Deer Lakes turns the page after historic 2023 season

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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Deer Lakes made program history last year with its first playoff victory.

And what a dominant win it was in the WPIAL Class 3A first round.

The Lancers rolled past Southmoreland by 30 points in what was their second postseason game at home.

Deer Lakes fell to eventual WPIAL and PIAA champion Belle Vernon in the quarterfinals, but the Lancers’ season as a whole, including an 8-4 record, fired up the football community and carried over to the offseason.

“It was great all around,” Deer Lakes coach Tim Burk said.

“It was success that we had not seen in a while for our school. When you reflect back, it was fun. Those are the memories you want the kids to have and that you want them to be a part of. Having gone through that with them was pretty awesome just because the community rallied behind them. The kids got to see the fun side of football. It was good. I am glad they got to have that experience.”

But, Burk said, the time to turn the page and look to this season came, and he said the players refocused well and regrouped with a mix of familiar and new faces leading the way.

“We let them soak it in a little bit before we flipped the script on them,” Burk said. “Now, we have a target on our backs and people will be coming after us. We need to rise up and be better. We kind of raised the bar now where this is the standard. This is what is expected, and this is where the program is headed.

“The kids are excited, and they have a lot more confidence. They feel like they are starting to change the attitude of just being another team in the conference.”

Speaking of the conference, Deer Lakes will find itself matchup up with a few more local teams. Freeport and Valley remain in the Allegheny 7, but Burrell moves up from Class 2A and Highlands moves down from Class 4A.

Imani Christian and East Allegheny round out the conference teams.

“It is so nice to have that local flair and to play the teams with local ties,” Burk said.

“The WPIAL a few years ago said that is what they are looking for with packed bleachers, the rivalries and great games between teams with kids who know each other so well. We’re excited to have them all in the conference, and we’ll see how it plays out.”

Several key players, including record-setting quarterback Derek Burk and first-team all-conference selections in Ryan Cochran (wide receiver/defensive back), Nick Rossi (defensive end) and Aiden Fletcher (outside linebacker), were lost to graduation.

Replacing Derek Burk bred a competition between senior Jake Fleischer and sophomore Dante Mangieri.

“The kids have really been supportive of both Jake and Dante,” Burk said. “They have been the front-runners. They both have been working really hard. It’s been good. They’re finding their way. They’ve been learning.”

Senior Zier Williams, Burk said, will be a workhorse back.

“He looks really good. He’s almost up to 210 pounds,” Burk said.

“He’s devoted himself to getting a little leaner. He’s put in the work. As a defensive player, it can get tiresome trying to tackle him over and over again. He knows that. As the game goes on, he runs harder.”

Wayne Love graduated as last year’s leading receiver. Senior Zach Grant, who owns an offer from Edinboro, matched Love with 33 catches and produced 527 yards and eight touchdowns.

“Zach worked to prepare his body in the offseason because he knows his role is going to be elevated,” Burk said.

“He is very excited for the opportunity. With his speed and ability to get open, we have to find creative ways to get him the ball. He’s become more of a vocal leader, and that’s great to see.”

Senior Sam Guthrie, Burk said, gets the defensive engine running at inside linebacker. He was a first-team all-conference pick a year ago.

“He has really defined his body,” Burk said. “He and I have had many conversations about what it is going to take. He’s told me multiple times that he can’t let down last year’s guys. He understands how this team has to push forward and be better. That is the kid you want leading your program at middle linebacker. He is just an animal in this defense.”

The offensive line still is young, but it is experienced with four starters back in senior Lee Hengelsberg, and juniors Joey Ashi, Shaun Bier and Aiden McCurdy.

Junior Garrett Waybright is expected to replace Rossi on the line.

“We’re big up front. Those guys have absolutely dominated the weight room,” Burk said. “They love it. They live in it. We know what they can do. To see it executed is just going to be unreal.”

Deer Lakes

Coach: Tim Burk

2023 record: 8-4, 3-2 in Class 3A Allegheny Conference

All-time record: 187-332-9

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 Keystone Oaks, 7

8.30 at South Park, 7

9.6 at Derry, 7

9.13 Freeport*, 7

9.20 at East Allegheny*, 7

9.27 Highlands*, 7:30

10.4 Beaver, 7

10.11 at Imani Christian*, 7

10.18 Valley*, 7

10.25 Burrell*, 7

* Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Derek Burk*

125-211, 1,984 yards, 27 TDs

Rushing: Zier Williams

188-1,147 yards, 13 TDs

Receiving: Wayne Love*

33-649 yards, 9 TDs

* Graduated

FAST FACTS

• The Lancers’ offense was balanced last year with 1,982 yards through the air and 1,928 yards on the ground.

• Deer Lakes led the Allegheny Conference in scoring at 30.2 points per game. That total ranked sixth in all of Class 3A.

• The Lancers will attempt to qualify for the WPIAL playoffs for the third year in a row and fifth time in program history. The other two trips came in 2010 and ‘15.

• Tim Burk enters his seventh season as head coach. He owns a 22-37 record over his first six seasons at the helm.

ROSTER

No., Name, Ht./Wt., Cl.

2, Luca Mangieri, 6-1/165, jr.

3, Zach Grant, 5-11/170, sr.

4, Santino Bogan, 5-11/170, so.

5, Jake Fliescher, 6-4/190, sr.

6, Maddox Sudayu, 5-7/130, fr.

7, Dom Sciubba, 6-4/170, jr.

8, Braden Brunnette, 6-1/175, fr.

9, Dante Mangieri, 6-0/170, so.

10, Nino Spagnolo, 5-4/145, fr.

12, Evan Moore, 6-1/160, so.

13, Brandon Hixon, 5-7/125, fr.

14, Brayden Stein, 5-7/130, fr.

17, Christian Bajko, 6-1/180, sr.

18, Charlie Cook, 5-10/175, so.

21, Ethan Goldsmith, 5-8/155, so.

22, Nathaniel Moore, 6-4/220, sr.

23, Ryan Love, 5-8/175, jr.

24, Roman Smith, 5-8/150, fr.

25, Jack Guthrie, 6-0/180, so.

26, Noah Shurina, 5-10/175, sr.

27, Anthony Smith, 6-0/215, sr.

28, Colby Borowski, 5-8/160, so.

29, Aydan Appollonia, 5-2/125, fr.

30, Josh Runas, 5-7/145, sr.

32, Zier Williams, 5-9/200, sr.

33, Daniel Bichler, 5-8/160, so.

44, Mason Boyle, 5-10/155, fr.

48, Sam Guthrie, 5-9/190, sr.

50, James Brunick, 5-9/220, sr.

51, Ryan Mazon, 5-5/160, so.

53, Braden Harris, 5-4/150, fr.

55, James Gall, 5-10/190, so.

56, Garrett Waybright, 5-11/220, jr.

58, Brennan Mcgowan, 5-9/215, so.

60, Jason Voith, 5-10/210, sr.

62, Dakota Kelly, 5-11/215, sr.

65, Nathan Hloznik, 6-0/215, so.

66, Aiden Mccurdy, 6-5/250, jr.

67, Shaun Bier, 6-0/290, jr.

70, Lee Henglesberg, 5-11/245, sr.

71, Killian Hartman, 6-2/225, so.

72, Anthony Albergottie, 5-7/200, fr.

74, Dale Podnar, 5-7/150, fr.

75, Sam Spence, 5-11/170, fr.

77, Joey Ashi, 6-0/265, jr.

78, Saxen Persinger, 6-2/300, jr.

79, Max Deveraux, 5-10/240, jr.

William Bagley, 6-2/165, jr.

Jaxson Slowikowski, fr.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Deer Lakes