TRIB TOTAL MEDIA • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020 • 61
IAN DURCI
ALEX ARLEDGE
SCHEDULE
Coach: Shawn Liotta
2019 record: 6-4, 4-4
All-time record: 287-256-9
Date Opponent Time
9.11 at Valley* 7
9.18 at East Allegheny* 7
9.25 at Apollo-Ridge 7
10.2 at North Catholic*# 7
10.9 Deer Lakes* 7
10.16 at Freeport* 7
10.23 Derry* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
#AT MARS ATHLETIC COMPLEX
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Alex Arledge
147-274, 2,462 yards, 27 TDs
Receiving Seth Fischbach*
50-1,022 yards, 12 TDs
Rushing Mike Scherer*
191-1,049 yards, 8 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• Burrell was one of two
teams in the WPIAL last year
to have a 2,000-yard passer,
a 1,000-yard receiver and a
1,000-yard rusher.
• Although the Bucs finished
with a better record than
Mt. Pleasant last season, they
missed out on their first playoff
appearance since 2012.
• Arledge put together a
streak of 187 attempted passes
last year without an interception.
The streak ended on
his final pass of the season.
• In his first two seasons at
Burrell, Liotta has helped the
Bucs double their winning
total each season. Burrell’s
six wins last season was its
highest total since 2012.
BURRELL LOOKS TO
‘SEIZE THE MOMENT’
by GREG MACAFEE
Since taking over the Burrell football program
three years ago, coach Shawn Liotta
has been trying to create a buzz around the
Bucs.
By the end of last season, players, coaches,
administrators and fans could hear that buzz
as loud as ever.
The Bucs recorded their first winning
season since 2012 and barely missed out on
a playoff appearance. Now, they are looking
to build on that progress.
“That was huge. I mean, look at the strides
that we’ve made,” Liotta said. “We haven’t
accomplished everything that we’ve wanted
to yet, but that is in the process of building
a program. We are just really excited with
where we are at, where we are headed, and
we think we’re only at the brink of where
we are going.”
The biggest challenge for Burrell heading
into the shortened 2020 season will be filling
the holes left by a large senior class. Eight
grads produced 3,600 yards of offense and
36 touchdowns last season. The only major
contributors returning are senior quarterback
Alex Arledge, who threw for 2,462 yards
and 27 touchdowns, and four of the five
offensive linemen.
But over the past three seasons, Liotta has
been building an arsenal of players and he is
excited to see what they can do when given
the opportunity.
“We have some bullets left in the gun, and
we have some guys that have been waiting to
go out and do something,” Liotta said. “So it’s
going to be up to them to go out and seize the
moment. We have a lot of talent, so we’ll see
who steps up and emerges in those roles.”
When given the chance in their limited
roles last year, senior wide receiver Ian Durci
and junior running back Caden DiCaprio
took advantage. Durci carried the ball six
times for 52 yards and one touchdown while
averaging 8.66 yards per rush. Behind senior
running back Mike Scherer, who tallied
191 carries, DiCaprio was the next leading
rusher with 13 carries for 82 yards and one
touchdown.
Over the summer, Arledge developed a
strong relationship with his new core group
of skill players, and he’s excited for what his
senior season could bring, especially in the
type of offense the Bucs run.
“It’s going be a big adjustment, and we are
losing a lot of star players from last year,”
Arledge said. “But we have a lot of athletes,
some new kids that have played before and
are playing again now. We’ve been putting in
work all offseason, though, and we are going
to be ready.”
Although Durci’s role was small last year,
he is ready to take advantage of his opportunity
this season and lead the younger players
on the roster.
“It’s definitely going to be tough, but I have
to step up and do it,” Durci said. “Hopefully, the
younger guys can follow my lead, and we can
get stuff done.”
The program-building year helped build the
roster to close to 50 players. Now, Burrell is looking
to take the next step by punching a ticket to
the playoffs. Liotta said the key to accomplishing
that goal is all about seizing the moment.
“There are going to be opportunities that
present themselves, and you have to seize those
opportunities or you might end up on the outside
looking in,” Liotta said.
“There may be an opportunity that’s going to
present itself where we are ahead in the fourth
quarter, and we have to close the game out. So
we have to be able to do that.”
BURRELL • ALLEGHENY