Washington looks to play disciplined football, return to top of WPIAL heap

By: Jonathan Bombulie
Friday, August 4, 2023 | 12:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

From the outside, it was hard to explain the ups and downs Washington experienced last season.

How did a team that finished the regular season with consecutive losses to Keystone Oaks and rival McGuffey suddenly knock off defending WPIAL champ Serra Catholic in the first round of the playoffs?

How did a team that scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 30-27 quarterfinal loss to Neshannock manage to fall behind 30-13 in the first place?

From the inside, though, it wasn’t hard to explain at all.

In fact, coach Mike Bosnic minces no words.

“We had some talent,” he said, “but we just didn’t have the discipline and the attitude, for example, to win that second playoff game.”

Drilling down further, the coach said the Little Prexies lacked discipline on defense, where they allowed 24.2 points per game.

“At times, it really cost us,” Bosnic said. “We were undisciplined, and we didn’t tackle well, and it really got us into trouble.”

With fixing that problem as his top priority, Bosnic said he liked what he saw out of the 2023 version of the team in offseason workouts.

“Our kids are working hard,” Bosnic said. “We’ve had a really good attitude. It’s a group that’s been enjoyable to coach so far.”

It’s also a group with plenty of talent and experience.

That starts with 6-foot-2 senior Ruben Gordon, a former WPIAL high jump and long jump champion who will be among the best athletes to step foot on a football field in the district this fall.

“He’s one of the fastest guys in Western Pa.,” Bosnic said. “He’s made some big plays, and he’ll continue to be a playmaker and one of our top guys.”

Junior Eddie Lewis returns in the backfield after rushing for 803 yards and scoring 13 touchdowns last year.

Senior WR/DB Zxavian Lewis is another returning all-conference selection with plenty of experience and playmaking ability. Joe Wilson will lead the line after also making all-conference as a 6-3, 250-pound freshman last year.

Wilson will be joined in the trenches by a handful of other veteran linemen — 6-6, 255-pound senior De’Ondre Daugherty, senior Tyler Roberts, juniors Kar’Zell Daugherty and Alex Green and sophomore Jayden Nemeth.

Put it all together, and the Little Prexies are in position to return to the heights they are accustomed to reaching. Remember, this is a team that made the WPIAL finals in 2019 and won a championship in 2017. That’s not that long ago.

There are a couple of potential pitfalls, however.

One is under center. Washington used a two-quarterback system last year, with Division I athlete Davoun Fuse, a dynamic playmaker, splitting snaps with junior Logan Carlisle.

Fuse graduated and is now a freshman wide receiver at Rutgers. Carlisle transferred back to McGuffey.

That leaves a pair of sophomores, Caleb Patton and Tristan Reed, vying for the starting job.

“We’re working to try to get those guys more consistent,” Bosnic said. “We’ve got athletes. If we can get them the ball … it’s just a matter of doing that on a consistent basis.”

The other concern is a matter of numbers. Bosnic has a smaller roster than usual this season, though he doesn’t expect that to become a trend.

“I think it kind of goes in cycles,” he said. “Our numbers will be a little bit low this year. Our depth will be a concern. Now, our middle school program is busting at the seams. That won’t last very long.”

Editor’s note: Due to production scheduling conflicts, the preview for Century Conference school Charleroi will appear later this week.

Washington

Coach: Mike Bosnic

2022 record: 7-5, 3-3 in Class 2A Century Conference

All-time record: 731-378-56

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.25 at Monessen, 7

9.1 Clairton, 7

9.8 Serra Catholic, 7

9.15 at Greensburg Central Catholic, 7

9.22 Brentwood*, 7

9.29 at Waynesburg*, 7

10.6 Sto-Rox*, 7

10.13 at Charleroi*, 7

10.20 Keystone Oaks*, 7

10.27 at McGuffey*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Logan Carlisle#

42-75, 688 yards, 9 TDs

Rushing: Eddie Lewis

103-803 yards, 13 TDs

Receiving: Ruben Gordon

27-505 yards, 15 TDs

#Transferred

FAST FACTS

• Davoun Fuse’s younger brother Semaj “Tank” Fuse, a 6-3, 250-pound defensive lineman with offers from Rutgers, Akron and Miami (Ohio), transferred to Trinity.

• Washington is fourth in all-time wins among active WPIAL programs with 731, behind only Jeannette (770), Aliquippa (770) and New Castle (755).

• Washington has won seven WPIAL championships, its most recent in 2017 and its first a full century earlier in 1917.

• Washington opens its season with four nonconference games against teams that made the WPIAL playoffs last season — Monessen, Clairton, Serra Catholic and Greensburg Central Catholic. Monessen, Clairton and GCC are Class A schools.

Jonathan Bombulie is the TribLive assistant sports editor. A Greensburg native, he was a hockey reporter for two decades, covering the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 17 seasons before joining the Trib in 2015 and covering the Penguins for four seasons, including Stanley Cup championships in 2016-17. He can be reached at jbombulie@triblive.com.

Tags: Washington