TRIB TOTAL MEDIA • 19
Coach: Marko Thomas
2019 record: 2-8, 0-6 in
Class 5A Big East Conference
All-time record: 537-537-59
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 at Woodland Hills* 7
9.21 Kiski Area 7
9.26 at West Allegheny 7
10.2 at Franklin Regional* 7
10.9 Latrobe* 7
10.16 at Penn-Trafford* 7:30
10.23 Gateway* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Josh Maher*
35-85, 406 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving Ahmad Hooper*
13-186 yards, 2 TDs
Rushing Ky’ron Craggette
141-1,010 yards, 8 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• Longtime coach Sonny
Thomas, who has been an assistant
to his son and Falcons
head coach Marko Thomas
for the past three seasons,
will coach one more fall, his
53rd in the business. He also
coached at North Braddock,
Woodland Hills, Penn-Trafford,
Gateway, Hempfield, Yough,
Southmoreland and Geneva
College
• Connellsville averaged 202
rushing yards a game in 2019.
• The Falcons averaged a
conference-low 16.1 points last
season.
• Craggette had offseason
inquiries from Pitt, Temple,
Toledo and Miami (Ohio). CONNELLSVILLE AIMING
CAM KING
KY’RON CRAGGETTE
TO REBOUND IN BIG EAST
Connellsville’s Marko Thomas
does not just sound like a coach
giving lip service following a down
season.
His inflection is proof he means
what he says.
“This is the year we’ve been
waiting for,” Thomas said. “I really
think you’re going to see a
much-improved team. We were
extremely young last year.”
The fourth-year coach has
reason to be optimistic as his
top running back — the elusive
Ky’ron Craggette — and a healthy
line return to help the Falcons
compete in the Class 5A Big East
Conference.
The Falcons avoided ending the
season on a nine-game losing streak
by upending Albert Gallatin, 30-6,
in Week 9 to finish 2-8.
Craggette ran for 1,010 yards as
a junior, dashing to the perimeter
to show his speed.
“A lot of that was what he did on
his own,” Thomas said. “He makes
things happen.”
Two key linemen missed last
season but are expected to make
a large impact this fall. Thomas
brims when he thinks about seniors
Chuck Wood (6-6, 360) and
Cam King (6-1, 275) blocking for
Craggette, a first-team all-conference
back.
Wood missed time with mononucleosis
while King tore his ACL
in wrestling.
“It’s huge to have them back,”
Thomas said. “Our line should
average around 300 (pounds). We
really think Chuck and Cam will
help. We’re really going to rely on
Ky’ron. He is so much stronger.
He’s put together.”
Other top returnees on the line
are senior Sam Shaffer (6-1, 300)
and junior Cullen Lynch (6-0, 285).
“As long as we can avoid injury,
we’ll be OK,” said Thomas, a
former standout at Penn-Trafford
and Geneva.
Connellsville hasn’t made the
WPIAL playoffs — or won more
than three games in a season —
since 2012.
While the running game is packaged
neatly, there is less consistency
at other spots.
Before camp, Thomas had four
quarterback candidates, one from
each class, in senior Gage Gillott,
junior Zak David, sophomore Beau
Bigam and freshman Anthony
Piasecki.
Gillot was the frontrunner to
replace 6-6 Josh Maher under center.
An interesting note on Gillot:
Thomas said he is both a Division I
prospect as a kicker and a baseball
player.
“When Gage was a freshman, we
used four kickers,” Thomas said.
“Gage played a couple of games
then for us.”
Junior Josh Marietta returns
at wide receiver and cornerback,
and senior Gabe McCrum is back
at linebacker.
A few newcomers on the coach’s
radar include junior Jason Mc-
Bride at receiver and cornerback,
and junior George Shultz at
linebacker.
He also sees some promise in
first-year player Colby Keedy.
by BILL BECKNER JR.
BIG EAST • CONNELLSVILLE