TRIB TOTAL MEDIA • 51
TRINITY • BIG 8
TYSON BROPHY
TRINITY SENIORS SET TO
SHOWCASE THEIR SKILLS
Trinity football coach Jon Miller
spent time during pandemic quarantine
promoting his rising senior
players on Twitter.
He posted photos, links to Hudl
highlights and a few strengths for
each of his upperclassmen.
Now, with actual football about
to be played, he wants to see them
back up his words on the field.
“We have to do whatever we can
to get the coaches to recognize
them, especially the seniors,” said
Miller, who got the idea from South
Fayette coach Joe Rossi. “They’ve
earned that. It was the best way
to get their names out there and
give them a chance to play at the
next level.”
For months, players from Trinity
and other schools from around
the nation waited for their chance
to get back on the field. With that
time upon them, the Hillers are
itching to compete.
Many of the senior players Miller
highlighted on social media will
play key roles in their quest for
success this season.
Leading the offensive attack will
be senior Micah Finley, a running
back who also saw time at quarterback,
wide receiver, defensive
back, linebacker and punter last
season. He was an all-conference
selection as an athlete.
“He did a great job during quarantine
of getting stronger and improved
his speed,” Miller said.
“He’s been a durable player for us.
He has the potential to make big
plays. We’re expecting more from
him defensively than we have in
the past. He should be up to the
task with that.”
Senior Tyson Brophy also returns
to anchor both sides of the
line. He was a first-team all-conference
defensive tackle last season.
Fellow senior defensive tackle Nathan
Seaman also returns.
“Tyson is a fantastic defensive
lineman,” Miller said. “To be a
first-team all-conference defensive
lineman in our conference is pretty
impressive. We need a repeat
performance and even better from
him. He has to be the guy that anchors
that front on the defensive
side. We know he can do it.”
Junior Drew Cain returns after
an all-conference season at linebacker.
He will get a shot to play
quarterback, as well.
“He’s just a football player,” Miller
said. “Both sides of the ball, he’s
versatile. He can play linebacker,
defensive back, running back,
quarterback. He and Micah in the
backfield, that gives us a chance
(to do some things). Both have to
be stalwarts for us.”
Cain is competing for the quarterback
job with senior Kaden
Kolson and junior Connor Roberts.
Roberts and Kolson also are
expected to contribute at wide receiver,
along with senior Anthony
Phillips and juniors Tysean Lacks
and Brayden May.
“We really like our skill all the
way around,” Miller said. “We
have kids who can do a bunch of
different things.”
Senior Peyton Thompson also
will be in the backfield as a fullback
and was a second-team
all-conference linebacker last year.
Back on the offensive line are
junior Ethan Turturice (6-4, 265) at
right tackle and Brophy (6-2, 250) at
right guard. Sophomore Ty Banco
(6-2, 235) also moved from tight end
to left guard.
“We’re excited about the offensive
line,” Miller said. “We have
more athleticism than we have had
the past couple years.”
Miller calls the Class 4A Big
Eight Conference the toughest in
the classification, if not the entire
WPIAL. Perennial power Thomas
Jefferson went 16-0 last season en
route to WPIAL and PIAA titles,
and Belle Vernon and West Mifflin
are regular playoff contenders.
To top it off, one of the WPIAL’s
winningest programs, McKeesport,
dropped down from Class
5A and joined the Big Eight.
Trinity, which finished 4-5 overall
and 4-3 in the Big Eight last
season and missed the playoffs
for the second straight year, will
open against Ringgold on Sept. 11
and then play Thomas Jefferson,
McKeesport and West Mifflin in
consecutive weeks.
“We’re excited about the group
(we have),” Miller said. “We think
we have a chance to make a run
at a playoff spot and get back to
that. It’s tough going back to back
with TJ and McKeesport early on.
We’ll find out how good we are and
where we stand.
“It’s all about competing and
getting out there and going toe to
toe and play for play with those
teams and having the resilience to
battle back.”
by BILL HARTLEP
Coach: Jon Miller
2019 record: 4-5, 4-3 in
Class 4A Big Eight
All-time record: 371-508-37
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 Ringgold* 7
9.18 Thomas Jefferson* 7
9.25 at McKeesport* 7
10.2 West Mifflin* 7
10.9 at Washington 7
10.16 Belle Vernon* 7
10.23 at Laurel Highlands* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
FAST FACTS
• Jax Banco, who led the
Hillers in passing last season,
is playing baseball this fall
at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University, a Division II school
in Daytona Beach, Fla.
• The Hillers allowed 25.1
points per game last season,
but that total was inflated
by blowout losses to Thomas
Jefferson, Belle Vernon and
Penn-Trafford, three of the top
teams in the WPIAL.
• Trinity’s lone WPIAL title
came in 1948 in Class AA.
• Miller is entering his sixth
season at Trinity and has a
record of 19-27.
KADEN KOLSON