WPIAL Media Day: Breaking down 28 teams before the 2025 season

Tagged under: District 7, News, pfn, Team Previews

Annabelle Aquino | August 7, 2025

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Featuring 28 teams over the six WPIAL classifications, the first annual W.P.I.A.L. Edition and HomeTeam Collections Media Day offered new insight on the offseason training and expectations for the 2025 football season. Teams in attendance included Pine-Richland, Thomas Jefferson, Elizabeth Forward, Western Beaver, Quaker Valley, Penn Hills, Kiski Area, Franklin Regional, Mars, Frazier, Chartiers-Houston, North Catholic, Central Catholic, Montour, Serra Catholic, Greater Latrobe, Avonworth, Northgate, Freeport, Norwin, Highlands, Trinity, Carlynton, Brashear, Plum, Washington High, Knoch and Jeannette. In no particular order, here’s a breakdown of how each team has been prepping for the upcoming season, along with the overall outlook.

 

Pine-Richland Rams

Coming off a 5A WPIAL Championship victory, the Rams face immense pressure and high expectations. But that doesn’t bother them.

“We take pride in surpassing the expectations. People say now, ‘Oh they’re gonna make it to WPIALs, they’re gonna make playoffs.’ We’re gonna go do it … We got this spotlight, and we’re going to go do something with it,” senior defensive end Hans Meijer said.

The Rams are loaded with talent this year, including Aaron “oobi” Strader, Jay Timmons, John Curran, new transfer Khalil Taylor, and plenty of other committed athletes.

“Division 1 or not, every position group, every player on this team, is hungry. Everybody wants to win,” senior Dozie Chonikwo said.

Pine-Richland will fight again for the PIAA Class 5A Championship after falling short to Bishop McDevittin in the semifinals last season.

“This year, we’re focusing on being fast all game and making sure nobody can hang with us. We’re fighting till the end of the game, up big or in a tight game– no matter what,” senior Jalen Neals said.

“This year we’re going full steam ahead all game, every game,” senior running back Maclane Miller added.

 

Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

Under the guidance of legendary coach Bill Cherpak, better known as “Cherp,” the Jaguars have grown to be a powerhouse, winning the 4A WPIAL title last season and setting their sights even higher this year.

“Playing for Cherp is something special. He’s been ‘The Guy’ for 30 years. He has so much history coaching so many good players, but taking so many teams so far, he’s him,” senior Dominic Volomino said.

The linemen are dominant once again for Thomas Jefferson. Tyler Eber estimates the average lineman to be 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds. 

“This line is honestly some of the most dominant we could be. I think by the end of this season, we could have three DI linemen with how dominant we are,” Eber said.

With the success last year, the Jaguars plan to make small tweaks to their game, but keep one thing consistent: the belief in their program.

“Being a Jaguar, putting on that jersey, it’s something special. Every single Friday, I wake up for school, and I can’t even think what class I’m in. I just want to play ball and put on that jersey,” Volomino (4.3 GPA) said.

 

Elizabeth Forward Warriors

Backed by standout QB, Ryan Messina, the Warriors are ready to dominate the 2025 season. Messina threw for over 2,500 passing yards last season, 24 passing touchdowns, and 11 rushing touchdowns. 

“I think we have the best offensive line in the WPIAL, and our skill players are amazing. Our quarterback is high-caliber,” Brock Fredack said.

The Warriors finished 8-4 last season in 3A, falling short to Central Valley in the WPIAL semifinals.

“I think we’re hungry. We’ve made it to the semifinals the past two years, we haven’t made the final step to Acrisure. I think that’s what we’re looking for this year, and I think we have the team to do it,” senior Daymein Rice said. 

Recent transfer Landon Honick has already started to notice the work ethic at Elizabeth Forward. Honick had 12 touchdowns last season at Greensburg Central Catholic and 33 tackles.

“… ever since I got [to Elizabeth Forward] we’ve been lifting hard and training. I think that’s gonna take us far through the playoffs,” Honick said. “We have strengths everywhere. Our O-line is good, definitely receivers and our defense is looking good too.”

 

Western Beaver Golden Beavers

The Golden Beavers’ outlook is brighter this year, partly due to the installation of new home lights. Rather than the typical Saturday afternoon games, Western Beaver is excited to play under the lights on Friday nights.  

“One thing that we never really had was the students [on Saturday]. Students come to cheer us on, getting hype, getting turnt, watching us play. This year, we’re hoping a lot more people come out to cheer for us, giving us that extra edge,” senior Carter Marshall said.

The Golden Beavers graduated middle linebacker, Jackson Liller, along with Jadon Bishop and Slippery Rock commit Chris Kirkland. Top returning starters include Blaine Crislip and Wyatt Sparbanie, along with Beaver transfer Damian Lutton.

“With our receiving group and our new quarterback, Amari [Marshall], everyone’s stepping up at practice. Everyone’s working harder, conditioning harder. Everyone’s pushing themselves and taking it seriously,” Crislip said.

Western Beaver finished last season 9-3 in Class 2A under head coach Ron Busby.

 

Quaker Valley Quakers

New head coach Tom Eshenbaugh has instilled a sense of hope within the Quakers. 

“You can definitely feel the energy compared to the other previous years for the off-season,” senior Ben McHenry said. “Last year, we had a coach or two show up for it, and we were just going by ourselves. This year, we have a lot of support from the coaching staff, and it’s been really nice.”

Despite having to learn new offenses, defensive schemes, special teams and a multitude of other new plays, the team is ready to take on the challenge. The Quakers look to improve from a 2-7 record in Class 3A.

“I feel like this year could really be the year that we turn around because, so far, these new coaches have been putting in a lot of effort,” senior Ronnie Berry Jr. said.

“We’ve also been lifting this season. No other season have we lifted during workouts,” senior Logan Benedict added.

Eleven seniors with varsity experience and an invested coaching staff mean a likely upward trajectory for Quaker Valley. Add on intense summer workouts, and the team may have its best season yet.

“We should be pretty prepared. Endurance is not going to be an issue,” McHenry said.

 

Penn Hills Indians

Naytel Mitchell was named the Big 56 Player of the Year, rushed for over 1,300 yards and scored three touchdowns in the first game of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs. But Penn Hills won’t be able to rely on Mitchell anymore. The standout athlete has graduated, leaving behind a gap the Indians will fight to close.

“This year I think we’re a younger team, so as we build throughout the season, we’re just going to build more chemistry and hopefully build some more wins around the team,” junior Carter Bonner said.

Senior Devin Harris will start as quarterback for Penn Hills. Harris threw for over 800 yards last season.

Coming off a 7-5 record in Class 5A, but falling short in the playoffs to Upper St. Clair only fuels the Indians.

“A lot of people, when something bad happens, or when they don’t break through that wall, they give up. But, we’re trying to learn, and we are learning, how to break through that wall,” senior Camryn Price said.

 

Kiski Area Cavaliers

Colyn Haugh has 17 years of college coaching experience. Now, he’s ready to run the Kiski Area Cavaliers football program in similar fashion, planning offseason workouts down to the minute and pushing his team to be the best.

“We’re having meetings more consistently, we’re breaking up into skill groups, we’re really getting the X’s and O’s down. In the weightroom as well, we’re all lifting together on a whistle – it’s legit,” senior Aven Shirley said.

Kiski needs to fill in the gaps of graduated seniors on the line, but the team feels confident their skill positions have enough depth. Junior Carson Heinle will be returning again in the quarterback position.

“On defense, we’re returning eight or nine starters, so we really shouldn’t skip a beat there. If anything, we should improve a lot,” Braden Anderson said.

The Cavaliers finished with a 4-6 record last season in Class 5A, but believe their hard work in the offseason will translate to the field.

“I think we’ve taken this offseason very seriously, and I think that’s a huge part to getting back to the success we’ve had. We’re working our tails off, and I think we’ll be back for sure,” Anderson said.

 

Franklin Regional Panthers

The Panthers graduated 16 seniors from their roster, but are looking for the next generation to fill the gaps and step up.

“I think we’ve focused a lot more on getting the plays down and alignment because we had a ton of seniors last year, and they all graduated. We’ve had to catch everybody up this whole offseason,” senior Matt Moore said.

Wide receiver Jaymier Austin has gathered seven DI offers and is looking to lead the Panthers through his senior season. Franklin Regional graduated key quarterback Chase Lemke, a Cal U baseball commit. Taking his place will be a rising sophomore, Nick Devola.

“I think our chemistry is definitely getting better. We’ve spent a lot of time working with him, and he’s getting a lot of reps. We’re all around getting better with him, more comfortable, definitely,” said Austin McClure in regards to his offseason training with Devola.

Once all the new players are integrated into the team, the Panthers have high hopes for the upcoming season. They finished last season 8-4 in Class 5A after taking a tough 42-0 loss against Pine-Richland during the playoffs.

“I think we’ve got a lot of belief in our guys that we can be just as good or even better than last year, and I think we’re gonna do our best to compete this year,” Moore said.

 

Mars Fightin’ Planets

Great depth and strong chemistry have the Fightin’ Planets primed for a successful season. All players in attendance noted the growth in experience of the rising quarterbacks.

“So far, it’s been a big quarterback battle. We have a bunch of young guys battling for the spot. That’s going to be big,” senior Sean Franklin said.

Four starters will return to the offensive line.

“We’ve definitely always been a strong O-line group,” Adam Budzilek said. “We’ve played together forever, and it also helps that these guys coming back have such strong chemistry.”

Mars looks to improve their 6-6, 4-1 record from 4A last season, 

“All the guys that are stepping up this year are taking a big role, but they’re making leaps and bounds from where they were last year,” junior Jonnie Maestra said.

 

Frazier Commodores

The Commodores are putting behind the 2-7, 1-5 record they held last year in 1A. A strengthened offensive line and better trust in coaches have Frazier ready to take on the next season.

“[The coaches] are setting us up pretty good. I think that we’ll have a good season if we trust each other, play for each other and play as a team,” senior Chase Fulmer said.

Players mentioned the extra work put into this offseason, especially in the offensive line.

“We’re more physical than a lot of teams we’re going to play. I don’t think they’re gonna want to keep hitting us when it comes to the fourth quarter,” Derek Diamond said.

“We came a long way since we started. Everyone’s got stronger and faster and more physical,” Brady Secrest added.

 

Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers

The Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers are looking to take advantage of their experienced lineup to improve their 3-7 record in Class 1A from last season.

“We’ve just been really changing the culture. Over our offseason we’ve had a lot more people showing up and we’ve gotten so much stronger than past seasons,” senior quarterback Aaron Walsh said.

With no playoff appearance since 2021, the Buccaneers are ready for change.

“We just keep working. We’re not satisfied with anything. We just want to keep growing and keep getting better every day,” senior Jake Luba said.

Head coach Dan Lis joined Chartiers-Houston last season, and the team has already started to notice his influence.

“My most impactful coach is definitely our head coach Dan Lis,” Owen Straight said. “With him coming in last year, the relationships he’s built with every student-athlete is just mind-blowing. He has a personal relationship with all of us and he just really means a lot to all of us.

 

North Catholic Trojans

The Trojans finished last season 5-7 in Class 3A, but are looking at the losing record from a positive perspective.

“Going into this year, we’ll be the underdog, only having 5 wins but we did have that playoff win,” senior Ryker Kennedy said. “We like being the underdog. We’re ready to pounce on teams and we’re scared of no one this year.”

North Catholic will be led by senior quarterback Joe Felitsky, and coached by Chris Rizzo.  

“I’ve been around [Rizzo] for the past 3 years and he pushes me to be the best player I can be,” middle linebacker and fullback Nick Franco said.

The Trojans were also the Pitt 7v7 passing league champions this offseason.

“Over the off-season we really created a brotherhood and team bonding. And we’ve been gaining that chemistry on the field. I feel like we’re tuned for a big year,” junior Will Waskiewicz said.

 

Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings

The defending 6A WPIAL Champs are ready to win. Win bigger, that is. 

“We definitely didn’t finish what we started, but we definitely have to come back. We have to keep working every day to be better than we were last year,” senior Duke commit Colsen Gatten said.

The Vikings fell short in the PIAA Class 6A Championship to St. Joseph’s Prep, 35-6. This year, they’re determined to change the outcome.

“Playing in that game, and losing that bad, it just sits in my mind. I know what I’m working towards now. I know we got there, I know we can get there again. It’s one of my goals going into the season,” junior Roman Thompson said.

Central Catholic isn’t jumping to conclusions, though. One of their main focuses is to take it one game at a time.

“Our mindset going into every week is just ‘win the week.’ Be 1-0,” Thompson explained.

The Vikings will rely on young sophomore quarterback Owen Herrick. Herrick takes the place of Jy’Aire Walls. PCC also graduated star athlete, Bradley Gompers, who now plays for Duke.

“I feel like our offense collectively, as a unit, is coming in strong. We got a couple of new receivers, Aiden Nasiadka is one, stepping up as a senior this year,” Matt Bowers said.

The Vikings have been a powerhouse in recent years, but Thompson believes the true greatness of the team comes from more than athletic success.

“We all come together on and off the field. That’s why people call Central a brotherhood. The bonds you make while you’re in that school and while you’re in that football field, they last.”

 

Montour Spartans

Montour shocked everyone last season when they upset Aliquippa 36-35 for the first time since supposedly 1986. Following that victory, the Spartans faced two tough losses, including a 48-42 loss to Mars in the playoffs.

“Because of those two losses, we’re more motivated than we have ever been. Practices have been hard, tough, it just work, work, work,” junior Abram Kolodynski said.

The Spartans graduate quarterback Trey Hopper and Kaleb Platz, but return starter Caden Halajcio, who had over 1,000 rushing yards and 20 tackles.

“Our sophomore quarterback, Brandon Bennett, stepped up as a player and a leader. He’s way more patient in the pocket and his reads are getting a lot better,” junior Jacob Halbedl said.

Montour finished last season 8-2 in Class 4A.

“Playing for Montour is a privilege, and you have to live up to that. Being a Spartan is a standard, so whenever you put on that jersey, you have to be good, you have to do what you have to do,” Halbedl added.

 

Serra Catholic Eagles

The Eagles missed out on playoffs last season for the first time since 2016. Despite having a young lineup this season, the Eagles are determined to get back on track.

“I think everyone’s doing better, especially from what happened last year. We’re all going to do better as a team. Do better, make it farther than we did last year,” senior Bryson Blue said.

Serra Catholic brought a young lineup to Media Day, including three freshmen: receiver Cordarrell Rodgers, linebacker/running back Zion Smith, and receiver/safety Chris Green.

All players in attendance noted head coach, Akeeme Robinson, better known as “Coach Keem,” to be their most impactful coach.

“He’ll call you over in practice, he’ll be like ‘You’re special.’ He’s going to push you to where he knows and where he wants you to be in life,” Rayshawn Pritchard said.

“He brings the energy,” Smith added.

 

Greater Latrobe Wildcats

The Wildcats are hunting for success. Latrobe finished last season 5-6 in Class 5A, taking a tough loss to Bethel Park in the first round of playoffs. 

“There’s definitely a fire inside after having that end of the season that we had last year. We lost a bunch in a row. It was something that left a bad taste in all of our mouths,” senior Andy Tatsch said. “I think it’s going to show come late August.”

John Wetzel, a three-year starter for the Wildcats, has graduated to play for Division I Pitt. Brady Prohovic, former running-back for Latrobe, has also graduated to play at Westminster College.

“We had four seniors in the O-line, three seniors in the D-line… A lot of younger guys are finding their roles and filling in,” said Tatsch, a Lehigh commit. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers are training hard just a few minutes down the road from Latrobe Highschool, and the Wildcats are putting in their work too.

“We’ve been really conditioning since March when we first started,” senior Chris Cochran said. “I think we’re going to be good for the football season.”

 

Avonworth Lopes

The defending 3A WPIAL Champions are looking for another title. This time, it’s a state title.

“The outlook and the goal is going back to the state this time. We left unfinished business out on the field. We’re coming to finish it this year,” Navy-commit Peter Bonnet said.

“We have a lot of experience coming back. We can’t be satisfied with one championship; we always want another,” senior quarterback Carson Bellinger added.

The Lopes fell short 36-33 against Northwestern Lehigh in the PIAA 3A Championship last year and finished the season 12-4.

Avonworth graduated lineman Mason Metz and running back Nico Neal, but are prepared to fill in the gaps.

“In the line specifically, we’re introducing some new guys, so we’ve been hammering our playbook hard, introducing new plays and concepts to make sure they’re ready for the season,” Bonnet said.

 

Northgate Flames

Coached by Mark Fratangelo, the Northgate Flames are ready to conquer the upcoming season. The team finished last season 4-6 in Class 1A, ending the season with a dominating win against Chartiers-Houston, but missing out on playoffs.

The Flames are hard at work making sure they get back to the playoff spot this year.

“Every workout is brutal and very advanced. We do a lot of plyometrics and it’s very dedicated,” Zion Ward said.

The Flames graduated starting quarterback Sonteon Layne, but are determined to bridge the gaps through their work ethic.

“At the end of summer workouts, we do inferno days, where we compete with each other. It’s like a big workout. I feel like a lot of the kids put a lot more effort in than usual, especially the younger guys,” rising sophomore quarterback Devontae Smith said.

 

Freeport Yellowjackets

“Our summer practices are not mandatory, and our whole team shows up,” senior quarterback Drew Ross said.

The Yellowjackets have been putting in the work this offseason, looking to improve their 8-4 record from last season in Class 3A. Freeport made it to the WPIAL playoffs and dominated Mount Pleasant before falling to Central Valley in the quarterfinals. 

“We’ve seen a lot more commitment this year, getting up early for practice, conditioning and early lifts. I think that’s going to be a big help for us this year,” senior Dawson Gaillot said. “No one’s messing around in practice right now. It’s all focused in on what’s to come.”

Freeport will be coached once again by John Gaillot, who’s been coaching the Yellowjackets since 2008.  

“I feel like the key to success is our team’s commitment. Whether it’s players, coaches, even the people surrounding us. Our team’s commitment and where we want to be is going to lead to our success,” Ross said.

Freeport graduated key linebacker Sean Selinger, who now plays at Washington & Jefferson. Key returning starters include Ross at quarterback, senior captain Sean Franklin and receiver and safety Gabe Hein.

“We’re definitely way more experienced this year than last year. We had a lot of first-year starters last year and our sophomore year, so this year most of our guys are two-year starters,” senior Madden Wisniewski said.

 

Norwin Knights

“We’ve had our [2024] record on our mind the entire offseason, and I think that we’ve been doing a really good job of getting bigger, getting faster, and I really think we’re going to have a good season,” senior Patrick Schmook said.

The Knights finished last season 2-8 in Class 6A, with their two wins being the first two games of the season. Norwin is searching for its first winning season since 2007. 

“Since last year, we didn’t start off and finish games the right way, so in everything we do this year, we’re starting off workouts right, we’re starting off lifting right, and we’re finishing them even harder,” senior Josh Lenart said.

After losing three seniors on the line, the Knights will have to battle to fill in the void.

“The younger guys have a huge opportunity to make a statement and prove that they’re able to take over,” senior quarterback Tristyn Tavares said.

The Knights are coached by Mike Brown, who joined the program in 2023 after spending two years coaching at Hempfield.

“[Brown] came in our first year, wanting to change the program. I think he’s done a pretty good job trying to develop us and make us a good football team,” Schmook said. 

 

Highlands Golden Rams

With tighter bonds inside the team, the Rams are ready for the 2025 football season.

“There were a few games last year where we had a chance of winning the game, but internal problems let that opportunity slip away. I don’t think we have that this year,” senior lineman Cole Shaffer said. “We’re closer together as a team and as a family, and we’re ready to compete.”

Highlands finished with a 6-5 record last season, falling short to Imani Christian in Class 3A WPIAL Playoffs. But things are looking up for the Golden Rams, who are working to dissolve the internal problems that limited them last year.

“Especially for the O-line, it’s so important to be comfortable playing with the guys beside you. I think we’re doing a lot better at that this year,” Shaffer said.

“Our team’s gotten so much more closer this offseason. It’s like a family now. It’s nice because we don’t have the problems we did last year,” Morgan Smith added.

 

Trinity Hillers

What started as a young roster for the Trinity Hillers has grown into a deep roster. With more depth on their team, the Hillers are ready to improve from their 5-6 record in Class 4A last year. “Last year, I feel like our whole team was mostly full of sophomores, but now we have the experience from last year. We all got sharper this summer. We all worked hard,” running back Daniel Glass said.

Harvard commit Jonah Williamson will be taking over as quarterback again, with other notable players Anthony Giorgi, a Navy commit, and senior Ben Priest helping the Hillers.

“I think our passing game is a lot better than last year. We have a lot of new concepts, we have more guys, more depth. Last year we were more of a run-heavy team, but I’m excited to throw the ball this year,” junior Chase Kostelnik said.

Glass added on the amount of depth at the receiver position is “10 times more than we had last year.”

 

Carlynton Cougars

The Cougars are hungry for victory. Finishing the 2024 season with a record of 6-5 in Class 2A, Carlynton is ready to take on the next season. 

“We’re going to be a more fundamental team, focusing on speed work. We do have a lot of young guys, so we got to work on getting them up and getting them better,” Ashton Donlin said.

Sophomore Maddox Horrell will take the place of graduated quarterback, Devonte Dean this season.

“[Horrell] has been developing really well over the offseason, getting more arm strength and more fundamentally better in general,” JaeSean Nembhard said.

The 2024 season was the first time the Cougars have made playoffs since 2001. Current head coach John Tortea began coaching the team in 2023.

“Coach T has completely changed the culture of our organization. Over the last few years that he’s been here, he’s been like a father to most of us on the team,” Mason Sammuel said. “He’s an amazing coach, listens to all of us, listens to all of the other coaches, always open to feedback. I don’t think you can ask for much better in a coach.”

 

Brashear Bulls

“I feel like we’re coming for our revenge tour,” sophomore David Kessler said. 

After finishing last season 0-8 in Class 4A and scoring a total of 15 points, the Bulls are ready to charge their opponents this season.

“I believe coming into the 2025 season, there are high hopes. We have plenty of kids willing to step up to the field and make a play, every play,” senior Aries Bey said.

Jahleel Anthony, a rising sophomore, picked up two Division I offers in the offseason from Kent State and Miami (OH).

“[Quarterbacks and receivers] go to the field almost every Saturday or Sunday, just us, maybe Coach Ness too,” Kessler said. “I feel like we’ve built a lot more chemistry together, so when we go to the games, it’s going to help us more.”

 

Plum Mustangs

The Mustangs are working hard to battle back from their 2-8 record last season in Class 5A.

“Every skill group is looking good. We’ve all been putting in a great amount of work this summer, and I think we’re really going to show out this year,” junior CJ Hart said.

Hart and senior EJ Jackson will be tag-teaming as running back for the Mustangs, while sophomore John Nonnenberg and senior Antonio Hanzlik will be quarterbacks.

“We’ve got a lot of guys coming back. We’ve got a lot of young guys coming to make plays,” Sloan Humphries said. “I want to give a shout out to our quarterbacks. We put in a new offense, and they’ve been doing great with learning the new system.”

This will be head coach Matt Morgan’s 13th year at Plum.

“Coach Matt Morgan is the most impactful coach I’ve had. I’ve been around him since pee-wee and little league, and now he’s the head coach for the high school,” junior Tyler Baleno said. “He’s just really had a big impact on me, always helping me get better, always teaching me things.”

 

Washington High Prexies

This offseason, the Prexies have focused on improving as athletes, but also as teammates.

“I feel like over this offseason, us as a team have definitely come together. We’re really focused on improving ourselves as a team, as individuals and focusing on the main goal of going and getting a championship,” sophomore Blaise Naraskivitch said.

Under head coach Mike Bosnic, the Prexies ended last season 5-6 in Class 2A. After a loss to Steel Valley to end the playoffs, Wash High is ready for change.

“Us losing like that last year made us come together as brothers,” junior running back Trenton Grooms said.

“We’re just worried about one game at a time, starting with week zero all the way up to the last week of the season. From there, it’s win or go home, and I don’t think we want to lose this year,” added senior Tristan Reed. Reed committed to Miami (OH) in early July.

 

Knoch Knights

New head coach T.J. Wiley was hired just four months ago. But the Knights finished last season 3-6 in Class 4A, and are ready for a change of pace, even if it means battling with time.  

“With him getting hired late, there’s a sense of urgency in things. We really don’t have that much time, so we had to hit the ground running as soon as possible,” senior Carter Worsley said.

Wiley coached at four other WPIAL schools, before turning his talents to Knoch this season.

“If you have a bad environment, you don’t want to play, you don’t buy into it as much. But with this new coaching staff, everything is way better, more respectable, and everyone tries harder,” senior captain Koen Sundie said.

“I think we’re in a good spot. We need to fine-tune a little bit more, but for how are, and how late our new coaching staff came in, I think we’re doing a great job,” senior Ryan McCurdy added.

 

Jeannette Jayhawks

“We got one more chance, and we’ve been dreaming about it since we’ve all been 5, 6 years old, playing little league together. We’re trying to make it to the big stage again and get one last trophy together,” senior lineman Carmine DeAnnutis said.

The Jayhawks are prepared to clinch another WPIAL championship like they did in the 2020. They finished 9-4 last season in Class 1A, before losing to Fort Cherry in the WPIAL semifinals.  

“We want to come in, work hard every day, stay on the same page, communicate, be the best version of ourselves every day and try to win a WPIAL championship and state championship,” senior quarterback Kymon’e Brown said.

Knowing the value of Jeannette’s 10 WPIAL titles and two PIAA state titles, their current athletes are ready to add to the legacy.

“There’s no pressure. When we put on these Jeannette jerseys, we already know what it stands for, so we just go out and do what we have to do,” Eli Jones said.

“We come from a small town, so you know we got big hearts. But we just need to be more physical and put our passion onto the field,” DeAnnutis said.

Photos by Deacon Blues.

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