Burgettstown looking to get back to winning ways

By: Antonio Rossetti
Wednesday, August 20, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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Hard times can shape a team, and the Burgettstown Blue Devils hope last season’s struggles will make them better. They are coming back bigger, faster and stronger.

Coach Mark Druga went 43-26 with with six playoff berths in seven seasons at the helm of the Blue Devils before going 1-8 last season.

“Ever since I’ve been alive, Burgettstown has been a good football team,” sophomore quarterback Blake Neal said. “We’re trying to live it on. Coach Druga is awesome to play for with his tradition and how he wants to win. He wants to be there. He’s a happy man. I love to play for him. I want to do my best for him.”

This season, Druga sees a team that wants to win. He credits that to the seniors.

“We didn’t lose one player during the season,” Druga said. “When things go bad, a lot of people start jumping off the ship. … The kids enjoy getting out there and getting better, and that was thanks to our senior leadership and also how these young guys rallied around them. The key is this year, we’re going to be in more games because of that experience, because of those rough times that we went through.”

Senior lineman Adam Baloga said the team has a winning mentality.

“We as a team, we’re like a junkyard dog,” Baloga said. “We’re all excited to prove that we are better than what our record showed last year. I feel like we’re all very excited to go out there and compete.”

Burgettstown has a strong senior presence this year. Baloga and Riley Dhans are two of the seniors who stay positive and lead others, Druga said.

“With these two young men, I don’t even need to preach that because they just have it inherently,” Druga said. “Their parents have done an outstanding job of raising these young men, and they are fantastic.”

He added that Lance Duran, Colton County, Dakota Orgavan and the rest of the seniors are determined.

“These guys are fantastic leaders,” Druga said. “They’re doing everything we ask. At (a 7-on-7 competition), one of my coaches was bringing one of the coolers with ice in it when we were taking on Allderdice at Northgate and Dakota went running over, nobody even told him, and said, ‘Let me get that.’ My point is they just have that initiative to make us better.”

Druga is excited to coach a hungry group of Blue Devils who want to show out for the community. County is one of those motivated players.

“We’re killing to get out there,” County said. “At 7-on-7, we’re ready, we’re aggressive, and we’re pushing people around. We’re pushing people down. I can see it in some of our guys’ faces also with our senior leaders. I can see it with the whole team and I can feel it too that we’re ready. We’re ready to go.”

County, a running back/linebacker and Blake Neal, a sophomore quarterback/safety, will be key players for the Blue Devils.

“Colton has been an outstanding outside linebacker for us the last two years,” Druga said. “He made plays as a sophomore, most notably against Canevin, who has been loaded for many years now. Blake coming back at quarterback is such a great thing. He’s put on some weight, going back to the 7-on-7, he’s putting the ball in tight pockets, making the right decision. I’m very excited about the potential that he will have as a second-year starter.”

Neal, who played in just three games last season due to injury, completed 17 of 31 passes for 105 yards with one touchdown.

Druga said Michael Carozza, Bryce Spear, Dominic Stevenson and Duran will be Neal’s targets. Neal said senior Daniel Smith will also play a big role.

Neal added that the wide receivers have impressed him during 7-on-7 play. He said that he and the receivers have chemistry.

“It’s pretty good,” Neal said. “We go down to the field a couple times a week when we’re off and run some routes. This year, we’re looking a lot better in that way.”

Druga noted the athleticism and strength of the receivers.

“Carozza put up 230 and that’s not a traditional 6-foot receiver bench as a sophomore,” Druga said. “Dom as well. He will play at wide out cornerback, and he backs up Blake this year, and he has fantastic potential, and he’s really coming around at receiver.”

Neal said experience will be a key factor in their success.

“It’s helpful,” Neal said. “I get every receiver back this year, so we still have more chemistry and hope to have a better year. A few guys that can come back from the receiver group like Bryce Spear, Daniel Smith, Michael Carroza and Lance Duran, they’re all looking better this year.”

Although County leads the defense, he also led the team in rushing yardage, carrying 73 times for 385 yards and four touchdowns. He will start at tailback.

Brady Rightweiser will be the second running back and fullback. Rightweiser impressed Druga in the offseason as he’s nearing 275 pounds on the bench press.

“I trust that kid with my life,” County said. “We’re a really good pull together, and we’re close friends.”

The Blue Devils, however, lost Sam Elich, Wyatt Stevenson and Teddy Gray on the line.

“That is going to be the question mark, and we have some really sound people coming back that did have playing experience, but that will be the key question,” Druga said. “Our skill, for the most part, is all coming back.”

Neal has confidence in the line. He said although they are new, they show up to every practice and are coming along.

“We’ve got a lot of young guys,” Baloga said. “The guys we have, they’re not inexperienced. They haven’t had a lot of varsity game action, but we coach them up and show them techniques and prepare them to play on Friday.”

Druga added that defensively, the line will be sound with Baloga and Dhans leading. With their 4-3 package, their three linebackers — County, senior Jason Murray and middle linebacker Rightweiser — will make an impact.

County has confidence in their defense and he’s ready to lead.

“I have a lot of freedom on our defense because of our defensive coordinator, coach Rich (Druga), who is amazing,” County said. “We get along really well, and I trust my safeties back there. We’re a young group of guys, but I have trust in everybody. I trust our D-line. We’ve got some big boys that are going to put some force up front. I trust in the whole team, offense or defense.”

County said that Carozza is bound to have a strong season.

“He’s gonna have a really good year,” County said. “He was a freshman last year. He’s a fast kid on the team. He was one of our best players on defense last year. … He was one of our kick returners. I remember he returned a 90-yard kick return touchdown against Serra Catholic as a freshman. He’s going to be a really huge help.”

County added Neal and his cousin Stevenson lead the secondary. Druga said the secondary is vastly improved.

“I think the biggest thing, especially having that strength, is having an overall athletic strength program, not just power,” Druga said. “At the end of the day, football is a great deal about power, especially if you need that yard or you need to stop somebody for a yard, you better man up. The biggest thing with the program and having that strength is hopefully players stay healthy at every level. It’s imperative especially in Class A.”

Overall, County has been impressed with the whole team. He said they are bigger, stronger and faster.

Burgettstown wants to win for the community. Baloga said there is no place like Burgettstown during the homecoming parade.

“It feels great having the stands filled out every Friday,” Baloga said. “Week in and week out, seeing the people you live by come out and support you is a great feeling.”

County is grateful for the community, and he won’t take for granted playing for them.

“Even with the rough year last year, we still brought in a good crowd,” County said. “We still had the fans supporting us. The cheerleaders were there every game. The band was there all the time. Everybody was always loud. I wouldn’t trade playing here for the world. It’s like it’s one of the best feelings ever running out there on a Friday night, and once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

Druga shared their sentiment.

“We have so many good people that want to help make our program better and to be a part of that, you couldn’t ask for anything more, not just as a head coach, but just as a person,” Druga said. “It’s the small town with a big heart, and that just shows everywhere.”

Druga wants something for them to enjoy.

“We’re going to still bring our enthusiastic brand of football as coaching staff,” Druga said. “We’re going to be attacking, and we’re going to throw a few wrinkles out there. I keep stressing, even though the conference is brutal, the bottom line is we expect to be more competitive this year.”

Burgettstown

Coach: Mark Druga

2024 record: 1-8, 0-6 in Class A Black Hills Conference

All-time record: 460-511-39

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.29 Bentworth, 7

9.5 Jefferson-Morgan, 7

9.12 at Cornell*, 7

9.20 Chartiers-Houston*, 2

9.26 at Fort Cherry*, 7

10.3 at Neshannock, 7

10.10 Monessen*, 7

10.17 at Serra Catholic*, 7

10.25 at Bishop Canevin*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Travis Coles*

24-48, 163 yards

Rushing: Colton County

73-385 yards, 4 TDs

Receiving: Daniel Smith

6-47 yards

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Burgettstown won two WPIAL titles in program history, one in 1929 and one in 1941.

• Burgettstown had three players make it to the NFL: Pat West, Walter West and Mike Nixon.

• Adam Baloga has friends on three different continents he met playing football.

• Colton County is a three-sport athlete who has played football, baseball and basketball since fourth grade. He’s also an all-section punter.

Tags: Burgettstown