New coach means new opportunity for Chartiers-Houston

By: Matthew Purucker
Wednesday, August 21, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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No one said being a high school football coach was easy. From restructuring the playbook to keeping team morale high, newly minted Chartiers-Houston coach Dan Lis has been presented with many tasks to help revive his alma mater’s football program.

“It’s how much I have to do outside of football. … They see the result, but they don’t see what goes into the season. They don’t see the amount of work that all the coaches put in,” Lis said. “We knew that it was going to be difficult, but I believe it’s coming into fruition.”

Chartiers-Houston has been in a rough patch since the middle of the 2022 season. The Buccaneers have dropped 13 of their last 15 games, including last year’s winless campaign.

However, emerging victorious on Friday nights is not the main focus for Lis in 2024.

“Honestly, wins and losses are gonna come, but I’m more motivated to get these players to compete and know how to win,” Lis said. “That’s been the motto all this offseason, to compete. … I honestly want to win, but I want to be able to carry that ability to compete into later seasons, (like) basketball (and) track and field, and to be good student athletes and be successful in their lives. That was the one thing that was missing when I came back.”

While a new head coach was the most notable change for the Bucs this offseason, it was not the only change. Keegan Kosek, Chartiers-Houston’s leading pass catcher, graduated this spring, leaving a void at wide receiver. Senior Nathan Brezinski is hoping that he can step up and boost his numbers. He recorded eight receptions for 93 yards in 2023.

Also returning for Chartiers-Houston is its second-year starting quarterback, junior Aaron Walsh, who led the team in passing and rushing yards last year. He is a dual-threat player who passed for nearly 400 yards and was over 200 yards on the ground. Walsh’s production will likely determine the success of the Bucs in the 2024 season.

Senior offensive lineman Paul Williamson also hopes that he can rise to the occasion, seeing that he has taken initiative to lead the way in practice.

“He’s going to be very important to our offense. He’s won in his freshman and sophomore year,” Lis said. “He told the kids that he’s not going to go out (winless).”

Lis said Brezinski, Walsh and Williamson will headline the defense too, but he also is hoping for sophomore Brady Gottfredson to make some noise at linebacker.

“He’s a big kid, 6-foot, 190. I have high expectations for him as a linebacker,” Lis said. “He’s one of those guys that just gets it, picks things up quickly.”

While individual performances will be important for the Bucs, a successful year in the eyes of Lis will come down to how well they come together as a unit. One of the ways Lis believes he can facilitate that process is by starting what he dubbed the “Ultimate Buccaneer Accountability Program.”

“That was designed to keep the kids accountable, serving the community and showing up to offseason workouts,” Lis said. “That was put into play because I wanted the team to work out together, not by themselves, which happened in the past.”

He also believes that it will help make Chartiers-Houston student athletes more well-rounded, which in turn will have positive lasting effects on the football program.

Lis trusts in the philosophy that doing the little things may lead to big things in the future for the Bucs.

“It’s cliche, but we have to do things right and that will lead to wins,” Lis said. “I’ve been big on the little things, staying behind the white line during sprints, walking down to the field in single file. That creates the culture of being a winning team.”

Chartiers-Houston

Coach: Dan Lis

2023 record: 0-10, 0-7 in Class A Black Hills Conference

All-time record: 385-381-18

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 Jefferson-Morgan, 7

8.30 at Springdale, 7

9.6 Mapletown, 7

9.13 at Fort Cherry*, 7

9.20 Burgettstown*, 7

9.27 at Bishop Canevin*, 7

10.4 Monessen*, 7

10.11 at Serra Catholic*, 7

10.18 Cornell*, 7

10.25 at Northgate, 7

* Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Aaron Walsh

40-90, 399 yards, 1 TD

Rushing: Walsh

76-213 yards, 5 TDs

Receiving: Keegan Kosek*

15-131 yards, 1 TD

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Before Chartiers-Houston’s winless campaign in 2023, the Buccaneers went 22-14 from 2019-22.

• New head coach Dan Lis played quarterback at Chartiers-Houston before switching to wide receiver at Washington & Jefferson. From 2013-15, he tallied 141 receptions for 1,505 yards and 12 touchdowns in 33 games.

• Before Lis, Chartiers-Houston had two head coaches since 1976. Terry Fetsko, who most recently held the position, led the Bucs to nine playoff games in his 19 seasons.

• The Bucs won’t play two consecutive home games or road games this season.

Tags: Chartiers-Houston