Western Beaver driven to erase memory of disappointing finish to 2022

By: Jonathan Bombulie
Friday, August 18, 2023 | 7:01 PM

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Forgive the Western Beaver football team if it comes into the 2023 season with a chip on its shoulder.

For a couple of months, last season was going exactly as planned. With quarterback Xander Lefebvre leading the way, the Golden Beavers got off to a 7-1 start.

Then, in Week 7, two starters on the offensive line went down with injuries, which started the ball rolling on a three-game season ending skid. An upset loss to Mohawk and a blowout loss to Beaver Falls were followed by a playoff fizzle, a 27-20 setback against Ligonier Valley.

The goal for this season, then, is simple: Repeat the start but change the finish.

“It didn’t end the way we wanted. Very disappointed in our performance in that playoff game,” coach Ron Busby said. “We felt like we accomplished some things last year, but we certainly finished up with a sour taste in our mouth. That’s our mantra this year, to not have to feel that again.”

There are plenty of reasons to believe this season will be sweet for the Golden Beavers. For starters, the team’s leading rusher and receiver return, and they’re big-time playmakers.

Tyson Florence ran for 1,257 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, while Dorian McGhee caught 18 balls for 533 yards and seven scores.

Western Beaver also took its offseason 7-on-7 schedule seriously, competing in six events.

“Skill-wise, we feel we can go out and run with anybody,” Busby said. “If we can get our line to where we need it to be, we feel we have a really good chance to be very competitive this year.”

The line has some experience with senior center Ryan DeDominicis and junior Collin Reader back. It also has some size.

“We have some young guys that played sparingly last year who weren’t necessarily starters, but they had a great weight room and we feel like they’re probably bigger than the guys that started last year,” Busby said.

The quarterback will be a freshman. Jaivin Peel is a 6-foot, 160-pounder who has impressed Busby at every turn, especially when playing up with the 18U age group in offseason 7-on-7 competition when he should have been a 14U.

“He’s getting better every week,” Busby said. “He’s got a great attitude and a work ethic. We also feel like he’s in a position where he doesn’t have to single-handedly win games for us. He’s going to be able to develop, spread the ball around.

“We’re real excited for his future, not just for this year but to have him obviously as a four-year starter for us.”

The defense could be a strength, as the Golden Beavers have eight starters returning.

That includes senior linebacker Dalton Summers, who made 82 tackles last season, and 6-3 senior WR/DB Mikey Summers, who had two interceptions and 28 tackles.

Other returning defensive starters are Dennis Harris and Eli Cooper up front; Dominicis, Jackson Liller and Curtjuan Moore at linebacker; and Florence at safety.

Add it all up and Busby believes Western Beaver has a chance to fight for the top spot in the Class 2A Midwestern Athletic Conference.

And that’s an enviable position to be in on the road to Acrisure Stadium.

“We always say this, the Double-A conference in Beaver County, whoever comes out of that as the section champion really makes a run,” Busby said. “That happens every year. You can go back and look at the last decade. Whoever won this section makes a run and makes some noise in the playoffs. So we feel like let’s go out, take it a week at a time, win our section and the rest will take care of itself.”

Western Beaver

Coach: Ron Busby

2022 record: 7-4, 4-3 in Class 2A Midwestern Athletic Conference

All-time: 315-260-6

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.26 Beaver, 12:30

9.2 Shenango, 12:30

9.8 at Hopewell, 7

9.15 at Neshannock*, 7

9.22 at Ellwood City*, 7

9.29 at Freedom*, 7:30

10.7 Riverside*, 12:30

10.14 New Brighton*, 12:30

10.20 at Mohawk*, 7

10.28 Beaver Falls*, 12:30 pm

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Xander Lefebvre*

67-148, 1,222 yards, 15 TDs

Rushing: Tyson Florence

150-1,257 yards, 15 TDs

Receiving: Dorian McGhee

18-55 yards, 7 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Western Beaver’s co-op with Lincoln Park continues to produce talent for the football team. For example, 6-4, 190-pound senior Dontay Green, a standout basketball player for the Leopards, is a newcomer to watch at WR/DB for the Golden Beavers.

• Chris Kirkland, a 5-10, 165-pound junior transfer from Moon, is another newcomer of note.

• Western Beaver had three all-conference first-team picks last season. RB Tyson Florence returns. DB Xander Lefebvre and DL Drew Mitchell graduated.

• Western Beaver has made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons.

Jonathan Bombulie is the TribLive assistant sports editor. A Greensburg native, he was a hockey reporter for two decades, covering the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 17 seasons before joining the Trib in 2015 and covering the Penguins for four seasons, including Stanley Cup championships in 2016-17. He can be reached at jbombulie@triblive.com.