Another new coach looks to return Mt. Lebanon to winning ways

By: Don Rebel
Tuesday, August 6, 2024 | 6:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

In the 52 years between 1967-2018, Mt. Lebanon had four football head coaches.

Now one of the storied programs in WPIAL football will have its third head coach in three years since winning the school’s first PIAA championship in 2021.

Bob Palko left the school after four years following the 2022 season, and Mike Collodi lasted only one season as the Blue Devils’ bench boss.

Now Greg Perry is prepared to take the football reigns at Mt. Lebanon following successful head coaching stints at Seton LaSalle and Keystone Oaks.

“Growing up in Dormont and playing Mt. Lebanon in all sports was a great rivalry,” Perry said. “Knowing the great tradition of their sports teams and hall of fame coaches was a big draw for me to apply. (Art) Walker in football, (Dick) Black in basketball, (George) Lamprinakos in wrestling are all great coaches. There aren’t many WPIAL jobs that can equate to the success their sports have had, so accepting the position meant accepting the challenge to be successful.”

Despite winning its first three games and starting 4-1 last season, Mt. Lebanon lost four of its last five regular season games to finish in fourth place in Class 6A.

The Blue Devils made the playoffs but a late season slide continued with a 42-7 semifinal loss to Central Catholic.

A new season with new hope begins with everyone involved in the program looking for stability.

“Things are going well,” Perry said. “The kids are great and responding to what we are asking, which makes the transition to a new staff help us. This is the third staff in three years, and we owe it to the kids to give them the best experience on the field as they move through high school.”

One of those players who has been receptive toward the new staff is senior offensive and defensive lineman Lukas Bovino.

“I think Coach Perry has been one of the best coaches Mt. Lebanon has had,” he said. “Since Day 1 he has set a culture and built a program that I am proud to be a part of. Every day at practice is a lot of fun with Coach Perry here.”

As Perry continues to get acquainted to the players on his team, there are plenty of questions when it comes to which players will crack the starting lineup on both sides of the ball.

”We are a younger squad and will heavily rely on our seniors to lead us early until we gain experience,” Perry said. “We are worried about depth and getting kids to develop fast because having a lack of experience in certain spots is concerning. I’m not sure about returning starters because some were injured so badly late (last year) that a lot of young kids had to play.”

Perry pointed out some of the players he will be leaning on heavily early on in the process.

Bovino: “He will lead both fronts with experience and strength and has been a kid I can rely on.”

Senior running back Jimmy Green: “He has been a real leader during offseason workouts, and I expect big things out of him now that it’s his time to play.”

Senior wide receiver and defensive back Noah Schaerli: “He is a long, lean, fast receiver who should be on someone’s D-1 board with superior grades and hands. He should have multiple options for college.”

Others to watch include senior linemen Ben Taback and Jeff Friedel, senior h-back and linebacker Dom Huff and senior wide receivers and defensive backs Vince Musial and Billy Robertson.

“We need these seniors to help grow our underclassmen for Friday experience,” Perry said. “We have a really talented junior class that we expect to be pretty good and will be counted on to make us who we want to be and where we end up.”

Mt. Lebanon must improve offensively, where the Blue Devils compiled a class-low 190 points for an average of only 17.2 points per game.

Bovino and his teammates up front believe that begins with them on the offensive line.

“My fellow lineman and I are going to play every snap fast and physical,” Bovino said. “Coach Wagner has instilled a strong philosophy of five men playing as one unit. No matter the call, our offensive line will execute.”

While the new kid on the block realizes it will be a tough field, Perry is not afraid to point out who he believes is the team to beat in Class 6A.

“Obviously all of 6A is chasing North Allegheny after back-to-back titles,” Perry said. “Until someone beats them, they are the top dog, and the rest of us need to get better so they don’t three-peat.”

Mt. Lebanon

Coach: Greg Perry

2023 record: 5-6, 1-3 in Class 6A

All-time record: 624-296-30

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 at Upper St. Clair, 7

8.30 at Penn-Trafford, 7

9.6 Peters Township, 7

9.13 at Central Catholic* at West Mifflin, 7

9.20 Canon-McMillan*, 7

9.27 Seneca Valley*, 7

10.4 North Allegheny*, 7

10.11 at Penn Hills, 7

10.18 at Hempfield*, 7

10.25 Norwin*, 7

* Conference game

+ At West Mifflin

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Michael Malone*

30-69, 443 yards, 6 TDs

Rushing: Fred LaSota*

101-474 yards, 7 TDs

Receiving: Noah Schaerli

12-233 yards, 4 TDs

* Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Forty years ago, Mt. Lebanon finished the regular season in third place with a record of 6-3-1. However, for the second straight postseason, the Blue Devils had a golden shine to their game. Mt. Lebanon blanked Penn Hills in the quarterfinals and Bethel Park in the semifinals by the same score, 14-0. The Blue Devils successfully repeated as WPIAL 4A champ by defeating Gateway in the 1984 title game at Three Rivers Stadium, 20-12. It was the program’s fourth district championship in five years and the final title for Art Walker as head coach at Mt. Lebanon.

• Greg Perry becomes the seventh Mt. Lebanon football head coach in the last 57 years, but the third coach in the three seasons. The former Seton LaSalle and Keystone Oaks coach follows Art Walker (1967-87), Paul Kmec (1988-94), Chris Haering (1995-2011), Mike Melnyk (2012-18), Bob Palko (2019-22) and Mike Collodi (2023). The program has won eight WPIAL football championships and one PIAA crown captured three years ago in 2021.

• Perry has always been known for his success with young quarterbacks, as his offenses at Seton LaSalle and Keystone Oaks were known to be high scoring. He takes over a team that was last in scoring in Class 6A with 191 points for an average of just over 17 points per game. By contrast, both the North Allegheny and Central Catholic offenses in 2023 averaged over 40 points per game.

• This is the 96th season of Mt. Lebanon football. The Blue Devils have an overall record of 624-296-30. They are at No. 12 on the all-time wins list in the WPIAL and the third most in Allegheny County behind Clairton and McKeesport.

Tags: Mt. lebanon