Gritty Brentwood shakes off early losses, gets locked in

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, September 21, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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The Brentwood football team recovered nicely from season-opening losses to Yough and South Allegheny.

Brentwood won back-to-back mercy rule games against Sto-Rox, 41-0, and Springdale, 42-0, to improve to 2-2 overall, 1-0 in the Class A Eastern Conference.

“I like how our team responded after losing our first two games,” Brentwood coach Nick Caponi said. “We’ve shown some grit and perseverance. The Yough game was one that we should have won, but we beat ourselves with too many penalties and turnovers. The South Allegheny game was just plain ugly. I think we had 16 or 17 healthy guys, and we took a pretty good beating against them.

“But the kids stuck together and have not wavered in our belief that we are a good football team, and it showed with our performances against Sto-Rox and Springdale.”

Senior QB/DB Cedric Davis threw for 109 yards and three touchdowns and added 87 rushing yards as Brentwood blanked Class 2A Sto-Rox.

Nicky Wardzinski, a sophomore RB/LB, rushed for 106 yards and two scores for the Spartans, which outgained Sto-Rox, 302-70.

In their conference opener against Springdale, the Spartans were sparked again by Davis, a fourth-year starter who threw for 162 yards and scored three times.

Through four games, the 6-foot, 160-pound Davis led the team in rushing, passing and scoring and averaged close to 200 yards in total offense per contest. Davis accounted for 345 yards and four touchdowns on 44 rushing attempts, completed 25 of 47 passes for 446 yards and another four TDs.

Also against Springdale, Brentwood junior RB/DB Daysaun Spencer returned an interception 54 yards for a score, and Wardzinski added two TD runs.

Spencer (5-8, 165) led the Spartans in receiving with eight catches for 166 yards and two scores, averaging 20.8 yards per catch. Other players in the receiving corps include junior Amir Mack (6-40), sophomore Parish Thornhill (5-111), Wardzinski, seniors Blaize Dias and Jacob Peterson, junior Orlando Johnson and freshman Griffin Bentz.

Brentwood outscored the opposition 103-70, averaging 25.8 ppg, and racked up 305.5 yards in total offense per game.

Caponi had much to say about the team’s performance in the two early season victories.

“I was happy with our compete level these last two games,” he said. “The kids have been locked in mentally and have executed the game plan on both sides of the ball. That speaks to the leadership we have on the team, and that starts with our captains — Cedric Davis, Ray Rieber, Daysaun Spencer and Gio Miller — and upperclassmen for holding guys accountable.

“Offensively, we look very sharp and have been consistently executing at our expectation. More importantly, we are starting to do the little things that make a big difference. The communication up front with the line has been great, our receivers have been blocking extremely well and turning 5- or 6-yard runs into 15- or 20-yard runs, and our special teams have been solid.

“Defensively, we are playing very fast and rallying to the football as a pack. To have back-to-back shutouts is an accomplishment. I can’t remember the last time that happened (at Brentwood).”

Caponi believes it takes a group as well as talented individuals to accomplish team goals on the football field.

“I have to give credit to offensive coordinator Steve Hubsch and defensive coordinator Jake Thomas,” the second-year head coach said. “You don’t score over 40 points and post shutouts in consecutive weeks without a great game plan. Steve and Jake are so well prepared every week, and they do a great job of putting the players in a position to succeed. I’m lucky to have them on the staff.”

“And our underclassmen and first-year players have been awesome. I love their approach on a weekly basis. These are the guys who may not get a lot of varsity time, but they have an important role and they embrace it. They consistently give our varsity guys great looks on scout team, and they give good reps in practice. This helps everyone get better.”

Next up for the Spartans was a conference game at home Sept. 19 against Greensburg Central Catholic, followed by a road test Sept. 26 at Frazier, another conference opponent.

“Our expectations have not changed. We expect to make the playoffs and go on a run once we get there,” Caponi said. “We know what to expect from our conference opponents. This is the best conference in single-A. Each team is well coached, each team has great athletes, and each team is solid from top to bottom.

“We just have to be consistent in our approach and how we prepare week in and week out.”

Brentwood’s team leaders defensively in the early going included the likes of Thornhill, Johnson, freshman Nate Beck, sophomore Carlton Respass and Dias.

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