Armed with lessons learned last season, West Allegheny ready for Parkway Conference grind

By: Josh Rowntree
Saturday, August 9, 2025 | 6:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

The way the 2024 season played out for West Allegheny’s football team was a bit strange, but also a bit encouraging.

The Indians had their first two last year games suspended due to dangerous weather conditions that hit while West Allegheny led on the scoreboard. Both games were given no-contest results, including a Week 2 game against McGuffey in which the Indians were up 30-0 at the time of the storm.

Despite not playing a full game until the season’s third week and not picking up a win until late September, West Allegheny made noise as the leaves began to turn, finishing the year 4-4 overall and 4-1 in the ultra-competitive Parkway Conference of Class 4A.

“We had never really played a full game until we were going into the Moon game (in Week 3),” said Indians coach Dave Schoppe, who enters his sixth season. “When we played Moon, we played well there, but kind of fell off in the second half and got a few guys banged up. And then we went into Peters Township and took some lumps there.”

West Allegheny lost to Peters Township, 38-0, but answered the following week in a win over Ambridge by the same final score. It played tough against Aliquippa in a 19-7 loss to begin October before rattling off three impressive wins to close the regular season, including an overtime thriller against Montour in Week 9, handing the Spartans their first loss.

“We started putting things together and winning a few games,” said Schoppe. “It just took a little bit of time. We talk about that Montour game with the guys who are still here. Leading up to Montour, the focus was on our players and their commitment. They were getting together in the evening, watching film, talking about things, going through the game plan.

“They put a lot of additional time in on their own. And when it came game time, it was pretty obvious that they knew what to expect, and they were able to execute. We played really great defense that night, and we were able to shut them down.”

The Indians fell to top-ranked Thomas Jefferson in the quarterfinals of the Class 4A playoffs the following week, but were still able to take lessons away from the strong finish.

“That TJ team was really good,” added Schoppe of the Jaguars, who won the WPIAL title a couple of weeks later. “But we went into the offseason feeling pretty good about what we needed to do.”

The biggest thing that West Allegheny will need to do is replace do-it-all Brock Cornell, who led the team with 1,010 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, while also being the defensive heart of the team and a talented special teams returner.

But for West Allegheny, the primary player’s last name will remain the same, as junior Brodie Cornell will take over the same role his brother played for the last couple of seasons.

“We have a big hole to fill,” admitted Schoppe. “Brodie is a little thicker and, as a running back, he sees and runs a little bit different than what Brock did. On defense, he makes all of the calls. He’s still learning and only going to be a junior, so he’s a work in progress. But I expect this to be a big year for him.”

West Allegheny will continue to run the wildcat offense, a staple of the program for the last couple of decades. Who plays quarterback, however, could be a bit up in the air. Brody Malatak returns and will get some looks at the position for a second straight year, but could be moved around in the offense some. Junior Mason Bryan and sophomore Donovan O’Connor will battle for time as well.

“West Allegheny is West Allegheny,” said Schoppe. “We’re going to run the ball. But we’re looking to improve in our passing game because that seemed to be our Achilles’ heel the last couple of years. We’ve got a couple of kids that can spin the ball.”

Schoppe is excited about the return of tight end/defensive end Tyler Hatton, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last year and is getting Division I interest as a junior already. Teegan Tomei is back as the team’s top wideout threat and is a solid cornerback and special teams player. Samuel Trent is also back on the outside.

Defensively, Nick Shoup will lead the group from the inside linebacker spot, while Cam Danna is a two-way lineman that Schoppe has seen develop nicely this offseason.

“He was a heck of a player for us last year, offensively and defensively,” Schoppe said of Danna. “He’s going to take on some of that role to be a leader on the defense and offensive front for us.”

West Allegheny will again play some quality opponents in their nonconference schedule, including rematches from losses to Moon and Peters Township before they hop into Parkway Conference action.

“You’ve got to prepare, week in and week out, for the teams you face,” said Schoppe. “Because once you get to the Parkway Conference, you know it’s Parkway football.”

Despite some offseason roster changes throughout the prolific conference that features some of the WPIAL’s winningest programs of all-time, Schoppe again views it as one full of deep programs with championship-caliber rosters.

“I will say this though, don’t count out West Allegheny,” he said. “We’re going to battle. That’s just the type of kids we have. They’re excited for the opportunities to go out there and show what they’ve done in the offseason.”

West Allegheny

Coach: Dave Schoppe

2024 record: 4-4, 4-1 in Class 4A Parkway Conference

All-time record: 395-375-14

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.22 at Belle Vernon, 7

8.29 at Chartiers Valley, 7

9.5 at McGuffey, 7

9.12 Moon, 7

9.19 at Peters Township, 7

9.26 at Ambridge*, 7

10.3 Aliquippa*, 7

10.10 at New Castle*, 7

10.17 Blackhawk*, 7

10.24 Montour*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Brody Malatak

28-63, 368 yards, 3 TDs

Rushing: Brock Cornell*

113-1,010 yards, 10 TDs

Receiving: Teagan Tomei

6-140 yards, TD

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Brock Cornell is now playing defensive back at Penn.

• Tyler Hatton has received offers from UNLV and Robert Morris.

• West Allegheny has won eight WPIAL titles, with the most recent coming in 2016.

• Schoppe has a record of 24-22 since taking over the program in 2020.

Tags: West Allegheny