100 • TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
Coach: Rich Piccinini
2019 record: 3-7, 2-5 in Class
2A Three Rivers Conference
All-time record: 171-300-10
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 Sto-Rox* 7
9.17 at Shady Side Academy 7
9.25 at Serra Catholic 7
10.2 Brentwood* 7
10.9 at South Side* 7
10.16 Seton LaSalle* 7
10.24 at Western Beaver* 12:30
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Elijah Babish
14-21, 77 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving Izaiah Babish*
4-48 yards
Rushing Dallas Paolino*
162-915 yards, 11 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• Rich Piccinini begins his
second year at Carlynton after
five years at Peters Township
earlier in the decade.
• Despite a seven-game losing
streak last year, the Cougars
missed the playoffs by
only two games behind Serra
Catholic and South Side in the
Three Rivers Conference.
• Carlynton is trying to reach
the playoffs for the first
time in nearly 20 years. The
Cougars last qualified for the
WPIAL playoffs when they finished
5-5 and lost to Beaver
Falls, 30-28, in the 2001 Class
AA first round.
• Carlynton has never won a
WPIAL football championship,
but this is the 53rd anniversary
of Crafton winning the 1967
Class A title, 7-6, over South
Fayette.
PIERCE GREINER
SHAWN CURRY
CARLYNTON ADVANCING
BEHIND STRONG O-LINE
The Carlynton football team
won its season opener for a second
straight year in 2019 and was
actually sitting in first place at 2-0
after outscoring Bishop Canevin
and Fort Cherry by a combined
score of 77-20. Then a seven-game
losing streak derailed its playoff
hopes … again.
With Southmoreland ending the
WPIAL’s longest playoff drought
last year at 40 years, Carlynton
is now third on that dubious list,
having not earned a district postseason
berth since 2001, trailing
only Leechburg (1988) and Brownsville
(2000).
However, a victory over perennial
power Seton LaSalle in the
final game of the 2019 season gave
the Cougars their third win, the
most the program has had in a year
since 2013.
“Being my first season at Carlynton
last year, I saw some bright
spots and some areas where we
need to improve as a program,”
coach Rich Piccinini said. “I was
happy with the way we started
with two wins, then injuries hit
and we had some obstacles to overcome.
“We finished strong with a victory
in our last game, probably the
best team game we played, which
will be a major stepping stone
heading into this year.”
Carlynton’s leading rusher,
quarterback Dallas Paolino, and
receiver, Izaiah Babish, have graduated,
so Piccinini is looking to
some young players to step up and
accept a bigger role.
“There will be some big shoes to
fill, but with our mix of returners
and newcomers competing for positions,
we feel positive about this
year,” Piccinini said. “All positions
are open for players to earn.”
One of those expected to step
up is sophomore running back
and defensive back Shawn Curry,
who rushed for over 400 yards as
a freshman.
“(Curry) has gotten bigger and
stronger and has a bright future,”
Piccinini said.
He’ll be running behind a line
that has some experience, led by
6-foot-4, 285-pound junior Pierce
Greiner. A starter on the Carlynton
basketball team, Greiner has
started for the football team since
his freshman season and is getting
some Division I interest.
“He has great size and potential,”
Piccinini said. “He is very
athletic for a big lineman.”
Greiner is optimistic that his
fellow linemen are ready for a big
year.
“Our line this year is going to
be very strong,” he said. “We have
four returning linemen who have
started the last two years, so we are
ready for whatever is in our path.”
Also returning on the offensive
line and at linebacker is senior
Levi Blystone. The three-year
starter has been consistent, reliable
and flexible to help out wherever
the team needs him.
With six starters back on offense
and defense, Piccinini has reason
to be cautiously optimistic.
“Heading into camp, I’m excited
about the enthusiasm for the
upcoming year with the group
of players we have,” he said. “As
always with a smaller team, one
of our concerns is roster size. As
we build the program, the numbers
will be up this year.”
Greiner feels if he and his teammates
play together, they can make
something special happen.
“The key for the team’s success
is becoming a strong family this
year,” Greiner said. “We finally
have a strong and healthy team and
also the culture of the Carlynton
football program has done a complete
turnaround from the last decade,
and no one is for themselves,
unlike the years past.”
Carlynton finished in sixth place
in the eight-team Class 2A Three
Rivers Conference a year ago. The
new look conference has shrunk
to only six teams with old rivals
Brentwood, Seton LaSalle and
South Side returning.
“I feel the conference is excellent
from top to bottom with the teams
that remained,” Piccinini said,
“as well as the historically good
newcomers in Sto-Rox and Western
Beaver.”
by DON REBEL
THREE RIVERS • CARLYNTON