New coach to rely on playmakers at Greensburg Central Catholic

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, August 20, 2023 | 9:49 PM

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As a former defensive coordinator at Sacred Heart, Mercyhurst and Gannon, and a defensive backs and linebackers coach at St. Francis (Pa.) and Marist, it is clear where JT Thompson’s passion lies in football.

“I am all about defense,” said Thompson, the first-year coach at Greensburg Central Catholic. “It’s what I know best.”

But Thompson, who took over following the resignation of Marko Thomas after two seasons, is used to coaching a lot more players. Going from a Division I-FCS locker room during his 20-plus-year career in college coaching to a WPIAL Class A one can be shocking.

“My (defensive backs) room alone used to have 30 guys,” said Thompson, who also will serve as the defensive coordinator. “Now, we might have that many on the whole team. We have some very good talent here and I am excited, but we have to be smart about it.”

Depth is a luxury GCC might not have, but the top-tier guys could take the team a long way.

Hoping for rosters numbers in the mid- to high-20s, GCC has plenty of talent returning at the skill positions.

Thompson is making significant changes to the playbook, but he is confident his experienced players can catch on quickly.

Steady-going senior quarterback Tyree Turner threw for 1,470 yards and 20 touchdowns while completing 63% of his passes last season.

Sophomore Samir Crosby gives the Centurions, who went 8-3 and earned the No. 3 seed in the WPIAL Class A playoffs before falling to Rochester in the first round, a versatile playmaker.

The rising talent is a threat to run or catch out of the backfield and can make defenses work downfield.

While he ran for 296 yards, caught 27 passes for 464 yards and scored 12 touchdowns, Crosby also had eight interceptions in the secondary and the team’s second-leading tackler.

“I have coached guys who went on to the CFL or AFL,” Thompson said. “I am not saying Samir will do that, but he has a lot of the tools.”

Senior running back Da’sjon Craggette would have been a key ball-carrier after rushing for 1,033 yards and 16 TDs, but he transferred to Geibel, which has a football co-op with Southmoreland.

Seniors Nick Dlugos and Joe Kudla are other important pillars to making the system work.

“You look at guys like Tyree, Samir, Nick Dlugos and Joe Kudla, and that is where our leadership is going to come from,” Thompson said. “Some of it will be verbal, some by example.”

Dlugos is the main cog on defense, as a hybrid-type linebacker and defensive end.

“You can do a lot of things with him,” Thompson said.

Kudla is a 6-foot-4, 270-pound two-way lineman.

Seniors Aidan Allison (WR/DB) and Ty Rozier (WR/LB) also figure into the mix, along with junior Landon Honick.

While he would not disclose the exact scheme changes, Thompson said they will showcase the team’s best players.

“It’s not about me or my coaches,” Thompson said. “It comes down to the players. You need a system that fits them.”

A full-time sales rep, Thompson hopes his players buy in and GCC can continue to thrive in the Eastern Conference.

“We’re still trying to establish a team and build a new culture,” Thompson said. “New offense, new defense, new special teams … it’s going to take some time to get everything in place.

“We have competition all over the field. People are going to earn their spots. I will never put a kid on the field if he is not ready.”

Editor’s note: Due to production scheduling conflicts, the preview for Eastern Conference team Frazier will appear later this week.

Greensburg Central Catholic

Coach: JT Thompson

2022 record: 8-3, 6-0 in Class A Eastern Conference

All-time record: 369-247-18

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.25 Mt. Pleasant, 7

9.1 Bishop Canevin, 7

9.8 at West Greene, 7

9.15 Washington, 7

9.22 Springdale*, 7

9.29 at Clairton*, 7

10.6 Frazier*, 7

10.13 at Jeannette*, 7

10.20 Riverview*, 7

10.27 at Leechburg*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Tyree Turner

75-119, 1,470 yards, 20 TDs

Rushing: Da’sjon Craggette*

106-1,033 yards, 16 TDs

Receiving: Samir Crosby

27-464 yards, 5 TDs

*Transferred

FAST FACTS

• GCC averaged 33.7 points per game in a spread offense predicated on the run-pass option. The offense is expected to change.

• Turner and Crosby also are teammates and starters on the GCC basketball team.

• Thompson coached defensive backs at Saint Vincent (2011-14) and was on the same staff as former GCC coach Bret Colbert. Another former GCC coach, Aaron Smetanka, was the Bearcats’ senior quarterback in ‘11.

• Sergio Bell, a former GCC lineman, is the only carry-over from Marko Thomas’s coaching staff.

ROSTER

Name, Pos., Cl.

Aidan Allison, WR/DB, Jr.

Joey Ames, OL/DL, Jr.

Tommy Ames, OL/LB, Fr.

Brody Bothell, RB/DB, Jr.

James Botti, TE/DE, So.

Samir Crosby, QB/DB, So.

Nicolas Degre, OL/DL, Fr.

Henry Detwiler, OL/DL, So.

Patrick DiCesare, TE/LB, Sr.

Preston DiCesare, WR/DB, Fr.

Nick Dlugos, RB/LB, Sr.

Landon Honick, WR/DB, So.

Sam Kifer, OL/DL, Fr.

Joseph Kudla, OL/DL, Sr.

Corbin Lang, WR/DB, Jr.

Aiden Lent, OL/DL, Fr.

Jackson Lowden, WR/DB, So.

Jackson McMullen, QB/LB, Jr.

Peter Mazowiecki, RB/LB, Sr.

Matthew Mazowiecki, OL/DL, So.

Brock McMullen, WR/DB, Fr.

Camden Petrunak, OL/LB, Sr.

Joseph Rehak, OL/DL, Jr.

Jacob Reitler, K, Jr.

Ty Rozier, TE/DE, Jr.

Luke Semelka, WR/DB, Fr.

Colin Snively, WR/DB, Fr.

Evan Stasko, WR/LB, Sr.

Tyree Turner, QB/DB, Sr.

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

Tags: Greensburg C.C.