Trinity seeks to continue rapid growth
Mark marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
By Joe Tuscano
For the Observer-Reporter
newsrooom@observer-reporter.com
If Jonah Williamson makes the same type of talent leap this year, then there will be a lot of smiling faces along the sidelines and in the stands at Trinity High School football games
A year ago, Williamson became one of only a handful of WPIAL players to pass for more than 1,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season and Trinity responded with a playoff-bound season in the rugged Class 4A Big Seven Conference, where Williamson was named Offensive Player of the Year.
Williamson completed 127 passes out of 212 attempts for 1,860 yards, an average of 14.7 yards a completion. His running ability produced 1,012 yards on 164 tries for an average of 6.2 yards per carry.
“I’m a quarterback at heart so it was definitely more fun to throw the ball,” said Williamson, a junior.
His biggest win came midway through the season when the Hillers stunned Thomas Jefferson, a perennial conference powerhouse, 23-6. Williamson ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns in the Hillers’ biggest win of the season. Trinity finished 4-2 and in a three-way tie for second place in the conference. The Hillers were 7-5 overall and routed North Catholic 49-0 in the first round of the playoffs before being knocked out of the postseason by WPIAL runner-up McKeesport.
“It’s a credit to his athleticism that he would have such a productive year,” said Trinity head coach Dan Knause. “We started him as a freshman because we knew he had special tools. We expected big things. I can’t say we thought it would be this rapid or that he would be player of the year in our conference but we knew the ability was there.”
Williamson already has a few college offers but he is just concentrating on this season.
“We’re going to be a little young,” Williamson said. “It’s just about making plays and giving it our all every day to get better.”
Williamson will probably be depended on even more this season with the graduation of running back/wide receiver Andrew Durig, wide receivers Luke Lacock and Dante DeRubbo and linemen Jase Banco and Braeden Helmkamp. Durig, Lacock and DeRubbo combined for 89 pass receptions and scored 24 touchdowns last season.
Junior running back Nico Mauro also will be counted on more now that Durig is not available. Mauro rushed for 247 yards and scored three touchdowns a year ago. Mekhi Bouman and Daniel Glass add much-needed depth.
“We’ll always have flexibility in the foundation of our offense,” said Knause. “That’s what is fun at camp. We’re going to find out what we do well.”
Anthony Giorgi, who had eight receptions for 120 yards last year, is back at wide receiver.
The line gets Semaj Fuse back at one tackle and Jackson Starr at the other one. Hunter Martin returns after an injury-plagued season. Julius Wise and John Dube get first shot at the guard spots and Jerrod Catlin is at center. Also in the mix are Braden Rager, David Gill and Owen Gardner.
Fuse anchors the defensive line and the remaining spots will be filled by committee. Knause is optimistic about the play of Jack Dufalla. Mauro and Caden Vogel will start at inside linebacker and Giorgi and Brock Spiker will hold down the outside spots.
The secondary was decimated by graduation and all four spots were up for grabs in camp.
Knause believes Thomas Jefferson along with Belle Vernon, last year’s WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A champion, are the teams to beat in the conference. An interesting game comes in Week 2, when Trinity plays McGuffey in a non-conference affair at Hiller Field.
“It’s a very demanding schedule,” Knause said. “Our goal is to get better one day at a time.”