Jefferson-Morgan hoping to build on last year’s successes, take a big step in 2023

By: Ted Sarneso
Tuesday, August 22, 2023 | 10:32 PM

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“Playoff season, baby!”

That was the exclamation from the Jefferson-Morgan receiver group on the first day of camp practice.

As with the start of any sports year, optimism abounds, and the Rockets could very well make the Class A playoffs if they can fix what cost them a chance to make last year’s postseason.

Year one started out well for coach Shane Ziats and Jefferson-Morgan in 2022 with a 4-2 record. But as the season wore on, the Rockets fell off and lost their last four games, finishing fifth place in the Class A Tri-County South Conference.

“It was a little difficult trying to get the players to prepare game in and game out, week to week,” said Ziats. “Trying to get their competition level up at practice was a big thing and not having enough guys to play the scout team defense or the scout team offense hurt us a bit.”

But Ziats won’t let that be an excuse, using last year as a learning experience, and is putting an emphasis on finishing and having his kids ready to better compete in 2023.

“We had some games last year where we could have finished a little bit better,” he said. “Trying to build to compete for all four quarters. Get better at finishing. Try to get the kids where we need them to be.”

The Rockets will be looking to build on the spread offense Ziats installed last year while replacing the quarterback who ran it well.

“I thought the kids bought in well to the system, bought in well to the change,” said Ziats. “I thought Cole Jones did a hell of a job at QB. He had Ewing Jamison as his receiver and those two connected pretty well.”

Jones and Jamison (both all-conference players) graduated, leaving the Rockets to find players who can replace 1,268 yards through the air.

After looking over the list of players that came out for the team, Ziats has a couple in mind, but the starter won’t be apparent until the situation plays itself out in camp.

“Looking at a couple of kids, we’re just not sure which ones are going to be there,” he said. “We’re going to look to move some guys around and try to find somebody.”

Moving kids around has left Ziats with a quarterback competition at the start of camp between junior Houston Guesman, who slides over from wide receiver, and freshman Triton Farabee.

The receiver group will include talented young players like freshman Grayson Marmie and sophomore Deakyn Dehoet. The Rockets will also look to get the ball to tight ends Nick Reha and Jase Bedillion, who stand 6-foot-2 and 6-3, respectively.

“Deakyn is a great athlete, probably one of the best athletes we have on the team. He’s going to be a hell of a ballplayer,” said Ziats.

The Rockets averaged 132.5 yards per game on the ground in 2022, and senior Colin Bisceglia, who ran for 490 yards, returns. They also add sophomores Jaymison Robinson and John Woodward as depth.

Ziats sad he feels the team has a few players on the offensive line who can open holes in the running game.

“Sophomores Landon and Levi Heath, as well as Eli Hill, are going to be guys we’re looking for up front,” said Ziats. “All three have been here all summer working hard in the weight room and on the field. Hopefully it correlates on the field once the season starts.”

Overall, the offense is filled with talented players who could play many positions, which could allow Ziats to be creative with his spread offense. Defensively, the Rockets are coming along.

“We’re in the early stages right now, kind of tough to gauge because we haven’t hit anything yet, but our kids are learning and picking it up and getting close to where we need them to be,” said Ziats.

The second year under Ziats will be one where the team will build itself up to a competitor in their conference and it starts one step at a time, something the coach preached last year.

“Taking that small step in year one was a big one for us moving in the right direction,” he said. “Now we need to see where we can improve to take a bigger step, see if we can get to that level where we can compete with those top teams in the conference: California, Carmichaels and Monessen.”

Editor’s note: Due to production scheduling conflicts, previews for Tri County South teams Bentworth and California will appear later this week.

Jefferson-Morgan

Coach: Shane Ziats

2022 record: 4-6, 2-5 in Class A Tri-County South

All-time record: 356-470-36

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.25 at Chartiers-Houston, 7

9.1 Waynesburg, 7

9.8 at Jeannette, 7

9.15 California*, 7

9.22 at Beth-Center*, 7

9.29 Bentworth*, 7

10.6 at Mapletown*, 7

10.13 Monessen*, 7

10.20 at West Greene*, 7

10.27 Carmichaels*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Cole Jones*

76-176, 1,268 yards, 13 TDs

Rushing: Johnny Gilbert

132-581, 2 TDs

Receiving: Houston Guesman

39-611, 7 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Twenty-five players this year are the most for Jefferson-Morgan has had on its roster in five years.

• The Rockets are in the midst of a 10-year playoff drought, having last been to the postseason in 2012.

• Jefferson-Morgan was outscored 188-78 in its four-game slide to end the year with the largest margin of defeat coming in a 70-30 loss against Monessen.

Tags: Jefferson-Morgan