114 • TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
TRI-COUNTY SOUTH • AVELLA
Coach: Ryan Cecchini
2019 record: 1-9, 0-7 in Class
A Tri-County South
All-time record: 347-473-26
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 at Monessen* 7
9.18 Jefferson-Morgan* 7
9.24 at West Greene* 7
10.2 California* 7
10.9 at Mapletown* 7
10.15 at Bentworth* 7
10.23 Carmichaels* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Derek Tarolli*
73-165, 759 yards, 8 TDs
Receiving Justin Dryer*
18-211 yards, 2 TDs
Rushing Anthony Georgetti*
90-356 yards, 1 TD
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• The Eagles averaged just 8.4
points and were shut out four
times.
• The team has just two conference
wins in the past three
seasons.
• After making a long trip to
Jeannette last year for a nonconference
game, the Eagles
have to go to Monessen this
year.
• Avella was not able to use
its indoor facilities deep into
the summer, so fundamentals
such as push-ups and sit-ups
were often part of the daily
outdoor routine. INCREASED ROSTER
TANNER TERENSKY
K.J. RUSH (LEFT) AND NOAH MARKLE
NUMBERS BOOST AVELLA
Low roster numbers have
plagued Avella before, but coach
Ryan Cecchini can assure you, he’s
shaken all he can from the bushes
in the school district.
He has exhausted his recruiting
in the school halls options.
The football team had between
12 and 16 players for summer workouts
and, “We’ll probably start the
year in the low 20s,” Cecchini said.
“But that’s what we have every
year. There just isn’t that much to
pick from. We only have, what, 62
to 64 (boys). If we can get 33 out,
we’re already at half.”
The Eagles still have managed to
field a team time and again despite
some close calls in the past that
saw injuries mount and able bodies
dwindle.
They went 1-9 last year, dropping
eight in a row following a 12-0 victory
over Bishop Canevin.
“We’re a little different out
here,” said Cecchini, in his 10th
season. “We’re in a rural area. We
don’t have a lot of kids. But the
kids we have are willing to put in
the work.
“With all we have back, I feel
really good about this group.”
Cecchini likes the experience
built into his 4-4 defense, which
brings back 10 starters. Two key
leaders who will initiate things
on that side of the ball are senior
linebacker Blaze Allen and senior
defensive end Robert West.
Eight starters are back on offense,
led by junior K.J. Rush, a
lineman-turned-quarterback who
could end up spending a lot of time
in the shotgun formation.
“He resembles a fullback and
comes right at you,” Cecchini said.
“He is a downhill runner.”
A team not short on wide outs
will once again look to spread
the ball around with three- and
four-receiver sets. But don’t call
the Eagles a passing team just yet.
“We have to adapt to our personnel
and opponents,” Cecchini said.
Case in point? When the team
had a strong line a couple of seasons
back, it went to a wing-T.
“We’ll go to what we think can
work,” the coach said.
The team’s leading passer, rusher
and receiver graduated, so that
creates a void in production, but
Cecchini thinks he has other options.
The main rushers will be senior
Matthew Kidwell, who played
wideout last year, and junior Noah
Markle, who had 137 yards on the
ground last season on 45 carries.
Some linemen looking to give
the Eagles spacing to operate, no
matter the scheme, include junior
Harrison Fischer, a 350-pounder
who can anchor the unit, along
with senior Dylan Gzikowski.
Additional pass-catching threats
include senior Tanner Terensky,
junior Brandon Samol and senior
Ty Jaworowski. Terensky, Samol,
Jaworowski and Kidwell each had
10 or more receptions. Terensky
is the top returnee with 17 for 197
yards and three scores.
Regardless of how the Eagles
move the ball, possessions must
carry greater value, the coach said.
“The offense didn’t help the defense
much last year,” Cecchini
said. “We have to take better care
of the ball.”
by BILL BECKNER JR.