Riverview confident focus on process, not results, will pay off

By: Michael Love
Monday, August 18, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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Trevor George saw the potential of last year’s Riverview football team and what the Raiders wanted to do: Stack victories in and out of Eastern Conference play, finish with a winning record and make the WPIAL playoffs.

Those goals ended up not being reached as the Raiders finished 3-6 overall, 2-5 in conference, and fell short of their postseason aspirations.

George, who enters his sixth season at the helm of the Raiders, saw his team take a different approach to this season’s preparation, one he said should help them as they get closer to the start of games and through what is expected to be another rugged conference slate.

“There was this quiet confidence through summer workouts where the kids were focused and determined,” George said. “They know they have a lot to prove from last season. There was a lot of hype going into last year, and the guys realized that the hype didn’t allow us to focus on the process. We were so goal oriented and a little too focused on having games circled on the calendar.

“It’s cool to see it now because this team is so process oriented. They are focused on winning the next practice and then the next one, then this conditioning period or this lift. It is a day-by-day, rep-by-rep kind of thing rather than getting too ahead of themselves. They have grown a lot as a team.”

George said the senior leadership and those in the junior class have really meshed together to move the team forward.

“We went to Mt. Union for a three-day camp, and we got to do some 7-on-7s with Ohio schools,” said George, who expected to welcome 45-50 players to the start of official preseason practices. “It was like a business trip for them. They had fun with some bonding time in the evening, but during the day, it was all about getting better.

“We also did the Fox Chapel 7-on-7 league, which was a phenomenal league for the guys. We would stop plays, rewind the plays and take time to make sure we were getting plays right. It was really cool to see their development and growth. This is the first time as head coach that I have had all of these kids from seventh grade up to 12th.”

Riverview is fronted by a core group that earned Eastern Conference all-star honors last year.

Senior Rio Stotts collected first-team laurels at defensive back and was a second-team pick at wide receiver, senior Vinnie DelRosso was a second-team selection at center and senior Prince Govan was voted to the second team at defensive back.

Garnering honorable mention recognition were seniors Max Kratt (wide receiver) and Jack Reynolds (defensive end) and juniors Connor Kmetz (quarterback), Miles Duncan (linebacker) and Lukas Duncan (linebacker).

George said Kmetz, who threw for 877 yards and nine touchdowns last year, has grown as a leader and with his physical build and arm strength.

Kratt was second among the receivers (Alex Schultheis, 35) with 18 receptions totaling 216 yards and five touchdowns.

Senior Dom Williams and junior Kaden Leavy, George said, will get their opportunities to shine at running back.

Junior Miles Sigal, a tackle last year, has moved to tight end.

“He leaned up and looks great,” George said. “He’s 6-foot-5. We’ve been blessed to have tall tight ends at Riverview, including Alex the last couple of years. Miles has been working on his route running and his catching abilities all offseason. He also plays rugby. He’s a really tough kid.”

Clairton comes in as the defending Eastern Conference champion. The Bears, as the No. 2 seed, reached the WPIAL Class A championship game before falling to Fort Cherry.

Jeannette was a quarterfinalist, and Greensburg Central Catholic, Leechburg and Brentwood qualified from the conference.

A seven-point loss to Brentwood (3-5 in conference) in Week 6 was the difference in keeping Riverview out of the postseason by one game in the standings.

“It’s always a grind of a conference,” George said. “All the kids in this conference are good, tough kids who are well-coached. There’s so much talent, and it’s single-A. We’re just trying to prime ourselves to go out there and compete and be one of those teams which is standing when it is time for the brackets to be revealed. But again, we’re working on not getting too ahead of ourselves.”

The focus for George and his players was a tri-scrimmage with Apollo-Ridge and Brashear and a Week Zero matchup with Beth-Center.

Last year, Beth-Center was a second scrimmage.

“Last year, coach (Anthony) Ruscitto had limited kids and some with bumps and bruises, and he asked if we could just make it a scrimmage,” George said. “They are ready to play Week Zero this year, and we’re excited for that. The kids will be ready to roll.”

Riverview

Coach: Trevor George

2024 record: 3-6, 2-5 in Class A Eastern Conference

All-time record: 272-271-11

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 Beth-Center, noon

8.30 Valley, noon

9.5 at Cornell, 7

9.13 Leechburg*, noon

9.19 at Springdale*, 7

9.27 Greensburg Central Catholic*, noon

10.3 at Brentwood*, 7

10.10 at Frazier*, 7

10.18 Clairton*, noon

10.24 at Jeannette*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Connor Kmetz

54-99, 877 yards, 9 TDs

Rushing: Johnny Bertucci*

55-473 yards, 0 TDs

Receiving: Alex Schultheis*

35-581 yards, 6 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Riverview is looking for its first winning season since 2010 when it went 6-4 overall and 4-4 in conference play.

• The Raiders’ 27 offensive touchdowns last year were split evenly between passing (14) and rushing (13).

• Riverview averaged 25.1 points a game last year, the most, for the second year in a row, by a Class A team that didn’t make the WPIAL playoffs.

• Junior Miles Duncan led the Raiders defense with 54 tackles last year and tied with senior Prince Govan with two interceptions.

ROSTER

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

2, Max Kratt, WR/DB, 5-9/170, sr.

3, Rio Stotts, ATH, 5-9/170, sr.

4, Dom Williams, RB/DB, 5-9/170, sr.

5, Mason Nash, TE/SS, 6-3/175, jr.

6, Lukas Duncan, RB/MLB, 5-9/195, jr.

7, Prince Govan, WR/DB, 6-1/160, sr.

8, Miles Sigal, TE/DE, 6-4/220, jr.

9, Jaydon Dang, RB/WR, 5-9/170, jr.

10, Penelope Murphy, WR/DB, 5-3/110, fr.

11, Michael Bindernagel, WR/DB, 6-0/165, sr.

12, Connor Kmetz, QB, 6-3/190, jr.

13, Devon Uffner, WR/DB, 5-9/160, so.

15, Dylan Reynolds, QB/DB, 5-9/160, fr.

17, Josh Geppert, WR/DB, 5-9/165, so.

19, Kyle Schuetz, K, 5-10/195, jr.

23, Kaden Levy, RB/LB, 6-0/195, jr.

24, Michael Woodrow, RB/DB, 5-8/170, jr.

26, Jordan Wilson-Walls, RB/LB, 5-9/175, fr.

35, Donnie Bradley, RB/LB, 5-8/180, fr.

36, Miles Duncan, RB/LB, 5-9/185, jr.

44, Owen Franczyk, TE/DE, 6-4/190, fr.

50, Parker Allis, OL/DL, 6-0/210, fr.

51, Pierce Colvin, OL/DL, 6-1/220, jr.

53, Cole Brunn, OL/DL, 5-10/205, jr.

54, John Moses, OL/DL, 5-10/205, jr.

55, Dominic DelRosso, OL/DL, 6-1/245, so.

56, Addison Pascal, OL/DL, 6-2/245, sr.

58, Jack Reynolds, OL/DL, 6-3/225, sr.

63, Aidric Pisoni, OL/DL, 6-0/220, fr.

66, Vinnie DelRosso, OL/DL, 6-2/250, sr.

70, Noah Hunter, OL/DL, 6-4/240, jr.

71, Jeremiah Williams, OL/DL, 6-0/265, fr.

75, John Hightower, OL/DL, 6-1/210, jr.

77, Zachary Rutherford, OL/DL, 6-1/215, jr.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Riverview