Bethel Park is full of experience and sets championship goals

From: Ray Fisher

Friday, August 9, 2024 | 6:01 a.m.

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Bethel Park has been battling all season for first place in the Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference in 2023.

Like last year, the Black Hawks finished in second place in the conference with a 3-2 record, tied with Upper St. Clair and Moon.

Despite the team’s 4-7 overall record, coach Phil Peckich is optimistic about his team’s chances this year – and for good reason. The Black Hawks have 10 starters back on offense and defense.

“I’m very optimistic,” Peckich said after last season. “I think the experience we gained will help us a lot. I think we understood where we were going to be this season after losing 22 seniors from a conference championship team.”

“We had some obstacles at the beginning of the year. We had to develop players to be able to make the playoffs and make a run. We were able to beat St. Clair, our big rival.”

Peckich is in his second year as head coach. He was promoted from offensive coordinator after five seasons as an assistant at his alma mater Montour and three seasons on the Bethel Park staff of Brian DeLallo, who resigned after the 2022 season.

“I think we have to continue to stick together as a team,” Peckich said. “We have very high expectations. We have to stay healthy. If we stay healthy, we can compete for the sectional title and the WPIAL title.”

A year ago, the Black Hawks had three players with more than 1,000 yards on offense.

Quarterback Tanner Pfeuffer threw for 1,879 yards and 21 touchdowns with six interceptions. He completed 115 of 226 passes, averaged 16.3 yards per pass, ran for four touchdowns and was named to the All-Conference second team.

“One of the things we expect to do is win a conference championship and the WPIAL,” said Pfeuffer, also a standout basketball player. “Last season we were a young team, but I’m proud of how everyone has developed. This year we have a lot of core players back on the team.”

The 6-foot-6, 195-pound Pfeuffer was offered football scholarships from clubs such as Seton Hill, West Liberty, Rio Grande and Hampden-Sydney.

“My goal is to do everything I can to put my team in a good position to win every week,” Pfeuffer said. “I’ve really worked on my footwork during the offseason and throwing the ball with great foresight.”

Ryan Petras, listed as an athlete/defensive back, was responsible for a total of 1,162 yards and 14 offensive touchdowns last year.

The 5-foot-10, 195-pound Petras was named the Allegheny Six Offensive Player of the Year and earned first-team state and conference recognition as an athlete.

He scored one point on a punt return and one on a kickoff return.

Yes, Vaughn Moore ran for 1,002 yards and eight touchdowns, the most on his team, and caught ten passes for 123 yards for a total of 1,125 offensive yards.

Pfeuffer, who finished the regular season with flying colors, Petras, also a standout baseball player, and Moore, a standout linebacker on defense, are seniors.

Pfeuffer rushed for over 200 yards in four games and for over 100 yards in three games. He threw just four interceptions in the regular season.

“Our team fought through a lot of adversity and never gave up,” Pfeuffer said. “We fought every week. We missed out on the conference title and a deep playoff run, but I’m proud of our team and how they fought.”

The third-year starter has thrown for 3,388 yards and 35 touchdowns over the past two seasons, converting 230 of 405 attempts. He is backed up by junior QB Evan Devine.

The versatile Petras, a baseball recruit from Northwestern, was the best receiver at Bethel Park last fall with 52 catches for 734 yards and an average of 14.1 yards per catch. He also rushed for 428 yards on 53 attempts, or 8.1 yards per attempt.

“I feel like we’re going to be a better team with all the seniors we have,” he said. “I think we have a great chance to win the conference and even the WPIAL championship.”

Senior WR/DB Jack Bruckner complemented Petras in the receiving department with 20 catches for 485 yards – good for 24.3 yards per catch.

Bruckner, a three-sport standout who scored four goals last season, said the Black Hawks have worked hard to be in contention for a title this fall.

“My goal is to do everything I can both on and off the field to help Bethel Park win our second WPIAL title,” he said. “We have to be fully focused on working hard, listening to our coaches, executing the game plan and competing every day. We are competing in one of the most challenging sections of the WPIAL. Peters Township won the state championship. USC is loaded with talent. Moon is always well-coached and talented.

“Our greatest strength is experience, along with leadership on the team. We return with nearly 20 starters. Some of us have been competing in our second season since winning the section title. We know what it takes to compete and be successful in this section. I’m looking forward to a great senior year.”

Buckner was selected to the All-Conference second team as a wide receiver last year, as was the 6-foot-tall, 195-pound Moore as a running back.

Look for the athletes at the skill positions to prove themselves as high-caliber players in 2024.

The Bethel Park coaching staff also hopes to see top-notch contributions from seniors Clancy Orie (TE/DL), Mitch Paschl (WR/DB) and Randy Bergia (FB/DL), juniors Jovian Smith (TE/DL) and David Dennison (RB/DB), and sophomores Brady Bruckner (QB/WR/DB) and Santino Nowozeniuk (WR/DB).

Three returning starters on the offensive line are juniors Hunter Goelz, a 6-foot-4, 235-pound center, Frank O’Mara, a 6-foot-4, 235-pound guard who switched to tackle, and sophomore tackle Santino LaMolinare (6-foot-4, 235-pound).

In addition to O’Mara, juniors Bryan McGuire and Gavin Baluh, seniors Denzel Meyers and Max Sellati, and sophomores Nate Purcell and Ryan Bergia are also being considered for the guard position.

Defensively, the Black Hawks were powered last fall by the 6-foot-4, 255-pound Orie, then-junior linebacker Christian Davis and then-sophomore baseball player Kahanu’ola Kuewa, the team’s three best tacklers.

Orie is the anchor of a defensive line that also includes the athletic Smith (6-3, 225), Ryan Bergia (6-0, 275), Meyers (5-11, 285), McGuire (6-1, 255) and Purcell (5-11, 250). The D-line looks to be generating a lot of buzz in the conference.

The linebacker corps is led by Davis, Moore and juniors Tim Ondo and Charlie Simmons.

The secondary looks to be a strong team with Petras, Kuewa, Jack Bruckner, Dennison, Paschl, sophomore Will Sabatos, third-year Landy Panarello, fourth-year Jeremy Whitling and Nowozeniuk.

A total of 28 sports stars are represented in this year’s squad.

Bethel Park was one of the most offensive teams in Class 5A last season, averaging 27.6 points per game. The team’s defensive average was 32.7 points per game.

The Black Hawks defeated North Hills 33-10, Baldwin 50-13, South Fayette 49-29 and rival USC 22-10 last season.

Bethel Park

Trainer: Phil Peckich

Record 2023: 4-7, 3-2 in Class 5A Allegheny Six

All-time record: 482-401-31

SCHEDULE

Date, opponent, time

8.23 in Seneca Valley, 7

8.30 am in Mars, 7

9.6 at Armstrong, 7

9.13 West Mifflin, 7

9.20 Trinity, 7

9.27 Moon*, 7

10.4 at Baldwin*, 7

10.11 Upper St. Clair*, 7

10.18 South Fayette*, 7

10.25 a.m. in Peters Township*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL GUIDES

Passing by: Tanner Pfeuffer

115-226, 1,879 yards, 21 touchdowns

Rush: Yes Vaughn Moore

152-1,002 yards, 8 touchdowns

Reception: Ryan Petras

52-734 yards, 9 touchdowns

FAST FACTS

• Bethel Park had 15 players named to the 2023 All-Conference, led by first-team honorees Ryan Petras and Clancy Orie. Second-team honors went to Tanner Pfeuffer, Mitch Paschl, Ja Vaughn Moore, Jack Bruckner, Christian Davis, Kahanu’ola Kuewa, Hunter Goelz and Dylan Prindle. David Dennison, Jovian Smith, Jake Brown, Adi Medar and Santino LaMolinare received honorable mentions.

• Pfeuffer (QB), Petras (WR/ATH), Moore (RB), Randy Bergia (FB), Orie (TE), Jack Bruckner (WR), Paschl (WR), O’Mara (OL), Goelz (OL) and LaMolinare (OL) return as starters on offense.

• Orie (DL), Meyers (DL), McGuire (DL), Smith (DL), Davis (LB), Petras (DB), Kuewa (DB), Dennison (DB), Bruckner (DB) and Paschl (DB) return as defensive starters.

• Bethel Park reached the WPIAL playoffs for the fourth consecutive year in 2023 despite having only 10 seniors (including two kicking specialists) on the team. The Black Hawks were WPIAL semifinalists two years ago and finished with an overall record of 10-2.

• The Black Hawks have finished third, first, second and second in the conference over the last four seasons.

Tags: Bethel Park