80 • TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
ALLEGHENY • SERRA CATHOLIC
Coach: Jose Regus
2019 record: 6-5, 4-3 in
Class 2A Three Rivers Conference
All-time record: 214-331-6
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 Steel Valley* 7
9.18 at Seton LaSalle 7
9.25 Carlynton 7
10.2 at Shady Side Academy* 7
10.9 Ligonier Valley* 7
10.16 Apollo-Ridge* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Max Rocco
98-196, 1,321 yards, 10 TDs
Receiving Terrell Booth
23-525 yards, 5 TDs
Rushing Ray Holmes*
196-1,267 yards, 12 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• The Eagles running game,
led by Ray Holmes, averaged
215.4 yards per game last
year.
• Five Serra Catholic receivers
caught touchdowns last year.
• John Banner led the Eagles
defense in tackles last year
with 96, while Paul Pearson
recorded a team-best 19.5
tackles for a loss.
• Serra Catholic is hoping to
qualify for the WPIAL playoffs
for the fifth year in a row.
PAUL PEARSON
TERRELL BOOTH
INCREASED NUMBERS
FUEL SERRA CATHOLIC
Serra Catholic battled No. 4 Neshannock
in last year’s WPIAL
Class 2A first round before falling,
31-17.
Eagles fourth-year coach Jose
Regus said despite the playoff loss,
much was gained by his players
throughout the 2019 campaign,
which finished with a 6-4 overall
record.
With increased numbers — from
23 last year to a current roster of
35 — and numerous starters and
overall experience back on both
sides of the ball, Regus said big
things could be coming from his
team this fall.
“We returned a lot of guys and
have some incoming freshmen who
will do some things for us,” Regus
said. “With just 23 players, it was
tough for some practices. Every kid
wasn’t a specific position where
we could utilize a practice against
each other. Now, we have depth at
different positions, and guys are
ready to step in to replace the ones
we did lose. It’s a beautiful thing.”
When the WPIAL introduced
shortened schedules because of
the pandemic, Serra’s original
Week 10 Class 2A Allegheny Conference
game against Steel Valley
became the Sept. 11 opener, and
a nonconference contest against
Imani Christian set for Sept. 11
was eliminated.
The Oct. 23 date, originally a
conference game against Summit
Academy, remains open.
“These kids just want to play
football,” Regus said. “They understand
what the pandemic is all
about and all of the things that
are going on with it. They are just
concentrating on being the best
players and best team they can be
so they are ready when it is time.
“When we started summer workouts
(in the third week of July), I
could really tell these guys put in
a lot of work. They’ve really grown
from last year.”
Regus said he will be counting
a lot on a large junior class of 13,
and it includes returning quarterback
Max Rocco, who threw for 244
yards and a touchdown against
Neshannock. Rocco sees a great
opportunity ahead.
“Last year was a learning year
for all of us,” Rocco said. “We
experienced all of that, including
the playoff loss, and we’re really
hungry for this season. We have
higher expectations now.”
Rocco will have a lot of support
in the passing game from junior
wideouts Zack Weber, Jayvon Holt,
Paul Pearson and Terrell Booth.
Sophomores Elijah Ward and Dai-
Quann Chatfield and junior Imani
transfer Pharoh Fisher also are in
the mix.
Booth earned first-team All-
Three Rivers Conference honors
last year.
“We plan on moving fast, so we
have to keep guys switching in and
out,” Regus said.
Pearson is expected to carry the
ball, along with junior Machai
Brooks, as Regus looks for the
replacement for Ray Holmes, last
year’s leading rusher who also
earned first-team all-conference
recognition along the defensive
line.
Senior Kyle Sullivan and junior
Danny Opferman return as anchors
along the offensive and defensive
lines.
Pearson (defensive end) and
many of the top offensive players
also are expected to make an
impact on defense. Regus said he
is high on senior John Banner
(offensive line/linebacker) and
sophomores Michael Schanck
(running back/linebacker) and
Antoine Smith (offensive line/defensive
line).
In addition to Steel Valley, Serra
Catholic will face Apollo-Ridge,
Shady Side Academy and WPIAL
newcomer Ligonier Valley in conference
play.
Ligonier Valley comes from District
6, where it finished 12-1 and
lost to Richland in the District 6
title game last year. Apollo-Ridge
returns a plethora of starters from
last season’s 7-4 Class 2A playoff
qualifier.
“It should be really interesting,”
Regus said. “We owe Shady Side
a little payback from the (2018)
playoffs. It looks like Ligonier Valley
lost a lot from last year. I’m
not sure what they have back to
replace.”
Shady Side Academy, as the No. 1
seed, edged Serra Catholic, 22-20,
in the 2018 WPIAL Class 2A first
round.
“We’re really confident, and the
coaches are confident in us,” Rocco
said. “We have a winning mindset,
and we are using that to work hard
for the start of the season.”
by MICHAEL LOVE