Valley turns new leaf, looks to junior QB Goodwin

By: George Guido
Thursday, August 25, 2022 | 12:01 AM

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New coaching staff, new schemes, new defense and new uniforms.

The Valley Vikings hope they’ve found a new way to move up in the Allegheny 6 Conference standings.

After a 1-5 record in 2021 conference play, 2-8 overall, Valley is seeking a new winning formula.

“We’re working hard, and we’ll have some new stuff this year,” junior quarterback Tristin Goodwin said. “We’ll be a whole different team than anyone’s seen from us. We want to come out strong.”

Goodwin took over the controls during the fourth game of last season. By the time the season was in its final moments, Valley had driven to the Burrell 12 in an effort to pull off a big upset.

“Tristin’s been coming along well,” Valley coach Dave Heavner said. “He’s been growing. The one asset he has is that he’s a very smart person. He has good intelligence in the classroom and the football field. Everything we’re installing, he’s picking up.”

The junior worked hard in the offseason, attending the first Willie Thrower Quarterback Camp on July 16.

“I learned a lot about competitiveness there,” Goodwin said. “It opened my eyes and showed me a different way to play quarterback.”

Said Heavner: “I lay a lot of responsibility on him. He’s responsible for receiving the play call, delivering the play call and setting the line and the blocking schemes. He is accepting it and excelling at it.”

Despite the fact that Domanick Simmons has moved up Route 56 to Kiski Area, Goodwin will have a stable of receivers to choose from.

Juniors Dorian Biggs and Darnell Coaston look to be on the receiving end of many passes. Seniors Dallas Price and Jeremy Hughley are set to come out of the backfield. Big plays are expected from senior Xavier Wilson.

“I think we’ll have a really balanced team with a strong running and passing game,” Goodwin said.

Valley will use a wristband system to call the plays from the sidelines.

Heavner was pleased with the team’s lone scrimmage at Jeannette on Saturday.

“As a whole, we performed very well,” Heavner said. “I was pleased with their attitude and their effort. We had no penalties the entire scrimmage. We lined up correctly.”

The first-year coach also was happy with the play of both lines, especially the offensive line picking up Jayhawks blitzes.

The line will consist of junior Demetrius Ballard (6-foot-5, 270 pounds), Cory Pinson, Dashawn Wilkerson, Ryan Long and Cieontae Guy. Lamar Anderson, Jaden Wall, Tamir Ansani and Chuck Perkins also will see playing time

The Vikings open their 56th football season Friday night at home against Armstrong.

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