First-year coach Wade Brown tackles Monessen rebuild

By: Mike Kovak
Thursday, August 26, 2021 | 9:16 PM

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When Monessen got together for preseason workouts, first-year coach Wade Brown typically had 15 or 16 players attend.

The key being they weren’t always the same 15 or 16 players.

Injuries, academic issues and apathy infiltrated Monessen’s once-proud program last season and derailed it after four games. Because of low numbers, Monessen forfeited its final three games and finished 0-7 overall and in the Class A Tri-County South Conference. The program’s future looked more murky than the waters of the nearby Monongahela River.

In steps Davis, who coached the offensive and defensive lines last season at West Mifflin and is a longtime coach at various levels, and his first goal is to avoid a repeat of the most dismal fall in Monessen football history.

“Despite the low numbers, we’re trying to get the kids to believe and trust in us. Nothing can keep my spirits down, not the low numbers, not anything,” Brown said. “I’m expecting our roster to be in the low 20s. The reason why we haven’t had more at the offseason workouts is some kids have jobs, and at Monessen, some kids have some very stressful things to deal with.”

Since taking the job in January, Brown has been part recruiter, part motivator, part counselor and a full-time coach. He said he has relished every moment, built an energetic and experienced staff and is ready to begin the long process of restoring Monessen football.

Step 1 of the preseason program is finding a starting quarterback. Sophomore Lorenzo Gardner, son of former standout Ringgold quarterback Lorenzo Gardner, and junior Nigier Foster are among the leading candidates.

If Foster isn’t the starting quarterback, he’ll split time at running back and wide receiver. Omarion Rainey, a 6-foot-3 junior, could be a big-play threat. Fullback Jermere Majors will be a factor, and Jamar Bethea could be Monessen’s featured running back.

“Things are coming together. They’re going way better than last year,” Bethea said. “We’ve been in the weight room. We’ve got better players, and there’s more kids out for the team.”

Leading the way for Monessen’s skill players will be a promising but mostly unproven offensive line.

Brown, the successor to Shane Swope, who resigned after one season, said Aiden Bittinger probably will be the team’s lone senior, and junior Trey Thompson, who moved from Clairton, will be counted upon to provide leadership and a winning attitude that mostly has been missing since Monessen last made the playoffs in 2018.

Sophomore Amari Altimore and junior Jaisean Blackman, a returning starter, also will figure into the starting mix.

“We’ve got a lot of skill, but our offensive line, it’s about getting continuity up front,” Brown said. “(Thompson) is a bull. He’s got great leadership coming from a winning program. He’s got the experience. We’ve got to get everyone to have the same type of attitude.”

Considering Davis said the defensive standouts most likely will come from the players previously mentioned, developing that attitude could be Step 2, even for a team that managed only 33 points and scored four touchdowns last season.

“Things are very different from last year,” Blackman said. “I think we can have a big turnaround. We’re already more prepared. We’re really like a family. It’s going to be a good group.”

Monessen

Coach: Wade Brown

2020 record: 0-7, 0-7 in Class A Tri-County South Conference

All-time record: 668-382-47

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.27 at Washington, 7

9.3 Imani Christian, 7

9.10 Charleroi, 7

9.17 at Bentworth*, 7

9.24 Jefferson-Morgan*, 7

10.1 at Mapletown*, 7

10.8 at Carmichaels*, 7

10.15 West Greene*, 7

10.22 California*, 7

10.29 at Avella*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Shane Swope

11-27, 139 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs

Receiving: Kody Kuhns

5-60 yards

Rushing: Swope

28-86 yards, 1 TD

FAST FACTS

• Monessen’s all-time record is 668-382-47. The wins total ranks third in Westmoreland County behind Jeannette and Greensburg Salem.

• The Greyhounds’ lone playoff appearance the past five seasons came in 2018, an 18-14 loss to Jeannette in the first round.

• First-year Monessen coach Wade Brown is a former player at Robert Morris who had a tryout in 2015 with the Buffalo Bills. He also played for the Pittsburgh Colts, a semi-pro team.

• Brown played for championship football and basketball teams at the former Duquesne High School, and he said Monessen provided the Dukes with some of their toughest competition in both sports.

ROSTER

No., Name, Ht./Wt, Yr.

2, Anthony Crews, 5-11/165, Fr.

3, Tim Kershaw, 5-10/155, Fr.

5, Daniel Dozier, 5-11, 205, Fr.

6, Lorenzo Gardner, 6-3/185, So.

7, Sam Valle, 5-7/135, Jr.

11, Devontae Robinson, 5-7/180, Fr.

13, Omarion Rainey, 6-3/170, Jr.

15, Darryl Ray, 6-1/160, So.

17, Nigier Foster, 5-9/160, Jr.

20, Dayton Carson, 5-11/170, Sr.

23, Jamar Bethea, 6-0/185, So.

24, Jermere Majors, 6-1/215, So.

28, Leonaj Thomas, 6-3/180, So.

52, Jai’Sean Blackman, 6-1/285, Jr.

55, Amari Altimore, 6-3/260, So.

56, Tayvion Dupree, 6-0/225, Jr.

61, Aiden Bittinger, 5-11/240, Sr.

72, Tristan Kmetz, 6-3/290, So.

77, Trey Windom, 5-8/330, Fr.

97, Giovonnie Isbell, 5-11/175, So.

99, Trey Thompson, 6-3/295, Jr.

Tags: Monessen