Familiar faces hope to fuel success for Deer Lakes in new conference

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, August 18, 2018 | 7:15 PM

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It’s usually a disadvantage when a coaching vacancy is filled late into the offseason.

But that might not be the case at Deer Lakes.

New coach Tim Burk was hired July 30, just 14 days before the official training camp start.

During the summer when the school was without a head coach, Burk and his assistants stayed together and worked with the team to the point where one might not see the difference in the coaching regime of Burk and his predecessor, Steve Sciullo.

“We try to keep everything the same,” Burk said. “Every coach has his tweaks and twists, but for the most part, we’ll be relatively the same.”

“I feel not much will change here,” junior tight end Jack Hollibaugh said. “I feel we’ll be OK. Different coaches will handle different phases of the game.”

And Sciullo, who left for Hampton when a full-time teaching job emerged, didn’t leave the cupboard bare in Lancers Country.

There are a number of returning starters, including Division I college prospect Colin Kadlick, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound tight end who is being looked at by Youngtown State, among others.

Joining Kadlick in the Lancers two-tight end offense is Hollibaugh.

“Those are two guys who can change the game,” Burk said.

Also prominent in the Deer Lakes offense will be three-year starter Jared Colton, a senior wide receiver who will also be either a defensive back or an outside linebacker in the Lancers 4-2-5 defense.

In charge of getting the ball to the three receivers will be junior quarterback Aris Hasley.

Replacing all-conference running back Josh Solomon will be junior Isaiah Yoder.

Continuing his role as a multipurpose player will be senior Ethan Bender, who can play quarterback, running back or receiver. He passed for more than 100 yards against Valley, then caught four passes for 146 yards in the season’s finale against Burrell.

Anchoring the line will be senior center Maxx Hammond, along with senior right tackle Zak Raynovich. Senior left guard Dalton Shoop is back and so is senior right guard Devin Colucci.

Junior right tackle Corey Smith earned plaudits from his coach for his improvement late last season.

One person missing from the roster this season will be middle linebacker Dennis Drum, who died in June. Deer Lakes plans to have a No. 34 decal on their helmets this season as a remembrance of Drum.

The Lancers were 1-6 in Allegheny Conference play last season, 2-7 overall. Deer Lakes ended the season on a high note by blasting Burrell, 47-14.

“That win was huge,” said Burk, the team’s offensive coordinator at the time. “It kind of all came together for us. They realized their potential.”

When Burk played quarterback for the Lancers in 1997, the Allegheny Conference was comprised of local rivals, and one could practically walk to the away games.

Now, Freeport and Burrell are the only local rivals in what’s known as the Class 3A Big East Conference. Long bus trips to places like Elizabeth Forward on opening night and Derry later in the season are in the offing.

“We were used to those 20-minute bus rides, but I guess everybody’s in the same boat with six classifications,” Burk said. “When I was an assistant at Springdale, we saw what those rivalries meant, like the one with Riverview.”

Deer Lakes played in the Allegheny Conference 47 of its previous 49 seasons.

Schedule

Coach: Tim Burk

2017 record: 2-7, 1-6

All-time record: 165-295-9

Date, Opponent, Time

8.31, at Elizabeth Forward*, 7 p.m.

9.7, Uniontown*, 7 p.m.

9.14, Yough*, 7 p.m.

9.21, at Mt. Pleasant*, 7 p.m.

9.28, Burrell*, 7:30 p.m.

10.5, Freeport*, 7 p.m.

10.12, at Keystone Oaks, 7 p.m.

10.19, at Derry*, 7 p.m.

10.26, CW North Catholic*, 7 p.m.

*Class 3A Big East Conference game

Statistical leaders

Passing: Aris Hasley

42-73, 872 yards, 6 TDs

Receiving: Colin Kadlick

33-347 yards, 2 TDs

Rushing: Josh Solomon*

87-647 yards, 8 TDs

*Graduated

George Guido is a freelance writer.

Tags: Deer Lakes