West Greene seeking 2nd straight WPIAL playoffs berth

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, August 17, 2018 | 10:24 PM

The 2017 football season won’t soon be forgotten by West Greene fans as the Pioneers snapped a 24-year postseason drought by posting a 7-3 overall mark (4-3 in Tri-County South play).

For guiding his team back to the postseason, coach Rod Huffman was named TCS Coach of the Year in his third season on the job.

With a large portion of last year’s team back, the Pioneers, who were defeated in the first round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs by Rochester, are looking to make it two straight seasons in the playoffs.

West Greene’s most notable loss is that of Zach Pettit, who did a little bit of everything on his way to earning All-Tri-County South honors. Pettit completed 32 of 65 passes for 496 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. He also was the team’s second-leading rusher, piling up 908 yards on 105 carries, and found time to average 20.3 yards per catch on six receptions.

West Greene also graduated 6-foot-3, 220-pound all-conference tight end/defensive end Connor Main, who caught nine passes for 160 yards and was one of the team’s top tacklers.

However, four other all-conference picks are back for West Greene. Leading that group is senior two-way lineman Wyatt White, who will be looked upon to be an anchor on both sides of the line. All-Tri-County South junior Brock Bedilion is back and combines good size (6-0, 265) with quick hands and feet that have been honed as a member of the wrestling team.

Huffman and his staff will also have seniors Jeremiah Miller and Cole Widdup to strengthen a veteran core of linemen.

On offense, those linemen will be called upon to open holes for junior Ben Jackson, who broke out last year for 1,286 yards, fifth best in the classification, on 164 carries. He also racked up 13 touchdowns, which was the second-highest total on the team after Pettit’s 18 trips to the end zone.

Joining Jackson in the backfield is all-conference fullback/linebacker Andrew Litton. The junior chipped in 17 carries for 110 yards and was a standout on defense.

The quarterback job appears to belong to Gavin Scott, a 6-1 junior who completed 17 of 39 passes for 314 yards and five touchdowns last season.

Opponents also will have to deal with one of the top wide receivers in the TCS in Nathan Brudnock. Also a standout for the basketball team, Brudnock pulled in 27 passes, the 13 ^th -highest total in Class A, for 411 yards.

Schedule

Coach: Rod Huffman

2017 record: 7-4, 4-3

All-time record: 183-396-10

Date, Opponent, Time

8.24, at Cameron, W.Va., 7 p.m.

8.31, at Bentworth*, 7 p.m.

9.7, at Chartiers-Houston*, 7 p.m.

9.14, Mapletown*, 7 p.m.

9.21, Monessen*, 7 p.m.

9.28, at Avella*, 7 p.m.

10.5, at California*, 7 p.m.

10.12, Clairton, 7 p.m.

10.19, at Jefferson-Morgan*, 7 p.m.

10.26, Union, 7 p.m.

*Class A Tri-County South Conference game

Statistical leaders

Passing: Zachary Pettit*

32-65, 496 yards, 5 TDs

Rushing: Benjamin Jackson

164-1,286 yards, 13 TDs

Receiving: Nathan Brudnock

27-411 yards, 7 TDs

*Graduated