Future bright for Upper St. Clair football
Upper St. Clair lost to Penn-Trafford 35-7 in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs.
The defeat came as much as a surprise to Panthers head coach Mike Junko as did the fact his team was able to advance that far in the postseason during a pandemic.
USC played every game on its 2020 schedule, posting a 5-3 overall record. The Panthers finished runner-up in the Allegheny Six Conference behind undefeated Peters Township.
“Our players had to overcome a great deal of adversity this year and I could not be more proud of how they handled it,” said Junko, who completed his second season as head coach. “Although we didn’t achieve all of our goals, our players and coaches were a part of some memorable Friday nights that we never thought we would have the chance to enjoy.”
Against the Warriors, there were a few memorable moments.
USC quarterback Ethan Dahlem rushed for the Panthers’ lone score, a five-yard touchdown with 6:27 to play. The senior completed 12 passes for 95 yards.
Mateo Cepullio had five receptions for the Panthers, while David Pantelis finished with three catches for 42 yards.
For two years, Dahlem and Pantelis have been one of the best passing combinations in the WPIAL.
In 2020, Dahlem completed 114 passes for 1,567 yards and 14 scores. He also led the Panthers in rushing with 385 yards and nine more touchdowns. He has passed for more than 5,000 yards in his career.
Despite injuries, Pantelis managed 33 receptions for 490 yards and seven scores.
In addition to Dahlem and Pantelis, Jaden Keating, William Engel, Ryan McKeever, Jesus Segura, Luke Banbury, Abelardo Sobarzo, Brandon Coe, Ethan Hancock, Jalen Mortimer, William Salapow, Robert Hendricks, Tyler Super, Robert Gallagher, Joseph Hock, Connor Schmitt, Timothy Pollock, Tyler Rieger, Trevor Nulph, Joshua Howard, Jordan Kweder, Matthew Haversack and Aaron Volosin will be lost to graduation.
“This group of seniors has been one of the best groups of kids I have had the pleasure to coach,” Junko said. “The one thing I will always remember is just how resilient they were and how they stuck together when things got tough. They really taught our younger kids how to deal with adversity and never give up when your back is against the wall.”
Cepullio, who finished with 31 catches for 432 yards, and Aidan Besselman, who had 14 grabs for 276 yards, along with Jamaal Brown, who rushed for 317 yards, are among the key players returning on offense. Ethan Hiester, who was an all-conference punter last year as a sophomore, was an all-purpose player this fall. Brady Bartusiak was a defensive stalwart behind Banbury, Houck and Keating.
All five are among the talented underclassmen upon which Junko will continue to fashion a winner next fall. Additionally, the Panthers boasted 13 juniors and more than two dozen sophomores on their varsity roster this season.
“We are excited about next year and looking forward to watching our younger players develop,” said Junko. “We have a number of holes to fill at key positions, but we have a number of players returning with experience to help provide leadership in 2021.
“As a program,” he added, “we need to have a great off season and stay focused on improving each day.”