TRIB TOTAL MEDIA • 79
LIGONIER VALLEY • ALLEGHENY
JUDE GRZYWINSKI
LIGONIER VALLEY READY
TO BE TESTED BY WPIAL
A new chapter in Ligonier Valley
history starts Sept. 11.
Ligonier Valley returns to the
WPIAL after spending the past 50
years playing football in District 6,
including the past five seasons as
one of the most dominant teams
in Class 2A.
The Rams went 60-7 over the
span, including a 51-4 mark the
past four years. They reached the
District 6 Class 2A title game four
consecutive seasons, winning in
2016 and ’17. Also during that span,
the Rams won four Appalachian
Bowl titles against WestPAC opponents.
They won 37 consecutive
conference games.
The return to WPIAL competition
will be challenging.
There will be new opponents,
new travel times and a new way to
make the playoffs. New rivalries
will be forged, and there will be
a chance to play at Heinz Field
(under normal circumstances) if
they are lucky enough to reach the
championship game.
Ligonier Valley, which played in
the Class B Alle-Fay-West Conference
(1964-67) against the likes of
Trafford (Penn-Trafford), South
Huntingdon (Yough), West Newton
(Yough), Edgewood (Woodland
Hills), Frazier and Dunbar (Connellsville),
now will battle Apollo
Ridge, Serra Catholic, Shady
Side Academy, Steel Valley and
Summit Academy (not participating
in 2020). Frazier is a nonconference
game Sept. 18.
The loss of Summit Academy, a
nonconference game at Jeannette
and an open date forced Ligonier
to look for a couple of opponents.
The Rams added Western Beaver
(Sept. 26) and Waynesburg (Oct.
16) to the schedule.
“We just want to play games,”
coach Roger Beitel said after he
was faced with a possible five-game
schedule when the WPIAL altered
the original schedule and pushed
back the season because of the
coronavirus pandemic.
Ligonier Valley lost a home season
opener against Indiana and
another home game in Week 1 with
Elizabeth Forward.
The Elizabeth Forward game
was changed to a scrimmage, but a
possible covid-19 case at EF forced
a cancellation. Ligonier Valley
managed to schedule a scrimmage
with South Allegheny.
Ligonier Valley returns to the
WPIAL with a young squad that
includes two returning offensive
starters and one defensive starter.
Because of an injury, the only
senior on the roster is lineman
Derek Fox.
The Rams graduated 16 seniors,
including 11 who went on to play
college football. Included in the
group were NCAA Division I linemen
Michael Petrof (Navy), Christian
Jablonski (Lehigh) and Wylie
Spiker (St. Francis, Pa.).
“This is a new chapter for our
players,” Beitel said. “While we
only have three starters returning,
a lot of players saw playing time
when games got out of hand.”
The offensive starters are junior
center Jude Grzywinski and junior
wide receiver Matt Marinchak.
Beitel’s son, Nick, a junior, is a
returning defensive back. Grzywinski
has started in 26 games the
past two seasons.
“We thought about moving Jude,
but I asked around to some college
coaches, and they said you want to
build from the middle,” Beitel said.
“You do that in baseball, soccer
and hockey. I feel we have players
who are capable to build around
him.”
Beitel said he was pleased how
his players handled the pandemic
and how they worked out on their
own.
Grzywinski is a lot stronger, and
Nick Beitel, who scored 12 touchdowns
and rushed for 642 yards in a
mop-up role, is faster and stronger.
Marinchak caught 26 passes for
453 yards and eight touchdowns.
“Our expectations aren’t going
to change,” Beitel said. “The reality
of the situation, we’re relatively
young. One senior on the team, and
Derek has only participated in one
camp. He didn’t play as a freshman
and was injured last year.
“There is a big difference between
seniors because they have a
sense of finality and urgency and
they bring that every day. Young
kids are often talented, but they
don’t have that same sense of urgency.”
And the move to the WPIAL isn’t
the only thing Beitel has to deal
with. He’s got new offensive and
defensive coordinators and several
other new assistant coaches.
“Our philosophy is love the kids
up as best as we can, give them
as much love and coaching as we
can and make this team feel as
much as a big family as possible,”
Beitel said. “We’ve been extremely
patient.
“It’s extremely important we get
games in and we get experience
for ourselves for not only this year
but down the road. We have a very
talented junior and sophomore
group that need reps.”
by PAUL SCHOFIELD
Coach: Roger Beitel
2019 record: 12-1, 9-0 in
District 6 Heritage Conference
All-time record: 218-275-9
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 at Apollo-Ridge* 7
9.18 at Frazier 7
9.26 at Western Beaver 7
10.2 Steel Valley* 7
10.9 at Serra Catholic* 7
10.16 at Waynesburg 7
10.23 Shady Side Academy* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Sam Sheeder*
108-177, 1,914 yards, 20 TDs
Receiving John Beard*
48-765 yards, 7 TDs
Rushing Kyrie Miller*
176-1,876 yards, 31 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• Before leaving the WPIAL,
the then-Ligonier Mounties
played Franklin Regional, Trafford
and Blairsville, which was
a WPIAL member in 1969.
• The last time Ligonier Valley
played a WPIAL team was in
2010 when it defeated Derry,
27-14. Ligonier and Derry Boro
were rivals before 1969.
• The Rams’ recently graduated
class went 51-4 over four
seasons.
• When Ligonier left the
WPIAL in 1969, it joined the
Mountain Conference, which
consisted of teams from Districts
5 and 6.
NICK BEITEL