With big-time QB returning, South Fayette ready to tackle Class 5A challenges

By: Dave Mackall
Friday, August 8, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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Watch out for the little guy.

Aside from a handful of schools being required to compete in a higher classification under the PIAA’s competitive-balance rule, South Fayette represents the smallest Class 5A program by male enrollment in the state.

That the Lions are aligned with the WPIAL’s powerful Allegheny Six Conference surely makes it more difficult to succeed.

Whatever is a coach to do?

“It’s a good challenge. Our kids won’t back down,” said Marty Spieler, who’s entering his second season at South Fayette with a confident vibe following the Lions’ unremarkable 6-5 season that, nonetheless, included a WPIAL playoff appearance.

Nevermind that a season-ending tailspin saw South Fayette lose its final five games. Spieler believes there’s a primary reason for it.

“Our nonconference slate was challenging, but our (current) seniors put us in position to compete,” he said. “We learned how to compete at this level.

“We have a lot of experience, because we played 40 kids last year.”

A total of 22 seniors appear on the team’s current roster, including quarterback Drew Welhorsky, who heads the list of returnees.

Welhorsky, who produced more than 2,800 yards of total offense a year ago, serves as the catalyst and has become a modern-day poster boy for a South Fayette program that won four WPIAL titles and two PIAA championships under former coach Joe Rossi.

“In high school football, you want to keep your best player close to the football,” Spieler said. “We’ve got to do a little bit more at the skill positions to help him out this year. We’ve got to continue to build on what our 2024 team did.”

And, he said, “We’ve got to continue to create an identity, causing six seconds of chaos, defensively, and making sure we’re aggressive and set the tone on offense.”

Akin to last season, it doesn’t figure to be easy. Seemingly, Spieler believes, life in the Allegheny Six never is.

“If you look at our conference, it’s the hardest conference in all of the state. Nobody, I think, is going to contest that,” he said.

But the “little guy” has had no intention of backing down.

After South Fayette began last season 5 for 5 against nonconference opponents, a 38-0 shutout of Baldwin in the conference opener followed, sending the Lions to a 6-0 start.

But a tough five-game stretch to close the year — they were outscored 118-31 in the final four conference games — included a 49-28 loss to Penn-Trafford in the playoffs.

That’s history to Spieler, though, having occurred roughly a year ago.

He prefers to look ahead.

Spieler was counting on an experienced line to pave the way for a similarly experienced quarterback, one with a steady arm and a knack for running the ball.

“In the WPIAL, it’s always about the O-line and running the football,” Spieler said.

While Welhorsky has starred at quarterback and also doubled as a dependable defensive back for South Fayette, Spieler was hopeful that senior wide receiver Tyson Wright and his freshman brother — running back Aayden Wright — along with senior running back Bo Stover, could produce some sizable contributions throughout the year.

They were hoping to benefit from an offensive line that includes Cornell-bound Colton Astorino and fellow seniors Mason Green and Connor Hiser.

Green, who is receiving interest from a handful of FCS programs, had yet to make a college choice.

Incidentally, Lailah Write, who is the sister of Tyson and Aayden Wright, was the starting point guard as a sophomore last season for the South Fayette girls basketball team, which won a PIAA Class 5A championship with a 45-37 upset of Philadelphia Catholic League power Archbishop Wood.

“They’re all very athletic,” Spieler said, referring to the Wright family siblings.

With Ben Cavenaugh, last year’s leading receiver, having departed, Tyson Wright and fellow seniors Daniel Speca and Alex Deanes appeared eager to make an immediate impact come time for the regular season to begin.

“We lost a lot at wide receiver and defensive back,” Spieler said. “Those two areas probably were hit the hardest.”

Meanwhile, he’s been enjoying the level of competition for openings in the Lions’ lineup, including that put forth by the Wright brothers.

“Tyson is one of the team captains,” Spieler said, “and he’s going to be at tight end and linebacker. Aayden, though a true freshman, has done the necessary things in the summer to warrant being in the backfield at the varsity level.”

For being the little guy, South Fayette would like nothing more than becoming a big problem for its opponents.

South Fayette

Coach: Marty Spieler

2024 record: 6-5, 1-4 in Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference

All-time record: 516-400-39

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.22 at Chartiers Valley, 7

8.29 at Shaler, 7

9.5 at Canon-McMillan, 7

9.12 Elizabeth Forward, 7

9.19 Belle Vernon, 7

9.26 at Baldwin*, 7

10.3 at Upper St. Clair*, 7

10.10 Peters Township*, 7

10.17 Bethel Park*, 7

10.24 Moon*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Drew Welhorsky

141-227, 1,811 yards, 17 TDs

Rushing: Welhorsky

175-999 yards, 13 TDs

Receiving: Ben Cavenaugh*

30-472 yards, 6 TDs

* Graduated

FAST FACTS

• The South Fayette job represents Marty Spieler’s first high school head coaching post after the second-year Lions boss spent a majority of his time at the college level. Other than short stints at the high school level as Mt. Lebanon’s offensive coordinator and South Fayette’s quarterbacks coach, Spieler, who once played QB at Woodland Hills, has served as a college assistant at Georgia Southern, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Florida A&M, Missouri State and Division III Allegheny, his alma mater.

• Spieler’s previous experience as a high school coach includes serving under a pair of former legendary coaches in the WPIAL. He was Mt. Lebanon’s offensive coordinator for Bob Palko from 2020-22 and spent the 2023 season as South Fayette quarterbacks coach under Joe Rossi, who resigned after 17 seasons, giving way to Spieler, who was named the Lions’ coach in January 2024.

• South Fayette barely outscored its opponents last season by an average of 20.8-19.6.

• The Lions open the year on the road for two weeks. They close the season with three home games.

Tags: South Fayette