Laurel Highlands expecting to return to form after down year

By: Paul S. Brittain
Thursday, August 29, 2024 | 8:40 AM

Entering his sixth year as head coach at Laurel Highlands, Rich Kolesar can usually assess the coming fortunes of his Mustangs by the way offseason workouts progress.

Kolesar said the years that the offseason work has gone well, Laurel Highlands has had successful seasons.

Coming off consecutive eight-win campaigns last year, he said the Mustangs had a sub-par offseason that resulted in a 2-8 record in 2023.

The team’s victories came against Uniontown and Ringgold.

A banner in the high school gymnasium proclaims the Mustangs’ conference championship campaign of 2022, in their second straight eight-victory season.

It is displayed to remind the school of that year’s success, as well as serving as an example and inspiration to current football players.

“Last year was a reset year,” Kolesar said. “Some guys had to learn what it takes to win again. Our leaders will have added responsibilities and we will be more opportunistic.

“With good leadership on a young, hard-working team, that will trickle down to the young guys.”

Laurel Highlands has 12 lettermen returning, and Kolesar considers nine of them as his core group, including three who started during the conference championship season of 2022: three-year senior starters Parker Hoff, Tristan Baker and Josh Kelley.

Hoff was a team captain last season, and he can play at quarterback or running back. On defense, he has been an all-conference linebacker the past two years, while Baker is an experienced linebacker and running back.

Kelley, a center, was captain last season.

“He is coming off an ACL injury, and Kolesar said. “We have to see if he can play. If not, he will be like a coach on the sidelines.”

One of the most talented seniors is Antwan Black Jr., who is a running back, wide receiver and defensive back who can also return kicks.

Black was injured early in the season last year and returned for the final three games.

Kolesar said the team learned how to adjust with Black out of the lineup, and his abilities were a “great addition late in the season. Antwan is an amazing athlete, and is probably the best athlete in the conference. He is naturally talented.”

Joining the Mustangs’ core of leaders are outside linebacker and defensive back Connor Dye and kicker Tanner Bruzda.

Bruzda has a strong leg, and Kolesar said he has successfully cleared the crossbar from 52 and 53 yards out during practices.

Noah Lion saw plenty of action as a sophomore quarterback in 2023 and will also play at linebacker.

The junior is “very talented and started as a freshman in baseball and sophomore in football. I expect him to make a big jump this year,” said Kolesar.

Black and Hoff can also play at quarterback if necessary, and another sophomore candidate to take snaps under center this season is Nick Crouch.

Two-way cornerback and wide receiver Josh Reed and receiver and defensive back Gio Guerriere will also see playing time, with Guerriere to see time at running back as well.

Kolesar said freshman Jonah Coleman had a good offseason and should be in the mix at wide receiver and defensive back.

Kolesar said many other returning players saw action in earning letters but were not starters throughout the season.

The Mustangs staff has a basic package for the offense but adjusts into more complex packages depending on the talent of personnel.

The same goes for the program’s approach on the defensive side of the ball.

The team will elect three captains, with a “captain of the week” to take the role of fourth captain throughout the season.

Entering the season, Kolesar said, “We have had a good camp and had 107 offseason workouts with good attendance. We are stronger and faster than a year ago.”

Laurel Highlands had just over 50 players on the roster entering preseason workouts, but Kolesar was expecting more candidates to join the team at the outset of August workouts.

He said “taking a step back” last season may be the reason the numbers are slightly lower this year.

Kolesar expects his seniors to set an example for the younger players, who have the talent to keep the Mustangs competitive for several seasons.

“If people think we are going back to 25 years of losing seasons, that is not our mindset,” Kolesar said.

He said the returning players have shown determination to return the team to the playoffs, with a goal of winning the Big Six Conference championship.

The Class 4A conference includes Thomas Jefferson, two-time 3A state champion Belle Vernon, Ringgold, Trinity, and newcomer Chartiers Valley.

McKeesport has been shifted out of the conference this season.

The Mustangs will play Southmoreland, Mt. Pleasant, Ambridge, Indiana and Uniontown in their nonconference games.

But don’t call those out-of-conference games exhibitions.

This year, the top two teams in each conference will qualify for the playoffs with two wild card playoff teams to be selected by a committee.

That makes the nonconference games more important in overall wins and losses.

The nonconference games include “schools really comparable in size to us,” Kolesar said. “They will be good measuring sticks to see where we are as a team this year.”

This will be the most nonconference games on a Laurel Highlands schedule. After the Uniontown rivalry game in Week Zero, conspicuous by their absences will be Connellsville and Albert Gallatin.

With Connellsville joining Uniontown, Albert Gallatin and Brownsville in leaving the WPIAL for independent schedules, the Falcons and Colonials will be off the Laurel Highlands schedule for the first time in years.

Laurel Highlands and Class 2A Frazier are the only remaining teams from Fayette County still playing in the WPIAL in football.

Kolesar said dropping out of the WPIAL “has been suggested here. We don’t see any positions in going independent.

“Our participation is good. We’ve been in the playoffs and won a conference championship. There is nothing we would get by going independent. Our program is in a good spot.”

That being said, the Mustangs will miss playing their two long-time rivals.

“Unfortunately, they went independent. If they were in the WPIAL, they would be on our schedule,” Kolesar said.

Kolesar said the conference schedule will be challenging as always with Thomas Jefferson and Belle Vernon to be among the toughest teams in the WPIAL.

Laurel Highlands has not beaten Belle Vernon since 2005.

Kolesar noted the Mustangs are anxious to bring an end to the Belle Vernon drought but can’t look ahead to any opponent.

“To make the playoffs, you have to win games and the simplified approach is that if you do your job, you will be in (the playoffs),” Kolesar said.

Laurel Highlands

Coach: Rich Kolesar

2023 record: 2-8, 1-5 in Class 4A Big Eight Conference

All-time record: 207-364-7

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 Uniontown, 7

8.30 at Ambridge, 7

9.6 Southmoreland, 7

9.13 Indiana, 7

9.20 at Mt. Pleasant, 7

9.27 at Chartiers Valley*, 7

10.4 Ringgold*, 7

10.11 at Belle Vernon*, 7

10.18 at Trinity*, 7

10.25 Thomas Jefferson*, 7

* Conference game

Tags: Laurel Highlands