2022 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the offensive line
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Friday, August 19, 2022 | 9:46 PM
Mt. Lebanon’s Kade Capristo works out with linemates during practice on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, in Mt. Lebanon.
Penn-Trafford’s Joseph Enick poses for a photo during the Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star team event Friday, July 15, 2022 at Kennywood.
Steel Valley’s Gregory Smith celebrates a sack against Serra Catholic on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021, in Munhall.
High school football teams deploy a variety of offensive schemes, from no-huddle spreads to the wing-T.
What do they all have in common? Five offensive linemen.
No matter what strategy a coach might dream up, it’s not going far without a good line. Look at last year’s WPIAL champions and you’ll see a bevy of big-bodied blockers. Among them, Mt. Lebanon and Penn-Trafford each had three linemen earn first-team all-conference honors and Aliquippa had all five.
In fact, a lineman was named the 2021 TribLive HSSN Football Player of the Year. That award went to Central Valley lineman Sean FitzSimmons, now a freshman at Pitt.
TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here’s a look at the top offensive linemen for the 2022 season.
1. Joe Enick
Senior, 6-3, 295
Enick is a boulder in the middle of an offensive line that won WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A titles last season. The first-team all-conference center cleared the way for a running game that racked up more than 3,000 yards and had two 1,000-yard rushers. He also plays defensive tackle and had 2½ sacks last year. Enick committed to Central Michigan over offers from Albany, Bucknell, Buffalo, The Citadel, Duquesne, Eastern Michigan, Fordham, Georgetown, Lehigh, Maine, Miami (Ohio), Monmouth, Villanova and Youngstown State.
2. Kade Capristo
Senior, 6-3, 295
Capristo’s work at left tackle brought consistency to an offensive line that celebrated WPIAL and PIAA Class 6A titles last season. The Blue Devils went 15-0, averaged 39 points per game and totaled more than 5,600 yards from scrimmage. Capristo earned first-team all-conference honors. He committed to Richmond over offers from Duquesne, East Tennessee State, Indiana State, Lafayette, Maine, North Carolina A&T, Robert Morris, St. Francis and Toledo.
Watch Cade Kapristo highlights
3. Ryan Cory
Junior, 6-4, 290
Cory is the most-recruited offensive linemen in the WPIAL’s 2024 class. Rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, he has FBS offers from Pitt, West Virginia, Akron, Cincinnati, Kansas State, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Miami (Ohio), Toledo and UConn. His blocking helped the Rams share the Northeast title last season and earned him second-team all-conference honors in 5A. He also contributed 26 tackles and 2½ sacks.
4. Kyle Lenhart
Senior, 6-4, 280
The Wildcats play in the WPIAL’s smallest classification but Lenhart could be a standout at any school. He committed to James Madison in June over offers from Albany, Bucknell, Columbia, Duquesne, Fordham, Georgetown, Harvard, Kent State, Lafayette, Lehigh, Marshall, Miami (Ohio), Navy, Richmond, Yale and Youngstown State.
5. Greg Smith
Senior, 6-5, 315
Steel Valley running back Nijhay Burt led the WPIAL in rushing yards for much of last season, an accomplishment that Smith helped him achieve as the team’s left tackle. Burt finished with more than 2,000 yards and QB Cruce Brookins topped 1,000. Smith earned first-team all-conference honors. He committed to Miami (Ohio) over offers from Bowling Green, East Tennessee State, Duquesne, Howard, Kent State, Maine, Monmouth, Richmond and William & Mary.
One to watch
Zach Tomosovich
Penn-Trafford
Junior, 6-5, 320
Tomosovich’s size caused trouble for defensive ends during Penn-Trafford’s run to a state championship. Three of the Warriors’ five offensive linemen earned all-conference honors including Tomosovich, who started at right tackle as a sophomore. He lists college offers from Miami (Ohio) and Toledo.
Watch Zach Tomosovich highlights
• • • • •
Position breakdowns
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | CB | S | K
Top five coaching changes for 2022
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.
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