Hampton seeking ‘little bit of toughness’ after down season

By: John Grupp
Sunday, August 10, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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Hampton coach Steve Sciullo had no problem putting his finger on what went wrong during last year’s 3-7 season.

“We didn’t tackle well, and we didn’t block well,” Sciullo said. “Those two things take courage. We’re hoping that we have a little bit more courage this year to go and tackle some of these guys.”

One year after getting run over with the leakiest defense in the WPIAL Class 4A, the Talbots are looking to bounce back thanks to a productive offseason of conditioning.

“We are a lot faster than we were. We’re a lot stronger than we were,” Sciullo said. “It comes down to the mental part of it.”

The staff wanted to put their players in the best position to succeed, so they tapped Justin Shal, a renowned Wexford-based professional strength coach, and Talbots football assistant Dave Interthal, who coaches track at North Allegheny, to make the kids stronger and faster. They also hoped to reduce the number of injuries that plagued last season’s team.

“We moved away from just slamming steel around and geared more toward athletic development,” said second-team all-conference senior running back Evan McAneny, who rushed for 829 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. “That has helped a lot. We all bought in.”

While the physical aspects have improved, the Talbots need to show that their mental fortitude has strengthened in advance of a rugged schedule. Hampton last season also allowed 70 points to West Mifflin, 62 points to Upper St. Clair and 54 to McKeesport.

Sciullo, a former NFL offensive lineman in his fourth season at Hampton, believes the team’s renewed physicality will give it the confidence to attack some of the gifted skill players in the Greater Allegheny.

“I’m not blind to the fact that (McKeesport’s) Kemon Spell is the No. 1-ranked junior running back in the country or that (West Mifflin’s) Armand Hill is going to (West Virginia),” Sciullo said. “We’re going to take on some good teams this year. But we think we’re pretty good, too. All we’re asking for is a little bit of courage and a little bit of toughness.”

Last season, the Talbots allowed more points (384) than any team in the WPIAL Class 4A. A 70-12 loss to West Mifflin in the finale sent the players into the offseason with a renewed determination.

“We were very angry,” senior Brody Junker said after an Aug. 7 practice. “The season shouldn’t have been that way. We were very motivated coming into this season.”

The Talbots are switching their defensive scheme from a 3-4 to a 4-3 and moving the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Junker from linebacker to defensive end.

“We are tightening up a lot,” Junker said. “We definitely will not let up as many points as we did last year.”

On the offensive side, sophomore Andrew Reschoff is taking over at quarterback for graduated Porter Kelly.

Reschoff’s top targets will be senior wide receiver Willy Haselrig, first-team all-conference senior tight end Ryan Scully (13-239, 2 TDs) and junior RB/WR Heath Borgo (11-105).

“I am definitely hyped up for this season and to prove all of the other schools wrong,” said Scully, a 6-4, 220-pounder. “They probably think we’re not a good team. But our record last year doesn’t define us, and I think we are going to come back even stronger this year.”

Sciullo said, once again, it will boil down to desire.

“The theme is going to be ‘No excuses’ this year,” he said. “We got them the best they can get for strength and the best they can get for speed. We got the best coaching they can get. It’s time for them to go out and just tackle.”

Hampton

Coach: Steve Sciullo

2024 record: 3-7, 1-4 in Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference

All-time record: 338-403-21

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.22 at University Prep, 7

8.29 at Armstrong, 7

9.5 at Shaler, 7

9.12 at Upper St. Clair, 7

9.19 Chartiers Valley, 7

9.26 at McKeesport*, 7

10.3 Indiana*, 7

10.10 Knoch*, 7

10.17 at Mars*, 7

10.24 West Mifflin*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Porter Kelly*

90-214 1,298, 9 TD, 8 INT

Rushing: Evan McAneny

182-829, 10 TD

Receiving: Willy Haselrig

18-322, 2 TDs

* Graduated

FAST FACTS

• The Talbots play their first four games on the road. Their first home game is Sept. 19 against Chartiers Valley. South Park is the only other team in the 115-school WPIAL to open the season with four straight road games.

• Hampton assistant coach Brian Junker, a former state championship-winning baseball coach at Shaler, returns for his second season on the staff. Junker, whose son Brody is a senior defensive end, stepped down from Shaler in July after leading the Titans to three WPIAL baseball titles and a PIAA championship in his 16 seasons.

• Hampton returns three starters on the offensive line — seniors Logan Glock and Matt Noll and junior Arie Vande Geest — and senior two-way lineman Jonny McKelvey, a 6-foot-2, 240-pounder, is “ready to have a breakout year.”

• Hampton is coming off back-to-back 3-7 seasons and has only two winning seasons in the past nine years.

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