South Side football ‘hungry’ after reaching WPIAL finals

By: Bill Hartlep
Thursday, August 22, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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South Side football players keep wanting to take the next step. Over the past three years, they’ve accomplished that goal.

This year, it will be even tougher to achieve.

In 2021, South Side advanced to the WPIAL quarterfinals before falling to Steel Valley, 28-12. The 2022 season ended with a 49-21 loss to Bishop Canevin in the WPIAL semifinals.

And last year, South Side reached the WPIAL championship game at Acrisure Stadium before falling to Fort Cherry, 42-28, to finish the season 13-1 overall.

“Our guys who got a lot of playing time the last few years are hungry,” coach Luke Travelpiece said. “They want to get back there and take it a step further. Last year, that was a big thing for us was to go a step further. Our seniors especially want to take it a step further.

“Our underclassmen saw what’s possible at South Side. We saw that gearing up from the two years previously – when we lost in the second round and lost in third round. There was progress. They are hungry.”

Travelpiece has noticed an uptick in roster size and recognition of the program’s rise among the school and community after last year’s success, which bodes well for the present and future.

“We had great weight room attendance. Other kids are coming out for the first time. We have a growing sophomore class,” he said. “It helps to grow the entire team. It’s helping this year but will build the program for years to come. That’s exciting.”

As for the current team, another promising season awaits behind four returning starters on both sides of the ball. Despite having only four seniors on the roster, the team has experience returning at key positions, notably in the backfield.

Captains Slayton Williams and AC Corfield were all-conference selections in the Class A Big Seven last year. Williams, a senior fullback/tight end/linebacker who had more than 100 yards rushing and receiving last season, will line up alongside Corfield, a junior RB/DB who ran for 1,286 yards and had 13 catches for 407 yards. He scored 17 touchdowns a year ago.

The backfield is bolstered by senior Mateja Pavlovich, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound returning fullback who ran for 200 yards and three TDs. Pavlovich, a three-time all-conference selection, also is a skilled linebacker and kicker who had a 45-yard field goal two years ago against Rochester.

“I expect them to be among the best players in the conference,” Travelpiece said. “We’re trying to split things up with players, not give it to one guy 30 times a game. When you have to account for four ball carriers and receivers and tight ends, you stress the opponent’s defense.”

Junior Curtis Roy also will play a key role at the skill positions after missing half the season with an injury in 2023.

“He does a great job blocking, running the ball and running routes,” Travelpiece said. “He’s like a coach on the field, especially on defense.”

South Side will have a new quarterback under center to replace graduate Brody Almashy, who threw for 1,132 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Four players were getting reps during camp, including junior Will Morgan, who took some snaps last season and started at defensive back, and freshman Dawson Frasier.

“Those two are alternating snaps in practice. We could be looking at one guy, the next day the other guy does something better,” Travelpiece said. “This will carry into the scrimmages and maybe even the first few games. We have confidence in both of them. Both are good runners and both are good throwers. We’ve got some guys new to the system and are younger and are doing good things too.”

Junior center Lucian Williams (5-11, 200) is a third-year starter on the offensive line. He’ll be joined by sophomore Anthony Hage at guard, along with a rotation of senior Parker Delourmel, junior Cody Mehlmauer and freshman Ryan Shaw at tackle and juniors Paul Poelcher and Jack Glenn at guard.

“We talk about how we approach every day. If we take care of the little things, everything else will take care of itself,” Travelpiece said. “There’s excitement because of what we did last year; it was a fun year. We have to come out and earn it. We can only do it if we go play in and play out.

“The difference between good and great is being good all the time. That’s what we harp on.”

South Side

Coach: Luke Travelpiece

2023 record: 13-1, 6-0 in Class A Big Seven

All-time record: 303-329-19

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 at Sto-Rox, 7

8.30 Western Beaver, 7

9.6 at Beaver Falls, 7

9.13 Summit Academy*, 7

9.20 at Shenango*, 7

9.27 Monessen, 7

10.4 at Northgate*, 7

10.11 Neshannock*, 7

10.18 Laurel*, 7

10.25 at Rochester*, 7

* Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Brody Almashy*

52-108, 1,132 yards, 18 TDs

Rushing: Ryan Navarra*

150-1,415 yards, 26 TDs

Receiving: A.C. Corfield

13-407 yards, 17 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Luke Travelpiece enters his ninth season leading South Side and has a record of 57-34. He was named the conference’s coach of the year in 2023.

• The Rams have won two WPIAL titles in program history, in 1970 and ’99. They lost to Steel Valley in 2018.

• Among South Side’s all-conference players who graduated were running back/linebacker Ryan Navarra, offensive/defensive linemen Chase Knox and J.D. Roy and defensive back Brody Almashy, who also was the team’s quarterback. Roy was named the conference’s lineman of the year.

• South Side ran for nearly 4,200 yards last season, including more than 2,000 yards combined from Navarra and Almashy.

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

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