Eight months after winning the school’s first WPIAL title, the vibe at Fort Cherry practices this month hasn’t been much different than in previous years.
“It’s business as usual,” junior Matt Sieg said. “Obviously, we’ve never been in this position of having to defend a title, but we’re taking that and we’re running with it. We’re getting better.”
Fort Cherry wasn’t content on just winning a WPIAL Class 1A title. The Rangers are hungry for another and would love nothing more than to also win the school’s first PIAA championship after seeing last year’s perfect season end with a loss to Steelton-Highspire in the title game.
The Rangers (15-1 a season ago) lost several key players to graduation, but with Sieg on their side, just about anything is possible. A quarterback-defensive back, Sieg was outstanding as a sophomore when he ran for 2,389 yards and 43 touchdowns and passed for 1,670 yards and 20 touchdowns. Sieg, who is considered one of the top juniors in the state and has a list of offers that includes Pitt, Penn State and Southern Cal, has put on 20 pounds since last season (he’s up to 185).
Can Sieg possibly top those video game numbers from a season ago?
“Tough to say,” Fort Cherry coach Tanner Garry said with a smile. “You put out a year like that, and obviously even if you’re close to that, you’re having a fantastic year. He’s someone who is more focused on what we can do as a team. He’s obviously one of those kids … he’s going to get his. It’s just a matter of how much is the team able to help him out and get him going?”
A few of those “helpers” are pretty darn good players themselves. They include senior running back Nate Heirendt, who backed up all-state performer Ethan Faletto last season, and senior wide receiver Shane Cornali, Sieg’s favorite target last season when he hauled in 35 passes for 676 yards and 10 touchdowns. Sieg and Cornali were part of Fort Cherry’s 400-meter relay team that won WPIAL and PIAA titles last season. Also keep an eye on sophomore Ryan Huey, a talented running back-linebacker whom the Fort Cherry coaches are very excited about.
The biggest question mark for the reigning Black Hills Conference champs entering the season might be on the offensive line, where the Rangers must replace four of their five starters, among them all-conference picks Lou Ryan and Brayden Kirby. Ryan and Sieg were both named all-state.
“We have five guys up front that we really need to get ready,” Garry said. “Five guys that I think have always been really close to those guys who were in front of them, just younger. Those guys that we had last year, you had a group of seniors that started all together as sophomores, so it’s hard to replace three years of playing together.”
After falling in the WPIAL semifinals to Fort Cherry last season, Bishop Canevin will try to advance to the final for the third time in four seasons. Senior quarterback Kole Olszewski led Class 1A in passing last season with 2,180 yards and 36 touchdowns. The Crusaders are 35-6 overall and 19-2 in conference play over the past three seasons.
Serra Catholic is one of two teams to move into the conference this season, this after spending the past eight seasons in Class 2A. The Eagles went 5-6 and earned a WPIAL playoff berth a season ago. The pass-catch duo of senior quarterback Quadir Stribling (2,488 yards, 27 touchdowns) and senior wide receiver De’reon Washington (41 catches, 965 yards, 16 touchdowns) ranked among the best in Class 2A last season.
Expectations are high for Cornell, which hopes to build on the momentum of last season’s team that went 8-3. Junior running back Khylil Johnson (1,117 yards, 13 touchdowns) and senior wide receiver Mikey Keyes (25 catches, 451 yards, 7 touchdowns) are two of the top returnees.
Burgettstown looks to take another step forward after finishing 5-5 and reaching the playoffs for the third consecutive season in 2023. Senior lineman Teddy Gray was named all-conference on both sides of the ball last season.
Also new to the conference is Monessen, which previously played in the Tri-County South. The Greyhounds are coming off a season in which they went 4-7 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Junior running back Tyvaughn Kershaw (741 yards, 10 touchdowns) led the team in rushing and touchdowns.
There’s nowhere to go but up for Chartiers-Houston, which went 0-10 last season. New coach Dan Lis will try to help turn things around. Junior quarterback Aaron Walsh, last year’s team leader in passing and rushing, returns.
Eastern Conference
Defending conference champion Clairton returns a bevy of all-conference performers from last year’s squad that rebounded from an 0-2 start to win 10 games in a row before seeing its season end in the WPIAL semifinals. The Bears, who last won a WPIAL title in 2019, feature senior running back Drahcir Jones (1,489 yards, 15 touchdowns) and welcome talented freshman skill player Brandon Murphy, who already has a scholarship offer from Syracuse.
Samir Crosby was the top receiver for Greensburg Central Catholic a year ago, but this season the talented junior will make the move to quarterback as he replaces all-conference pick Tyree Turner. It could be a big season for Crosby, who last season had 31 catches to go along with 634 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns. He has several FBS offers.
Leechburg is not short on returning talent and boasts one of the WPIAL’s top dual-threat quarterbacks in senior Jayden Floyd, who rushed for 1,156 yards and 19 touchdowns and passed for 1,475 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
Welcome back, Jeannette. Following a pair of rare down seasons that saw Jeannette go a combined 4-17, the Jayhawks bounced back last season under now third-year coach Tom Paulone to go 7-4. Junior wide receiver and all-conference pick Kymon’e Brown had a team-high 29 catches for 477 yards and scored eight touchdowns last season.
Brentwood will make the transition to Class 1A after spending the past eight seasons in Class 2A. The Spartans, who went 2-8 last season, bring back junior quarterback Cedric Davis (1,444 yards, 13 touchdowns) and senior wide receiver Forrest Betz (35 catches, 634 yards).
A year after challenging for a playoff spot and finishing 5-5, Riverview must replace all-conference running back Carlo Buzzatto (2,070 yards, 17 touchdowns), the second-leading rusher in Class 1A last season.
Frazier will try to find its footing after going a combined 2-27 the past three seasons, including a 1-9 mark a season ago. Senior wide receiver Andrew Bandish led the team with 32 catches for 462 yards in 2023.
Chad Walsh takes over as coach at Springdale and faces a big challenge as the Dynamos went 1-19 and didn’t win a conference game the past two seasons. Walsh was the head coach at Valley about a decade ago.
Tri-County South
The 2023 season was a highly successful one for California, which went unbeaten in conference play, won a WPIAL playoff game, and finished 10-2. All-conference running back Spencer Petrucci and quarterback Jake Layhue must be replaced, but the Trojans return four other all-conference picks, one being senior running back-linebacker Lee Qualk.
After going 2-8 in 2022, West Greene bounced back in a big way last season when it finished second in the conference and 8-3 overall. The Pioneers hope to find another prolific rusher after graduating 1,000-yard rushers Colin Brady and Billy Whitlatch. Senior quarterback Lane Allison returns.
After finishing with a winning record (6-5) for the first time since 2012, Jefferson-Morgan brings back a quartet of all-conference honorees, a group featuring junior wide receiver Deakyn Dehoet (40 catches, 735 yards, 13 touchdowns).
Bentworth averaged a healthy 21.9 points per game last season, but the Bearcats (3-7 in 2023) must improve a defense that surrendered 29.3 a game. Senior wide receiver Lucas Burt (40 catches, 699 yards) led the team in receiving.
Guided by 83-year-old coach Tony Ruscitto, a young Beth-Center team will look to improve on last season’s 3-7 record. Junior quarterback Jonah Sussan is one of the top returnees.
Senior all-conference lineman Bradley Schoenfeldt returns for Carmichaels, which went 2-8 last season after going 8-3 and 7-4 the previous two seasons.
Guided by George Messich, who is in his 42nd season as head coach, Mapletown hopes to find its footing after following up an 11-1 season by going 3-7 last season.
Avella returns to the Tri-County South after spending the previous two seasons in the Black Hills Conference when the Eagles went a combined 5-15.
Big Seven Conference
Neshannock makes the move to Class 1A following a pair of strong seasons in Class 2A that saw the Lancers go a combined 20-4 and win a conference title a season ago. Junior quarterback Jino Mozzocio and senior lineman Tony Perrotta are returning all-conference players for first-year coach Michael Bongivengo.
South Side must replace a slew of all-conference players from last year’s team that won the conference title and advanced to the WPIAL championship game before finishing 13-1. Junior running back A.C. Corfield is a returning all-conference pick who rushed for 1,286 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Senior running back Antonio Laure is one of the top returnees for Rochester, which has reached the WPIAL semifinals three of the past four seasons.
Shenango has many starters back on both sides of the ball from last year’s team that went 4-6. Sam Patton is a talented senior quarterback-defensive back.
A playoff team last season, Laurel hopes to return and improve on its 4-6 finish. Junior wide receiver-linebacker Jack Miles led the team in tackles last season.
Senior defensive back and all-conference pick Darius Fields is back for Northgate, which went 5-5 last season. Senior Kaleb Billings (6-4, 310) anchors the offensive line.
There’s nowhere to go but up for Summit Academy, which last season went 0-10 and is riding a 17-game losing streak overall.
Players to watch
Samir Crosby, Greensburg C.C., 5-10, 170, QB-DB, Jr. — Team’s leading receiver from a season ago moves to quarterback.
Drahcir Jones, Clairton, 5-10, 160, RB-DB, Sr. — Was named all-conference on both offense and defense.
Kole Olszewski, Bishop Canevin, 6-0, 185, QB, Sr. — Passed for 2,180 yards and 36 touchdowns last season.
Matt Sieg, Fort Cherry, 6-0, 185, QB-DB, Jr. — Dual-threat quarterback accounted for 63 touchdowns in 2023.
Quadir Stribling, Serra Catholic, 6-3, 170, QB, Sr. — Threw for 2,488 yards and 27 touchdowns last season when Serrra was in Class 2A.
Brad is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at beverett@unionprogress.com.