Central Catholic retools in effort to get back on top in Class 6A

By: Don Rebel
Tuesday, August 6, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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After years as a top assistant coach at Pine-Richland and Seneca Valley, Ryan Lehmeier finally got the chance to be a high school football head coach last year, taking over the storied program at Central Catholic.

The former North Hills quarterback led the Vikings to first place and a regular season championship, but Central Catholic fell to North Allegheny for the second straight year in the WPIAL Class 6A championship game and finished the season at 10-2.

“I think that every day was a learning experience,” Lehmeier said. “The biggest change is you’re constantly making decisions that are for the best interest of the entire group. It’s no longer just the offense, or just the quarterbacks, it’s everybody that’s involved in our program from top to bottom.”

When he took over the program from Terry Totten a year ago, the Vikings had a lot of pieces returning, including a four-year starter at quarterback.

However, Year 2 will be a challenge from the experience standpoint, with only three starters returning on offense and four back on defense.

“I’ve been really excited to see the growth of these young guys since we’ve started our offseason program back in January,” Lehmeier said. “I think we really matured as a group over the past six months.”

The top running back in Class 6A a year ago returns for the Vikings in Elijah Faulkner. The senior, who also plays free safety, rushed for 1,426 yards on 194 carries for an average of 7.4 yards per carry a year ago, leading the Vikings in scoring with 19 touchdowns.

Three other returning starters are also seniors who have already determined where they will continue their football careers at the next level.

Wide receiver and cornerback Xxavier Thomas has committed to Penn State, wide receiver/linebacker Bradley Gompers is going to Duke and center Sam Brackney will head to the Ivy League to play for Brown.

“I’m really excited to see more leaders emerge,” Lehmeier said. “We have a great senior class that’s made of some outstanding young people. I’m looking forward to watching that group lead our team.”

Lehmeier is also looking forward to the development of the Vikings’ new quarterback, Jy’Aire Walls. The senior takes over for the second-leading passer in the district in Payton Wehner, who threw for 2,940 yards and 36 touchdowns.

“While we are losing a lot of talented players, I have no doubt that this year’s team will be just as talented as last season,” Gompers said. “We have a strong senior class and some young guys who are capable of playing some big minutes. I have and will continue to be a vocal leader for some of the young guys with big roles.”

It might not be a huge change, Class 6A football did increase for the next two years from five to seven teams with Norwin and Hempfield moving up from Class 5A.

“Mike Brown (Norwin) and Nick Keefer (Hempfield) are great coaches that do things the right way,” Lehmeier said. “They will have those teams prepared, and I think it only adds to the increase of competition to the league.”

The veterans on the Vikings are looking to change silver to gold as they wind down their high school football careers.

“The last couple of years have been tough,” Gompers said. “We’ve had the talent to win, but we have come up short. This team is as hungry as a team can get. The leadership on this team is more focused than in previous years. The seniors are doing a great job leading and connecting with the locker room.”

Central Catholic

Coach: Ryan Lehmeier

2023 record: 10-2, 4-0 in Class 6A

All-time record: 584-331-44

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.24 St. Frances (Md.) at Woodland Hills, 3:30

8.30 at Pine-Richland, 7

9.6 at Woodland Hills, 7

9.13 Mt. Lebanon* at West Mifflin, 7

9.20 at Hempfield*, 7

9.27 North Allegheny* at Baldwin, 7

10.4 at Shaler, 7

10.11 at Norwin*, 7

10.18 Seneca Valley* at Carnegie Mellon, 7

10.25 Canon-McMillan* at Carnegie Mellon, 7

* Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Payton Wehner*

174-254, 2,940 yards, 36 TDS

Rushing: Elijah Faulkner

194-1,426 yards, 19 TDs

Receiving: Vernon Settles*

54-793 yards, 9 TDs

* Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Central Catholic would love to not be the bridesmaid again in Class 6A this season. After winning the WPIAL title in 2020, the Vikings have settled for silver three straight years, losing to Mt. Lebanon in the district finals in 2021, and falling to North Allegheny in the title game in both 2022 and 2023.

• The 2004 Central Catholic football team is considered one of the best in WPIAL history. The Vikings won the Quad East, beat Kiski Area, Bethel Park, Upper St. Clair and Gateway by a combined score of 130-19 to win a second straight WPIAL 4A championship, then crushed McDowell, Bishop McDevitt and Neshaminy by a combined score of 137-17 to win the program’s second PIAA title. Art Walker’s team finished 16-0 and outscored opponents by an average of 34-9.

• Central Catholic has been on a nearly perfect district championship game run for a dozen years now. Since 2012, the Vikings have played in the WPIAL football Quad-A or 6A championship game each year but one. Six years ago, Central Catholic finished with a 7-4 season and a loss to Seneca Valley in the 2018 6A quarterfinals, 15-14.

• This is the 97th season of Central Catholic football. The Vikings have a record of 584-331-44 all-time.

Tags: Central Catholic