TRIB TOTAL MEDIA • 7
HEMPFIELD • CLASS 6A
MARIO PERKINS
Coach: Rich Bowen
2019 record: 4-6, 2-6
All-time record: 294-317-13
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 at Norwin* 7
9.18 Seneca Valley* 7
9.25 at Mt. Lebanon* 7:30
10.2 Canon-McMillan* 7
10.9 at Baldwin* 7
10.17 at Central Catholic*# 12
10.23 North Allegheny* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME;
#AT WILKINSBURG’S GRAHAM FIELD
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Blake Remaley*
131-224, 1,625 yards, 17 TDs
Receiving Nathan Roby*
52-576 yards, 6 TDs
Rushing Roby*
166-1,449 yards, 19 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• The record-breaking Roby had
one of the best individual seasons
in school history as he accounted
for 2,469 yards and 25 touchdowns.
• Hempfield averaged 29.3 points
but gave up 30.2.
• The Spartans have just two winning
seasons in 23 years — 2013
(6-4) and 1997 (7-3).
• Football continues to bring out
participation. Bowen said Hempfield
had 58 players sign up for the
varsity team, while there were 32
names on the freshman team and
50 at the seventh-eighth grade
level.
HEMPFIELD LOOKS TO
STAY HEALTHY IN 2020
Ninth-year coach Rich Bowen wonders what
might have been last year had his Hempfield
Spartans not been ravaged by injuries early
in the season.
An exciting offense, powered by star running
back Nathan Roby, and a hold-it-together
defense still allowed the Spartans to finish 4-6.
But a 2-6 mark in the teeth-gnashing Class 6A
conference spelled a seventh-place finish and
no playoffs.
“I have been doing this over 30 years, and
that was one of the better teams I’ve coached,”
Bowen said. “There was so much talent on that
team.”
The problem is, most of that talent went off
to college, opening the door for fresh faces to
carry the program forward in what has been
an unstable 2020.
“We’re going to be young,” Bowen said. “But
we have really good numbers, and the kids are
excited to play. We might take some lumps, but
we’re going to battle you.”
Roby put up head-turning numbers and was
phenomenal in the backfield, in the flat and
on defense. He rushed for 1,449 yards — 908 in
his last three games, including 408 against
Plum — and caught 52 passes. He scored
25 touchdowns.
“Roby,” Bowen said. “They come along once
in a while. He will be awfully hard to replace.
He had a great senior season and a great threeyear
career.”
Senior Mario Perkins, whose junior season
was stunted by injuries, will step into Roby’s
offensive role. Senior Demetrius Murphy also
will get carries.
“He will do a lot of what Roby did,” Bowen
said of Perkins. “Losing him last year changed
our team dynamic.”
Said Perkins, “I know I have a bigger role
this year, and the coaches and I are preparing
for this season.”
At quarterback, the quest to replace dropback
passer Blake Remaley (1,625 yards, 17
TDs) comes down to two candidates: Senior
Christian Zilli, a talented baseball player, is out
for football again, and sophomore Jake Phillips
is a rising talent.
Zilli played as a freshman but focused on
baseball and basketball the last two years.
Senor Sean Knight is the lone returning
starter on the line.
He has played center, guard and tackle but
likely will be the center this season.
Senior Roman Pellis returns as a go-to receiver.
He had 32 catches for 456 yards last season.
Junior Daniel Sierk (6-4, 220) is the tight end.
On defense, Knight anchors the line, with Perkins
and Murphy at linebacker. Murphy moves
over from cornerback.
Senior Taylor Dunn, junior Jayden Talbert
and senior Josh Winkowski are others competing
for spots in the secondary.
A good-looking group of sophomores will
look to contribute. It includes Ian Tuffs,
Andy Vallano, Ethan Manley, Gino Caesar and
others.
by BILL BECKNER JR.
RICH BOWEN