CTK 2015 – Class AAA Big Ten Conference Preview

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, August 22, 2015 | 6:57 PM

Before we get to whether Thomas Jefferson will win the conference again, and whether West Mifflin has another top tailback, there is one main question with this conference: What the heck is the name of the conference?

For the past three seasons, this has been the Big Nine Conference. Great idea, since there were nine teams. But this conference also has had eight teams. During those years, it was the Big Eight. There were years it had seven. Thus, the name Big Seven.

But Yough was added this year to make a 10-team conference. So, what now? We here at MSA Sports change with the numbers. Welcome to the Big Ten.

Or should it be the Big 10 with numbers?

Whatever, here is a look at the Big Ten, er, 10 Conference:

ALBERT GALLATIN COLONIALS:

The Colonials have six starters back on offense and six on defense. But is that enough to make the playoffs from a team that has finished winless three of the past four seasons? Making the playoffs really would be something. This is a team that has made the playoffs once since the 1990s. That was 2005.

But coach Joe Embacher seems optimistic this season after going 0-9 and being outscored, 397-83, last year. Hunter Moody, a 6-1, 175-pound senior, will be one of the team leaders.  He is in his third year as the starting quarterback.

The Colonials return a number of other skill-position players, including three running back-defensive backs – Joey Embacher, Luke Duce and Willy Humes. Devin Carney is a receiver-defensive back and another one of the team’s top players.

Other returning starters are linemen Hunter Matthews, Trey Cavaliere, Alex Stay, Dustin Colebank and Klayton Jenkins. Cruz White and Jacob Nare return at linebacker.

BELLE VERNON LEOPARDS:

The Leopards finished in a tie for third place last season and should be near the top of the conference again this season.

Belle Vernon features one of the top linemen in the conference in 6-5, 290-pound Nick Sweitzer, who already has a scholarship offer from Eastern Michigan. Other Division I schools are interested.

Leading rusher Anthony Levis graduated, but the Leopards still have some talent in the backfield. Phil Taylor made first-team all-conference at defensive back last year, but he also rushed for 277 yards on only 22 carries. Luke Durigon was the team’s second-leading rusher with 700 yards.

Developing a quarterback will be key, but the Leopards also have a weapon in Derek Verkleeren, a first-team all-conference kicker last season.

ELIZABETH FORWARD WARRIORS:

The Warriors were a game out of the playoffs last year and now they have a new coach who will try to get them to the postseason. Mike Collodi takes over for Mike LeDonne. Collodi most recently was an assistant coach at South Park under Tom Loughran.

Collodi takes over a team that started 3-2 last season, but couldn’t measure up against the big boys of the conference. Elizabeth Forward lost its final four games, including a non-conference matchup against Indiana, by a combined score of 119-23.

Steve Mayernik took some lumps as a sophomore quarterback last year, but did show flashes of promise. He rushed for 403 yards on 78 attempts and completed 37 of 61 for 335 yards.

Elizabeth Forward has a big hole to fill at running back, where Jake Meyers graduated after rushing for more than 1,300 yards last season.

LAUREL HIGHLANDS MUSTANGS:

After going 4-6 and making the playoffs as the fifth-place team in the conference, the Mustangs are thinking bigger things this year. One of the main reasons is quarterback Jim Pierce. This senior isn’t big (5-8, 180 pounds), but he has done some big things for the Mustangs. Last year, he threw for 1,221 yards and also rushed for 621 yards. He was the first-team all-conference QB.

Developing a quality running back will be big for coach Zack Just’s team. Christian Jones might be the guy. The Mustangs have a talented receiver in Chad Livingston, a second-team all-conference pick a year ago who caught 27 passes for 432 yards. Laurel Highlands also has one of the conference’s best offensive linemen in Dylan Groh, who was first-team all-conference a year ago.

Overall, five starters return on offense and defense. Back on the offensive line along with Groh are Logan Miller and Hunger Scott.

On defense, Ian Edenfield returns at end. Brandon Isler returns at linebacker. The secondary should be solid with the return of Jarves Crews, Lucas Boyle and Hunter Sloboda.

RINGGOLD RAMS:

Nick Milchovich’s first year as the Rams’ coach went well, as the Rams went 10-2 and made it to the WPIAL semifinals. Buoyed by one of the best backfield tandems in Class AAA, good things could be in store for Ringgold again.

Chacar Berry is back after a terrific junior season when he ran for 1,392 yards on 168 carries. And don’t forget Brendan Small, who rushed for 722 yards on 89 attempts.

Even more of the offensive load will probably fall on Berry and Small, due to the graduation of standout dual-threat quarterback Nico Law, who had 2,101 yards offense last season. George Martin is poised to take over at quarterback. A junior, Martin seems to have plenty of potential. He is 6 feet 4, 205 pounds.

Overall, five starters return on offense and five on defense. The lines will be anchored by Daylen Penn, Gage Ivory and Justin Mayer. Dante Todaro returns at defensive end. Linebackers Jordan Briscoe and Connory Gary will lead the defense.

THOMAS JEFFERSON JAGUARS:

Predicting another perfect conference season for the Jaguars wouldn’t exactly be bold. It’s unusual when Thomas Jefferson does NOT go undefeated in conference play. The Jaguars have gone undefeated in the conference eight of the past nine seasons. The only year they didn’t was 2011, when the Jaguars lost to West Mifflin, 27-14.

This Thomas Jefferson team is like a lot of other teams coached by Bill Cherpak. The Jaguars have size and some capable skill players. And, of course, there is that great tradition.

Three returning players who were first-team all-conference last year are offensive tackle Dylan Vissari, linebacker Braden Pahanish and defensive back Ryan Scanlon.

Austin Kemp was an outstanding running back, but graduated. But Cherpak always seems to find a good running back, and there are capable ones in the stable again this year. Quinton Hill rushed for 711 yards on 92 carries last year as a sophomore. Scanlon and Pahanish also should be factors running the ball. Scanlon rushed for 488 yards on 65 carries last season and Pahanish 415 on 56 attempts.

TRINITY HILLERS:

There is a new man in charge of the Hillers this year. Jon Miller takes over for Ryan Croyle, who was 10-18 in three seasons. Miller has been an assistant coach the past two seasons at Bethel Park and North Hills, but he does have head coaching experience. He was the head coach at Moon for two seasons (2009-10) and had a 3-15 record.

Trinity finished 4-5 last year and one game behind Laurel Highlands for the fifth and final playoff spot in the conference. No first-team all-conference players return, but the Hillers played a number of young players last year and a year’s experience should help. Trinity had 20 freshmen on the roster last year. One of those freshmen who played last year was running back Joe Koroly.

The lines will be anchored by Toby Cullings and Mac Chambers. Sam Trapuzzano should be one of the conference’s better kickers after converting four field goals last season.

UNIONTOWN RED RAIDERS:

Uniontown had a rough 2014 season, winning only one game. It was the fewest wins for the Raiders since 2006.

But things could be better for Uniontown this year due to the face that five starters return on offense and seven on defense. One of the top returnees is running back-linebacker Ariene Washington, a 6-2, 210-pound senior who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season. He ran for 240 against West Mifflin and more than 300 against Albert Gallatin.

Phil Mosely is a top returnee at defensive back and will also play defensive back. Kane Frye and Ben Wilson will be counted on at running back-defensive back.

Coach John Fortugna believes he has some other talented skill-position players, but the radiers will be young on the lines. The only returning starters on the lines are Mark Fike and Jim Reddington.

WEST MIFFLIN TITANS:

Remember the Titans for their running backs. Coach Ray Braszo has had the WPIAL’s leading rusher each of the past two seasons. Last year, it was DiAngelo Mitchell. Two years ago, it was James Wheeler.  So do the Titans have another runner ready to come out of the wings and do big things?

Braszo said before the season there is a group of running backs vying for the starting spot and the Titans are waiting for someone to emerge. James Tyree, Warren Johnson, Ahmir Foy and Howie Reid were all trying to be the tailback.

No matter who is the running back, the Titans are in good shape at quarterback with the return of Karlyn Garner. He didn’t throw all that often last year, completing 41 of 92 for 624 yards. He also rushed for 474 yards on 93 carries.

But no matter who is the starting running back, look for West Mifflin to be near the top of the conference.

YOUGH COUGARS:

Yough is the newcomer to the conference, and you can bet the Cougars like it. Last year, Yough played in the Greater Allegheny Conference and had to play against the likes of Hampton, Mars and Knoch. Playing in the Big Ten will definitely be more geographically friendly for the Cougars.

The reason for Yough’s movement into the Big Nine is the opening of Armstrong High School, which is the merger of Kittanning and Ford City. Armstrong was put into the Greater Allegheny. So the WPIAL decided to move Yough to the Big Ten.

But no matter where Yough played this year, there is tons of room for improvement. Two years ago, the Cougars made the WPIAL Class AA playoffs and won a playoff game. Last year, Yough moved up to Class AAA and it wasn’t pretty. Yough was 0-9 last year and scored the fewest points (58) of any team in the entire WPIAL. The 415 points given up by Yough were the fourth-most in the WpIAL.

Receiver Eric Borkovich is one of the top returnees for coach Mark Crovak, who is in his sixth year as coach.

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH IN THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE:

1.      Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

2.      Ringgold Rams

3.      West Mifflin Titans

4.      Belle Vernon Leopards

5.      Laurel Highlands Mustangs

6.      Uniontown Red Raiders

7.      Trinity Hillers

8.      Elizabeth Forward Warriors

9.      Albert Gallatin Colonials

10.   Yough Cougars

Tags: Albert Gallatin, Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward, West Mifflin, Yough