2021 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the tight ends

By: Chris Harlan
Friday, August 20, 2021 | 7:45 PM

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TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here’s a look at the top tight ends for the 2021 season.

1. Charlie Kreinbucher

Butler

Senior, 6-5, 230

Kreinbucher is a strong pass catcher and blocker committed to Akron, but few WPIAL football fans will see him this fall. That is because Butler is playing football in District 10 for the second year in a row. He had 14 catches for 214 yards and one touchdown in six games last year. He also was a key contributor on a boys basketball team that reached the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals. The Butler football team will play mostly opponents from Mercer, Crawford and Erie counties but will visit both Kiski Area and Westinghouse.

Watch Charlie Kreinbucher highlights

2. Chris Dvorak

Mars

Senior, 6-6, 205

Dvorak is a multi-sport athlete who blocked 24 shots and averaged eight rebounds per game on the basketball court last winter. He also has a knack for blocking defensive linemen. His height, athleticism and leaping ability will make him a quarterback’s best friend this fall. He made only three catches as a junior but is poised for a breakout season. He earned first-team all-conference honors in Class 4A.

Watch Chris Dvorak highlights

3. Lucas Lambert

Seneca Valley

Junior, 6-3, 250

Lambert’s versatility lets him line up as a traditional tight end or handle an H-back role, an important job in the scheme new offensive coordinator Ryan Lehmeier used while at Pine-Richland. Lambert averaged 20.4 yards on his five catches a year ago, totaling 102 yards and two touchdowns. He earned second-team all-conference honors in Class 6A.

NOTE: Lambert was moved to guard this fall.

Watch Lucas Lambert highlights

4. Eli Rich

Leechburg

Senior, 6-5, 230

Rich plays in the smallest classification but his size makes him one of the WPIAL’s biggest pass catchers. He caught 21 passes for 370 yards and scored nine touchdowns last season. Rich had touchdown catches of 60 and 58 yards in a game against Jeannette and had a 65-yard kickoff return two weeks later. He also ran for a TD last season. He earned first-team all-conference honors in the Class A Eastern.

Watch Eli Rich highlights

5. Carson Heckathorn

Blackhawk

Senior, 6-4, 205

At times Heckathorn is a tight end with his hand on the ground and other times he’s a wide receiver split wide to the boundary. Regardless of his role, he catches passes. He had 32 for 457 yards and nine TDs last season in what was a down campaign for the Cougars. The mismatches he creates with defensive backs could help lead them to a bounce-back year this fall.

Watch Carson Heckathorn highlights

ONE TO WATCH

Josh Altsman

Central Catholic

Senior, 6-4, 230

Central Catholic likes to run the football and having a tight end with Altsman’s size certainly helps. The younger brother of Pitt lineman Matt Altsman, Josh threw blocks as a tight end and fullback a year ago when the Vikings won the WPIAL Class 6A title. His role will increase this fall with him likely contributing in the pass game as well.

Watch Josh Altsman highlights

• • • • •

POSITION BREAKDOWNS

QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | CB | S | K

Top five coaching changes for 2021

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.