22 • TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
Coach: Jason Marucco
2019 record: 5-6, 2-4 in
Class 5A Big East
All-time record: 455-536-38
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 at Penn-Trafford* 7:30
9.18 at Mt. Pleasant 7
10.2 Gateway* 7
10.9 at Connellsville* 7
10.16 at Franklin Regional* 7
10.23 Woodland Hills* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Bobby Fetter
31-61, 402 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Kam Stevens*
20-187 yards, 1 TD
Rushing Logan Gustafson*
82-535 yards, 2 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• Nineteen lettermen return
with varsity game experience.
• Latrobe won a WPIAL title
in 1968, but that team did not
technically make the playoffs.
Back then, conference champs
went straight to the WPIAL
finals.
• Star return specialist and
all-conference receiver/safety
Kam Stevens, who had four
kick-return touchdowns and a
punt return for a score — all
over 90 yards — has joined
the track and field program at
St. Francis (Pa.).
• The Wildcats have given up
at least 28 points per game
for six straight seasons, including
31.5 last year.
LATROBE SEEKING
PLAYOFF RETURN, MORE
After reaching the WPIAL playoffs
two years in a row on the heels
of an eight-year drought, Latrobe
feels a sense of accomplishment.
But don’t expect the Wildcats to
be satisfied. Resting on their laurels
won’t sit well with the coaching
staff.
“You can’t just be satisfied with
getting there,” seventh-year coach
Jason Marucco said. “When you
get there, you want to do something.
You want to win a playoff
game.”
Penn Hills bounced the Wildcats
handily in the first round the last
two seasons, but the team is eager
to chase another berth in a stacked
WPIAL Class 5A classification.
“We’ll have one of our more
experienced groups going into
a season,” Marucco said. “A lot
of guys with valuable varsity
experience.”
For instance, four spots needed
to be filled along the offensive line
last summer.
This time, just one vacancy existed
up front heading into training
camp in what has been an unsteady,
four-plus-month stretch for
schools that have tried to cope with
coronavirus restrictions.
Marucco said it has been mostly
business as usual in his program.
“The kids have been working
hard, and they are focused,” the
coach said.
One experienced player who will
be counted on heavily is senior
Tucker Knupp, a tight end and
linebacker who has been tabbed a
team captain as a junior.
“He does so many little things for
us that are so important,” Marucco
said. “He lines up our defense and
is just an unselfish player.”
A position battle to watch is at
quarterback where incumbent junior
Bobby Fetter is competing
with senior Landan Carns, who
missed last season with a shoulder
injury and is returning from a torn
ACL in baseball.
“Bobby did a great job for us,”
Marucco said.
“They are both the type of athletes
you want to get on the field. I
don’t buy (the notion) that if you
have two quarterbacks you don’t
have one (good one).”
The line has more cohesiveness
and will see the return of senior
Payton Hrehovchak at right guard,
senior Alex Aiello at center, junior
Tyler Lynch at left guard and senior
Isaac Landry at right tackle.
Juniors Jacob Brisky and Sam
Miller were in line to play left
tackle.
Hrehovchak also has started at
defensive end.
Linebacker looks to be a strong
point in the Wildcats’ base 4-3 defense,
led by Knupp, who set the
program single-season mark for
tackles last season with 110.
Others include senior Luke
Zylka, and juniors Drake Clayton
and Kyle Brewer.
Zylka returned from injury to
have a strong second half last
season.
Seniors Dylan Gustafson,
Nathan Stemmerich and Raymon
Henderson return in the secondary.
Among the newcomers to watch
are junior Marco Mongelluzzo
(WR/DB), sophomore Brayen Hill
(WR/S), junior Eric Landry (C/
OG), junior Josh Brown (OG/DE),
sophomore Corey Boerio (TE/LB),
and junior Enzo Rodi (TE/LB).
“Our guys are pretty locked
into the system we run, but we’re
willing to make tweaks here and
there,” Marucco said. “We rushed
the ball about as well since (the
coaches) have been here.
“We have to do a little better
with our accuracy in the passing
game.”
by BILL BECKNER JR.
BIG EAST • LATROBE
BOBBY FETTER
JASON MARUCCO