Despite young roster, Yough aims to continue progressing
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Thursday, August 14, 2025 | 6:01 AM
Yough’s Ryan Sarver with a catch during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Yough’s John Gergly with a catch during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Yough head coach Ben Hoffer during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Yough quarterback Aidan Shaffer rolls out during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Yough quarterback Aiden Shaffer throws during the Willie Thrower quarterbacks camp in June at Valley High School.
Yough quarterback Jayden Huber throws during the Willie Thrower quarterbacks camp in June at Valley High School.
Ben Hoffer feels his team is set to take a step forward as he begins his fourth season as Yough’s football coach.
The most wins Yough has had since 2013 — when the team went 6-5 and won the school’s only playoff game — was four in 2016.
In the past three seasons under Hoffer, the Cougars have shown signs of progress going 8-22. They were 3-7 in 2024.
“We are definitely going to be young,” Hoffer said. “But the kids are buying in and working hard every day. They are working together.”
One of the biggest losses confronting Hoffer is replacing quarterback Raidon Kuroda, who started the past three seasons. Kuroda, now playing at Seton Hill, threw and rushed for a combined 2,000 yards and accounted for 28 touchdowns last fall.
Junior Aidan Shaffer, who played wide receiver and caught 26 passes for 501 yards and four touchdowns, will battle junior Jayden Huber for the starting quarterback job.
Those two will have the luxury of throwing to 2024 leading receiver Ryan Sarver, who caught 33 passes for 397 yards and seven touchdowns. Other wide receiver candidates include Hank Clark, Adam Stangroom, Atticus Kimmell and Joey Bibby.
Yough returned only three starters on offense and defense: Shaffer and Sarver at defensive back and senior center/linebacker Corbin Reinstadtler.
“We are inexperienced, but that is something we can build on,” Hoffer said. “We have to coach them up.”
Hoffer has added two coaches to his staff. Scott Houseman will serve as line coach, run game coordinator and strength and conditioning coach and Dom Pecora is senior consultant.
Pecora coached Hoffer when he played in 2006.
Hoffer must find some running back candidates to replace Aidan Thornton. He is looking at senior Braiden Snyder, junior Dom Kuszaj and sophomores Johnny Gergely and Darius Stephenson.
Joining Reinstadtler up front are sophomore left tackle Aiden Converso, juniors Ilya Charletta and Cooper Beers and senior Jose Ramirez.
“We have to be able to run the ball,” Hoffer said. “It will take pressure off our passing game. I am coaching good kids. It is going to be fun watching them grow. I am confident they can take it to another level.”
On defense, Hoffer will rely on Shaffer and Sarver in the secondary and Reinstadtler at linebacker.
He is also counting on junior Mike Bobnar and sophomore Logan Rosier to battle for starting jobs at linebacker.
Also, many of the players he mentioned as potential starting linemen and at the skilled positions will be counted on to fill defensive positions.
The Cougars hope to contend for a WPIAL Class 3A playoff berth in the Interstate Conference where they will battle some local rivals: Derry, Greensburg Salem, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland and Elizabeth Forward.
They open their nonconference schedule at Brentwood on Aug. 22. They will then host Charleroi on Aug. 29. The remainder of the nonconference games are at Ringgold on Sept. 5, at New Castle on Sept. 12 and home to Blackhawk on Sept. 19.
The conference opener is Sept. 26 at Mt. Pleasant.
Yough
Coach: Ben Hoffer
2024 record: 3-7, 0-5 in Class 3A Interstate Conference
All-time record: 167-355-11
SCHEDULE
Date, Opponent, Time
8.22 at Brentwood, 7
8.29 Charleroi, 7
9.5 at Ringgold, 7
9.12 at New Castle, 7
9.19 Blackhawk, 7
9.26 at Mt. Pleasant*, 7
10.3 Southmoreland*, 7
10.10 Elizabeth Forward*, 7
10.17 at Greensburg Salem*, 7
10.24 at Derry*, 7
*Conference games
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing: Raidon Kuroda*
100-210, 1,388 yards, 15 TDs
Rushing: Kuroda*
171-1,006 yards, 13 TDs
Receiving: Ryan Sarver
33-397 yards
*Graduated
FAST FACTS
• The last time Yough made the WPIAL playoffs was in 2013 when it defeated Kittanning, 57-42, for its only playoff win. The Cougars have won five conference titles. The last time Yough had a winning record was in 2013.
• The Cougars began playing in 1969 after a merger between West Newton, South Huntingdon and Sewickley Township high schools. Their home games were in Herminie at Bruno Field.
• South Huntingdon defeated McDonald, 20-0, to win the WPIAL Class B title in 1954. Sewickley shared a WPIAL title in 1938 with Glassport.
ROSTER
No., Name, Pos., Ht./Wt., Cl.
1, Ryan Sarver, WR/DB, 5-10/170, sr.
2, Aidan Shaffer, QB/DB, 5-10/170, jr.
3, Joey Bibby, WR/DB, 5-8/150, jr.
4, Maddix Jaffre, WR/DB, 5-6/135, so.
5, Waylon Govi, WR/DB, 5-8/140, fr.
6, Ethan Pawlik, WR/LB, 6-3/160, so.
7, Jayden Huber, QB/LB/P, 5-10/175, jr.
8, Atticus Kimmell, DL, 5-11/170, so.
9, Manny Stangroom, LB, 6-0/170, jr.
10, Mike Bobnar, RB/LB, 6-1/170, jr.
11, Kiddrix Mursch, DL, 6-2/180, jr.
12, Hank Clark, WR/DB, 5-8/150, so.
14, Logan Rosier, WR/LB, 5-10/170, so.
15, Troy Priest, WR/DB, 5-10/135, jr.
17, Andrew Schambura, WR/DB, 5-9/155, jr.
19, Noah Cameron, WR/DB, 5-6/110, so.
20, Ethen Kerber, RB/DB, 5-5/135, fr.
21, Andrew Simon, OL/DL, 5-8/155, fr.
22, Darius Stephenson, RB/QB/LB, 5-8/165, so.
23, Xavier Moore, RB/DB, 5-6/130, fr.
25, Johnny Gergely, RB/TE/LB, 6-1/205, so.
26, Braiden Snyder, RB/LB, 6-0/215, sr.
30, Adam Stangroom, RB/DB, 6-0/170, so.
40, Aidan McDonough, LB/K, 5-10/180, jr.
44, Dom Kuszaj, RB/LB, 5-8/180, jr.
51, Andrew Smalich, OL/DL, 5-9/200, jr.
52, Jayden Taylor, OL/DL, 5-9/200, sr.
53, Cooper Beers, OL/DL, 5-9/210, jr.
54, Jackson Pore, OL/DL, 6-0/230, sr.
55, Jose Ramirez, OL/DL, 5-9/220, sr.
57, Corbin Reinstadtler, OL/DL, 6-0/245, sr.
58, Ilya Charletta, OL/DL, 6-0/240, jr.
59, Mikey Albright, OL/DL, 5-7/165, jr.
61, Aiden Brown, OL/DL, 5-10/185, fr.
64, Cash Smith, OL/DL, 5-11/180, so.
66, Conner Sciulli, OL/DL, 5-6/190, fr.
68, Landan Franks, OL/DL, 6-0/270, so.
71, Brandon Kenders, OL/DL, 5-11/190, fr.
73, Bryce Dettore, OL/DL, 5-6/200, fr.
75, Spencer Muir, OL/DL, 6-0/260, jr.
78, Aiden Converso, OL/DL, 6-2/245, so.
79, Keenan Hoffmann, OL/DL, 6-0/250, fr.
Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.
Tags: Yough
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