Kiski Area brings new-look roster into Class 4A competition

By: Michael Love
Sunday, August 14, 2022 | 12:01 PM

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When Kiski Area moved down from Class 5A to Class 4A and into the Greater Allegheny Conference, coach Sam Albert knew one of the league matchups would carry extra meaning.

The Cavaliers will host Albert’s former team, Highlands, on Oct. 14.

“I’m sure that probably is one that Highlands circles on the calendar,” said Albert, who went 75-57 at Highlands from 2004-16, including eight postseason appearances and a berth in the 2008 WPIAL semifinals. “Highlands is loaded, and it should be a really fun game.”

Changes in the offseason not only came to Kiski Area’s conference schedule but also to the lineup as numerous key seniors moved on from last year’s team that finished 6-4 overall and 1-4 in the Northeast Conference.

Several close conference games, including a 14-10 loss at North Hills and a 33-27 setback at Pine-Richland, denied Kiski Area a spot in the WPIAL playoffs.

“We went three days a week all summer, and the kids were really committed,” Albert said. “It was important to get a lot of good work in. We’re going to be real young this year. We lost a lot of seniors from last year and very important seniors at that.”

Albert said a lot of things on both sides of the ball would be determined once the returning players donned full pads and showed how much they progressed from last year and if the newcomers are ready to step up and challenge for playing time or starting spots.

“We try to stress every day that the guys need to be salesmen for themselves and show the coaches that you want to be the guy to fill in at a certain spot,” Albert said. “It’s a learning process as we progress forward into the season, see where are strengths are and see what kind of team we can be.”

Albert said an important part of his team’s progress this season will be its ability to stay healthy. The injury bug caught up to a few key two-way players last year.

A key component to the Cavaliers this year on both sides of the ball is senior quarterback/defensive back Lebryn Smith.

Smith hopes to increase his role and visibility in the offense at quarterback and returns as a starter on defense where he made 28 tackles and defended more than a dozen passes.

“Athletic isn’t even the word,” Albert said. “Hopefully, going into his senior year, it is his turn on both sides of the ball. Hopefully, he steps up and meets that challenge. He’s been there every day and is very committed. I was impressed with his work in the weight room. And in his case, it’s about injuries. We need him to stay healthy.”

Smith said he’s excited for what this season can hold, and that the cupboard is far from bare with a number of returnees ready to show improvement.

“I think we reloaded with talent and should be able to compete,” he said. “What we did last year really set the tone for the offeseason. We thought we could’ve gone further than what we did. The seniors now are really pushing everyone else to work as hard as them and help achieve the goals everyone wants.”

Albert said he hopes the offense can be balanced this season. The running game accounted for two-thirds of the total offensive yards last year.

Up front, the Cavaliers are anchored by the return of all-conference seniors in first-team lineman Braden Mika and honorable mention guard Jack Crider. Sophomore Cam Murphy also is expected to be a factor in the trenches at center.

Fellow senior Dom DiNinno picked up second-team all-conference honors last year at safety and will be one of the key receivers in the passing game.

DeShaun McBryde also is back after leading the Cavalier defensive returnees in tackles from his linebacker spot, and Albert hopes junior Isaiah Gonzalez, a starter the last two years at cornerback, can take his game to the next level.

Albert said senior Domanick Simmons, a transfer from Valley, hopes to make an impact on both sides of the ball.

Senior Connor Flemm has battled injury the past couple of years, and Albert hopes he will be able to stay healthy and contribute at running back and inside linebacker.

In addition to the conference clash with Highlands, Kiski Area will take on Greater Allegheny mainstays Armstrong, Hampton, Indiana and Mars and conference newcomer North Catholic, a stalwart the past several seasons in Class 3A.

Kiski Area opens with a Week Zero matchup against traditional rival Plum before nonconference matchups against Pine-Richland and Laurel Highlands, led by West Virginia commit Rodney Gallagher.

“Those games are going to be tough challenges, but hopefully, they will help us prepare for the conference schedule,” Albert said.

Kiski Area

Coach: Sam Albert

2021 record: 6-4, 1-4 in Class 5A Northeast Conference

All-time record: 310-290-7

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.26 at Plum, 7

9.2 Pine-Richland, 7

9.9 at Laurel Highlands, 7

9.16 Hampton*, 7

9.23 at North Catholic*, 7

9.30 Indiana*, 7

10.7 at Mars*, 7

10.14 Highlands*, 7

10.21 Fox Chapel, 7

10.28 at Armstrong*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Logan Johnson*

70-142, 1,004 yards, 6 TDs

Rushing: CJ Hepler*

126-865, 7 TDs

Receiving: Calvin Heinle*

24-305, 2 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Sam Albert enters his sixth season with Kiski Area and 28th overall as a high school head coach. He is 17-31 with the Cavaliers since 2017 with a WPIAL playoff appearance in 2019. Albert won his 150th game last year at Shaler (42-27).

• This season marks Kiski Area’s first not in Class 5A since the PIAA went to six classifications prior to the 2016 season.

• Kiski Area ran the ball last year for 1,891 yards and 25 touchdowns as opposed to 1,050 yards and seven scores collected through the air.

• Eight of the nine top tacklers on the Cavaliers defense were lost to graduation from last year’s team, including the Valley News Dispatch defensive player of the year, linebacker Brayden Dunmire (113 tackles, seven sacks).

ROSTER

No., Name, Pos., Ht./Wt., Cl.

1, Isaiah Gonzalez, WR/DB, 6-2/175, Jr.

2, Lebryn Smith, QB/DB, 6-2/175, Sr.

3, Connor Flemm, RB/LB/K, 6-1/220, Sr.

4, Dom Dinnino, WR/DB, 5-9/155, Sr.

5, Tavian Wilson, OL/DL, 6-4/215, Jr.

6, Brennan Moore, WR/SS, 5-10/180, Jr.

7, Colin Cline, TE/DL, 6-3/225, Sr.

8, Deshawn McBryde, RB/LB, 6-1/215, Sr.

9, Luke Emmerling, WR/DB, 5-6/160, Sr.

10, Davien Pope, WR/LB, 6-0/165, Jr.

11, Dominick Simmons, WR/DB, 6-0/165, Sr.

12, Caleb Schultz, WR/DB, 6-0/170, Sr.

13, Xavier Ford, WR/DB, 6-1/175, Jr.

14, Carson Heinle, QB/FS, 6-1/170, So.

15, Connor Jordan, HB/LB, 6-3/215, So.

16, Bart Martin, WR/DB, 6-3/185, Sr.

17, Evan Opaska, WR/DB, 6-1/180, So.

18, Aven Shirley, QB/DB, 5-10/155, Fr.

19, Robert Sarno, QB/DB, 5-11/120, Fr.

20, Carter Brown, RB/SS, 5-7/165, Fr.

24, TJ Phelps, RB/SS, 5-10/165, Jr.

25, Landon Kucic, RB/SS, 6-0/185, So.

27, Miguel Ramos, RB/LB, 5-9/155, So.

30, Landyn Moore, WR/SS, 5-10/160, Fr.

36, Maddox Anderson, K/P, 5-10/165, Sr.

44, Jacob Pattison, RB/SS, 5-11/160, Fr.

52, Maxine Crosby, K, 5-7/190, Sr.

53, Franklin Mullooly, OL/DL, 5-8/185, Fr.

54, Braden Mika, OL/DL, 6-4/265, Sr.

55, Wilson Spencer, OL/DL, 5-8/200, Fr.

56, Cam Murphy, OL/LB, 6-1/225, So.

57, Nate Uncapher, OL/LB, 5-10/200, So.

60, Cohen Fritch, OL/DL, 5-10/175, Fr.

62, Mason Caldwell, TE/DL, 6-3/215, Jr.

67, Eli Schultz, OL/DL, 5-11/220, So.

70, Ryan Franklin, OL/DL, 6-0/270, So.

72, Luke Early, OL/DL, 6-1/235, Sr.

74, Ben Pencak, OL/DL, 6-0/200, Sr.

75, Ryder Ekas, OL/DL, 5-9/230, So.

76, Adam Large, OL/DL, 6-3/275, So.

77, Jack Crider, OL/DL, 6-3/275, Sr.

78, James Grimm, OL/DL, 5-8/250, So.

80, Andrew Finney, WR/DB, 5-10/160, Fr.

81, Matt Vigna, WR/DB, 5-6/130, So.

82, Collin Peterson, TE/LB, 5-9/150, Fr.

83, Lucas Vacanti, WR/DB, 5-7/135, Fr.

87, Braden Anderson, TE/LB, 6-0/185, Fr.

88, Owen Kowalkowski, WR/FS, 5-10/155, So.

89, Lucas Yost, WR/DB, 5-11/155, Fr.

90, Tyler Kubiza, OL/LB, 5-9/190, So.

95, Dalton Custer, P, 6-1/225, So.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.