Bigger roster aids Monessen in quest to return to postseason

By: Charles Curti
Wednesday, August 21, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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The refrain has become a familiar one: Monessen enters football season with a small roster, comes dangerously close to not having enough players some weeks then, somehow, manages to qualify for the WPIAL Class A playoffs.

It has happened in each of coach Wade Brown’s three seasons at the helm, and 2024 likely will shape up in similar fashion. Or will it?

The Greyhounds regularly had between 20 and 25 players for summer workouts. Maintaining a roster count somewhere near 25 would be a coup for Brown, especially considering there were a couple of games last season when Monessen dressed 15 players.

But Monessen (4-7, 3-4 in the Tri-County South last season) is preparing for what seems to be the inevitable.

“That’s just how it’s been all our life,” said junior running back Tyvaughn Kershaw, an all-conference honoree last season. “Even in younger leagues, we would go into games with like 11 players, so we knew it would come back eventually.

“Eventually, people quit, and we’re still going to have to figure out something to do because I know we’re going to be low.”

The good news is many of the players likely to stick around saw plenty of playing time last season. Four of them, all juniors this season, were all-conference performers: running back Kershaw, fellow running back Tavian Taylor and offensive/defensive linemen Rodney Johnson and Torrence Taylor.

Kershaw rushed for 741 yards and 10 touchdowns and also was a threat as a receiver.

“He’s a special, talented kid,” Brown said. “He has a lot of abilities. … We’re really going to try to lean on him going into his junior year.”

With Taylor, the Greyhounds figure to have a strong 1-2 punch in the running game. But teams might be forced to respect Monessen’s passing game, too.

Dennis Hawkins played quarterback for most of the 2023 season, and the freshman produced six scoring passes and only three interceptions.

Five of those TD passes came in one game, a win over Mapletown in the penultimate game of the season that helped get Monessen into the playoffs.

At 6-foot-3, Hawkins still is growing into his body, but Brown expects his sophomore signal-caller to take steps forward.

“He’s a 4.0 student,” Brown said, adding that Hawkins’ height will help him see over defenses. “We’re depending on him to run the offense. It’s always great to have a kid who is a 4.0 kid running your offense. He’s an athletic kid, and he’s growing seemingly by the day.”

One player who might surprise is senior two-way lineman Jacob Savage (6-2, 230 pounds). He played his first season of football last year but showed tremendous upside, even getting some college looks, Brown said.

Brown also is counting on — as usual — a group of incoming freshmen to bolster the lineup.

In that regard, Brown hopes there is a silver lining in his team’s traditionally small roster. He hopes young players will realize the opportunity they have to contribute right away.

He also hopes all the players learned valuable lessons from last season’s late rally.

“It would have been easy for these kids to just lay down and quit and say, ‘We’re 1-5. The season is over,’ ” Brown said. “But for the kids to stick with it and fight through it … that’s big.”

Monessen

Coach: Wade Brown

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

All-time record: 682-401-47

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 Charleroi, 7

8.30 West Greene, 7

9.6 at Beth-Center, 7

9.13 Serra Catholic*, 7

9.20 Fort Cherry*, 7

9.27 at South Side, 7

10.4 at Chartiers-Houston*, 7

10.11 Burgettstown*, 7

10.19 at Bishop Canevin*, 7

10.25 at Cornell*, 7

* Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Dennis Hawkins

41-98, 690 yards, 6 TDs

Rushing: Tyvaughn Kershaw

111-741 yards, 10 TDs

Receiving: Lorenzo Gardner*

17-394 yards, 2 TDs

* Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Last season’s victory over Mapletown was the Greyhounds’ first under Wade Brown.

• In each of its four wins in 2023, Monessen gave up 20 points or fewer.

• Sophomore quarterback Dennis Hawkins was class president last year.

• Three of the Greyhounds’ four wins last season were at home.

ROSTER

Name, Pos., Ht./Wt., Cl.

Kam Anderson, HB/LB, 5-7/170, sr.

Azariah Austin, OL/DL, 5-3/250, fr.

Xavier Bell, OL/DL, 5-9/265, fr.

Ke’zjere Butler, WR/DB, 5-7/130, fr.

Jaekwon Craggette, HB/LB, 6-0/160, so.

Brayden Crews, OL/LB, 5-6/175, jr.

Roodly Destyl, OL/LB, 5-10/225, fr.

Daniel Dozier, OL/DL/LB, 5-10/235, sr.

Adaye Fields, QB/LB, 5-7/135, fr.

Dennis Hawkins III, QB/S, 6-3/170, so.

Tommie Hewitt, OL/DL, 6-4/260, jr.

Micheal Hines, RB/DB, 5-10/150, so.

Amari Jackson, WR/DB, 5-8/140, fr.

Ashton Jackson, WR/DB, 5-5/170, sr.

Jay’veon Jeffries, WR/LB, 6-2/165, so.

Rodney Johnson, TE/FB/DE, 6-0/230, jr.

Tyvaughn Kershaw, RB/DB, 5-9/185, jr.

Tim Kershaw III, WR/DB, 5-10/160, sr.

Kayden Kolbeck, WR/DB, 6-2/170, so.

Jace Mackey, WR/DB, 5-5/135, fr.

Nick Marinos, OL/DL, 5-8/227, so.

Damaje Martin, WR/LB, 5-9/150, so.

Kaier Payne, TE/DE, 6-2/180, so.

Dariyon Prince, OL/DL, 5-7/190, jr.

Davontae Robinson, WR/DB, 5-9/160, sr.

Jacob Savage, OL/DL, 6-2/240, sr.

King Shabazz, TE/LB, 6-0/155, fr.

Tavian Taylor, RB/DB, 5-7/160, jr.

Torrence Taylor, OL/DL, 6-0/225, jr.

Daniel Towler, RB/DE/LB, 5-5/155, fr.

Terrodric Williams, WR/DB, 5-7/150, sr.

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