36 • TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
Coach: Lou Cerro
2019 record: 5-6, 4-3 in the
Class 4A Northwest Eight
All-time record: 439-337-20
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 Chartiers Valley* 7
9.18 Hopewell 7
9.25 at Keystone Oaks 7
10.2 New Castle* 7
10.9 at Blackhawk* 7
10.16 Aliquippa* 7
10.23 at Beaver* 7:30
PARKWAY • MONTOUR CAM McLAURIN
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Luke Persinger
55-114, 820 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving Domenic Magliocco*
28-530 yards, 9 TDs
Rushing Gannon Kadlecik
150-701 yards, 12 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• Ten years ago, Montour finished
the regular season with
a perfect 9-0 record and beat
West Mifflin, Indiana and Mars
in the Class AAA playoffs to
reach Heinz Field. The Spartans’
perfect season ended
with a 24-7 loss to first-year
Central Valley.
• Montour won its first WPIAL
championship in 47 years
by beating Knoch, 42-14, in
the 2011 WPIAL Class AAA
finals.
• Montour has won back-toback
WPIAL football championships
twice. The Spartans
were co-champs with Avella
after tying the Eagles, 7-7,
in the 1957 Class A finals. A
year later, they won the 1958
crown with a 20-7 victory over
Edgewood. Then in 1963 and
‘64, Montour won two straight
WPIAL Class AA championships
with a 29-12 win over
Freeport followed by a 19-7
triumph over Arnold.
LUKE PERSINGER
MONTOUR READY TO VIE
FOR NEW PARKWAY TITLE
In back-to-back years, the Montour
football program became
quite familiar with the ups and
downs of high school football. The
2017 season was close to the best of
times and the follow up in 2018 was
the worst of times.
Three years ago, the Spartans
finished 9-3 and reached the WPIAL
Class 4A title game where they
lost to Thomas Jefferson.
A year later, Montour never recovered
from an 0-5 start and finished
an uncharacteristic 3-7 with
a rare playoff miss.
Things leveled out for coach Lou
Cerro’s team a year ago as Montour
once again started slow and
finished the regular season with a
5-5 record. A return to the postseason
was short and not as sweet as
the Spartans lost again to Thomas
Jefferson, 49-7.
“We lost some real close games
early,” Cerro said. “A play here or
a play there and we probably don’t
lose many.”
Injuries also played a role in
another sluggish 1-4 start.
“We lost our quarterback for
a five-game stretch, and we had
to revert to a wildcat and had a
lot of success,” Cerro said. “Our
quarterback came back for the last
game and was starting to play well
against South Fayette when he got
hurt again.”
The quarterback is back again.
Senior Luke Persinger threw for
820 yards in limited action last
year. The three-year starter is
being counted on to have a big
bounce-back season.
“After my injury last year, I was
devastated because I couldn’t finish
the season with my team,”
Persinger said. “But I did a lot of
rehab work on my shoulder to be
stronger, and I am ready for this
year.”
Also back for Montour is its top
running back from a year ago in senior
Gannon Kadlecik. The threeyear
starter at running back and
linebacker rushed for more than
700 yards and averaged 4.7 yards
per tote to go with 12 touchdowns.
“With having Gannon back and
a host of talented running backs,
we should be fine in the backfield,”
Cerro said.
Kadlecik is a Radnor baseball
recruit.
“Having Gannon and the other
seniors back is a huge help,”
Persinger said. “They are all big
playmakers and are just as ready
to get going this year.”
Among the other six offensive
and five defensive starters returning
for the Spartans is Liberty
recruit Jaiden Hill, a wide receiver
and defensive back who was
second on the team in receiving
last fall.
Senior Cam McLaurin is a threeyear
starter on both the offensive
and defensive line while Dom
Sprys will start at linebacker and
made the move from center to fullback
a year ago.
It is a mixed bag for Cerro and his
staff when it comes to experience.
“We have a lot of experience at
some positions and none at others,”
Cerro said. “Luke (Persinger)
being back is huge for us. I am excited
to see who wants to compete
to play and stay on the winning
track. It never gets old to see all
student-athletes compete and be
successful in all that they do.”
Class 4A has expanded from two
to three conferences this season.
Montour finished tied with New
Castle and Knoch for third place
last year in the Northwest Conference,
trailing only South Fayette
and Blackhawk.
“Last year we had some tight
games at the end,” Persinger said.
“This year, we are going to prove
who Montour is and what we are
about.”
After a four-year hiatus, the
Parkway Conference name returns
with only six teams. Montour,
Blackhawk, Beaver and New Castle
are joined by Chartiers Valley
moving down from 5A and Aliquippa
moving up from 3A.
“Great teams as usual,” Cerro
said. “Teams we have played in the
past in the old Parkway, now with
Aliquippa and Char Valley. It will
be competitive each week. With
only five conference games, each
week is so important.”
by DON REBEL