Countdown to Kickoff ’25: 26 WPIAL teams have new coaches this fall

By: Don Rebel
Thursday, August 14, 2025 | 7:19 PM

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The WPIAL football coaching pendulum continues to swing between a lot of offseason changes and not as many new sideline generals.

Prior to the 2023 season, there were 26 head coaching changes. Last year was a lot less with only 17.

This offseason saw 26 new football coaches hired to take over district programs.

This season, there has been the added dynamic of two interim head coaches brought in not to replace, but to fill in.

Both Greg Evans of Canon-McMillan and Pat Carey of North Hills remain as the head coaches of their programs, but they are taking this fall off as they deal with health issues. Both plan to return to return to the sidelines in the fall of 2026.

Former Bethel Park head coach Brian DeLallo is the interim head coach of the Big Macs and Brody Zangaro has the same title for the Indians.

Following a one-year sabbatical from coaching, Mike Warfield returns as head coach at Aliquippa, taking over for Vashawn Patrick, who returns to his assistant coaching duties for the Quips.

The offseason saw longtime and championship winning coaches either retire, leave on their own or not have their contract renewed.

That list includes Matt Humbert at Belle Vernon, Tony Ruscitto at Beth-Center, Richard Johnson at Bishop Canevin, Sam Albert at Kiski Area, Gene Matsook at Rochester, Ron Butschle at Seneca Valley, Jose Regus at Serra Catholic and Rod Steele at West Mifflin.

Steele is the only coach of that group to remain as a head coach in the district after being hired by Bishop Canevin.

Here is a rundown of the new coaches for this season and who they replaced.

Canon-McMillan – Brian DeLallo is filling in as interim head coach for Mike Evans

Seneca Valley – Don Barclay replaces Ron Butschle

Kiski Area – Colyn Haugh replaces Sam Albert

Latrobe – Tom McIntrye replaces Ron Prady

North Hills – Brody Zangaro is filling in as interim head coach for Pat Carey

Aliquippa – Mike Warfield replaces Vashawn Patrick

Belle Vernon – Scott Bryer replaces Matt Humbert

Chartiers Valley – Steve Spence replaces Aaron Fitzpatrick

Indiana – Mark Zilinskas replaces Brad Wright

Knoch – T.J. Wiley replaces Tim Burchett

Laurel Highlands – Aaron Raffle replaces Richard Kolesar

West Mifflin – B.J. Pugh replaces Rod Steele

Burrell – Dom Girardi replaces Shawn Liotta

Quaker Valley – Tom Eshenbaugh replaces Jason Cappa

Southmoreland – Dustin Shoaf replaces Tim Bukowski

Charleroi – Scott DeUnger replaces Tyler Aeschbachler

Shady Side Academy – Andrew Geisler replaces Chuck DiNardo

Waynesburg Central – Joe Kuhns replaces Aaron Giorgi

Beth-Center – Tim Trump replaces Tony Ruscitto

Bishop Canevin – Rod Steele replaces Richard Johnson

Frazier – Tony Battaglini replaces Mike Shannon

Northgate – Mark Fratangelo replaces Chris Lucas

Rochester – Don Phillips replaces Gene Matsook

Serra Catholic – Akeeme Robinson replaces Jose Regus

Brownsville – Cody Castor replaces David Martin III

Uniontown – Tim Bukowski replaces Keith Jefferies