Aug 29, 2015 4 min read

South Fayette: 16-0 (9-0 Class AA Century Conference)

Everyone wants to talk about the quarterback battle and you can’t blame them. Brett Brumbaugh shattered both the WPIAL & PIAA career passing mark while leading the Lions on a 32-game winning streak, back-to-back championship seasons and had a 45-2 record as the starting quarterback. Instead of focusing on what is gone, how about what is coming back? The first player you have to mention is senior running back Hunter Hayes. Oh, he only rushed for 2,103 yards – more than 1,000 during the state playoffs – and 33 touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Nick Ponikvar, who caught 53 passes for 1,018 yards and 10 touchdowns last fall, will be joined on the outside by junior Dan Trimbur, who caught a touchdown pass in every postseason game as a sophomore.

Whether it’s junior Mikey Speca or sophomore Drew Saxton under center, there is a strong supporting cast to lean on. Beyond the skill positions, the reason why South Fayette should still be seen as the strongest team in Class AA: the offensive line.

Seniors Zack Radinick, Jason Massey-Sears and Nick Dabrowski are joined by juniors Andrew Gedrys and Alex Minford. That’s five starters back from the WPIAL title game and state playoff run. They’re not the biggest group, but they imposed their will against the much bigger defensive fronts of Aliquippa and Dunmore in 2014.

“It’s all heart. You can’t let size, strength or ability get to your head,” Radinick said. “We have one of the best line coaches in the WPIAL (Ryan Faraci) and we’re all a pretty close bunch. Despite our size – we lacked size in a lot of big games last year – we still got it done. We’re all back, we’ve each gained 15-20 pounds and we’re stronger. We’re looking to stay consistent and give Hunter a lot of holes to run through.”

Head coach Joe Rossi said the group will be crucial to the Lions’ success without Brumbaugh. “They’re going to carry us,” Rossi said. “It’s going to make it nice for whoever the quarterback is because it will take the pressure off them. The protection will be good and they’ll see everything. Having the line back with Hunter will take the pressure off.”

One of the reasons some may be picking Aliquippa as the favorite in Class AA could be the lack of experience on South Fayette’s defense. Though the line is back, much is gone from a unit that held opponents to 13.6 points per game. Arguably the biggest loss is Logan Sharp, who could see the field early at the University of Pennsylvania. Losing Sharp at linebacker forced Hays to switch from safety to linebacker – a position he’s adjusting to quickly.

“It’s obviously a lot different than safety, but I see parts in it,” Hayes said. “It hasn’t been too difficult of a transition. There’s still a lot of coverage, but it’s obviously a more physical position. It’s been fun.”

The other three spots at linebacker were up for grabs when preseason camp opened. Junior Camron Garland will help fill a spot at cornerback.

“The message to the kids has been to keep competing,” Rossi said. “Graduation provides opportunities and these kids can see that. We’re just excited to see the competitions. Younger kids want to get on the field. As coaches, we have to continue doing what we’re doing and continue to develop players.”

Players to watch: Hunter Hayes, Nick Ponikvar, Dan Trimbur, Zack Radinick

Biggest game: Week Eight vs. Seton-La Salle … The rivalry between these two has been one of the best in the WPIAL over the past 10 years. The Rebels have Paris Ford – one of the top safeties in the country for the class of 2017 – and seem confident that this could be the year to upset the Lions. South Fayette could carry a 39-game winning streak into this one. South Fayette holds a 27-game winning streak in Century Conference play with four of the past six conference titles. The other two are owned by Seton-La Salle

Stat to think about: Rossi is entering his ninth season at South Fayette and has already won 85 games with just 16 losses. With a five-year stint at Riverview, Rossi’s career record as a head coach is 111-39 – a .740 winning percentage. That’s pretty impressive.