Latrobe lineman knows now’s the time for Wildcats to strike

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, August 15, 2024 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Hype at Latrobe began with the players long before the community began to stir.

The football team is a playoff contender again, and guys like Cody Krall saw it coming.

“Every group of seniors grow up saying they can’t wait to play together in high school, and they talk about how good they’re going to be,” said Krall, a senior two-way starter. “We have always said that, and we’ve embraced it. We knew we could be that team. It’s surreal to be in that spot.”

The big lineman adds a caveat.

“If we’re going to do it, we have to do it now,” he said. “We’re always chasing. We want that title, that championship.

“Like coach (Ron) Prady and the coaches say, we haven’t won anything yet.”

A team captain, Krall played left guard and defensive line last year as the Wildcats reached the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals and nearly upset Aliquippa.

He made 26 tackles, including three for loss, as Latrobe posted its second straight winning season. The Wildcats will go from Class 4A to 5A and try to continue the upswing in the program.

Dirty fingernails, peeling athletic tape and cleats filled with rubber pellets are signs of work well done, not an inconvenience to players like Krall.

“He is one of our more experienced guys up front,” Prady said. “He makes some key blocks for us, and he is dependable. He makes plays on defense, too. He has good technique and seems to always be in the right spot. He had one of his best games last year against Aliquippa.”

Krall (5-foot-11, 250 pounds) is one of eight players who are three-year starters, joining John Wetzel, Alex Tatsch, Tim Myers, Bradan Bronson, Brady Prohovic, Caleb Lehman and Jack Drnjevich.

“Some of those guys don’t get the attention of a Tatsch or Wetzel,” Prady said. “But they’re glue guys.”

Krall doesn’t mind seeing teammates grab the headlines. Tatsch is a Penn State recruit at linebacker, and Wetzel is headed to Marshall to play safety.

“I just go about my business,” Krall said. “I know I am not going to be better than them. But I can work every day to get better myself. I can learn from them.”

The offensive line is critical to the Wildcats’ success because of their run-heavy approach.

“Everybody knows their job,” Krall said. “You know to do your job, and you won’t have to do three other players’ jobs. We have a couple guys back there who could get us a significant amount of yardage.”

The blue-collar Krall credits his father, Mike, for his drive on and off the field.

“We’re super tight,” he said. “I want to be like him. He’s 46, and he still works out in the basement.

“I try to get better. Whether it’s a game or a test in school, I like to compete with the other guys. That is just how I am.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Latrobe