After historic season, Leechburg hungry for more
By:
Monday, August 22, 2022 | 12:01 PM
Leechburg receiver Logan Kline catches a pass during practice on Thursday, August 4, 2022, in Leechburg.
Leechburg running back Braylan Lovelace carries the ball during practice on Thursday, August 4, 2022, in Leechburg.
Leechburg quarterback Jayden Floyd throws a pass during practice on Thursday, August 4, 2022, in Leechburg.
Leechburg head coach Randy Walters works with his team during practice on Thursday, August 4, 2022, in Leechburg.
Leechburg tight end Jake Cummings catches a pass during practice on Thursday, August 4, 2022, in Leechburg.
Leechburg running back Braylan Lovelace takes a hand-off from quarterback Jayden Floyd during practice on Thursday, August 4, 2022, in Leechburg.
Leechburg’s Braylan Lovelace plays linebacker during practice on Thursday, August 4, 2022, in Leechburg.
Leechburg receiver Logan Kline catches a pass during practice on Thursday, August 4, 2022, in Leechburg.
Leechburg senior running back/linebacker Braylan Lovelace has committed to Pitt.
Leechburg senior running back/linebacker Braylan Lovelace has committed to Pitt.
Leechburg senior running back/linebacker Braylan Lovelace has committed to Pitt.
By now, many are familiar with the season of firsts for the 2021 Leechburg Blue Devils.
First winning season since 1991. First time in the playoffs since 1988. First playoff victory since 1978. First team in Alle-Kiski Valley history to score 500 points in a season make playoffs. The list goes on and on.
The Blue Devils finished 9-3 overall before being eliminated by Cornell in the Class A quarterfinals.
“We reached a lot of milestones last year,” said Blue Devils coach Randy Walters. “We did it with such a small roster. We never dressed more than 26 kids for any game. Just loved the way the kids played.”
But now the question is: What does Leechburg do for an encore?
“We’re going for it all. We want to go to the championship,” said tailback/linebacker Braylan Lovelace. “This is my senior season and for our seniors, this is our last year playing together. I’ve known some since I was 6 years old, others since seventh grade.”
“We had nine wins last year, but there’s always more to achieve, more to improve on,” senior receiver Logan Kline said. “Our goal is to get farther than we did last year. We wanted another home playoff game. Last year the atmosphere was crazy here. It was like a 5A football game.”
Walters thought the turning point was the Brentwood game on Sept. 10.
Said Walters: “It was our first game on turf, they’re a Double-A team, and we were concerned when we saw them on film. But we put it to them pretty good and rolled from there.”
The roster appears to be a slightly larger than last year, but some who attended spring workouts haven’t been back. Walters hopes they return at some point.
The Blue Devils will have to replace quarterback Thomas Burke III, last year’s Valley News Dispatch Offensive Player of the Year. Now at Waynesburg University, Burke passed for 2,213 yards last season with 18 touchdowns.
Leechburg will now shift to sophomore Jayden Floyd.
“He’s one of those players who’s better when they put the pads on,” said Walters. “He’s tough. We can run the ball with him. He’ll be fine.”
Lovelace, who ran for 1,506 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, is back for his senior season. The Pitt commit has run for 2,801 yards thus far in his three previous seasons.
Kline and Tyler Foley are back as receivers. Kline had 36 receptions in 2021 and Foley chipped in 33 catches.
Leechburg starts the season with a trip to Apollo-Ridge. The rivalry between the variations of the two schools dates to 1919.
“I’m really excited to play them again,” Foley said. “When we played them my freshman year, we didn’t get the result we wanted. I think it’s going to be a good game.”
Leechburg has to also replace tight end/defensive end Eli Rich, a first-team Valley News Dispatch all-star.
Sophomore Jake Cummings and seniors Brandin Gilmer and Owen McDermott will help to replace Rich.
Walters also looks to have several freshmen contribute.
Senior Brandon Lucas, injured all of last season, is expected to help anchor both lines.
Although last year’s WPIAL champion, Bishop Canevin, has left the conference, the Eastern Conference remains strong, producing eight of the last nine WPIAL champions.
“Nobody is above Clairton till somebody beats Clairton,” Walters said. “You also have Greensburg Central Catholic in there. Frazier is now in the conference and Springdale has a new coach. So what I want is for us to be in the mix for one of those top four playoff spots and we’ll see what shakes out from there.”
Leechburg
Coach: Randy Walters
2021 record: 9-3, 5-2 in Class A Eastern Conference
All-time record: 409-517-38
SCHEDULE
Date, Opponent, Time
8.26 at Apollo-Ridge, 7
9.3 at Summit Academy, 12:30
9.9 Bentworth, 7
9.16 Springdale*, 7
9.23 at Clairton*, 7
9.30 Frazier*, 7
10.7 at Jeannette*, 7
10.14 Riverview*, 7
10.21 Shenango, 7
10.28 at Greensburg Central Catholic*, 7
*Conference game
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing: Thomas Burke III*
134-218 2,213 yards, 18 TDs
Receiving: Logan Kline
36-614, 11 TDs
Rushing: Braylan Lovelace
171-1,506, 30 TDs
FAST FACTS
• Leechburg is now 5-4 all-time in WPIAL playoff games after last year. The Blue Devils won WPIAL titles in 1953, ’65 and ’66 and defeated Neshannock in 1978 and California last season.
• This will mark the 75th anniversary of Veterans Stadium. A makeshift field was developed in 1946, but post-war supply chain problems prevented the stadium from being completed until ‘47. That turned out to be better because more World War II veterans had returned home for the official dedication.
• Since Kittanning was merged to form Armstrong High School, Leechburg now owns the A-K Valley’s oldest continuous program, fielding a team for 104 consecutive seasons.
• Dylan Cook, a Valley News Dispatch first-team QB from 2020, is now on the coaching staff.
ROSTER
No., Name, Pos., Ht./Wt., Cl.
5, Logan Kline, WR/S, 6-1/190, Sr.
10, Jayden Floyd, QB, 5-11/185, So.
13, Owen McDermott, WR/C, 6-1/175, Sr.
18, Ryan Shaw, K, 5-9/175, Jr.
21, Braylan Lovelace, RB/LB, 6-3/200, Sr.
22, Tim Andrasy, RB/C, 5-4/135, Fr.
23, Lucas Gamble, HB/DE, 5-9/180, So.
25, Matt Williams, HB/LB, 5-10/180, Fr.
28, Tristan Zalenski, WR/S, 6-0/160, Fr.
32, Jessie McMillen, WR/C, 5-9/170, Jr.
33, Brice Gilmer, HB/LB, 5-7/150, Fr.
34, Brandin Gilmer, HB/RB/LB, 6-0/195, Jr.
45, Lucas Oldfield, OL/DL, 5-9/180, Fr.
51, Zane Iuzi, OL/DL, 5-10/170, Jr.
52, Aden Adams, WR/C, 6-0/165, Jr.
53, Philup Rearick, OL/DL, 5-9/205, Fr.
55, Owen Nuttall, OL/DL, 5-11/185, Jr.
57, Sebastian Mason, LB, 5-7/155, Jr.
58, Brady Shearer, OL/DL, 5-10/200, Fr.
62, Dylan Long, OL/DL, 5-10/240, Jr.
65, Geno Granata, OL/DL, 5-10/180, Fr.
67, Alex Pulkownik, OL/DL, 5-10/190, Sr.
71, Colin Cook, OL/DL, 5-10/180, Sr.
73, Jayden Rosenberger, OL/DL, 6-2/240, Fr.
75, Brandan Lucas, OL/DL, 6-2/250, Sr.
79, Eric Guo, OL/DL, 5-6/140, So.
81, Tyler Foley, WR/C, 6-0/165, Sr.
83, Gabe Santiago, WR/S, 6-0/140, Fr.
86, Ben Talerico, Y/DE, 6-0/175, Fr.
88, Jake Cummings, Y/LB, 5-11/180, So.
Note: Due to a production scheduling conflict, the preview for Eastern Conference member Frazier will appear on Trib HSSN later this week.
More Football
• Trib HSSN football player of the week for Oct. 13, 2024• This week on Trib HSSN for week of Oct. 14, 2024
• 2024 WPIAL football playoff picture: Who’s in, on the cusp ahead of Week 8 contests
• Amari Gans’ breakout season helps Gateway remain in playoff hunt
• High school roundup for Oct. 12, 2024: Western Beaver beats Mohawk in MAC showdown
