Highlands hunting playoff success

By: Bill Hartlep
Saturday, August 12, 2023 | 11:05 PM

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Luke Bombalski had a simple response when asked about goals for the Highlands football team this season.

“Win that first playoff game,” he said.

There was no mention of rushing yards, a number of touchdowns or how many tackles or interceptions the senior running back/linebacker wants to accumulate. Nothing about winning a conference title or beating a rival in the Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference.

Highlands has not reached the WPIAL quarterfinals since 2014, and members of the Golden Rams are determined to end that streak with a run of success in 2023.

“We have to win the first playoff game,” senior QB/DB Aaran Randolph said. “Every year, we just keep losing. We’re always the underdog. We have to show out this year. We have to work as a team more, not argue and stay together the whole season and we’ll be fine.”

The Golden Rams are coming off a special regular season where they finished 5-1 in the Greater Allegheny Conference, good for second place behind Armstrong (6-0). They compiled a 9-2 overall record but fell to Latrobe, 28-21, in overtime, in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs.

Expectations are high for a return trip to the postseason. Highlands lost 13 players to graduation but has 72 players out for the team this season, allowing for some depth behind a sizable group of returning starters who are familiar with the system and schemes.

“We refined some things this summer,” said coach Matt Bonislawski, who is entering his second season. “We got in shape. Last summer, we had to install offense, so we were just able to go over what we installed last year.”

Randolph is set to take the reins on offense, moving into a full-time role at quarterback after showing his versatility in 2022. In limited duty under center, he completed 7 of 9 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns while spelling Chandler Thimons, a four-year starter now playing at Waynesburg.

He also ran 73 times for 699 yards and 11 TDs and caught 10 passes for 136 yards and 2 TDs, earning all-conference recognition as an all-purpose back.

“He can make a play at any time,” Bonislawski said. “A lot of kids look to him for guidance and leadership. We’d like to see him take ownership of the team and just continue to do what he does. He’ll have plenty of opportunities so just take advantage of them.”

Junior Menage Lucas also is expected to get some snaps at quarterback.

Bombalski will join Randolph in the backfield. He had 134 carries for 798 yards and nine touchdowns last season when he was a second-team Valley News Dispatch all-star and all-conference linebacker. He ran for 1,276 yards and 15 scores as a sophomore.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen him get tackled for a loss,” Bonislawski said. “He’ll never let one man bring him down. He’s always falling forward. He never gets tired. He just continues to go. I’ve never seen him come out, other than against Woodland Hills when he broke his leg. He even tried to go back in. That’s just the type of kid he is.”

Junior Darius Cherry is a first-year player who also will get some carries.

The Golden Rams’ top targets in the passing game will include seniors Jordan Tavarez and Semaj Miller, juniors Montrell Johnson and Aidan Burford and sophomore Jahmar Wright.

“There’s no shortage of receivers. There’s no shortage of backs. There’s no shortage of quarterbacks,” Bonislawski said. “It’s just coming together and finding the best fit for what we can do and the best mix of guys who give us the best chance to win.”

On the offensive line, senior Devon Witherup returns at center, and senior Aidan Vargo is back at right tackle. Bonislawski said there are seven players vying for starting time, and they will build depth as the season progresses.

“We have a lot of experience on offense,” Bombalski said. “We’re very comfortable. Aaron is ready to play. He’s got a (heck) of an arm. The offensive line is looking solid. We just have to keep practicing and getting better.”

The defensive line will be anchored by senior Brennan Haidze at end and senior Angelo Markey at nose tackle. The linebacking core will feature Bombalski, Lucas, sophomore Marqis Johnson, senior Julius Saunders, Cherry and senior Boyd Brown.

Montrell Johnson is back in the secondary after earning first-team all-conference honors last season. Randolph will be at free safety, with Tavarez, Burford and Wright also in the defensive backfield.

“We’ve always been good defensively,” Randolph said. “I think we’ll be even better this year with the young guys from last year starting. They got more experience. We’ll be better and stronger.”

Armstrong, Mars and Hampton also reached the playoffs out of the Greater Allegheny last season, and all are expected to be in contention again this fall, along with North Catholic. Indiana and Kiski Area also are expect to be improved, making for a competitive conference slate.

“I know there’s enough talent to compete,” Bonislawski said. “If we play as a team and we work together and stay out of trouble and focus on us and do what we do, we should compete in every game. I don’t know how many wins and losses that equals, but we should compete with anybody.

“Last year doesn’t mean anything, but we worried about ourselves last year, and it turned out OK. We have a lot of playmakers. We need the offensive line to be tough, physical, and let the guys make plays that can make plays.”

Highlands

Coach: Matt Bonislawski

2022 record: 9-2, 5-1 in Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference

All-time record: 284-256-7

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

9.1 at Blackhawk, 7

9.8 Chartiers Valley, 7

9.15 at North Catholic*, 7

9.22 Indiana*, 7

9.29 at Mars*, 7

10.6 Woodland Hills, 7

10.13 Kiski Area*, 7

10.20 at Armstrong*, 7

10.27 Hampton*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Chandler Thimons*

63-125, 964 yards, 12 TDs

Rushing: Luke Bombalski

134-798 yards, 9 TDs

Receiving: Landan Signorella*

16-285 yards, 5 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Among the all-conference players who graduated from Highlands were quarterback Chandler Thimons (63-125, 964 yards, 12 TDs), tight end Landan Signorella, guard Noah Leslie, defensive lineman Tyler Bender and defensive end Daniel Long.

• Junior wide receiver Brayden White, who had 16 catches for 282 yards and a TD last season, transferred to Thomas Jefferson.

• Highlands outscored conference opponents 212-99 last season. The Golden Rams’ 16.5 average points allowed was best in the GAC.

• Coach Matt Bonislawski, a 2002 Highlands grad, went on to play college football at UConn.

ROSTER

No., Name, Pos., Ht./Wt., Cl.

1, Aaran Randolph, QB/DB, 6-2/180, Sr.

2, Jamarkus Prager, QB/CB, 6-0/155, So.

3, Montrell Johnson, WR/DB, 5-10/145, Jr.

4, Darius Cherry, QB/DB 5-10/ 179, Jr.

5, Semaj Miller, WR/DB, 6-1/160, Sr.

6, Marqis Johnson, TE/LB, 6-0/193, So.

7, Boyd Brown, WR/DB, 6-2/170 , Sr.

8, Menage Lucas, QB/CB, 6-0/200, Jr.

9, Jordyn Tavarez, WR/DB, 6-1/180, Sr.

10, Julius Saunders, RB/DB, 5-10/160, Sr.

11, Aiden Burford, WR/DB, 5-10/150, Jr.

12, J.K. King, WR/DB, 5-8/125, Jr.

14, Roman Crytzer, QB/CB, 5-8/150, Fr.

15, Devonne Wilson, WR/DB, 5-4/115, Sr.

16, Jahmar Wright, WR/DB, 6-1/150, So.

18, Keegan Babinsack, WR/DB, 5-10/130, So.

20, Jackson Babinsack, K/P, 5-8/150, Fr.

21, Caden Rouse, WR/DB, 6-1/165, Sr.

22, D.J. Suber, WR/DB, 5-10/123, So.

24, Jabari Lewis, RB/DB, 5-5/135, Jr.

26, Jordan Williams, WR/DB, 5-6/140, So.

27, Luke Tarraborelli, WR/DB, 5-7/115, Fr.

30, Javeon Chambers, WR/DB, 5-1/108, So.

31, Taiyvon Partlow, RB/LB, 5-8/177, Fr.

32, Beckham Ochoa, WR/DB, 5-9/155, Fr.

33, Luke Bombalski, RB/LB, 5-10/210, Sr.

34, Jesse Ankney, WR/DB, 5-3/100, Fr.

42, Burton Babinsack, K/LB, 5-10/141, Jr.

43, Codi Goehring, WR/DB, 5-11/140, Fr.

44, Brenan Litwicki, WR/DB, 6-1/170, Jr.

45, Ethan Stivenson, FB/LB, 5-9/150, Fr.

46, Wyatt Wall, TE/LB, 5-7/145, Fr.

48, Noah Blythe, WR/DB, 5-11/120, Jr.

50, Julian Chapman, OL/DL, 5-9/180, So.

51, Aiden Bash, OL/DL, 5-9/171, Fr.

52, Caden Bosak, OL/DL, 5-10/228, So.

54, Jordan Gangloff, OL/DL, 6-1/181, Jr.

55, Cayden Dadowski, OL/DL, 6-0/215, So.

56, Aidan Vargo, OL/DL, 6-3/265, Sr.

57, Angelo Markey, OL/DL, 5-8/190, Sr.

58, Brennan Haidze, OL/DL, 5-11/190, Sr.

59, Dante Allen, OL/DL, 5-8/153, Fr.

60, Logan George, OL/DL, 5-9/307, So.

61, Devon Witherup, OL/DL, 5-7/228, Sr.

63, James Naviglia, OL/DL, 5-7/219, Jr.

64, Matt Danielson, OL/DL, 6-0/190, Sr.

65, Cruz Kelly, OL/DL, 5-11/275, Jr.

66, Zachery Jackson, OL/DL, 5-11/230, Jr.

67, Delonte Peake, OL/DL, 5-8/150, Fr.

68, Cole Shaffer, OL/DL, 5-8/215, So.

70, Christopher Rodgers, OL/DL, 5-11/244, Sr.

72, Anthony Mistrick, OL/DL, 5-10/220, Sr.

73, Aiden Cale, OL/DL, 5-10/190, Fr.

75, Javon Bashioum, OL/DL, 5-6/210, Fr.

77, Luke Lattus, OL/DL, 5-9/175, Fr.

78, Ethan Callender, OL/DL, 5-7/140, Fr.

79, Keller Singleton, OL/DL, 5-11/260, Jr.

83, Treyvon Labbauf, WR/DB, 5-11/135, So.

84, Christian Pearson, WR/DB, 5-7/150, Fr.

85, Calleb Ruggieri, WR/DB, 6-0/140, So.

88, Logan Lattus, WR/DB, 5-5/140, Fr.

89, Joshua Battocchi, TE/LB, 5-9/200, Fr.

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Highlands