SLS’s Perone, KO’s Phillippi making their run at South Fayette
Tyler Perone will quarterback Seton-La Salle this season. The senior ranked among the WPIAL passing leaders last year. He threw for 2,326 yards and 24 TDs in 2013. The Rebels host South Park at 1 p.m. Aug. 30 at Chartiers Valley.
Keystone Oaks quarterback Kobe Phillippi focuses on his target as he prepares to make a pass during football training drills. The senior has passed for over 1,000 yards the last two years and is looking to lead the Golden Eagles again this fall. KO kicks off Century Conference action at 7 p.m. Aug. 29 against Quaker Valley at Dormont Stadium.
South Fayette running back Nick Ponikvar attempts to elude tacklers during a pre-season scrimmage against Chartiers Valley. The Lions begin defense of their championships, they were Century Conference, WPIAL and PIAA winners last year, when they host East Allegheny at 7 p.m. Aug. 29.
Brett Brumbaugh is not the only attraction in the Century Conference. The division also boasts big-time quarterbacks in Tyler Perone from Seton-La Salle and Kobe Phillippi from Keystone Oaks. Perone passed for more than 2,326 yards and 24 touchdowns last season while Phillippi has enjoyed back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
Perone leads the Rebels in their endeavors to dethrone Brumbaugh and his Lions as state champions. SLS opens Century Conference at 1 p.m. Aug. 30 against South Park at Chartiers Valley.
A 6-3, 205-pound senior, Perone is Damon Rosol’s right-hand man. The first-year head coach says, “Tyrone will be an extension of me. In fact, he must know the offense better than the skipper.
“Everybody looks to him,” Rosol said. “If he plays good, he gets the credit. If we play bad, he gets blamed. He embraces that and everything about being quarterback. He’s like [Ben] Roethlisberger when he says ‘it’s on me’. The execution is on Tyrone.”
The execution against the Eagles will also rest upon Danzel McKinley-Lewis. The Toledo recruit, who had 40 catches for 791 yards and 11 TDs last year, is one of Perone’s primary targets along with Daquay Broadwater. Meanwhile, Rick Mellick anchors the running game as well as a defense that features a fine corps of linebackers including Adam Ottaviano, Jacob Blahut and Liam Sweeney.
Under new head coach Greg Perry, who spent 20 seasons at SLS before crossing McNeilly Road to KO, Phillippi will call the shots. A versatile athlete, he also plays basketball and volleyball at KO, Phillippi will use all his talents to help right the program that has experienced back-to-back 2-7 seasons. Phillippi leads the Golden Eagles into battle against Quaker Valley at 7 p.m. Aug. 29 at Dormont Stadium. The Quakers are expected to challenge South Fayette for the Century Conference crown.
Phillippi is much like QV’s Dane Jackson in that he is versatile. A Pitt recruit, Jackson, racked up 2,086 yards of offense and had 23 touchdowns. At 5-11, however, Phillippi is garnering attention from Division I-AA schools like Duquesne as he is a good student says Perry, who is incorporating SLS’s offense into KO’s strategy.
“We look for Kobe to be a good leader for us,” Perry said. “He’s athletic. He throws the ball well and he can run well. Kobe gives us another dimension to run the football.”
While Brandon Carroll will be relied to haul in Phillippi’s passes, Jimmy Cannello will run behind an strong and experienced line that includes veterans Brian Hazel, Keynon Griffiths, Joey Kazalas and Zayne Jastrebski.
In all reality, South Fayette is the team to beat in the Century Conference. Brumbaugh is not the only weapon in the arsenal as the Lions prepare for their 7 p.m. kickoff Aug. 29 at home against East Allegheny.
The Lions return three additional all-conference players including leading tackler J.J. Walker, Disivion I tight end prospect Logan Sharp, and two-way lineman Anthony Davidson. Plus, Hunter Hayes is expected to have a breakout season at tailback.