Bentworth chasing return to postseason, elusive playoff victory

By: Adam Brewer
Thursday, September 4, 2025 | 5:15 PM

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Accountability, attitude and hustle — those are the three guiding principles for Bentworth football under third-year coach Dave Pordash.

In 2025, the Bearcats hope they can continue to climb the ranks of Class A and the Tri-County South Conference with those three principles on their side.

“This is Year 3 for our staff here, and this training camp just feels different,” Pordash said. “The comfort level is there and the kids are really buying into what we are selling as coaches. It’s a great relationship, and we are hoping we can continue to build that in 2025 by sticking with our three principles — accountability, attitude and hustle.”

Bentworth went 6-5 a year ago and posted a 4-3 record in the Tri-County South. The Bearcats were in a three-way tie for third place and captured the playoff berth by winning on tiebreakers. The trip to the postseason was the first for the program since 2015 and just the fourth since 2004.

The Bearcats’ season ended with a first-round defeat to Bishop Canevin.

“I think our goals remain the same as last year,” Pordash said. “We want to make it to the playoffs and finish in the top three of our conference. We have 30 kids on the roster and seven of them are seniors.”

Pordash expects the same teams to be at the top of the Tri-County South.

“Jefferson-Morgan and California are going to be tough again this year,” he said. “West Greene has a couple of guys back and Carmichaels is a solid team. I know Avella and Beth-Center have some athletes, so it should be a solid conference. I do truly believe we can make a run at the conference (title) if we can stay healthy and things fall our way with no big mistakes in games.

“The ultimate goal is to win a playoff game. Bentworth hasn’t won a playoff game for many, many years. Actually, I think the program has only won one playoff game ever. Those are lofty goals and we know that. This team has a strong makeup, and we know our arrow is pointed up.”

Senior tailback Ben Hays is back and is coming off an exceptional junior campaign in which he amassed 1,380 rushing yards with 24 total touchdowns. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound running back had seven 100-yard games and now has more than 2,000 career rushing yards.

Hays is a little over 1,100 yards away from breaking the school’s all-time rushing record, held by assistant coach Trent Cavanaugh.

“I think Ben is more committed this year,” Pordash said. “He told me a couple of months ago that he was all in and wants to be at his best for his senior season. Ben started his career as a wideout and only carried the ball on reverses or jet sweeps. The other day I saw he was in the top 10 in two-way players in Class A. He is a true game-changer. He is faster and stronger. He wants it.”

Lining up beside Hays is junior quarterback Ty Watson. In 2024, Watson threw for 646 yards with six scoring strikes and four rushing touchdowns.

“Ty is just a composed kid,” Pordash said. “He can handle all the pressures of being a high school quarterback. He has gotten bigger and his arm strength is improved. We have broken the offense down and he is making the right reads. I expect big things from him this season.”

Others at skill positions who will look to make an impact for the Bearcats this fall are senior fullback Preston Jaquay (324 rushing yards last year with four TDs), senior wideout Matthew Behanna (transfer from Ringgold), junior running back Alejandro Leichty and junior receiver Kaden Ayres.

In the trenches, Bentworth will need to replace two starters. Starting on the line will be junior center Levi Urcho, senior guard Brayden Taggart, senior tackle Cameron Krejci, sophomore guard Lucas Malanosky and sophomore tackle Gavin Haynes.

Taggart is the heart of the much-improved Bearcats defense from his middle linebacker position. A year ago, the senior racked up a team-high 121 total tackles and 5.5 sacks.

Jaquay will be a starter at one linebacker spot, while the defensive ends will be Urcho and Krejci. In the secondary, impact players will include Hays, Leichty and Ayres.

“We will be running a 4-2-5 formation on defense and that will free up a lot of space for us,” Pordash said. “I feel like our tackles and ends are super athletic. Brayden is a smart leader of the defense and knows all of the calls. Our secondary will be physical and sure tacklers.”

Junior Caden Hackinson will be back to handle the kicking duties, coming off a season where he went 26 for 30 on extra points and added a pair of field goals. Senior Tyler Paquet will be the punter.

Bentworth

Coach: Dave Pordash

2024 record: 6-5, 4-3 in Class A Tri-County South Conference

All-time record: 240-362-7

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.22 Brownsville, 7

8.29 at Burgettstown, 7

9.5 at Charleroi, 7

9.12 at California*, 7

9.19 Beth-Center*, 7

9.26 at Carmichaels*, 7

10.3 West Greene*, 7

10.10 Jefferson-Morgan*, 7

10.17 at Mapletown*, 7

10.24 Avella*, 7

*Conference game

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