Aug 18, 2024 By Eleanor Bailey 5 min read

McMURRAY – The 2023 campaign for the Peters Township football team was not an anomaly. The 15-1 season, which included a conference championship, WPIAL title and a PIAA Class 5A runner-up trophy, is the norm.

“It was a special year, but we work toward that,” said PT coach TJ Plack. “Our motto is the best is the standard and better never rests.”

So, the Indians expect success in 2024.

While they graduated 16 seniors, many of them starters, the Indians return a handful of seasoned two-way veterans.

Nolan DiLucia engineered the high-powered offense that put up 36.5 points a game while linebackers Mickey Vaccarello and Reston Lehman anchored the WPIAL’s best defense along with versatile veterans such as Nick McCullough, Nick Courie and Franco Muscatello.

DiLucia passed for 3,111 yards and 33 touchdowns last season. He rushed for 489 yards and eight more scores. The 6-2, 195-pound junior earned all-conference and all-state laurels. He was named the player of the year in WPIAL Class 5A.

According to Plack, DiLucia has had 23 starts, including those on defense his freshman year. DiLucia, who has only two career losses, will play more defense this fall.

“Nolan’s our alpha male leader. He’s held the attention of the upperclassmen, particularly the seniors last year,” Plack said. “He’s one of our impressive voices.

“He’s intelligent and he’ll have more on his plate this year but he flourishes under pressure. He trusts his linemen.

“I’d be naive to say that stats don’t matter, because we will need them,” he continued. “But they will take care of themselves because Nolan has the ability to get the ball to the playmakers and put points on the scoreboard. That’s what he cares about – winning.”

Peters Township won last year with defense, too. The unit surrendered only 10 points per game and recorded four shutouts.

Vaccarello and Lehman, who will be utilized at H-back and tight end on offense, are rangy outside linebackers with Courie sandwiched in the middle. All are three-year starters.

A 6-3, 210-pound all-state performer, Vaccarello committed to Stanford this spring. He recorded 111 total tackles, 29 tackles for loss and 13 sacks last fall.

A junior, Lehman was also an all-state performer at linebacker. The Division I prospect is 6-4, 230 and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.69.

“It’s nice to have two great linebackers that are so long and intelligent. They enjoy playing against great competition. They thrive on that,” Plack said.

“We want them to be a menace. Get in the quarterback’s head.”

Muscatello anchors a defensive line deep with talent, Lucas Shanafelt is in the mix of linebackers, McCullough returns to cornerback and Darius McMillon is a veteran safety. PJ Luke fills the other cornerback slot while Lucas Rost, DiLucia, Cole Neupaver, Eli Prado and Joey Wertman afford the Indians plenty of depth in the secondary.

“We have nice numbers on the line and we have guys in the secondary. They will all play. We are looking for guys who mesh together and stay healthy … although in the past we have found most of our gems when someone got hurt,” Plack said.

Many of the players on defense will see time on offense.

Most, who backs up DiLucia and who threw a TD pass in the PIAA final, will start at wide receiver. McCullough, Shanafelt, McMillon, Prado and Luke spearhead the receiving group.

McMillon will likely catch passes out of the backfield as he will line up with Corie and Neupauver at running back.

“These guys will touch the ball. We like their speed,” Plack said.

He embraces their versatility as well. McMillon is a seasoned wrestler while Neupauver, a transfer from North Catholic, played hockey and baseball for the Trojans.

On the offensive line, PT returns three starters. Muscatello will play guard or tackle. Zack Stromock, a standout heavyweight wrestler, was an all-conference tackle last fall. Alex Klein returns at center.

In the mix for O-line positions are Max Cortes, Tanner, Shaw, Caden Thompson and Gabe Kita.

“O-line is a bit of a concern and we need to see who steps up at some of the skill positions,” Plack said. “We are going to have some young guys who maybe make mistakes early, but we have to come out of the gates swinging. The key is to get better and gel.

“That’s always the goal. To improve every week, We want to go 1-0 each week and not look any further.”

Peters Township competes in the Allegheny Six Conference in Class 5A with Baldwin, Bethel Park, Moon, South Fayette and Upper St. Clair.

“Familiar foes like Bethel Park and USC, which are loaded with returning players at key positions on both sides of the ball, are looking for their chance to knock us off,” Plack said. “South Fayette has a new coach. Baldwin’s program has stabilized and Moon brings back a lot of guys.

“We appreciate and respect those teams and although we are not natural rivals for them, we want them to know when they play us.

“We walk into every game thinking we have a target on our back. It’s how we operate. We want to be on the other team’s radar. We walk into every game thinking that someone is coming for us.”