CTK 2013 – WPIAL Quad-A Southeastern Conference Preview

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, August 14, 2013 | 11:23 PM

Four teams finished within a game of each other at the top of the Southeastern Conference last year. It could be a great race for the title again this year.

Coming into this season, many coaches inside and outside the conference are predicting strength in numbers for the Southeastern this season. Woodland Hills, Upper St. Clair and Bethel Park appear to be strong this year, and Mount Lebanon could make some waves. Peters Township could be a sleeper, while Canon-McMillan, Baldwin and Plum have new coaches who want to make a mark.

A year ago, Upper St. Clair and Mount Lebanon tied for the conference title while Woodland Hills and Bethel Park were only one game back. Look for much of the same this season.

Here is a look at the Southeastern Conference:

BALDWIN HIGHLANDERS:

There is a new man leading the Highlanders as Pete Wagner takes over for Jim Wehner. Wagner was an assistant under Wehner the past four years and was an assistant at Montour the four years before that.

Wagner inherits four returning starters on offense and seven on defense. The Highlanders will feature one of the top junior prospects in the WPIAL. Sterling Jenkins is a 6-foot-8, 300-pound 11^th-grader who already has some Division I scholarship offers.

Offensively, Baldwin has to establish a running game without Dorian Brown, who ran for more than 1,000 yards last year before graduating. Nick Barca might be the featured back now. He rushed for 198 yards on 36 attempts last season. Doug Altavilla gives the Highlanders an experienced quarterback. He completed 55 of 122 for 843 yards last season as a sophomore. Also back on offense is senior guard Enzo Ruscitto and senior receiver Luke Smorey.

On defense, three starters return in the secondary – cornerback Gary Jackson, safety Barca and cornerback Smorey. Davontae Evans and Matt Dunn are back on the lines while Jake Elk and Justin Zinsmeister return at linebacker.

Baldwin hopes to make the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

BETHEL PARK BLACK HAWKS:

With talent and experience at some of the skill positions and with the return of some linemen, things are looking up.

First off, Bethel Park has one of the top offensive linemen in the area in Mike Grimm, who already has made a verbal commitment to Pitt. Also back on the line is guard Ryan Sosnak.

At the skill positions, there is plenty to be excited about. Quarterback Levin Metheny, son of coach Jeff Metheny, started last season as a freshman and he completed 81 of 135 passes for 1,071 yards and also rushed 99 times for 375 yards.

Leading the ground game is versatile running back Zach Enick. He led the team in rushing with 696 yards on 123 attempts and also led the team in receptions with 23 for 302 yards.

Danny Emma is the top returning receiver.

Bethel Park hopes to continue the momentum they created in the last part of the 2012 season. The Black Hawks started 1-2, but won five of their last six in the regular season and then a playoff game against McKeesport. Their season ended with a 42-14 loss to North Allegheny in the WPIAL quarterfinals

CANON-McMILLAN BIG MACS:

The Big Macs have a new coach in Ron Coder, who played at Penn State, was a third-round draft choice of the Steelers in 1976 and played in the NFL. He also coached the Pittsburgh Passion womens football team.

Coder has a mountain to climb with this program. The Big Macs have won only two games the past three seasons. But there is reason for some optimism as Coder said eight starters return on offense and eight on defense.

It is a must the Big Macs improve offensively as they scored only 64 points last season, the lowest in Class AAAA. Jules Gdovic returns at running back. He rushed for 220 yards on 60 attempts last season and led the team in receptions with 16.

Canon-McMillan might have one of the better offensive linemen in Alex Paulina, a 6-3, 280-pound junior. A few other returning starters are receiver-defensive back Dylan Dzikowski and running back Justin Mattola.

MOUNT LEBANON BLIE DEVILS:

This is Mike Melnyk’s second year as coach. The Blue Devils tied Upper St. Clair for the conference title last year with a 7-1 record. Although Mount Lebanon lost a number of key players to graduation, there is reason to believe the Blue Devils will be fighting for the top of the conference again.

Mount Lebanon features two future Division I college players. Receiver Troy Apke already has committed to Pitt. Meanwhile, Alex Bookser is one of the top offensive linemen in the state. The 6-6, 295-pound senior has narrowed his list of colleges to eight – Pitt, Penn State, Alabama, Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Virginia and Tennessee.

Mount Lebanon will have to find a new quarterback with the graduation of Tyler Roth, who threw for 2,514 yards last season. Apke should be one of the best receivers in the WPIAL if the Blue Devils can get him the ball enough. He caught 54 passes for 1,048 yards last season.

Returning in the backfield is Jake Rolfsen, who rushed for 348 yards on 86 attempts last season as a sophomore.

PETERS TOWNSHIP INDIANS:

There are some who think Peters Township could push its way to the top four in the conference. At the very least, there is reason for optimism at Peters Township because seven players return on offense and seven on defense.

Coach Rich Piccinini still must find a replacement for graduated running back Mike Minjock, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards, but the offense still should be solid. Big things are expected of junior quarterback Cory Owen, who last year as a sophomore completed 39 of 80 for 715 yards and also rushed for 412.

Senior Marcus Obinger figures to be the lead running back. He rushed for 415 yards on 42 attempts last season. Tight end Max Augustin and receiver Mike Erenberg also are back.

On defense, the linebacker position looks good with the return of Cody Sheetz and Kenny Ward. Greg Watts could be one of the best defensive ends in the conference. The Indians made the playoffs last year, but lost in the first round. They hope to take things further this season.

PENN HILLS INDIANS:

John Peterman begins his second year as coach, hoping to get the Indians back to the playoffs. Penn Hills finished 3-6 overall last year and in sixth place in the Southeastern, one game out of the playoffs.

If anything, Penn Hills needs to improve its offense. The Indians scored only 99 points last season. Only Canon-McMillan, Plum and Shaler scored fewer points in Class AAAA. Some of the big shoes to fill include those of Denzell Sherrill, who was the team’s second-leading rusher last year as a sophomore with 422 yards on 78 attempts and quarterback Darius Holloway, who also graduated. He led the team in rushing last year.

The defense was much better than the offense last year and defense might again be a key. Penn Hills allowed 183 points in nine games last year.

PLUM MUSTANGS:

Matt Morgan is the new coach, taking over for Frank Sacco, whose job was opened by the school board. Morgan is a former standout lineman at Plum. He went on to play at Pitt and played briefly in the NFL. He was an assistant at Gateway the past three seasons.

There is nowhere to go but up for Plum. The Mustangs have lost 16 in a row and have a 10-28 record the past four years.

The cupboard isn’t bare for Morgan. Plum has five starters returning on offense and seven on defense. Morgan also plans to play a number of young players, sophomores and even a freshman. Junior running back Kyle Smecker tied for the team lead in rushing last year, but with only 219 yards. Wil Fuhrer, a 6-3 junior, will take over at quarterback.

Senior returning starters are linemen Steven Turchick and Liam Kress, defensive back Zach Kuhn, tight end-linebacker Hunter Fenk, fullback-linebacker Jeff Ruffing and linebackers Kyle Tomasitis and Antonio Mascaro.

The Mustangs must develop more offensive punch after averaging only 7 points a game last season.

UPPER ST. CLAIR PANTHERS:

Many are pegging Upper St. Clair and Woodland Hills as the top two teams in this conference. We will find out right away who might be the team to beat as Upper St. Clair plays at Woodland Hills in the opening game of the season.

Although Upper St. Clair lost do-everything quarterback Pete Coughlin, the Panthers have a number of returning starters with talent. Plus, they have Rori Blair returning to football. He showed promise two years ago as a junior but missed last season after suffering a life-threatening stroke. The WPIAL gave him an extra year of eligibility. Some Division I colleges offered Blair a scholarship and he committed to Pitt in July.

 Joe Repishak and J.J. Conn were battling for the starting QB job. Repishak may have the edge. Conn is a returning starter at linebacker.

The lines are pretty big and fairly experienced. Ben Huss was a first-team all-conference offensive guard last season.

Offensive guard Zach Morris, running back Steve Mackowick, defensive lineman Robert Plummer, linebacker Kyle Page and defensive back Morgan Lee all return after making second-team all-conference.

Upper St. Clair used a number of players to run the ball last year and two top ones return in Mackowick and Mac Pope. Coughlin led the team in rushing but Mackowick led all running backs with 525 yards and Pope was next with 328.

WOODLAND HILLS WOLVERINES:

Many feel the Wolverines are the No. 1 team in Class AAAA heading into the season. Coach George Novak has a team that seems to be good at the skill positions, but says his lines are young and those lines will be key.

Woodland Hills always tries to have a strong running game and should have a pretty good one again this season. Miles Sanders showed loads of potential as a freshman last year, running for a team-high 738 yards on 129 carries.

Two offensive linemen worth watching are Dan Gibson and Jim Rooney.

Two talented players had their seasons end last year due to torn ACLs. They are Harry Randall and Chris David. Randall is battling with sophomore Jeremiah Jones for the starting quarterback job. Randall is an excellent athlete. He rushed for 327 yards on 28 carries last year and also played DB.

Trevon Mathis is a receiver-defensive back who has some scholarship offers from Division I-AA colleges. Art Thompkins adds depth to running back.

Linebacker Dante Broadus will be one of the defensive leaders. Lineman Kevin Sullivan is another defender who could have an impact.

Overall, Woodland Hills definitely has enough to battle for a conference and WPIAL championship this year. The Wolverines lost to North Allegheny in the WPIAL title game last year.

MSA SPORTS PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE:

1.      Woodland Hills Wolverines

2.      Upper St. Clair Panthers

3.      Bethel Park Black Hawks

4.      Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils

5.      Penn Hills Indians

6.      Peters Township Indians

7.      Baldwin Highlanders

8.      Plum Mustangs

9.      Canon-McMillan Big Macs