124 • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020 • TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
JAKE TKACH
Coach: Tanner Garry
2019 record: 0-10, 0-7
All-time record: 342-250-15
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 at Burgettstown* 7
9.18 at Shenango* 7
9.25 OLSH* 7
10.2 at Northgate* 7
10.9 Rochester* 7
10.16 at Union* 7
10.23 Cornell* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Austin Nardozi*
28-66, 210 yards
Receiving Dylan Rogers
10-115 yards, 1 TD
Rushing Chase Belsterling
88-234 yards, 1 TD
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• Tanner Garry was a threesport
athlete at Fort Cherry,
also competing in wrestling
and baseball.
• He set school records for
passing yards (4,502 yards)
and passing touchdowns
(50), was named Black Hills
Conference Offensive MVP
and earned All-State honorable
mention honors.
• In their most recent seasons
in Class A, the Rangers were
7-3 in 2017 and 9-2 in ’16 in
the Tri-County South.
GARRY LOOKS TO RESTORE
TRADITION AT FORT CHERRY
TANNER GARRY
BILL HARTLEP
Tanner Garry remembers fondly his playing
days at Fort Cherry.
It was just nine years ago when he threw
for nearly 3,000 yards and 35 touchdowns to
lead the Rangers to a 7-4 record and a trip to
the WPIAL Class A quarterfinals.
Fans lined the fences at Jim Garry Stadium,
the Rangers’ home venue named after
his grandfather, and Fort Cherry football
was ingrained throughout the community.
Garry returned to Fort Cherry in December
when he was hired to coach at his alma
mater. He will roam the same sideline where
his grandfather coached for 43 years and
where his dad, Tim, guided the Rangers for
nine seasons. He replaces Jim Shiel, who
resigned after eight seasons.
Garry hopes to renew the energy around
the Rangers’ program and give his players
the same feeling he had in the Fort Cherry
Red and White.
“I’ve always held Fort Cherry close to my
heart,” said Garry, who went on to play at
Youngstown State and Slippery Rock. “It’s
something I think a lot of people do. You take
pride in where you come from. You want to
remain a respected school in terms of athletics
and the talent it produces.”
Fort Cherry was 2-18 over the past two
seasons, playing in Class 2A. The struggles
on the field led to difficulties building a roster
and staying competitive against much
larger teams.
Through PIAA and WPIAL realignment,
the Rangers returned to play in the Class
A Big Seven Conference for the next two
seasons.
They will match up with conference foes
Burgettstown, Cornell, Northgate, OLSH,
Rochester and Union.
“Rochester, we have great history with
them going back to the WPIAL championship
in ’01,” Garry said. “We had battles with them
my junior and senior year. There’s games on
that schedule that people from our area will
be excited to see.”
The move to a more geographically and
enrollment-friendly conference has been a
bright spot for a challenging offseason hampered
by the coronavirus pandemic.
Garry was hired in December and got to
initiate some offseason workouts before the
pandemic sent players home from school in
March.
Over the past month, they returned the
field for conditioning workouts but haven’t
been able to use the school weight room
facilities.
“It’s kind of adapting to the times. There’s
a lot that’s easy to get mad at and frustrated
with. There’s a lot of uncertainties,” Garry
said. “Kids want answers and parents want
answers. Things can change almost day to
day. We’re just trying to stick to the rules,
understand the guidelines and what we’re
allowed to do and take advantage of what
we’re allowed to do.”
Helping the first-year coach get acclimatby
BIG 7 • FORT CHERRY
ed are a group of senior leaders that include
quarterback Jake Tkach, lineman Christian
Bartoletti and wide receiver Nasier Sutton, as
well as junior Dylan Rogers.
“It’s been hard for these kids to get anything
rolling,” Garry said. “We’re trying to preach
to them there needs to be a leader in every
situation.”
Junior linebacker Mitchell Cook (5-9, 205)
also has established himself as the leader of
defense.
“He got time as a freshman at middle ‘backer,”
Garry said. “He was the leading tackler
as a sophomore last year. He’s someone we’re
really relying on to take charge of the defense.”
The Rangers have several skill players returning
on offense.
Senior Chase Belsterling (5-10, 180) was the
team’s leading rusher a year ago and will again
be in the backfield.
“He’s a hard-nosed kid, not one to shy away
from contact,” Garry said. “He’s fast, strong,
athletic, a natural athlete. He’s someone we’re
counting on.”
Tkach (6-0, 175) spent parts of last season
under center after returning from injury, and
junior Maddox Truschel (6-0, 185) saw time at
quarterback as a freshman but missed all of
last season with an injury. They are competing
for the starting job.
“I’m someone who believes in a one-quarterback
system,” Garry said. “I don’t want to
have a lot of back and forth. We want to make
sure we have our best athletes on the field.
They are both good athletes (and both will play
somewhere).
“Either one of those guys will give us someone
who is a playmaker. It’s one of the positions
we have options.”
Back at wide receiver are Rogers, Sutton and
junior Anthony D’Alessandro (6-2, 215).
“There’s been a significant stride with
(D’Alessandro) over the past couple months,”
Garry said. “He runs like a deer. He’s a real
good-size kid. Real good hands. We’ll use him
as an H-back or a stand-up tight end or make it
a nightmare for linebackers to cover over him
on the inside.”
Fort Cherry will enter the season with a
roster in the mid-30s, a group Garry hopes will
start to resemble teams from his childhood.
“We want to get everything back on track,”
he said, “get the community excited about Fort
Cherry.”