With losing streak snapped, Ambridge turns attention to playoff win

By: Antonio Rossetti
Saturday, August 13, 2022 | 12:01 AM

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Ambridge ended a 28-game losing streak by defeating Hopewell, 35-9, on Oct. 1 last season. The victory was a big step in the right direction for the Bridgers.

Former Aliquippa coach and Ohio University wide receiver Sherm McBride took over the coaching duties last season. The Bridgers finished 2-9, along with a 2-3 conference record, which was their first season with more than one win since 2015.

McBride was ecstatic to see the team move forward.

“You feel good for kids, for one. You feel good for the community,” said McBride. “It lets you appreciate it even more that the kids are buying into what you’re trying to accomplish and everything. It just felt good for the kids, the student body and the community of Ambridge.”

McBride came to Ambridge from Aliquippa, where he coached since graduating from college in 1984. There he worked under three Hall of Fame coaches — Don Yannessa, Frank Marocco and Mike Zmijanac.

There were many principles he learned at Aliquippa that he brought to Ambridge. One thing was how the coaches prepared players for the next level.

“One thing that they did do is they always prepared our athletes for college,” said McBride. “I was way ahead of a lot of gentlemen that went to college over the years because of them.”

When McBride took the coaching job at Ambridge, he kept the team’s system and playbook simple. He didn’t overcomplicate things because he understood his players and how they dealt with frequent coaching changes.

One of his goals was to surround himself with a coaching staff that understood the players.

“You surround yourself with good people,” said McBride. “I have a good coaching staff and everything. Once they install their teachings into the kids and the kids gravitate to what they’re teaching, it makes things a whole lot easier.”

Seniors Trent and Tyler McKnight, who are twin brothers, played a key role on the team last season. They said McBride’s coaching instilled confidence into the team and that he also is for the players and their families on and off the field.

“I think he’s really involved with everybody on the team,” said Trent McKnight. “I think he has a good relationship with us all. Especially people who haven’t had a lot of experience. He’s still trying to get players to come and start a relationship with them.”

The Bridgers have trust in their coaches and with over eight starters on both offense and defense returning, Ambridge aims to build on that success.

Rising sophomore Adam Fernandez was one of the players on last year’s team who helped the Bridgers snap their losing streak. He thinks making the playoffs last year as the fourth-place team in the Northwestern Six conference gave the team valuable experience.

“Just making the playoffs gave us a lot of confidence to make a run this year and just keep it going with the program,” said Fernandez. “Maybe later we can make it a big run.”

Fernandez and the team are looking to improve their conditioning over the offseason and through summer camp.

“We’ve been working out as a team down at CrossFit at this place in Sewickley,” said Fernandez. “We’ve been working as a team and just building our team chemistry.”

Tyler McKnight noted that conditioning has been a focal point at summer camp. He and Ambridge want to gain the energy to close out games down the stretch.

“We’ve been conditioning,” said Tyler McKnight. “I feel like the fourth quarter really hurt us because we weren’t conditioned enough. We would always quit in the fourth quarter because we’d get worn down, so we are working for the fourth quarter this season.”

Despite the weakness that they plan to strengthen, the Bridgers also have strengths going into the next season. With the majority of the players returning, including Blaise Kolar who had over 80 tackles last season, McKnight believes that the team has an advantage since everyone knows the playbook.

“The experience on our team is super important because we can just run our offense from last year,” said Tyler McKnight. “We’re not going to put in many different plays. Everybody knows the basics of it.”

On the offensive side of the ball, Trent McKnight will be playing tight end and both Fernandez and Grant Uvodich will be at wide receiver.

With Sedrick Seymour and Ben Cokrlic graduating, it opens up a spot at the running back position. McBride plans to fill that role by using a running-back-by-committee strategy. Zakir Rossman, Stacey Jones and Carlito Chandler will be taking the majority of hand-offs this season.

At quarterback, Deaven Ivory is going into his senior season and his second season as starter. Ivory had 588 yards passing and six touchdowns last season. McBride expects Ivory to improve at the position.

On defense, Neil Tkatch is the new line coach. McBride loves how he’s coached the line and believes that is one of the team’s strong suits.

Players bolstering the defense are Anthony Fultz, Aiden Sheffield, Zappula Lewis, Caleb Namath and the McKnight twins. Tyler will play cornerback and Trent will play defensive end.

McBride said the McKnights are poised to have another strong season. Tyler McKnight is excited for his senior season, manning the same defense as his brother.

“I definitely want to try and play with him in college,” said Tyler McKnight. “It’s great. I can look over and see him on the other side of the field. We got a lot of tackles together last season, and a couple of sacks together last season, so it’s definitely great to have him on the field with me.”

Trent is also excited for his senior season with Tyler and he looks forward to one last go-around with all his teammates.

“We’ve been playing together since middle school,” said Trent McKnight. “That’s the same thing with my friend Zakir (Rossman). We’ve been friends since middle school and really close, so that’s good for us. We need that.”

For next year, Trent McKnight is looking forward to playing defensive end.

“I want to be fast off the ball,” he said. “I want to time each snap perfectly. I’m just ready for that position.”

The team’s goals for next season are to make the playoffs, but this time the Bridgers want to make a run.

“Your goal is to get in the playoffs and once you get in the playoffs, everybody’s record goes back to 0-0,” said McBride. “That’s what we’re striving for right now. Just have another chance of getting in playoffs and we’ll let the chips fall where they make.”

Fernandez has the same aspirations.

“Everybody’s buying in,” he said. “We’re just ready to make the playoffs and make a run. We want to make some noise.”

Ambridge

Coach: Sherm McBride

2021 record: 2-9, 2-3 in Class 3A Northwestern Six

All-time record: 437-493-40

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.26 Wheeling Central Catholic, 7

9.2 at Freedom, 7:30

9.9 Neshannock, 7

9.16 at Blackhawk*, 7

9.23 Montour*, 7

9.30 at Aliquippa*, 7

10.7 West Allegheny*, 7

10.14 Central Valley*, 7

10.21 at New Castle*, 7

10.28 Chartiers Valley*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Deaven Ivory

588 yards, 6 TDs

Rushing: Sedrick Seymour*

102-472, 3 TDs

Receiving: D’Saun Harmon*

17-299, 4 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Ambridge has had nine players make the NFL in its program history — Mike Lucci, Len Szafaryn, Bob Gaona, Harry Ulinski, Andy Miketa, Leo Nobile, Ed Ulinski, George Kisiday and Ted Grabinski.

• Ambridge’s first football season was in 1906.

• Ambridge won its first and only WPIAL championship in 1932.

• Ambridge coach Sherm McBride played wide receiver for Ohio University and tallied 1,375 yards on kick and punt returns. McBride played for Aliquippa in high school, coached there and was inducted into the Beaver Country Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.