Summit Academy looks to benefit from more experienced roster

By: Bill Hartlep
Thursday, August 22, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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Anthony Becoate has done lots of teaching and coaching during training camp workouts the past two weeks, trying to get his Summit Academy players up to speed in time for their Week Zero matchup with Frazier.

The third-year coach is working with a mostly inexperienced group of players and is preaching the fundamentals of football and life.

“Just effort, honestly. Effort and attitude. That’s our biggest goal,” Becoate said. “The biggest goal is to let them know football isn’t just football; it’s like life. Things in life aren’t easy. Things in life don’t get easier. You just deal with harder things better.”

Summit Academy is a school for at-risk youth, which means it has a nearly all-new roster on the football team each school year. Every player was discharged from the school last year, and only one player has returned to the program this fall.

The Knights will field a roster of 37 players this season, though four are battling injuries in camp.

Becoate has high expectations for his receivers, who also will be impact players on defense.

“Our receiving group is really talented compared to what we had previously,” he said. “Hopefully it translates to the field.”

Becoate said the Knights have a two-player competition at quarterback.

“One is a more natural thrower and a little more advanced throwing the ball,” he said. “The other is an all-around athlete. Just trying to figure out what type of offense we’re going to go with and define our identity.”

The offensive and defensive lines are a work in progress, Becoate said, and will be sorted out in training camp.

“We have some bigger guys than last year,” he said. “I just tell the offensive line they are the engine, and this offense can’t get going without them.”

Becoate hopes having a few more experienced players will benefit the Knights as they prepare for the 2024 season.

“Last year, we only had one or two guys that knew football and played growing up,” Becoate said. “This year, we have a lot more guys that seem like they have a lot more experience and have played in the past.”

The Knights were winless last season and were outscored 431-128. They have lost 17 games in a row and face a daunting challenge in the rugged Class A Big Seven Conference.

“I feel like our conference is very talented across the board,” Becoate said. “A lot of the teams we go against — Neshannock, South Side, Laurel, Shenango (Rochester and Northgate) — they play very well against us. We’re just trying to bring our best foot forward when we match up with those guys.”

Summit Academy

Coach: Anthony Becoate

2023 record: 0-10, 0-6 in Class A Big Seven Conference

All-time record: 46-186-0

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.24 Frazier, 12:30

8.31 New Brighton, 12:30

9.6 at Freedom, 7

9.13 at South Side*, 7

9.21 Serra Catholic, 12:30

9.27 at Rochester*, 7

10.5 Laurel*, noon

10.12 Northgate*, 12:30

10.18 at Neshannock*, 7

10.25 at Shenango*, 7

* Conference game

FAST FACTS

• Summit Academy scored a season-high 22 points in the season finale last season, a 49-22 loss to Union.

• After playing in Class 2A as recently as 2021, Summit Academy moved down to Class A for the 2022-23 cycle and will remain in that classification for the next two years as well.

• The Knights will open Big Seven Conference play Sept. 13 at South Side, which was the WPIAL runner-up in Class A last season.

• Summit Academy is located on a 122-acre campus in rural Herman, Butler County. It’s a private, residential school for at-risk boys in grades 7-12.

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

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