High school football notebook: Salopek to take snaps for Norwin

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, August 24, 2017 | 9:57 PM

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Norwin's Dave Brozeski called it one of the toughest decisions he ever had to make in his coaching career.

After an extensive quarterback competition that went deep into camp and into the Knights' scrimmage last Saturday, Brozeski decided to go with sophomore Jack Salopek as his starter Friday night.

Norwin hosts rival Penn-Trafford at 7 p.m. in the Week Zero opener for both teams.

Salopek edged out senior Brock Dieter, who will continue to play special teams and hold for extra points. The pair shared snaps over the summer in seven-on-seven competitions.

“Quarterback is such a unique position because there is only one spot,” Brozeski said. “It's one of those things where you want to put guys in the best position for the program. Both guys can lead us to victory; Jack just showed he gives us the opportunity to make more plays so we're going with him. Brock, though, is our backup and he is one snap away.”

Last season, Brozeski played both quarterbacks through the first three weeks of the season before settling on Dieter. But Salopek (6-foot-2, 170 pounds) has shown promise and maturity playing the position.

“We like his decision-making ability,” Brozeski said.

Dieter (5-10, 188) last year completed 96 of 162 passes for 1,479 yards with 18 touchdowns and two interceptions. Salopek was 21 of 36 for 285 yards with one score and one pick.

“I take all decisions very seriously,” Brozeski said. “This decision is made. Now we're going with it.”

Salopek's brother, T.J., was a quarterback at Norwin and Allegheny (after transferring from Mercyhurst). He has helped hone his brother's skills.

The younger Salopek also has worked with former Penn State quarterback Anthony Morelli.

GCC QB situation

Greensburg Central Catholic also has settled on a starting quarterback for Saturday night's opener at Tuscarawas Central Catholic (Ohio).

Rookie coach Aaron Smetanka, a former QB at North Catholic, St. Vincent and the arena-league level, is going with junior Max Pisula over senior Bruce Leonard.

Both have never played quarterback at the varsity level.

“(Pisula) has been able to get a good grasp of the playbook,” Smetanka said. “Also, he has been more consistent running the plays recently.”

Pisula (6-2, 220) is a hard-throwing lefty. He is the cousin of former Southmoreland basketball standout Tommy Pisula.

Leonard could move to wide receiver and help the team other ways. The Centurions have a small roster of only 28 players.

Why Tuscarawas?

Greensburg Central will travel more than 130 miles to play its Week Zero opponent Saturday. Some are wondering why the Centurions would want to play a team so far away.

Turns out, Tuscarawas, a small private school in New Philadelphia, Ohio, that plays in the Inter-Valley Conference of the Ohio High School Athletic Association, wanted to play a WPIAL team. But with stipulations: they wanted a team of similar size and roster numbers.

GCC fit that bill and athletic director Dan Mahoney, the former head coach, booked Tuscarawas on the schedule after it contacted GCC last season.

Still scrimmaging

Week Zero kicks off the regular season for a number of WPIAL teams, but there are teams that chose to play scrimmages instead of games this weekend.

That includes Belle Vernon hosting Elizabeth Forward at 4:30 p.m., Franklin Regional at Bethel Park at 6 p.m., and Southmoreland at Valley at 6:30.

Franklin Regional and Bethel Park plan to treat one half like a real game and the other as a controlled scrimmage.

Pulling rank

Pennsylvania Football News came out with its state preseason rankings earlier this week and two Westmoreland County teams made the cut.

Returning WPIAL runner-up Jeannette checks in at No. 3 in Class A behind Clairton and Bishop Guilfoyle. Ligonier Valley, meanwhile, a PIAA Class 2A semifinalist last season, is rated No. 6.

The top five in 2A are Southern Columbia, Wilmington, Steel Valley, Washington and Schuylkill Haven.

Penn-Trafford received an honorable mention ranking in 5A and Belle Vernon in 4A.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.