Beth-Center working to get young players up to varsity speed

By: Josh Rizzo
Tuesday, August 20, 2024 | 6:01 AM

Tony Ruscitto knew that Jonah Sussan only became a quarterback due to default. When Beth-Center needed the now-senior and three-year returning starter to play under center, Sussan was happy to oblige his 84-year-old veteran coach.

Ruscitto chose to create a program to help develop signal callers. For the past few seasons, Ruscitto has also been having Chase Bebout work with Sussan to be the understudy in case of injury.

“He actually got the position by forfeiture,” Ruscitto said. “There was no one else. I do quarterback school with them. For the last two years, we have done that on Sunday night. We work with him in the classroom and in the gym with technique.”

Being creative is important for the Bulldogs lineup. Beth-Center will enter its first game against Riverview on Aug. 23 at home with only 26 players available. Ruscitto said that 13 of the players on his roster are freshmen.

Beth-Center, which finished 3-7 last season, hasn’t found much luck with its roster. The Bulldogs only have 120 boys to pick from in the whole school. Beth-Center had one player move to Ohio during training camp.

While Ruscitto said this group found a lot of success in junior high, the adjustment to varsity will take some time.

“As we all know, the difference between junior high and high school is day and night,” Ruscitto said. “The freshmen developed good basics through midgets and junior high. The coaches who coached them did a good job with them. The game gets much more sophisticated once you get to high school.”

Beth-Center will be bringing back several starters from last season. Teagan Veatch will start at running back and outside linebacker. Tino Revi (RB/TE/S), Cyncere Cruse (RB/CB), Brody Bebout (guard/defensive end) and Homer Heedlee (OL/DL) will also return.

Cruse and Veatch each had a 100-yard rushing game last season. Veatch finished with 383 rushing yards, which was second on the team behind the now-graduated Ethan Varesko, who had 1,237 rushing yards.

“Jonah is a kid who eats and sleeps football,” Ruscitto said. “He has worked hard. He’s a great leader. Tino is another leader who is a three-year starter. They have led by showing how to do things right instead of telling people how to do things right.”

Luke Amon has a busy schedule. In addition to playing soccer and golf, he also plays wide receiver/cornerback and kicker for the football team.

Ruscitto said he’s looking forward to seeing how this team comes together. Beth-Center will still need to lean on basic fundamentals throughout the season.

“You have to spoonfeed them,” Ruscitto said. “We start with four or five major plays, then we work from there. It’s a slow process. The kids have worked hard. Most of these freshmen were undefeated for two years in junior high. It’s about how fast they adapt to varsity ball.”

Beth-Center

Coach: Tony Ruscitto

2023 record: 3-7, 3-4 in Class A Tri-County South

All-time record: 372-260-16

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 Riverview, 7

8.30 at Leechburg, 7

9.6 Monessen, 7

9.13 at Carmichaels*, 7

9.20 Bentworth*, 7

9.27 at Avella*, 7

10.4 Jefferson-Morgan*, 7

10.11 at Mapletown*, 7

10.18 California*, 7

10.25 West Greene*, 7

* Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Jonah Sussan

25-56, 142 yards

Rushing: Ethan Varesko*

122-1,237 yards

Receiving: Cyncere Cruse

8-72 yards

FAST FACTS

• Beth-Center coach Tony Ruscitto has coached football for 49 years. His first coaching job was as an assistant with Beth-Center in 1975.

• The Bulldogs won the WPIAL Class AA title in 1975.

• Beth-Center last made the WPIAL playoffs in 2018 when the Bulldogs finished 7-4.

• Beth-Center has finished with exactly three wins in three straight seasons.

Tags: Beth-Center