Small senior class has Montour counting on underclassmen for help

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 | 4:42 AM

Senior leadership is a phrase often tossed around by high school coaches as a key to success.

At Montour, though, that responsibility will be shouldered by some underclassmen as well. The Spartans, who were WPIAL Class 4A runners-up last year, have only six seniors on the roster.

“The youngest team I’ve ever coached in my whole career,” said coach Lou Cerro, who’s starting his 14th season at Montour after 12 at Seton LaSalle. “We usually average 15 or 16 a class. That hurts your numbers a little bit but we’re managing.”

Deep junior and sophomore classes should keep Montour competitive. Among them is quarterback Luke Persinger, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound sophomore who’ll take over for Kavon Morman, a 1,600-yard passer last season.

“He gets better each and every day,” Cerro said. “When we started throwing in the spring, he wasn’t where we need him to be. Now he’s getting there. He knows the offense.

“It’s hard to throw a sophomore in as the starting quarterback anywhere in the WPIAL,” Cerro added. “We’ve had a very good track record here of quarterbacks, so we’re hoping he turns out to be as good as the rest.”

The team brings back only four starters from last season’s lineup that lost at Heinz Field in the WPIAL finals to Thomas Jefferson. Returning are seniors Dante Presutti (linebacker/fullback), Jordan Schons (defensive end/offensive line) and Dom Magliocco (safety/wide receiver), and junior George Padezanin, a two-way lineman.

With an influx of youth, camp has a different feel, Cerro said.

“There’s a lot more teaching, a lot more individual work to make sure everybody knows what they’re doing,” he said. “The six seniors that are here know what’s going on, but these younger kids need coached up a lot.”

Joining Persinger in the backfield are Presutti, sophomore Gannon Kadlecik and junior Billy White. None of them had more than a handful of rushing yards last season.

Junior James Eubanks (6-4, 230) could become an impact player at tight end and defensive end.

“We’re going to play a lot of sophomore and juniors,” Cerro said. “It bodes well for the future, but I think these sophomores and juniors fortunately have a lot of talent. They’re very talented kids, it’s just a matter of them maturing as the season goes on.”

Schedule

Coach: Lou Cerro

2017 record: 9-6, 6-2

All-time record: 431-324-20

Date, Opponent, Time

8.24, at Moon, 7 p.m.

8.31, New Castle*, 7 p.m.

9.7, at Laurel Highlands, 7:30 p.m.

9.14, at Aliquippa, 7 p.m.

9.21, Blackhawk*, 7 p.m.

9.28, Knoch*, 7 p.m.

10.5, at Highlands*, 7 p.m.

10.12, Ambridge*, 7 p.m.

10.19, at Beaver*, 7:30 p.m.

10.26, South Fayette*, 7 p.m.

*Class 4A Northwest 8 Conference game

Statistical leaders

Passing: Kavon Morman*

103-159, 1,689 yards, 15 TDs

Rushing: Brayden Jones*

125-675 yards, 6 TDs

Receiving: Branden Lipford*

31-664 yards, 9 TDs

*Graduated

Tags: Montour