New coach hopes to guide Freedom to success

By: Bill Hartlep
Friday, August 18, 2023 | 7:01 PM

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It was mid-March when Ron Balog took the reins of the Freedom football team. It’s been full-speed ahead since.

The former Quaker Valley head coach who spent last season as an offensive coordinator at North Catholic wanted to make sure his team was prepared despite the late start to the offseason program. Consider that mission accomplished.

“We hit the weight room and then transitioned when the weather got better to outside summer workouts,” Balog said. “We’ve had great attendance. The boys have been working hard. I’ve been very pleased.”

Balog replaces longtime Freedom athletic director John Rosa, who served as team’s head coach the past two seasons. He inherits a roster that graduated nine players after finishing 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the Class 2A Midwestern Athletic Conference, good for sixth place.

The team will miss all-conference fullback/linebacker Damian Grunnagle, the MAC defensive player of the year in 2022. He ran for 1,113 yards and 11 touchdowns on 203 carries.

“I’ve watched all the film from last year. Man, he was unbelievable,” Balog said. “Damian was like a machine, whether it was offense or defense. I don’t think you replace him. I just think what you have to do is find other guys who will step up in the breach to fill that production. If that’s one guy, phenomenal. But it’s tough to find one guy able to fill his production.”

Senior Tyler Welsh will get the bulk of the carries in his stead this season. Welsh ran for 286 yards and three scores last season and also caught six passes for 133 yards.

Other weapons returning on offense include senior wide receiver Cody Patterson and junior wideouts Dekota Roberts and Cooper Young.

“Those three guys have done great work in the weight room,” Balog said. “They’ve done great work in our speed program through the winter, spring and summer. All three of those guys are explosive football players.”

The task of running the offense will come down to a battle between senior incumbent Ty Schultheis and junior Isaiah Leasha. Both quarterbacks bring a lot to the table, Balog said.

“I think we’re in a good position quarterback-wise. For Ty, the game is not too fast for him. As a senior, he’s a veteran with a lot of starts under his belt. Watching film and watching him in the summer and 7-on-7, I think he processes well. It doesn’t overwhelm him. We want a thermostat at quarterback, not a thermometer.

“What Isaiah does really well, he understands the concept. Whatever we’re trying to do, he can spit it right back to you. He’s also like Ty, very good at explaining things to his teammates.”

They will have a reliable front protecting them, featuring several returning linemen – senior Wyatt Boyer, juniors Jake Hilberry and JT Tatko, as well as sophomore Eli Cottrill.

Tatko also will be stationed in the middle of the defense at linebacker.

“He’s our strongest kid in the weight room and has good feet and good speed,” Balog said.

Balog also cited the secondary as a strength with Roberts, Patterson, Welsh and Young all returning. Roberts had eight interceptions as a safety and earned all-conference honors in 2022.

“These are all guys that are veterans,” Balog said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who have taken a ton of snaps in the secondary. I think they’re going to be really good.”

After a sixth-place finish in the MAC last season, Freedom will look to take the next step under its first-year coach, but games against Beaver Falls, Neshannock and Western Beaver, among others, will provide a stern test, Balog said.

“This is a team that if we stay healthy we can definitely win some games,” he said. “(We will) be very competitive in the conference. I think we’re in a good spot to play with everybody in that conference and win some games.”

Freedom

Coach: Ron Balog

2022 record: 3-7, 2-5 in Class 2A Midwestern Athletic Conference

All-time record: 429-550-54

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.25 at Quaker Valley, 7

9.1 at Ambridge, 7

9.8 Beaver, 7:30

9.15 at Ellwood City*, 7

9.22 Riverside*, 7:30

9.29 Western Beaver*, 7:30

10.6 at Neshannock*, 7

10.13 Mohawk*, 7:30

10.20 at Beaver Falls*, 7

10.27 New Brighton*, 7:30 pm

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Ty Schultheis

42-83, 791 yards, 5 TDs

Rushing: Damian Grunnagle*

203-1,113 yards, 11 TDs

Receiving: Cody Patterson

12-231 yards, 4 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Ron Balog was 9-25 in four seasons at Quaker Valley and reached the WPIAL playoffs in 2018.

• John Rosa, who coached the team the past two seasons, resigned both positions and is now the athletic director at Western Beaver. He also is the Golden Beavers’ offensive coordinator.

• Freedom averaged 18.1 points against conference opponents last season but allowed 23.0.

• The Bulldogs are looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

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.

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