TRIB TOTAL MEDIA • 97
BRANDON PATTERSON
NEXT CLASS UP GETS
CHANCE AT WASHINGTON
One of the things Washington
coach Mike Bosnic has been repeatedly
drilling into his team
in the run-up to the season is the
importance of hand washing.
It wasn’t a trick designed to get
players to focus on the fundamentals,
like how UCLA coaching legend
John Wooden used to show
his players how to properly put
on their socks on the first day of
practice.
It was a necessary safety measure
as Bosnic undertook the unenviable
task of coaching football
during a pandemic.
“I never imagined in my wildest
dreams we would be facing
what we are right now,” Bosnic
said. “We always have talked to the
kids about hygiene and nutrition.
I guess now, we’re just stressing it
even more.”
Paying attention to detail has
served the Prexies well over the
years, as they’re firmly entrenched
as perennial WPIAL championship
contenders in Class 2A.
Whether they’ll continue that
trend this season hinges upon how
well they replace a deep and talented
senior class from a season ago.
Washington lost seven first-team
all-conference players to graduation,
including offensive player of
the year Zack Swartz and lineman
of the year Zakhi Marshall.
Swartz threw for 1,852 yards and
22 touchdowns and ran for 1,116
yards and 26 scores. Zahmere Robinson
compiled 1,487 yards from
scrimmage and scored 19 touchdowns.
Gerald Comedy, Chase
Mitchell, Isaiah Edwards, Caleb
Jackson and others made invaluable
contributions.
All told, the last four years, the
class went 47-5 overall and 27-1 in
conference competition.
“One of the most successful
classes ever at Wash High,” Bosnic
said. “Just a great group of kids,
great leaders. It’s going to be really
tough to replace them.”
The decorated senior class saw
its Washington career end with
a loss that was, at the time, an
excruciating setback. After rolling
through their first 13 opponents,
the Prexies dropped a 28-6 decision
to Avonworth in the WPIAL championship
game.
A few months of hindsight have
given Bosnic some perspective on
the loss.
“It was just disappointing that
we picked the worst time possible
to have breakdowns and really
have our worst performance of
the year,” Bosnic said. “But when
you step back and reflect on everything
that group of seniors accomplished
and what great leaders
they were just to get us to where
we were, when you think about all
those things, it was a successful
season.”
As the Prexies try to put together
another successful season, they
have a strong foundation on which
to rebuild.
Quarterback is a question mark,
but a handful of high-end skill
players return.
Start with a pair of talented
juniors, Tayshawn Levy and Brandon
Patterson. Levy ran for 450
yards last season and the 6-foot-3
Patterson had 279 receiving yards
and intercepted four passes.
Another strong senior class
has returning starters sprinkled
throughout the Washington lineup.
Zack Doman and Steven Patterson
are back on the offensive line.
Defensive end Shaliek Cox had
four sacks last season. Mike Allen
and Amari Miller are cornerstones
of the linebacking corps. Asa
Charnik returns in the secondary.
“At this point, we’ve been really
successful over the last seven
years,” Bosnic said. “We’ve kind
of set a standard and some expectations.
We’ve been fortunate enough
that we’ve had kids who have felt
it’s really important for them to
win and carry on the tradition. I’m
excited. I’m excited for this next
group to have their time to step up
and be the leaders now.”
by JONATHAN BOMBULIE
Coach: Mike Bosnic
2019 record: 13-1, 7-0 in
Class 2A Century Conference
All-time record: 710-369-56
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 at McGuffey* 7
9.18 Waynesburg* 7
9.25 at Chartiers-Houston* 7
10.2 Beth-Center* 7
10.9 at Trinity 7
10.16 at Charleroi* 7
10.23 Frazier* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Zack Swartz*
110-174, 1,852 yards, 22 TDs
Receiving Zahmere Robinson*
40-670 yards, 9 TDs
Rushing Swartz*
143-1,116 yards, 26 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• Washington’s trip to the
finals last season moved the
school into a tie with Rochester
for the fourth-most championship
game appearances in
WPIAL history with 14. The
top three schools are Aliquippa
(30), Clairton (19) and Jeannette
(15).
• Washington scored 483
points in the regular season
last year, second-most in the
WPIAL behind West Greene
(502). Washington’s average
of 48.3 points per game was
actually down from its regular
season average of 52.3 points
per game in 2018.
• Despite massive graduation
losses, Washington returns
players who scored 129 points
last season. Fifteen WPIAL
schools scored fewer than 129
points as a team last year.
• Pandemic-related schedule
changes have allowed Washington
to rekindle an old rivalry
when the Prexies make the
short trip to Trinity on Oct. 9.
Originally, Washington had a
bye that week and Trinity was
scheduled to face Uniontown,
which subsequently canceled
its fall sports season. The
teams haven’t faced off in 20
years.
AMARI MILLER
WASHINGTON • CENTURY