Connellsville hopes 7-on-7 success translates to victories this fall

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, August 14, 2018 | 9:45 PM

Second-year football coach Marko Thomas is not only changing the culture at Connellsville but Fayette County, as well.

This off-season, he contacted all the football coaches in the county about creating the Fayette County Football Coaches Association and starting the first summer workout championships, which were held at Laurel Highlands.

“Myself and a bunch of my coaches were a part of the Westmoreland County Coaches Association, and so I said why not one here,” Thomas said. “I contacted all the coaches to see if they’d be on board, and they were all on board.”

The event included a seven-on-seven tournament, as well as individual combine drills and a big man challenge. Connellsville defeat Albert Gallatin in the seven-on-seven championship and won the big man challenge, as well.

Connellsville junior quarterback Josh Maher shined during the event, throwing three touchdown passes to senior wide receiver Jalen Rogers in the finals. Rogers also had an interception.

Last season, after leading Connellsville to a season-opening 46-33 victory over Uniontown, Maher was sidelined with a detached retina in his right eye, in a non-football related injury, and missed the rest of the football season. After surgery he was able to return for the start of basketball season and is expected to guide the Falcons’ offense this year.

His top receivers will be Rogers, senior Blake Lancaster, junior Ramani Pirl and senior Jared Ozias, who placed first in the bench press competition during the FCFCA championships.

The running back position is in question after senior Dodee Stonebraker suffered an ACL injury, but he expects to be back for the start of the season.

“He’s getting fitted for a specialized brace, and I’m not sure how much running he’s going to be able to do,” Thomas said. “We will see.”

Three seniors return on the offensive line — Chandler Dewitt, Christopher Smiley and Tyler Metzger

Senior Cameron Wormack will join Smiley and Metzger up front on defense. Dewitt and Stonebraker, if healthy, will be at linebacker. Rogers will be the top defensive back.

Sophomore Gage Gillott will be the place kicker, as well as the backup quarterback.

The two trophies won at the Fayette County Coaches Association Championships were a step in the right direction for a program that has a record of 39-133 this century, but the schedule will not be easy in the new WPIAL Class 5A Foothills Conference.

Powerhouses Penn-Trafford, Gateway and McKeesport, as well as Plum, Latrobe and Franklin Regional await the Falcons. Connellsville will have an old friend from Fayette County back on the schedule in Albert Gallatin. The nonconference slate also contains two teams Connellsville has never played — Fox Chapel and Thomas Jefferson.

To help toughen up the Falcons this summer, Thomas invited a few good men from the U.S. Marine Corps to attend one of the team’s workouts. It was a chance for the players to experience military-style training and a recruiting opportunity for the Marines.

The Falcons will begin the regular season Aug. 24, with the Annual Coal Bucket game against Uniontown. The game will be the first played on the newly installed artificial turf at Connellsville Stadium.

Schedule

Coach: Marko Thomas

2017 record: 1-9, 0-8

All-time record: 532-522-59

Date, Opponent, Time

8.24, Uniontown, 7 p.m.

8.31, at McKeesport*, 7 p.m.

9.7, at Penn-Trafford*, 7:30 p.m.

9.14, Plum*, 7 p.m.

9.21, at Latrobe*, 7 p.m.

9.28, Thomas Jefferson, 7 p.m.

10.5, Fox Chapel, 7 p.m.

10.12, at Franklin Regional*, 7 p.m.

10.19, Gateway*, 7 p.m.

10.26, at Albert Gallatin*, 7 p.m.

*Class 5A Foothills Conference game

Statistical leaders

Passing: Jared Ozias

15-26, 226 yards, 3 TDs

Rushing: Luke White*

45-289 yards, 3 TDs

Receiver: Ozias

13-158 yards, 3 TDs

* Graduated

Richard Mastowski is a freelance writer.

Tags: Connellsville