Defense leads Bethel Park charge to conference championship
Defense wins championships, and Bethel Park certainly won its first conference title in five years based on its defensive abilities.
In clinching the Allegheny Six Conference crown with an undefeated 5-0 record, the Black Hawks allowed 57 points, 21 of them coming in the season finale, a 27-21 win over Peters Township on Oct. 28. That number equaled the number of points allowed by rival Upper St. Clair, which finished runner-up to the Hawks.
While the Panthers led Class 5A in points allowed with a 11.5 per game, the Hawks followed right behind along with Penn Hills. The Indians surrendered an average of 15.4 points per game in posting a 5-5 record while BP allowed 15.7 points in its 9-1 campaign.
While the Black Hawks entered the 2022 season with a wealth of veterans, nine of them were starters on defense. Five of them have spearheaded the secondary, which is overlooked sometimes because the linebacking crew is anchored by Delaware recruit Gavin Moul.
For example, Dinari Clacks and Jack Reilly had interceptions in the win against the Indians and Ryan Petras shared in a fumble recovery.
“Our defensive backs have done a great job all year,” said BP coach Brian DeLallo.
“Dinari might be the best run-force safety in our league. He really sets the edge and tackles well. He is so smart and processes what he sees so well. He is rarely out of position.”
For the last two years, Reilly has been BP’s “rock” in the secondary.
“He is so fundamentally sound and studies our opponents in such detail,” DeLallo said. “I tell him all the time, after he finishes college football, he needs to follow his calling to be a football coach.”
Petras’s calling may be baseball. He started in center field as a freshman on the BP’s state championship club this spring.
“He’s a great center-field free safety,” added DeLallo. “His development in two short years has been amazing. He is also physical against the run.”
Petras also aided the Hawks on offense. Until injuring his collarbone in the win against Peters Township, he had rushed for 578 yards on 89 carries and gained similar yardage on 44 receptions. Against the Indians, he rushed for 146 yards on 18 carries and caught a 27-yard scoring strike from Tanner Peuffer. He led BP in scoring with 17 touchdowns.
According to DeLallo, the play of Petras on offense made it easier for the Hawks to deal with Austin Caye’s injuries during the regular season. Caye had 628 yards rushing, 126 yards receiving on 14 catches and six scores before being given time to heal from a stretched ligament.
“Austin was cleared to play against Peters Township but having clinched a playoff spot, we thought another few days rest was the way to go,” said DeLallo. “With our depth, it has made it easier for us to keep Austin fresh, especially when he is getting a lot of carries.”
Jason Nuttridge, another baseball standout, Blake Striegel and Jeremiah Hamilton have carried the BP secondary. While Nuttridge and Striegel specialize at corner and strong safety respectively, Hamilton has played every position in the secondary.
“They have all played huge roles in our success this season,” DeLallo said. “They’re all fantastic kids, team-first guys who just want to win.
“All three are seniors, too. That gives us depth, experience and flexibility in our secondary.”
Meanwhile, Moul gives the Black Hawks all that and more. An all-conference linebacker, he also is a powerful back on offense. Against PT, he bulled his way into the end zone on 2- and 4-yard runs. During the regular season, Moul had 538 yards rushing on 91 carries while pulling in seven aerials for 115 yards. He had seven scores and four points on two-point conversions.
As a sophomore, Pfeuffer has been an efficient signal caller. He has passed for 1,224 yards and 12 scores by completing 91 of his 138 attempts. Pfeuffer also has rushed for nine scores, including a 1-yard sneak against Peters Township.
“I am just so very proud of all of our kids and all of our coaches,” DeLallo said.
He added that after the season he and the Hawks will reflect more on capturing the conference championship but they had lofty goals ahead. BP earned the top seed in the WPIAL Class 5A tournament. The Hawks opened playoff action hosting North Hills on Nov. 4.
“Right now, we are just trying to get better each week of the playoffs,” DeLallo said. “Maybe we’ll stop and think more about what we accomplished after the season.”