Seton LaSalle to lean on defensive dominance

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, August 17, 2025 | 5:01 AM

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Seton LaSalle coach Tim Storino is anticipating that the team’s recent growth pattern continues in 2025.

The Rebels were 0-10 and 5-5 in Storino’s first two years as field boss then made the leap to 11-1 and WPIAL finalists last fall.

“Our expectations have not really changed,” Storino said. “The team is a little different from December — we lost a few talented kids that transferred out — but we still feel good about what is coming back. We have 50 players on the team who deserve my attention and energy. Catholic School education is not for everybody, and we want a program where guys come to strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ and high standard of academics.

“The expectations will always be to win a conference championship and go 1-0 each week of the playoffs. I’m looking forward to seeing how this team comes together to develop cohesion or synergy. We lost some strong team leaders in the senior class, and we need some new leaders to step up.”

Storino welcomes back four returning starters on offense. They are TE/LB Will Martin, a 6-2, 230-pound senior; sophomore tackle Ray Piaggesi (6-5, 210); junior guard Dom Fani (6-1, 280); and junior center Brody Dilla (5-10, 260), an all-conference selection last year.

“We return three offensive linemen — Dom Fani, Brody Dilla and Ray Piaggesi — and need to replace two from last fall,” Storino said. “Dom, Brody and Ray are great kids who all started in the WPIAL championship game. They are exceptional workers and care about this game and the team.

“We have three or four guys to fill those other two spots; we feel really good about the offensive line this fall.”

Last year’s senior starter at quarterback, Michael Pastirik, threw for almost 2,000 yards in leading the Rebels to the WPIAL runner-up finish.

“Mikey left huge shoes to fill,” Storino said. “We are more concerned with losing him off the field. He along with his seven classmates were unbelievable leaders who paved the way for this program. It’s hard to replace high character achievers like Mikey P.”

Anthony Smith, a 2,000-yard passer last season, transferred to Seton LaSalle from Southmoreland in the offseason. On July 21, the WPIAL declared him ineligible, ruling that the transfer was motivated, at least in part, by athletics. The PIAA upheld the ruling. A hearing scheduled for next week in Westmoreland County court is expected to address a preliminary injunction Smith and his parents are seeking against the PIAA and WPIAL to clear the way for him to play.

In the meantime, two sophomores, Jack Meade (6-1, 170) and Kia Jones (6-1, 165), have been preparing to start if called upon.

“Jack and Kia have been developing nicely,” Storino said.

The Rebels’ coach believes the defensive line is the strength of this year’s team.

“The defensive line is anchored in the interior by senior Logan Hindmarch (5-10, 260) and junior Jimmy Meyers (6-0, 300),” Storino said. “Logan was a role player last fall. He’s put on 25 pounds of muscle and has had a strong offseason.”

Martin, senior TE/DE Aaron Loritts (6-3, 220) and junior FB/DE Legend Williams (6-2, 200), who started some games last year, will see time at defensive end.

“Aaron Loritts is extremely reliable and aggressive,” Storino said. “He is a high energy kid with a great attitude.

“It’s hard to say what roles kids will play (in the trenches) until the pads come on and we can evaluate. These boys play positions where you need to block and tackle and the ones that do that best will play.”

Martin is a Duquesne commit who led the team in tackles in 2024 along with Deondre Hill (5-10, 225), a senior linebacker.

“Will Martin returns for his third season at tight end and linebacker,” Storino said. “He developed last season as a tight end. He was a dominant blocker early and developed as a threat catching the ball in the playoffs.”

Loritts and Martin, both all-conference selections, Hill and Kymarr Freeman, a 5-9, 165-pound sophomore, are returning starters on defense.

Three players who started as freshmen on defense in last year’s WPIAL title game are Freeman at strong safety, Jones at free safety and Elijah Hickman at linebacker. Hickman (6-1, 195) is a nephew of NFL and Penn Hills legend Aaron Donald and is already receiving Division I college interest.

Freeman and Hill are expected to share the running back role in 2025.

“It’s hard to replace Logan King’s production, but we really like this one-two punch,” Storino said. “Freeman is explosive and Hill is a downhill runner.

“We’ll use the same strategy as last year: Try to get our very talented skills guys the ball in open space; try to be balanced 50/50 with run and pass. On defense, the goal is to stop the run and apply pressure to the opponent’s quarterback.”

Seton LaSalle won the Class 2A Century Conference with a 6-0 record last season then defeated Riverside, 34-7, and Steel Valley, 27-13, in the playoffs before losing to South Park, 21-14, in the WPIAL championship game.

“The 2024 season happened extremely fast,” Storino said. “We knew we had a talented roster of young players but no one on our team ever had a winning record. We were hoping for a winning season and to make the playoffs.

“We ended up going 11-0 until we faced South Park. It just wasn’t our day. We didn’t play well, and we had a lot of obstacles to overcome in a short time.”

The disappointing loss to South Park proved to be a learning experience for the Rebels.

“You learn something from every experience and learn more from losing than winning,” Storino said. “Just wish that type of loss happened in the regular season instead of our final game so we could adjust. But that’s life sometimes.”

Seton LaSalle

Coach: Tim Storino

2024 record: 11-1, 6-0 in Class 2A Century Conference

All-time record: 384-286-13

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.22 at North Catholic, 7

8.30 at Bishop Canevin, 7

9.5 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 7

9.12 Charleroi*, 7

9.19 at Carlynton*, 7

9.26 Waynesburg*, 7

10.3 at Sto-Rox*, 7

10.11 Shady Side Academy, 4

10.17 at Keystone Oaks*, 7

10.24 Washington*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Michael Pastirik*

118-170, 1,948 yards, 31 TDs

Rushing: Logan King*

202-1,187 yards, 19 TDs

Receiving: Khalil Taylor**

51-932 yards, 22 TDs

* Graduated

** Transferred

FAST FACTS

• WR/LB standout Khalil Taylor, a Penn State recruit ranked among the nation’s best wide receivers, transferred to Pine-Richland at the end of July. Taylor, a junior, was lauded as the Class 2A Player of the Year in 2024. All-conference receiver Tre Littlejohn transferred to Penn Hills.

• Also in July, sophomore QB Anthony Smith was ruled ineligible for the 2025 season. A WPIAL panel found Smith’s transfer from Southmoreland to Seton LaSalle was motivated at least partially by athletics, WPIAL executive director Scott Seltzer said. Syracuse, Sacramento State and Towson have offered scholarships.

• All-conference selection Aaron Loritts, a returning starter at tight end and defensive end, has committed to the Monmouth football program. Monmouth is located in West Long Branch, N.J., and competes in the NCAA Division I Colonial Athletic Association.

• The Rebels outscored the opposition 479-135 last year, averaging 39.9 ppg offensively and 11.2 ppg defensively. During the regular season, Seton scored at a 52.7 ppg clip while allowing 10.4 ppg on defense.

• Seniors Jayden Rivers (FB/DE) and Logan Hindmarch (OL/DL) are the only two players on the team who were freshmen at Seton in 2022 in Tim Storino’s first year as coach.

Tags: Seton La Salle