Workhorse David Dennison fuels high-octane Bethel Park offense

By: Ray Fisher
Saturday, October 25, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Bethel Park senior standout David Dennison was a gem of an athlete among WPIAL football players in 2025, particularly running backs.

And behind Dennison & Co., the Black Hawks enjoyed an outstanding season in 2025, posting a 6-3 record with one game to go thanks to in large part a highly potent offense that averaged 40.4 points per game.

A 6-foot-2, 200-pound running back and outside linebacker, Dennison was surrounded by a tough group of offensive linemen plus talent at the skill positions.

With the one regular season game left, Dennison had rushed for 1,363 yards and 18 touchdowns on 207 carries, averaging a healthy 6.6 yards per rushing attempt.

His finest hour on the gridiron undoubtedly came in Week 4 as he rambled for 317 yards and six touchdowns on 28 carries in his team’s 51-35 conference win at Trinity. Dennison averaged a Herculean 11.3 yards per attempt that night.

“Yes, it was my best performance yet,” Dennison said. “I’m definitely proud, but overall, I still have stuff I need to focus on.”

Dennison reached the end zone on runs of 34, 51, 41, 5, 25 and 16 yards behind blocking by senior linemen Santino LaMolinare, Bryan McGuire, Jovian Smith and Charlie Simmons, as well as juniors Nate Purcell and Ryan Bergia.

Dennison’s superb performance was noticed around the WPIAL. He was named Trib HSSN player of the week following the Trinity game.

It was an easy choice, and he said he was “very excited” to win the accolade.

Dennison logged another jaw-dropping effort Oct. 17 at South Fayette when he ran for 244 yards on 41 attempts and scored five times.

The Bethel Park headliner reached paydirt on runs of 12, 14, 5 and 2 yards and kicked off the scoring for the Black Hawks on an 11-yard TD pass from senior quarterback Evan Devine.

Dennison, 17, is a complete, all-around football player. He also starts on defense at outside linebacker and ranked among the team leaders in tackles.

He’s also the fastest player on the squad.

In total offense, Dennison had accounted for 1,956 yards, or 217 per game, and 22 touchdowns. He reeled in 25 passes for 346 yards and four TDs, an average of 13.8 yards per catch.

Dennison was also the Black Hawks’ No. 1 kick returner with a 28.6-yard average. His longest return was 59 yards.

He said his coaches have been the biggest influences in his career, and his weekly goal on the football field has been simple but attainable: To go 1-0 each week of conference play and compete for a WPIAL championship.

Dennison has three brothers: Christian,18, Davion, 15, and Joseph, 13. All three play football; Christian is a freshman linebacker at Washington & Jefferson.

Bethel Park coach Phil Pekich & his staff have built a running back factory over the past few seasons with all-state selection Ja’Vaughn Moore in 2023 (152-1,002 yards, 8 TDs) and 2024 (285-2,084 yards, 27 TDs), and Dennison in ‘25 leading the way.

Dennison’s favorite player in the NFL competes in the AFC North Division. But it is not one of the Steelers.

“My favorite pro football player is (Baltimore’s) Lamar Jackson,” Dennison said. “He is always fun to watch.”

As is the hard-nosed Bethel Park gridder, on either side of the ball.

Tags: Bethel Park