalton as McGuffey’s football coach, he knew what he was getting into and what the expectations would be.

Dalton had taken a struggling program and turned it into an annual playoff qualifier. He installed the triple-option running game that gave opposing defensive coordinators fits trying to stop. The Highlanders’ running game, coupled with a sound defense, regularly produced a playoff season.

Parry was the designer of the triple-option running game and will use it again this season.

“I certainly have big shoes to fill,” said Parry. “Coach Dalton is in my opinion the best coach in the whole state. I learned a lot from him. I think he runs a year-round program better than anyone I know. I’m excited for the (opportunity). We’ve had success over the last decade and I just want to keep it going.”

And yes, he believes in calling one, two and even three timeouts before the halfway point of the first quarter, something that was common under Dalton.

“I can’t say I ever had a problem with that,” Parry said. “If you have a problem, you should fix it right away instead of waiting to fix it. Don’t be surprised if you see me having similar habits as my predecessor.”

The Highlanders will not only have a new coach but a new classification when the season begins.

Parry will have his hands full as McGuffey moves up to Class 3A.

Dalton guided the Highlanders into the WPIAL playoffs for the past five years. McGuffey had lost 15 consecutive games before Dalton’s arrival. He led them to making the WPIAL playoffs in nine of the last 12 seasons. The Highlanders won multiple conference championships under Dalton and went into the final week of the regular season with a chance to win at least a share of the conference title in each of the last five years.

Dalton has stayed on as the school’s athletic director.

With a 224-144-1 career record, including 78-45 at McGuffey, Dalton is one of the winningest coaches in Washington County history. His final season saw the Highlanders go 5-1 in the Class 2A Century Conference and 8-4 overall.

The key piece to this year’s offense is Logan Carlisle, who missed a big chunk of last season with a shoulder injury and will quarterback the triple-option offense.

“We have 15 seniors and they’ve been successful since they were in diapers,” said Parry with a chuckle. “They were really good in youth, middle school and now varsity.”

Seniors halfback Malachi Ealy (5-10, 190) and fullback Aiden O’Dell (6-0, 200) provide the 1-2 punch out of the backfield. Senior Danny Furmanek (5-8, 140) and junior Michael Makripodis (5-10, 190) are battling for the other halfback position.

“With Logan at quarterback, that gives us some things we can do differently,” Parry said. “We don’t want to get away from our offense because there were games over the years we stayed in against teams that were stronger than us or we’ve won games against teams that maybe had a little more talent, because of our offense. Our kids have bought into that.”

McGuffey returns four starting linemen: senior tackle Reno Presto (6-2, 245), senior center Reid Teagarden (5-10, 180), senior tackle Memphis Haydrych (6-0, 275) and senior guard Rian Johnson (6-1, 255).

Wideouts will include senior Lincoln Johnson and either senior Kolt McGowan (6-1, 165) or senior Sheldon Hanna (6-2, 165).

Parry said he will have a number of two-way players because of the low number of underclassmen. Teagarden and O’Dell return at inside linebacker. Senior Levi Shaffer (5-9, 165) and Ealy could be on the outside. Carlisle and Johnson will handle the cornerback positions while McGowan and Hanna will be used in the secondary.

McGuffey opens the season Friday with a nonconference game against longtime rival Washington. The Highlanders and Prexies played twice last year, once in the playoffs. McGuffey won’t have to travel far for its second game, at Trinity, in another nonconference contest.