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Players determine success for South Fayette

By Eleanor Bailey almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.Net 5 min read

By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Steven Ziegler and Luke Pschirer work on a resistance running drill during summer conditioning workouts for the upcoming football season at South Fayette High School

By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Tom Elia will anchor the line for South Fayette. The 6-3, 275-pound senior recently committed to the University of Richmond.

At South Fayette, success on the football field is in the hands of the players, not the head coach.

As he enters his 12th season as head coach, and 21st overall, Joe Rossi is just as excited about 2018 as he is any year. He is looking forward to seeing how his young players develop.

“It will be fun to see how the kids take over ownership of the team. The best teams do,” said Rossi. “If it’s me, then we are not going to be very good. If it’s the kids, we will have success.”

Rossi is betting on the players because history is on his side. For example, after graduating one of its largest classes, the Lions produced another undefeated conference championship (8-0) and advanced to the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals before finishing 11-1 overall in 2017. Additionally, they were back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA champions in 2013 and 2014.

“It’s not always the same team every year,” Rossi said. “It’s different kids but they have all had that next-guy-up mentality.”

This year’s roster features plenty of those types beginning with several key veterans. They will be the glue that holds things together until South Fayette breaks in a new quarterback to fill the void caused by Drew Saxton’s graduation. The Case Western Reserve freshman threw for 7,452 career yards.

Jamie Diven slides into the quarterback slot while the Lions groom sophomore Naman Alemada for the future. A 6-1, 195-pound senior, Diven transferred from West Allegheny.

“Jamie has a strong arm,” Rossi said. “He understands the position. He was well-coached. (West-A) did a nice job with him. We expect him to do well.”

That’s because Diven has a nice group of receiver as targets. Mike Trimbur leads it. With 21 receptions for 430 yards and six scores, he earned first-team, all-conference last year.

“Mike’s our go-to target,” Rossi said. “He will be a key receiver, but we have a good core of wide receivers.”

Nolan Lutz, Ryan Kokoski and Peyton Tinney fall into that category. But Lutz has the unenviable task of filling the shoes of Noah Plack. The Delaware freshman caught 52 passes for 935 yards last year.

“Noah is one of the best players to ever leave here,” Rossi said, “but we have kids like Lutz who are ready to step in and take advantage of their opportunities.”

While passing will continue to be the bread and butter at South Fayette, the Lions will rely on a rushing attack that features standouts Drew Franklin and Joe Mowod. In filling in last season for the injured Johnny Beck (1,040 yards, 16 TDs), Franklin rushed for 150 yards in the playoffs. Mowod played fullback last year. Both will start at linebacker with Mowod being the anchor in the middle.

“Drew is a natural athlete, a talented kid,” Rossi said. “He has a chance to be pretty special.

“Joe will be a stud linebacker and leader for us because he calls the plays on defense,” explained Rossi, “but he will get his carries and share the load on offense. He’s a tough kid, a throwback kid.”

Tom Elia and Ben Coyne will call the shots on the line. A Richmond recruit, Elia is a two-way starter, playing guard on offense and tackle on defense. Coyne is a two-year starter at defensive end and three-year veteran at offensive tackle.

“Tom is a workhorse,” said Rossi, noting he added 30 pounds to his 6-3, 275-pound frame in the offseason. “We expected big things from him. He’s a leader. He and Ben are two of the best leaders that I have ever had. Ben’s awesome and so solid. He will protect Jamie’s (Diven) backside.”

In addition to Elia and Coyne, seniors Ben Wright (center), Sean Sutcavage (guard) and Eamon Horowitz (tackle) and junior Dom Thomas (tackle) complete the front line.

“I like the line. It’s going to be one of the strengths of the team this year,” said Rossi. “We lost some good ones but we have some nice players returning on both sides of the line. So that’s not a concern. Breaking in a new quarterback and running back is. We lost our top thrower, runner and receiver. We got a lot of mileage out of (Saxton, Beck and Plack,)” Rossi said.

By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Jamie Diven, a transfer from West Allegheny, will call the signals for South Fayette this season.

On defense, the Lions have plenty of depth and experience so they will continue to get mileage out of Mowod and Trimbur. But they have depth in the middle and in the secondary.

Nolan Lust, Zach Blank, Ryan Fleming, Tinney, Franklin, Hayden Scheader are the linebackers while Steven Ziegler, Kokoski, Joey Audia, Sonni Rao, Charley Rossi, Luke Pschirer and Ryan McGuire are defensive backs who also can be utilized in an offensive capacity.

“We feel we have people who can play on defense and we have depth. There is nothing that is glaring that gives us concern. It’s just making it all blend in and having people do their jobs.”

Ben Maracek has a vital job to do as he is the new offensive coordinator. Before coming to South Fayette, he coached at Beaver.

“He’s learned our system, made a huge time commitment,” said Rossi. “He does a nice job. He’s a football junkie more than me.”

With all that combined knowledge, South Fayette is sure to contend in the Northwest 8 Conference. Rossi looks for New Castle, Beaver, Montour and Knoch to provide the stiffest competition, based on what each team returns. However, he is betting his players will determine the Lions’ finish.

“Near the top is what you want every year,” he said. “Hopefully, South Fayette should fit in there.” o

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