Take a leisurely stroll or a nice scenic drive through the town of Latrobe on a Friday evening this fall, and you’ll be sure to notice an unmistakable buzz in the air that hasn’t been seen in quite some time — if ever.
So, what’s all the excitement about? The truth is, it has been brewing for more than two years now, ever since former Penn-Trafford assistant Ron Prady took over as the Wildcats’ football coach prior to the 2022 season.
Before Prady arrived, Latrobe hadn’t won a playoff game in 54 years. The Wildcats have now won one in each of his first two seasons, although it was actually a loss in their final game in 2023 that finally put them on the map.
They don’t hand out trophies for moral victories in high school football, but Latrobe’s admirable 37-29 defeat against eventual WPIAL and PIAA champion Aliquippa in last year’s WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals was an enthralling contest that saw the massive underdogs take the mighty Quips to the brink in an epic back-and-forth battle. Aliquippa, of course, has reached 16 consecutive WPIAL championship games, but few have come closer to ending that streak than the Wildcats did last year.
“We talked about turning the page,” Prady said. “You’ve got to be able to turn the page and move on. … If anything, it gives them a little bit of a boost to know that we can play with just about anyone. I don’t know if that was always the case here at Latrobe, but I think our guys are getting to that point now.”
As impressive as Latrobe’s performance was against the Quips, though, the truth is, the Wildcats are sick and tired of hearing about it. It’s a new year with new beginnings, and they won’t be seeing Aliquippa in the playoffs this year, anyway. With Latrobe moving up to Class 5A, the Wildcats will have their work cut out for them week in and week out while fighting tooth-and-nail in the WPIAL’s deepest classification just to secure a playoff berth.
And while Prady insists to anybody who will listen that his team isn’t any good and hasn’t proven anything yet, one would have to be foolish to consider Latrobe anything less than a legitimate championship contender in 2024.
“We have to play with an edge,” Prady said. “We have to have a little chip on our shoulder. I think we will. … We can’t start thinking that we’re good.”
It all starts with standout seniors John Wetzel and Alex Tatsch, two future Division I players who bring a distinct level of focus and physicality to every snap on both offense and defense. Wetzel, a Marshall recruit, is a dual-threat quarterback coming off a terrific season with 1,235 yards passing, 1,040 yards rushing and 33 total touchdowns (14 passing, 19 rushing). Still, his future lies on the defensive side of the ball, where the ball-hawking safety eagerly lays the boom on any receivers who dare come across the middle of the field.
“Honestly, I think our offense has looked better [in camp] than we thought it was going to,” Wetzel said. “But our defense is where our money is made, I think.”
On most teams, Wetzel (6-0, 195) would probably be considered the main attraction. But top billing for these Wildcats belongs to Tatsch, a Penn State recruit ranked as one of the top linebacker prospects in the country by several scouting services. At 6 feet 3, 222 pounds, Tatsch is an imposing figure with a rare blend of size, strength, speed and ferocity, and he plays with a non-stop motor while doing everything a linebacker can possibly do to impact the game.
“Everybody wants to rush the passer. Everyone wants a sack,” said Tatsch, whose versatility might be his biggest strength. “I can play off the edge, I can play outside linebacker and cover, and I can play inside the box.”
Tatsch began making headlines when he received a scholarship offer from USC last season, and he proved worthy of the recognition by compiling spectacular numbers despite playing most of the season with a torn labrum. Tatsch finished with a team-leading 111 tackles to go with 9 TFLs, 4 sacks, 4 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery — and did we mention he plays halfback, too?
Although he was limited on offense for much of the season due to his injury, Tatsch still tallied 501 yards rushing and nine TDs on 73 carries — including a memorable 137-yard outburst in the WPIAL quarterfinal loss against Aliquippa. Now fully healthy going into the start of his senior season, expect Latrobe to feed Tatsch a steady dose of carries as the season heats up and the playoff chase approaches.
“[Wetzel and Tatsch] obviously have to be our leaders out there,” Prady said. “We’re going to count on John and Alex to make a ton of plays for us, and they’ve done that. And that’s why they’re in the position they’re in now.
“Now that the competition level has stepped up a little bit, I expect them to do the same.”
Of course, if the Wildcats are to take the next step from the previous two seasons and advance deeper into the WPIAL playoffs — perhaps even to their first WPIAL championship game since 1968 — it’s going to take much more than a two-man show. Good thing Latrobe has no shortage of skilled players on its supporting cast, including Tatsch’s younger brother, Andy.
A wide receiver-defensive back, Andy Tatsch is blossoming into a future Power Five recruit in his own right. The 6-1, 180-pound junior recently received an offer from West Virginia, and Prady said he has been making plays all throughout camp on both sides of the ball.
“Andy has to be a factor for us offensively in the passing game,” Prady said. “He’s gotten better. We can see the growth in him defensively, too.”
Elsewhere on offense, senior running back Brady Prohovic rushed for 598 yards and five touchdowns a year ago, and all-conference senior tight end Jack Drnjevich is nearing a return to full strength after recovering from an ACL tear. Plus, the Wildcats have a stout offensive line led by seniors Cody Krall, Caleb Lehman and Anthony Scarton. On defense, Prady pointed to senior defensive end Tim Meyers and senior linebacker Bradan Bronson as unsung contributors who will be vital to the team’s success.
“[Bronson is] an undersized kid. Probably 5-9, 180 pounds, but as tough as anybody we have,” Prady said. “He was our second-leading tackler last year [behind Alex Tatsch]. Just a kid who gets overlooked, but not by us.”
Still, when the calendar flips from October to November and each game begins to take on more meaning than the rest, it will be up to Wetzel and Alex Tatsch to find a way to lead Latrobe to the promised land. And with a chance to leave an indelible mark on the program before moving on to the next level, both star seniors plan to do everything in their power to make sure they go out with a bang.
“We’ll go game by game, but we’ve got the talent,” Tatsch said. “We’ve got all we need to make a run.”
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
