Optimistic Mt. Pleasant eyes 5th consecutive playoff appearance

By: Dave Mackall
Wednesday, August 16, 2023 | 8:32 PM

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A total of 16 returning lettermen, including 13 starters on offense and defense combined, have the Mt. Pleasant community buzzing. With all that experience coming back, there’s hope among the faithful that this could be a special year.

Coach Jason Fazekas, entering his seventh season, was his usual subdued self, though, as the Vikings prepared for their opener Friday at Greensburg Central Catholic.

“We were pretty successful last year, but we graduated some notable kids,” he said. “At multiple positions, we have a chance to put it together. If that happens, we can have a another pretty successful season.”

The Vikings, who have appeared in four consecutive WPIAL playoffs, will need to overcome the losses of leading rusher Robbie Labuda and leading receiver Tyler Reese in their quest to equal or improve on a 6-5 season that ended with a first-round playoff loss to East Allegheny.

Quarterback Cole Chatfield and running back Jackson Hutter head a list of six offensive returnees.

Chatfield, a junior, took over the controls of Mt. Pleasant’s offense last season after starting a handful of games as a freshman and helping to lead the Vikings to their only WPIAL playoff victory in eight years.

“He only missed one day (of workouts) this summer, and I think it was because he went to a passing camp,” Fazekas said.

It’s that sort of dedication that has resonated throughout the program as the start of another season approaches.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Hutter served as the 1,000-yard rusher Labuda’s sidekick last season with nearly 500 yards of his own. But as a senior, he’ll be expected to be the feature back in Mt. Pleasant’s rushing attack this year.

“We’ll miss Labuda, no doubt,” Fazekas said. “Instead of trying to replace him, we can be good up front, the quarterback (Chatfield) has been good and we have a tough player in Jackson Hutter. The challenge, as always, is looking for depth and finding it.”

Other offensive returnees include interior linemen Micah Roadman, Kolby Hudec and Donovan Kalemba, all seniors, and junior Joseph Laychak.

Hutter will occupy one of the linebacker positions on defense, where seven starters return. He’ll be joined by senior linebacker Dante Giallonardo; Roadman, Hudec and Laychak across the defensive line; and senior defensive backs Lucas Nicotera and Brady Poole.

Besides Labuda and Reese, Mt. Pleasant lost six other regulars from last year’s team, but the sizeable group of returning players has kept optimism high.

“We were competitive last year, but maybe this year, that sense of urgency gets up to the next level,” Chatfield said.

Fazekas has kept a watchful eye on a promising group of players who could see significant time in the lineup with continued improvement. Among them are sophomores Brody Hutter, a running back/linebacker, two-way lineman Carter Strayer, linebackers Richard Shawley and Rage Suchar and defensive end Dylan Pitzer.

Senior running back/linebacker Camden Moore, senior offensive lineman/defensive back Devin Kuhns and senior offensive/defensive lineman Douglas Hamm and junior tight end Logan Parson round out the group.

“We’ve got a lot of competition going on,” Fazekas said. “We certainly do talk about what our team goals will be. We have conversations and we talk a lot about making a run.”

Mt. Pleasant also will look to improve on a 3-2 record in the Class 3A Interstate Conference, where the Vikings open league play Sept. 3 against Greensburg Salem.

“What I believe in is we have to take care of ourselves,” Fazekas said. “That’s the best way we can succeed. This group has to buy into that plan.”

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

Mt. Pleasant

Coach: Jason Fazekas

2022 record: 6-5, 3-2 in Class 3A Interstate Conference

All-time record: 346-282-9

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.25 at Greensburg Central Catholic, 7

9.1 at Yough, 7

9.8 at McGuffey, 7

9.15 Valley, 7

9.22 Freeport, 7

9.29 at Greensburg Salem*, 7

10.6 Elizabeth Forward*, 7

10.13 Belle Vernon*, 7

10.20 at South Allegheny*, 7

10.27 Southmoreland*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Cole Chatfield

66-123, 1,212 yards, 11 TDs

Rushing: Robbie Labuda*

171-1,497 yards, 16 TDs

Receiving: Tyler Reese*

16-374 yards, 3 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• In his only high school head coaching job, Mt. Pleasant’s Jason Fazekas enters his seventh year with an overall record of 28-33. But his Vikings teams have reached the WPIAL playoffs in four consecutive seasons, compiling a 1-4 record.

• Mt. Pleasant scored at least 40 points in five games last season, including 50 in a victory against McGuffey. Moreover, the Vikings scored 39 in a WPIAL playoff loss to East Allegheny and registered 35 each in two other regular-season games.

• The Vikings’ 42-man roster includes 23 sophomores and freshmen combined. There are 12 seniors and just seven juniors listed.

• Sophomore Dylan Pitzer, bidding for playing time at defensive end, placed fourth as a freshman at 215 pounds for Mt. Pleasant at the 2023 WPIAL wrestling championships. His brother, Dayton Pitzer, a three-time PIAA champion, is a rising 285-pound sophomore at Pitt.

ROSTER

No., Name, Pos., Ht./Wt., Cl.

1, Cole Chatfield, QB/DB, 6-1/170, Jr.

2, Dante Giallonardo, RB/DB, 6-3/200, Sr.

4, Jonny Eicher, RB/DB, 5-9/170, Sr.

5, Dane Firmstone, QB/DB, 5-6/150, So.

6, Luke Nicotera, WR/DB, 6-1/175, Sr.

7, Brady Poole, RB/DB, 5-9/170, Sr.

8, Van Kopcho, WR/DB, 5-8/140, Fr.

10, Rage Suchar, QB/LB, 5-11/190, So.

11, Garrett Eicher, RB/DB, 6-0/170, Jr.

12, Jackson Hutter, RB/LB, 6-1/200, Sr.

15, Tristan Wtorkiewicz, RB/DB, 5-5/140, Fr.

16, Tyler James, WR/DB, 5-7/140, Fr.

20, Anthony Pologruto, WR/DB, 5-7/140, Fr.

21, Brody Hutter, RB/LB, 6-0/190, So.

22, Gage Valone, TE/LB, 6-0/180 , So.

25, Richard Shawley, RB/DB, 6-0/170, So.

26, Logan Parson, TE/LB, 6-0/190, Jr.

41, Gage Marker, OL/DL, 6-0/165, Fr.

42, Jake Chatfield, TE/LB, 5-7/155, Fr.

44, Camden Moore , TE/LB, 5-11/180, Sr.

45, Stephen Predajna, RB/DB, 5-8/160, Fr.

46, Dylan Pitzer, TE/DE, 6-6/235, So.

50, Devin Kuhns, OL/LB, 6-1/210, Sr.

52, Robert Everly, OL/DL, 5-6/170, Fr.

53, Joseph Laychak, OL/DL, 5-10/220, Jr.

54, Carter Strayer, OL/DL, 6-4/235, So.

55, Charles Stader, OL/DL, 5-9/200, So.

58, Mike Reese, OL/LB, 5-7/180, So.

60, Michael McLaughlin, OL/DL, 5-7/170 , Fr.

61, Douglas Hamm, OL/DL, 5-10/280, Sr.

62, Austin Phillippi, OL/DL, 5-11/210, Sr.

65, Caleb Pease, OL/DL, 5-8/250, So.

66, Payton Schaum, OL/DL, 6-0/275, So.

67, Blake Sellinger, OL/DL, 5-7/210, Fr.

72, Micah Roadman, OL/DL, 6-2/230, Sr.

73, Jack Knopsider, OL/DL, 6-0/315, Jr.

77, Kolby Hudec, OL/DL, 6-0/250, Sr.

78, Alex Ferencz, OL/DL, 6-3/285, So.

79, Donovan Kalemba, OL/DL, 6-2/210, Sr.

81, Robert Hixson, WR/DB, 5-11/150, So.

82, Gavin Ortz, WR/DB, 5-9/160, Jr.

87, Jarett Garn, WR/DB, 6-3/175, Jr.

Christian Brodak, OL/DL, 5-10/225, Fr.

Mason Eicher, RB/LB, Fr.

Kade Hutchinson, WR/DB, Fr.

Colten Keefer, OL/DL, 5-7/150, Fr.

Dylan Lytle, RB/LB, Fr.

Tags: Mt. Pleasant