16 • TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
JOEY AUDIA
RYAN O’HAIR
Coach: Joe Rossi
2019 record: 10-2, 7-0 in
Class 4A Northwest Eight
Conference
All-time record: 493-374-39
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 at Dover, Ohio 7
9.18 at Chartiers Valley 7
9.25 at Peters Township* 7
10.2 Moon* 7
10.9 at Bethel Park* 7
10.16 West Allegheny* 7
10.23 Upper St. Clair* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Naman Alemada
205-282, 3,004 yards, 34
TDs
Receiving Joey Audia
57-736, 8 TDs
Rushing Andrew Franklin*
129-914, 15 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• Three years in a row, South
Fayette had a different quarterback
throw for more than
2,000 yards. Alameda had
3,004 in 2019, Joey Diven had
3,211 in 2018 and Drew Saxton
had 2,749 in 2017.
• The Lions averaged 35.9
point per game last season,
sixth-best in the WPIAL.
• The football team could add
a fourth classification to its
trophy case this season. South
Fayette already owns WPIAL
titles in Class A, 2A and 4A.
• South Fayette got an early
look at one of its new conference
rivals. The Lions played
Upper St. Clair in a nonconference
matchup in both 2018
and ’19. USC won 34-33 and
27-13.
SOUTH FAYETTE BRINGS
CUTTING-EDGE OFFENSE
South Fayette quarterback
Naman Alemada was running
the New England Patriots offense
at times last season, with plays
designed for small-but-quick receivers.
Charley Rossi, Joey Audia and
Ryan McGuire were the WPIAL’s
version of Julian Edelman and Co.
But this year, offensive coordinator
Ben Maracek borrowed ideas from
another championship team.
“He’s put in a bunch of new
plays, formations and concepts
based off Joe Burrow and LSU’s
offense,” said Alemada, a senior
who threw for 3,004 yards and 34
touchdowns last season.
“There are a couple little
tweaks,” coach Joe Rossi said. “It’s
always the hot trends. Our offense
is pretty much the same, but (Maracek)
does a nice job utilizing our
Smurfs.”
South Fayette’s receivers aren’t
giants — McGuire is the tallest
at 6-foot-1 — but combined they
put up big numbers. Audia had
57 receptions for 736 yards, Rossi
caught 53 passes for 816 yards
and McGuire had 34 for 778. They
caught 24 touchdowns combined.
All three have Division I offers.
“Charley, Joey and Ryan are
great receivers,” Alemada said.
“They’d be No. 1 receivers anywhere
else, but they know they’re
not going to get the ball every play.
They’re unselfish.
“There are some games where
Charley is going to get 20 passes
and some games where Joey is
going to get 10. Yeah, we have the
athletes, but everyone is willing to
work for it.”
South Fayette went 10-2 last season
and reached the WPIAL Class
4A semifinals. This year, they
make the jump to 5A, where the
Lions should remain competitors
behind their strong senior class.
Along with its quarterback and
top three receivers, South Fayette
also brings back three starting
offensive linemen and a first-year
starter who’s drawing Division I
offers.
Ryan O’Hair’s size earned him
offers from Butler and Valparaiso,
but the 6-8, 290-pound two-way
tackle could be a difference maker
on the field this season.
“He grew up over a year,” Joe
Rossi said. “Last year he was like
a baby deer. Now, he looks really
good. He’s a kid that could blow
up.”
South Fayette has owned one of
the WPIAL’s top passing offenses
with Rossi as coach. Alemada had
to battle for the quarterback job
last season, but enters this year
as the starter.
The 6-4 senior completed 73% of
his passes last season (205 of 282).
“You can just tell his comfort
level back there,” Rossi said. “The
game just slows down after you get
a year of experience under your
belt. For him, you can tell it’s a little
slower. But it’ll be a little faster
by moving up to 5A. You’re going
to see an increase in talent.”
It helps having three D1 receivers.
Charley Rossi (5-8, 165 pounds)
has college offers from Dayton,
Princeton, Sacred Heart and Valparaiso.
Audia (5-9, 165) announced
his first offer Aug. 20 from St.
Thomas. McGuire (6-1, 175) added
Butler in July.
Each summer, the team typically
travels out of state for 7-on-7 camps
at Ohio State and elsewhere, but
that wasn’t an option this year
during the pandemic. But with so
many starters coming back, South
Fayette can probably handle that
inactivity better than most.
“We lost a little bit of chemistry,”
Alemada said, “but we were able to
get back on the same page pretty
quickly by just throwing on our
own and now at camp. I think that
experience will be a major factor.”
by CHRIS HARLAN
ALLEGHENY 6 • SOUTH FAYETTE