Under new coach, Kiski Area determined to ‘get ready, be ready, stay ready’

By: Ted Sarneso
Thursday, August 7, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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When new Kiski Area coach Colyn Haugh sat down and looked at the team’s film from last year, he saw a team with lot of talent but lacking on details.

To correct this, Haugh had his players start very simply on something as innocuous as putting the weights back correctly in the weight room.

“We saw it when we got here, and you see it in a lot of programs, where guys just leave the weight room in disarray after they use it,” said Haugh. “All the bars not at the same height, weights put back in the wrong places. It may seem small, but doing those little things right carries over.”

Those are the types of details that a former college coach like Haugh hopes to bring with the goal of turning around a program.

Haugh has 17 years of college football coaching experience and was most recently the associate head coach for Edinboro the last two years.

He knows that coming from college to high school brings its own set of challenges.

“There are just some things from the college level we can’t do here both physically and fundamentally because we sometimes don’t have the kids with the talent level, so we have to adjust schematically,” Haugh said. “Pounding a square peg in a round hole isn’t going to work.”

So Haugh decided to keep it simple, setting the goal for his team to line up and communicate.

“The rest will take care of itself if we line up properly in all three phases of the game and make sure we’re constantly talking with one another on the field,” Haugh said.

The Cavaliers have embraced what has become the team’s motto of “get ready, be ready, stay ready.” It ties in well with Haugh’s goal.

“We can’t have guys looking around and not paying attention before the ball is snapped,” said Haugh. “We need to be ready to play, not be late to react.”

Expectations are high for Kiski Area coming off a season in which the team started out 1-5 before finishing strong, winning three of its last four games.

“Everyone in the community has been great and are excited for a change of pace from what it’s been,” said Haugh. “I think expectations are exciting. That’s a challenge we’re ready to battle.”

Even with excitement ramping up outside the locker room, Haugh wants his players’ expectations to be simple: Win the moment in front of you.

“Five p.m. to 8 p.m. practice tonight — that’s what we’re focused on,” Haugh said. “Tomorrow, whatever we have football related, that’s our expectation. We want to win that day. I don’t want them thinking right now about Knoch or Franklin Regional.”

Keeping things simple will help a Cavaliers squad with more changes than just a new head coach.

Gone are last year’s starting quarterback Carson Heinle, running back Landon Kucic and four of five offensive linemen.

Senior Bobby Sarno and sophomores Landyn Artman and Bryce Beech will be given equal opportunities to earn the starting quarterback role.

“I don’t want to call it a competition because when you do that, kids get nervous and worry about losing the job,” Haugh said. “We want them to take their time and learn the position.”

One characteristic Haugh is looking for in his starter is someone who can come up with answers when adversity hits.

“I look at the quarterback position as the CEO of the offense,” Haugh said. “If his teammates come to him with a question, does he have the answer? If he doesn’t, can he find a way to get the answer and rally his teammates to get the job done?”

Even with the loss of Kucic, the Cavaliers are blessed with a deep running back room. Haugh knows his running game will be the strength of the offense.

He is also very specific in what he wants to see from his backs.

“We’re always looking for someone who isn’t going to dance around in the backfield and try to make everyone miss,” Haugh said. “We want a guy who can read his keys, make quick decisions, get vertical and get us positive yards.”

Senior Carter Brown has been waiting in the wings for a while and played a lot of defense in the past, but Haugh liked what he saw on tape.

Sophomores Lorenzo Price and Landon Wright and freshman Ashton Taylor will also figure in on the ground game.

“Lorenzo is a guy who had been to all the workouts and practices and something’s really clicked for him recently,” said Haugh. “Landon showed promise early on but broke his collarbone three months ago and is on the verge of coming back. He’s a physical kid with grit. Ashton is probably one of the biggest kids I’ve seen as a freshman.”

Along the offensive line, Haugh says that despite losing four starters from last year, the Cavaliers have been fortunate enough to work the same five guys all spring and summer.

“It starts with Nick Anderson, our only returning starter. We’ll lean on him to help the others along,” said Haugh. “Senior Wilson Spencer had a great summer. He didn’t get a lot of playing time last year, but I really liked what I saw when he was in there.

“Sophomore Luke Crider will be the guy that tells us where to go, where to slide protection. Freshman LaVon Wade looks really good right now and was another guy that had something click in early May. Junior Cody Carion is as gritty as anyone I’ve seen on a football field.”

The most solid and veteran group offensively for the Cavaliers is the receiver room, which is led by the Shirley brothers, Aven and Teegan.

“One thing I love is that they think logically, which I love,” said Haugh. “I don’t want players going blindly into battle. If something doesn’t make sense, let me know and we’ll work together to fix it. Those guys are awesome. They’re quick learners.”

Joining the Shirley brothers on the outside are Andrew Finney and Lucas Vacanti.

Defensively, the Cavaliers are working hard to be better than last year.

Although they only allowed an average of 23.2 points a game, Haugh and his staff watched the film and were looking for effort.

“If the ball went to the left side of the field, our players on the right side of the field were watching and expecting those on the left side to make the play,” Haugh said. “If those on the left didn’t make the play, opposing teams got another 25-plus yards out of that play.”

Haugh implemented pursuit drills in practice and trained his team that whatever direction the ball goes, 11 hats are chasing the ball.

“We can’t assume that the first person to the ball is going to make the play,” Haugh said.

Aven Shirley will lead the secondary and Nick Anderson will play two ways, anchoring the defensive line. Nick’s brother Braden will be the leader of the linebacking corps.

The Cavaliers have shown Haugh that they embrace his simplified approach and are making strides to sharpen the dull parts of their game. If they stay the course, they could make a move in what is a tough Big East Conference in Class 5A.

“It’s a very good conference,” Haugh said. “Penn-Trafford, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Latrobe and Woodland Hills are five potential playoff teams. But I don’t want my guys overhyping a team. Ever week is just another game and we’ll attack whoever lines up opposite us. It’s going to be a challenge, but a fun one. I’m excited for it.”

Kiski Area

Coach: Colyn Haugh

2024 record: 4-6, 2-4 in Class 5A Big East Conference

All-time record: 320-311-7

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.22 Knoch, 7

8.29 at Norwin, 7

9.5 at Hempfield, 7

9.12 at Gateway*, 7

9.19 at Penn-Trafford*, 7

9.26 Franklin Regional*, 7

10.3 Latrobe*, 7

10.10 Armstrong*, 7

10.17 at Plum, 7

10.24 Woodland Hills*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Carson Heinle*

105-167, 1,393 yards, 13 TDs

Rushing: Landon Kucic*

204-911 yards, 14 TDs

Receiving: Aven Shirley

47-720 yards, 9 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Haugh coached at Division I St. Francis and Division III Westminster before coaching at Edinboro. He was a lineman in college at Robert Morris and was also a graduate assistant.

• In all four of the Cavaliers’ wins last season, the defense held the opposition to 14 points or less. In their six losses, the defense yielded 24 points or more.

• Kiski Area last made the playoffs in 2023. The Cavaliers lost in the first round to Thomas Jefferson in Class 4A. Prior to that, the Cavaliers had back-to-back first-round losses to Franklin Regional in 2018 and Bethel Park in 2019. Both contests were in Class 5A.

ROSTER

No., Name, Cl.

1, Teegan Shirley, jr.

2, Carter Brown, sr.

3, Aven Shirley, sr.

4, Andrew Finney, sr.

5, Austin Beck, sr.

6, Lucas Vacanti, sr.

7, Robert Sarno, sr.

8, Jack Scott, jr.

9, Collin Peterson, sr.

10, Robert Gaydosh, so.

11, Braden Anderson, sr.

12, Bryce Beech, so.

13, Brendan Beech, so.

14, Alex Johnson, so.

15, Bryce Bowman, jr.

16, Cooper Petrilla, fr.

17, Landyn Artman, so.

18, Lucas Rendos, fr.

19, Logan Burgess, jr.

20, Tanner Osorio, jr.

21, Lorenzo Price, so.

22, Brayden Bowman, fr.

24, Leeland Gould, so.

26, Landon Wright, so.

27, Trey Hartill, fr.

33, Cohen Fritsch, sr.

34, Ashton Taylor, fr.

45, Cameron Ham, so.

51, Cody Carion, jr.

54, Wilson Spencer, sr.

57, Dominic Shevlin, so.

60, Logan Griffin, jr.

62, Nicholas Anderson, so.

64, John Roman, fr.

65, Shane Moyle, jr.

70, Cody Lang, fr.

71, Logan Aftanas, fr.

72, Chamber Prorok, so.

73, LaVon Wade, fr.

74, Charles Halter, fr.

76, Coby Morrison, fr.

77, Luke Crider, so.

79, Sebastian Thornton, so.

80, Tyler Beer, so.

81, Daevion Mcneil, so.

88, Andrew Vega, jr.

89, Kaleb Varner, so.

Tags: Kiski Area