2006 WPIAL Preview

Class AAA

By Anthony Jaskulski

The triple A has a powerful pack of teams lurking for the WPIAL gold this season. Between Thomas Jefferson, Hampton, Hopewell, newcomer Trinity, and last year’s champions Franklin Regional, it’s going to be anything but an easy trip to Heinz.

Thomas Jefferson looks to have the pieces of a championship team. Starting at quarterback, Dom DeCicco has a great arm and is very quick out of the pocket. DeCicco, who has committed to Pitt, may take reps at both QB and receiver, as his brother Brock DeCicco could get some time under center as well. A big question mark on offense is the receivers. With DeCicco throwing the ball and Foothills Classic MVP Heath Brickner gone, you must wonder who will be pulling down the pigskin this year for TJ. Right now it looks like senior Rich Latanzzi, and sophomores Trevor Wildman and Zach DeCicco are the best candidates for the job. The running game will feature Dan Giegerich, a 1,000 yard rusher last season, and possibly senior Corey Lotis getting several carries. Of course the prime time suspect on this team is future V. Tech Hokie, tight end Chris Drager. He’s a three year starter and is a favorite target of DeCicco, but he can block just as well as he can catch. The line is the biggest TJ has seen in a while including standouts like Lucas Nix and this year’s lone returning starter from last year, Adam Zampatti. The defense is missing two of the strongest players the Jaguars have ever seen in Pitt recruit Nate Nix and Bucknell’s Jason Kolodziej. These two were a terrific senior tandem last season, making most of the Jaguars’ defensive tackles. It’s not written in stone yet who will fill in those spots, but there are plenty of candidates to get the job. Outside linebacker is a completely different story with returning starters Giegerich and Armenis Masculis. The d-line has no problem either, returning starters like interior linemen Zampatti and Nix, and star defensive end Drager. The secondary includes returning starter Dom DeCicco and newcomer Latanzzi. Overall this team looks to have the best talent in AAA and may be the best team to represent the WPIAL in the fight for Hershey.

Hopewell is ridiculously stacked with 14 starters returning, including eight on defense and six on offense. The battle on offense is at tailback. The trio competing for the job is David Posluszny, Jared Rains and Rich Mutkus. The leading candidate has to be Rains who rushed for 620 yards with four touchdowns last season. Posluszny will probably be moved from receiver to fullback this season. Quarterbacks Ryan Levinger and Mark Javens are competing for the job under center. Javens played receiver last season and will probably end up there this year again. Nate Harmotto and Josh Meyers are the two main threats at receiver, turning Hopewell into a pass happy team. On defense the Vikings are very strong with a linebacking core consisting of Mutkus, Justin Lasky, Levinger and Harmotto. Posluszny will be switching in at deep safety and linebacker this year, taking after his superstar brother, Paul. David Brown, Bruce Fleming and Merle McConnell are all returning on the Hopewell d-line as well as the offensive line making this Vikings team one of the best in recent years. Expect Hopewell to give a hard time to its opponents in AAA and possibly take the WPIAL championship.

Franklin Regional is looking to repeat this year as champions. The Panthers, however, will have a hard time, with 13 seniors graduated including starters like QB Brad Phillips, lineman John Malecki, and running back Robbie Armstrong. On offense the Panthers have Lenny Gallo, who had an outstanding performance in the PIAA playoffs filling in for injured starting quarterback Phillips. He will have receiver Matt Giugliano, who is being looked at by D-1 schools, to throw to this year. Gallo, who is rather speedy on the field and will be running a decent amount, has three returning starters in front of him including 300 pound stud A.J. Strum, Mike Bevilacqua, and center Alex Fleming. No speak of who the running back will be, but you can be sure that with a returning o-line like Franklin has, there will be no doubt that the ground attack should be successful. On defense, Franklin returns three starters in defensive end David Hysong and linebackers Joe Fix and Matt Giugliano. The d-line should consist of Strum and Fleming who are looking to go both ways this year. The Panthers will continue to run a 4-4 defense and will be looking for a lot more talent to fill in the shoes of some of the greats that graduated from the championship team last season.

West Mifflin introduces a new coach in Joe Lamenza to the WPIAL this year and plans on getting right back to where they started from last year. Even though stud running back Dustin Dean has graduated, the Titans have no need to worry with an athlete like Leon Green at the helm. He has a strong arm, is very quick and athletic, and is being looked at by plenty of D-1 schools. Green will have Chris Giles as a favorite target again as well as senior Adam Rocco. With not much of a line returning and what seems to be a weaker running game than last year, Green is going to have to be the key performer to get the offense in full gear. Defensively speaking West Mifflin returns Rocco at safety, who last year was leading in tackles on the team. Green, who is another talented defensive back on this squad, will also play in the secondary. Sean Motley, Ed Soto, and Jordan Malloy will be on the d-line as well as the offensive line this year, due to lack of linemen on the Titans squad. Overall, West Mifflin does not have the same team as last year, but if the heart is there and the line play is above average, then the Titans should have no problem traveling deep into the WPIAL playoffs this year.

Blackhawk faces one of the toughest schedules they have ever seen, making the road to Heinz Field filled with potholes. The Cougars have a much stronger team than last year returning 11 starters, five on offense and six on defense. Josh Gumbert, who led the team in receptions, 36, and receiving yards, 522, will be the biggest threat through the air.  He will be joined by tight end Jesse Sylvester, who also started last year. The ground game will consist of senior fullback Matt Parker who ran for 642 yards last season. He will run behind Jeff Bever and Ben Borkovich, both returning starters on the offensive line. Blackhawk’s quarterback this year will be senior Brian Sweeney. Sweeney missed all of last season due to an injury to his throwing shoulder. If he stays healthy through the season, there should be no reason why Blackhawk won’t have one of the best offenses in triple A. Defensively, Blackhawk has Parker, who led the team in tackles two years in a row and was second team all state last year. The secondary consists of two all conference players in Gumbert and Sylvester. Bever and Borkovich will be going both ways as linemen and will probably take up the two tackle spots on defense. Blackhawk is an undersized team with oversized talent and as long as they stay healthy throughout the season, then they should be one of the top contenders in AAA, possibly reaching the gold.

Hampton showcases two of the top players in the WPIAL in Bob Bartley and Steve Paskorz. This is Bartley’s third season at quarterback. He was dominant through the air last season throwing for over 1,700 yards and 28 touchdowns. Paskorz set a WPIAL record for rushing yards in a sophomore season (2,000), but last year suffered an ankle injury. However, He still managed to rush for 1,291 yards. Recruited by the Fighting Irish, Paskorz is probably the best running back in AAA and maybe all of the WPIAL. Coming off of a hamstring injury which took up all of last year, Joe Cangilla will be in top shape and be the Talbots’ best deep threat at receiver. The only rebuilding part takes place on the line which is undersized and inexperienced, with only 6’3” 260 pound Derrick Gooden returning. As long as the Hampton line holds strong, the Talbots should have the best offense in the WPIAL this year. On defense Hampton relies on their leader, Paskorz, who is not only a top running back in this league, but also a top linebacker. Notre Dame plans on keeping him at linebacker so you can imagine if he is making all this noise on offense, his defense must be as loud as a Metallica concert. Other than Paskorz, defense is definitely Hampton’s weak point after graduating seven players who all received All-Conference honors. Marcus Magister was another All-Conference star last year. He will be at defensive end and is joined by Paskorz at linebacker to try to turn this defense into another feared machine like last year. Overall Hampton has one of the best offenses with one of the worst defenses. If Hampton gets the line together and puts together a decent defense, I see the Talbots reaching high honors at the end of the year.

Mount Pleasant At least one team from each conference should be highlighted, so it’s only fair that Mount Pleasant gets that honor. In the past, the Keystone Conference has been known to be weak. And with the only true contender Yough gone, and this being the only conference in the WPIAL not to have a team in the preseason top 10, it seems like this will not be the best year for the conference. However, stats aside, the Vikings of Mount Pleasant will be the best contenders out of this conference. The Vikings bring back plenty of players on both sides of the ball. On offense Junior Mike Sawlsville will lead the team at quarterback. Sawlsville will have seniors Ryan Naggy and Rich Marrow and junior Chet Welc to throw to.  Behind him carrying the ball will be senior Roger Strautmann at running back and junior Jake Hoffer at fullback. The offensive line has four starters returning and has a little more size than last year. Defensively Mount Pleasant has returning starters Steve Moyemont and Welc, who will both be playing inside linebacker. Senior defensive backs include Zach Auen and Naggy. The d-line will mirror the offensive line as most of the players started there last year. Overall, Mount Pleasant looks to have the best team out of the Keystone, but that isn’t saying much. This team could have enough talent back this year to win a playoff game, but don’t expect to much after that.

How They’ll Finish

Greater Allegheny

1. Hampton

2. Franklin Regional

3. Pine- Richland

4. Knoch Knights

5. Greensburg- Salem

6. Highlands

7. Indiana

Parkway

1. Hopewell

2. Blackhawk

3. Ambridge

4. Moon

5. West Allegheny

6. Montour

7. New Castle

Keystone

1. Mount Pleasant

2. Laurel Highlands

3. Albert Gallatin

4. Uniontown

5. Belle Vernon

6. Ringgold

7. Derry

Big Seven

1. Thomas Jefferson

2. West Mifflin

3. Trinity

4. Keystone Oaks

5. Chartiers Valley

6. Elizabeth Forward

7. Peters Twp.

Semi Finals

Thomas Jefferson over Hampton

Hopewell over West Mifflin

Championship

Thomas Jefferson over Hopewell

The Best of Triple A

Bob Bartley, Hampton

Myles Caragein, Keystone Oaks

Dom DeCicco, TJ

Chris Drager, TJ

Cody Endres, Trinity

Lenny Gallo, Franklin Regional

Devin Goda, Elizabeth Forward

Leon Green, West Mifflin

Chris Jacobson, Keystone Oaks

Lucas Nix, TJ

Matt Parker, Blackhawk

Steve Paskorz, Hampton

David Posluszny, Hopewell

Mike Sawlsville, Mount Pleasant

AJ Strum, Franklin Regional