2 WPIAL seniors receive 1st Division I offers from Rhode Island
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Sunday, November 3, 2019 | 5:16 PM
Mt. Lebanon’s Mason Ventrone
Moon’s Brenden Luffey (75) and Ben Bladel (53) react to an interception during a game against Bethel Park on Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, at Bethel Park.
Two WPIAL football players received their first Division I offers this week from the same FCS school.
Rhode Island extended offers to Mt. Lebanon senior Mason Ventrone and Moon senior Brenden Luffey, the players announced on Twitter. Leading the Rams’ recruiting efforts around the WPIAL is first-year assistant coach Josh Lott, who has Pittsburgh ties.
Lott played college football at Duquesne and spent two seasons as an assistant on Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi’s staff. Lott also coached at Thiel and Delaware before joining Rhode Island’s staff in March.
He coaches the defensive line.
Ventrone (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) is a running back, wide receiver and linebacker for Mt. Lebanon. He’s the team’s leading rusher and ranks second with 11 touchdowns. He earned second-team all-conference honors at defensive back as a junior.
Luffey (6-2, 285) is a two-way lineman for Moon, which won the Allegheny Eight Conference title. Luffey was first-team all-conference last year at defensive line.
Both are seniors and have their teams in the WPIAL playoffs.
Moon (9-2) plays Peters Township on Friday in a Class 5A quarterfinal. Mt. Lebanon (7-4) plays Central Catholic in a Class 6A semifinal.
Rhode Island is an FCS program that competes in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Rams are 2-7 overall this season, 0-5 in the conference.
North Catholic graduate Keith Wells is a senior defensive lineman for Rhode Island.
I’m beyond blessed to have received my first division 1 offer from the University of Rhode Island!! @CoachJLott @Moon_Football @Coach_Linn @wpialsportsnews @RhodyFootball pic.twitter.com/s9BoshCWhM
— Brenden Luffey (@LuffeyBrenden) November 2, 2019
I’m excited to announce my first official offer and first D1 offer to the Rhode Island. I’ve been working for this moment for a long time and would love to thank @CoachJLott for this opportunity. pic.twitter.com/2G6LpMgpdv
— Mason Ventrone (@MasonVentrone) November 1, 2019
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
Tags: Moon, Mt. lebanon
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