Aug 11, 2015 5 min read

No team has won more Presidents’ Athletic Conference football championships than Washington & Jefferson and only three programs in NCAA Division III history have won 700 football games – the Presidents (707) and two of their opponents, Mount Union (742) and Wittenberg (736).

Some 16 area athletes plan to keep that tradition in tact when W&J attempts to notch its 25th PAC title this autumn. The Presidents won 10 games last year and advanced to the second round of the NCAA DIII playoffs. Plus, they enter the 2015 campaign with plenty of pre-season hype, including a No. 4 ranking from The Sporting News.

Pete Coughlin is one of the big reasons for the lofty expectations. The Upper St. Clair product is one of 18 returning starters on a squad that also boasts 49 letterwinners.

The 5-10, 190-pound signal caller operates an offense that ranked No. 7 in Division III and averaged more than 500 yards per game last season.

In his first year as a full-time starter, Coughlin showed he was ready to follow in the footsteps of some of W&J’s best pocket passers, including Bethel Park’s Matt Bliss. A junior, Coughlin amassed 3,257 yards and 31 touchdowns through the air. He completed 65.5 percent of his passes (273-417). His yardage total ranks fourth in single-season program history and his completions are second.

“We thought Pete played very well last year and didn’t turn the ball over,” said W&J head coach Mike Sirianni, noting his six picks and two lost fumbles. “He made a lot of plays when the designed one broke down.”

While Alex Rowse of Beaver serves as Coughlin’s back-up, the Presidents have moved Kevin Mechas to defensive back. The former Bishop Canevin quarterback is a 6-0, 190-pound senior.

Two Chartiers-Houston products will help determine Coughlin’s and W&J’s success rate. David Kincaid returns to the backfield with Ryan Ruffing, who led the ground attack with 1,605 yards and 25 scores. A 6-1, 195-pound junior, Kincaid rolled up 377 yards on 59 carries, second-best on the squad. Daniel Lis returns as one of the Presidents’ top receiving threats. The 5-10, 185-pound junior combined with sophomore Jesse Zubick for 137 receptions, 1,760 yards and 18 touchdowns.

“Lis continues to amaze me,” said Sirianni. “Every time I turn the film on he does something better I didn’t notice before. He’s just a very good, smart football player.”

While Colin Jones from Canevin adds depth to the receiving corps, the Presidents boast strength up front as four starters return in the trenches to protect Coughlin. Joe Graziani from Canonsburg joins forces with Zack Crossey, who earned unanimous first-team pre-season All-America recognition, Dalton Main and Brandon Martuccio. A senior, Graziano is a Canon-McMillan High School graduate. Of the 6-1, 280-pound lineman, Siriani said, “(Joe) is one of the most consistent linemen in the conference. We feel really strong about him on our line.”

Mike Dunlap of Bethel Park adds depth for the Presidents on the O-line. He is a 6-1, 260-pound senior.

While defense is not an afterthought, W&J does have some holes to fill, particularly at linebacker where the Presidents graduated Jared Pratt. The Bethel Park standout set the school record for single-season tackles with 136. “Jared was our leader,” said Sirianni. “He called our plays and was just a tremendous football player.”

At South Fayette High School, Zach Walker was a tremendous football player, leading the Lions to a WPIAL and PIAA title in 2013. He looks to fill the void at linebacker. The 6-0, 225-pound sophomore made his first career start against Mount Union and registered 24 tackles last year.

John Loper of Upper St. Clair and Torre Carr from North Strabane should figure in the mix of linemen. Both are juniors. Carr, who graduated from Canon-McMillan High School, is a transfer from Allegheny College. He made 62 tackles for the Gators.

In addition to Mechas, whom Sirianni calls one of the best athletes on the team, Tim Blair will help anchor the defensive secondary. The 6-0, 190-pound junior is a Seton-La Salle High School product. He had two picks and 37 tackles last season.

Meanwhile, Dan Graziano returns at safety. The Mt. Lebanon native registered 37 tackles and two interceptions last year.

Other area veterans who should contribute to the Presidents’ success this season are: Trevor Morrow, Bob Mele, Matt Dunlap and Ryan Bush. A 6-1, 215-pound running back, Morrow is a sophomore running back out of Upper St. Clair. Mele is a 6-0, 225-pound senior defensive lineman from Chartiers-Houston. Dunlap and Bush are both sophomore offensive linemen. While Dunlap is a Bethel Park product, Bush hails from Bridgeville. He is a Chartiers Valley High School graduate.

New faces at W&J include three local freshmen. Reed Relosky quarterbacked Bishop Canevin last year. Tim Swoope excelled at Peters Township. The Venetia resident is listed as a wide receiver. Tyler Stegenga played at Chartiers-Houston and is listed as a 6-1, 265-pound offensive lineman.