New coach Brian Hanson wants a new identity for South Allegheny

By: Dave Mackall
Wednesday, August 16, 2023 | 8:30 PM

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Growing up in Lancaster County, Brian Hanson saw Western Pennsylvania high school football from afar. A former walk-on linebacker at Pitt, Hanson finds himself now coaching the sport in the WPIAL.

“Good players on both sides of the state,” he said. “I think Western Pennsylvania has a way of making its presence known with some long-term history. A lot of really well-known stars have come out of this area.”

Following a short professional playing career for several indoor football teams, Hanson served as defensive coordinator for the Greenville RiverHawks of the defunct National Indoor Football League.

He began his high school coaching career in 2013 at York Tech in District 3 before spending three years as coach at Salisbury (Md.) Wicomico.

After arriving at West Greene in 2019 and leading the Pioneers to a four-year record of 24-16, including a 10-2 mark in his first season, he’s hoping to put South Allegheny back on track beginning this year.

“It was a pretty awesome experience for me at West Greene because the administration and the community support was amazing,” said Hanson, who attended Ephrata High School in District 3. “We had great support from the parents. I can’t thank Billy Simms, the athletic director, and Brian Jackson, the superintendent, and others enough for helping to prepare me for the South Allegheny job. I left there with their blessing.”

Class 3A South Allegheny is a notable jump in size from Class A West Greene and its urban surroundings are vastly different than the rural, wide-open spaces of Greene County, the WPIAL’s southwestern-most spot.

“That was one of the appealing things about this job,” Hanson said. “I kind of missed the multicultural aspect being out there in the sticks.”

But he loved his time at West Greene just the same, despite his final team’s 2-8 record in 2022.

With a chance for a fresh start at South Allegheny, Hanson isn’t promising much right off, other than a will to win.

“Our No. 1 goal is to build our identity as a program,” he said. “We have a young group of players who’ve been through some tough times the past few years. We acknowledge the previous struggles, but we’re done dwelling on them. We’re going to be an improved team that plays physical and fast.”

A total of nine starters return, led by two-way performers running back/linebacker Camden Lewis, wide receiver/defensive back Cameron Epps, offensive/defensive linemen Islands Russell-Akkoyun and Bryce Guest and offensive lineman/linebacker Brandon Guest.

The others are offensive lineman Hunter Slafka and defensive backs Benicio Hernandez, Tyreke Chatman and Garrett Kent.

Lewis (6-3, 235) and Russell-Akkoyun (6-5, 315), both juniors, already are attracting Division I attention, Hanson said.

“We have some very good athletes in the program that need time to develop,” he said. “I think we’ve connected really well with the players. Attendance at our workouts have been through the roof, and I’ve been told they haven’t seen it like this in a long time.”

Hanson is hoping for some quick development from Ryan Cortes, a junior quarterback who was pressed into playing at midseason when starter Eric Wehrer was injured.

“He’s worked very hard to improve, and I can see the improvement he’s made,” Hanson said. “He doesn’t have a lot of experience.”

Hanson said “a wild card” in the offense could be freshman Malakai Myers, listed as a quarterback/defensive back at 5-7, 155.

“We’ll find a way to get the ball in his hands,” Hanson said.

Lewis and Epps are joined in the backfield competition by Joey Gamret, whom Hanson labels “pretty explosive.”

H-back Austin Schane and tight end Markus Hanson (6-3, 215), the coach’s son, have been impressive, too, Hanson said.

“The biggest challenge, it seems, is getting our offensive line figured out,” he said.

South Allegheny will attempt to end a nine-game losing streak from last season when the Gladiators open their schedule Aug. 25 at Yough in a rematch of their only victory last season.

The schedule also includes a Sept. 29 home game against defending PIAA champion Belle Vernon in an Interstate Conference game.

“We have to learn how to be successful,” Hanson said. “We are working our tails off to build that identity. You look at McKeesport and Clairton, two schools that border us that have had unbelievable success. They put their pants on, like we do. Their expectations are high, and they’ve got kids with those expectations every single year.”

South Allegheny’s preseason camp has been a physical strain, Hanson said with a chuckle.

“I’m proud of them. I’m not a finesse coach. It’s been a hard camp,” he said.

Editor’s note: Due to production scheduling conflicts, the preview for Interstate Conference team Elizabeth Forward will appear later this month.

South Allegheny

Coach: Brian Hanson

2022 record: 1-9, 0-5 in Class 3A Interstate Conference

All-time record: 189-359-6

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.25 at Yough, 7

9.1 at Freeport, 7

9.8 Imani Christian, 7

9.15 East Allegheny, 7

9.22 at Shady Side Academy, 7

9.29 Belle Vernon*, 7

10.6 at Southmoreland*, 7

10.13 Elizabeth Forward*, 7

10.20 Mt. Pleasant*, 7

10.27 at Greensburg Salem*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Eric Wehrer

33-69, 476 yards, 1 TD

Rushing: Dashawn Carter

124-744 yards, 1 TD

Receiving: Mike Michalski

8-330 yards

FAST FACTS

• South Allegheny is scheduled to play back-to-back home games twice — Imani Christian Academy (Sept. 8) and East Allegheny (Sept. 15) earlier on and Elizabeth Forward (Oct. 13) and Mt. Pleasant (Oct. 20) roughly a month later.

• The Gladiators open the season with a pair of road games at Yough (Sept. 25) and Freeport (Sept. 1).

• After a season-opening, 25-7 victory over Yough, South Allegheny failed to register another win in 2022. Opponents outscored the Gladiators by an average of 25.7 points per game (35.2-9.5).

• Defensive end Dashawn Carter, among South Allegheny’s best players last season, is a freshman defensive end at Youngstown State. Carter led the Gladiators in sacks with 10.5 in 2022.

Tags: South Allegheny