94 • CENTURY
CENTURY • CHARLEROI
Coach: Brady Barbero
2019 record: 7-3, 5-2 in
Class 2A Century
All-time record: 564-444-60
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 at Frazier* 7
9.18 McGuffey* 7
9.25 at Waynesburg* 7
10.2 Chartiers-Houston* 7
10.9 at Beth-Center* 7
10.16 Washington* 7
10.23 at Albert Gallatin 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Alex Conrad*
93-147, 1,173 yards, 14 TDss
Receiving Legend Davis*
33-436 yards, 8 TDs
Rushing Brayden Milhalcin*
180-972 yards, 14 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• The Cougars went 7-3 last
season and put together a
five-game winning streak in
the middle of the season.
• Behind Washington, Mc-
Guffey and Burgettstown, the
Cougars had the fourth-highest
scoring offense in Class 2A
last season.
• Dom Pellegrini set Charleroi’s
career tackles record last season
with 342.
• During Barbero’s year as an
offensive coordinator at Ringgold,
JAKE KING
the Rams averaged 32.9
points, which was the fourth
CHARLEROI SEEKS TO
highest in Class 4A. MAINTAIN WINNING WAYS
Charleroi has a new coach for
the second time in three years, and
the Cougars didn’t have to go far
to find him.
Charleroi athletic director and
former California head coach
Brady Barbero was hired as the
Cougars’ new head football coach
in April, and he is excited to return
to the sidelines after a few years
away from coaching.
“After couple years off, you forget
how much you miss it,” Barbero
said. “Watching games here
and being the athletic director, it
really willed me to come back out
and created that desire to come
back and coach.”
Barbero was head coach at California
from 2009-12 and tallied a
record of 19-19 in four seasons.
He joined Nick Milchovich’s
Ringgold staff in 2014 and coached
the wide receivers for two seasons
before being named the offensive
coordinator in 2016 when the
Rams made a run to the WPIAL
semifinals.
Now, Barbero is back at the helm
and ready to help the Cougars continue
their winning ways.
His predecessor, Lance Getsy, led
the Cougars to the playoffs the past
two seasons, including a trip to the
WPIAL Class 2A semifinals in 2018
and a first-round appearance last
season. Barbero will take over a
team that has its entire offensive
line returning but needs to replace
several skill players.
“We have a lot of young guys
stepping into our skill positions
that we are excited about,” Barbero
said. “We are hoping that
our line can anchor us and lead
the way.”
Senior Dyelan Edwards (6-2, 240)
and junior Jake King (6-4, 280)
helped pave the way for four rushers
who combined for 1,854 yards
and 27 touchdowns last season.
Edwards was also big on defense
for the Cougars last season as he
racked up 57 tackles.
“Without a doubt, they are solid
and they work hard,” Barbero said.
“With the guys that are ready to
take over the skill positions, I think
we’ll have a nice mix.”
The Cougars will have to replace
their leading passer, rusher
and receiver from a year ago, but
Barbero likes what he’s seen from
the younger players so far this
summer.
Barbero said junior Brendan
Harps (5-9, 165) will step in at quarterback
after senior Alex Conrad
threw for 1,173 yards and 14 touchdowns
last season. He’ll be accompanied
in the backfield by running
backs Nikko Pellegrini and Levi
Hutchin.
As a sophomore, Pelligrini ran
for 265 yards and four touchdowns
on 36 carries last season. Senior
Darius Cooper, who was a linemen
last season and recorded 99 tackles
on defense, including a team-high
13 for loss, will make the move to
tight end and could possibly earn
a couple carries.
With only eight seniors, the Cougars
will have to overcome a lack
of experience early on. To counteract
that inexperience, Barbero
is hoping to put his players in the
best position possible.
“Just getting their feet wet and
getting that first game and those
first snaps under their belt to let
them gain that confidence back,”
Barbero said about bringing the
younger players along. “From a
coaching perspective, you want to
put them in position to make plays,
where they don’t have to do too
much and go from there.”
by GREG MACAFEE