Strayer, Pease, Schaum set tone for Mt. Pleasant’s physical offensive line

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, August 17, 2025 | 4:06 PM

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If the Mt. Pleasant football team hopes to be successful this season, then the trio of Strayer, Pease and Schaum will have to play well.

No, they are not a law firm. They are more like a construction company ready to pave the way for the running game.

The senior trio — left tackle Carter Strayer, right guard Payton Schaum and center Caleb Pease — are returning lettermen and part of five returning starters on the offensive line. The other two are senior left guard Charles Stader and senior right tackle Alex Ferencz.

They want to be physical so they can open holes for running back Stephen Predajna and the other backs: seniors Richard Shawley and Rage Suchar.

How they perform while running the team’s favorite play, the buck sweep, will go a long way to determining the Vikings’ success.

Strayer is 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, Schaum is 6-foot, 275 pounds and Ferencz is 6-4, 300. The line averages 266 pounds.

Coach Jason Fazekas said sophomore Dane Smitley, sophomore John Klejka, junior Christian Brodak, sophomore Preston Sherrick and junior Blake Sellinger will be pushing for playing time and providing depth.

“The buck sweep, if run well, sets up a lot of other things we do offensively,” Fazekas said. “I believe you got to have an identity. You have to be good at something, and that play there is good for us for a lot of reasons.

“Number one, it makes the defense have to fit a lot of gaps in the run game. The buck allows you to have stuff that comes with that in the RPO game and also in the counter run game. Plus, it is physical. It is a physical play.”

Strayer said participation during the summer has been great.

“We are working hard in the weight room,” Strayer said. “We are leading practice and driving everyone to be better on the field. A key is how the young players perform.

“The young guys are stepping up and making good plays. Our goal is to make the playoffs and go as far as we can.”

Schaum added: “Everyone has to do their jobs for the play to work. When I am pulling, I am looking for the linebacker.

“The offensive line will be the reason we win. I feel we have the best offensive line around here. We are going to win all our games up front.”

Schaum said he worked harder in the weight room and worked on improving his pass rush.

Fazekas said he is expecting a big season from Pease at the center spot.

Pease said he is excited to protect his good friend, Dane Firmstone, the Vikings’ quarterback.

“Dane and I are working well together,” Pease said. “He is doing well, and he’s an amazing leader.”

Pease said he has spent the summer in the weight room, attending workouts and studying the playbook.

“I have been working on my snaps,” Pease said. “I corrected it. I am ready to go.”

The game Strayer and Pease are looking forward to most is Southmoreland, and Schaum said he is eager to face Greensburg Salem.

“They like to talk a lot, and it is nice to beat them and shut them up,” Schaum said.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Mt. Pleasant