Beth-Center turns back the clock as Tony Ruscitto returns to lead Bulldogs

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, August 22, 2021 | 6:01 AM

It was late May when Joe Kuhns resigned after five years as head coach of the Beth-Center football team.

The program that had a 17-year playoff run from 2003-18 had fallen on hard times, winning only one game in each of the last two seasons.

So the school district decided to go back to the future…way back.

At 80 years old, Tony Ruscitto became one of the oldest head coaches in WPIAL history when he was hired for his second stint as Bulldogs coach. He was the Beth-Center field general in both the 1988 and 1989 seasons.

“I was a part of that tradition at one time so I know how it was,” Ruscitto said. “It will be a challenge to get back there. Times and people have changed as we all know, but I believe with selling your program, and staying with fundamentals, discipline and teaching, teaching and more teaching, we can get back to a winning tradition.”

Ruscitto has been an assistant coach at various district schools over the last 17 years since his last head coaching job at Elizabeth Forward ended after the 2003 season. He admits things have been rough early on in his return to Beth-Center.

“The process has been brutal as far as getting to know the kids with them being out of school half of the summer,” Ruscitto said. “There are so many loose ends from equipment purchasing, checking inventories, school procedures, weight program, and so it goes on and on. Covid protocols have added to the problem with all the rules that apply to it. It would not have been so bad had I not been hired so late.”

A shrinking roster has been a big part of the struggles the last two years and is a concern for Ruscitto as they prepare for the 2021 campaign.

“My biggest concern is the number of players we have and our depth and with injuries playing an important part in the season. We are trying to convince more students to become involved in the program. We are working with the junior high program to get more involved in learning our system and we have reached out to the youth program to get them involved with our system. With this in place, this seems like a bright future.”

The Bulldogs return five starters on both sides of the ball after going 1-6 season a year ago. They include three running backs and a couple of linemen.

Senior running back Trevor Pettit and fullback Alston Csutoros are both outstanding wrestlers at Beth-Center. They will be joined in the backfield by sophomore tailback Ethan Varesko.

Both the offensive and defensive lines will be anchored by seniors Ethan Navotney and Nate Zelnis.

“The key is to stay healthy,” Ruscitto said. “Everyone knows the Century Conference is a tough conference with Wash High, McGuffey and Charleroi as regular contenders. To compete, we must stay competitive, healthy and smart.”

While the hurdles are many for this coach and farmer, he isn’t ready to retire to his front porch rocking chair to spin tales of yesteryear. He is rolling up his sleeves and preparing for the future.

“What really excites me is the way the kids have bought into our system, their work ethic and enthusiasm,” Ruscitto said. “I have put together a great staff of experienced coaches and that excites me and I believe we will get back to a winning program.”

Beth-Center

Coach: Tony Ruscitto

2020 record: 1-6, 1-5 in Class 2A Century Conference

All-time record: 364-239-16

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.27 Imani Christian, 7

9.3 at California, 7

9.10 West Greene, 7

9.17 at Chartiers-Houston*, 7

9.24 at Elizabeth Forward, 7

10.1 Washington*, 7

10.8 at Charleroi*, 7

10.15 Frazier*, 7

10.22 at McGuffey*, 7

10.29 Waynesburg*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Colby Kuhns

49-96, 686 yards, 6 TDs

Receiving: Dajion Devers*

15-189, 2 TDs

Rushing: Kuhns

109-532, 2 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Tony Ruscitto begins his first season in his second stint as head coach at Beth-Center. He also coached the Bulldogs in 1988 and 1989.

• After making the WPIAL football playoffs for 16 straight years, Beth-Center has missed out on the postseason in the last two seasons with a combined record of 2-15 in 2019 and 2020.

• Even though Beth-Center made the playoffs each year from 2003-18, the Bulldogs haven’t won a district postseason game since beating Cornell, 34-12, in the first round of the 2010 WPIAL Class A playoffs.

• This is the 63rd season of Beth-Center football, including preceding schools in the district. The Bulldogs have a record of 364-239-16 all time.

Tags: Beth-Center