Mt. Lebanon engineering another successful campaign
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Mt. Lebanon High School coach Bob Palko yells out instructions to his players during a summer workout drill. The Blue Devils are coming off a 15-0 season that featured a WPIAL title and the school’s first state championship.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Mt. Lebanon football players work on their quickness during a competitive drill at summer preseason training.
Kade Capristo is a Richmond recruit. He is expected to anchor the Mt. Lebanon line this season after having helped the Blue Devils to a 15-0 championship season in 2021.
By Eleanor Bailey
Almanac Sports Editor
ebailey@thealmanac.net
When it comes to fashioning championship football teams, Bob Palko is a successful architect with nine WPIAL titles and two state championships in his tool box. His 242-81 record includes last year’s undefeated 15-0 campaign at Mt. Lebanon.
To reconstruct that 2021 project, which resulted in the school’s first district championship in 21 years and first state title, Palko needs a few engineers.
“We know how to do it,” said Palko, who enters his fourth year as Blue Devils’ coach. “Just because the blueprint is there, we still need the kids who can read it.”
Palko believes he can find those builders because he says the students at Mt. Lebanon are smart. They also must be innovators because the Blue Devils graduated 23 seniors, many of whom were three-year starters.
“An unbelievable class,” Palko said of the 2022 graduates. “We’ll never forget them and the season we had but we’ll learn from the good and learn from the bad.
“It’s a new year with new leaders. That’s what high school is all about. Grow, adapt and change. These kids understand what it’s about. They are not totally green. They’ll figure it out. We are not the version we will be. We will be different and it may be a different way that we get from point A to B or C.”
Getting to the initial point of making the playoffs is already different because Class 6A lost three teams – Baldwin, Hempfield and Norwin – in realignment. Canon-McMillan, Central Catholic, North Allegheny and Seneca Valley will battle the Blue Devils for the four playoff spots.
“Central and NA will be fine and everybody is saying this is SV’s year,” said Palko.
“I will never be that guy that says we have a chance to be really good because I don’t have a crystal ball, but we are always cautiously optimistic.”
Last year, standouts like Joey Daniels (2,118 yards passing and 31 touchdowns) and Navy plebes Alex Tecza (2.079 yards rushing, 29 TDs) and Eli Heidenrich (1,330 yards receiving, 29 TDs) and rest of the Class of 2022 took the Blue Devils to the pinnacle of high school football.
“We are going to miss those guys. They gave us a great year. What that team and class brought to the community, school, friends and families was unbelievable and awesome. We’ll never forget it but we have moved on, Palko said.
“We are looking to find our personality and be true to that. We are looking to create the magic that happens when guys put individual goals aside for the good of the team.”
In football, one cannot put a price on experience. By playing for 15 weeks last fall, Lebo’s backups gained an additional six weeks of practice and games.
“That’s a bonus,” Palko said of a deep playoff run. “It absolutely helps.”
A competitive training camp has aided the Blue Devils. There have been battles at most positions.
In the backfield, Lebo boasts a plethora of running backs. Junior Beckham Dee as well as seniors Nathan Sala and Idris Wilson have the most experience. The Blue Devils will also utilize senior Aidan Dawson and junior Fred Lasota.
“Running back will be by committee,” Palko said. “We try to do that here. We play a lot of running backs. That’s the beauty of the offense. It’s always good to have a stable of backs.”
Sophomore David Shields and senior Alex Gevaudan are embroiled in a quarterback battle. They were backups to Daniels last year. Shields, who started on Lebo’s WPIAL baseball championship club, was 15 of 23 for 174 yards and one score while Gevaudan was 6-for-11 for 83 yards and a TD.
“Alex has grown and has a big arm. He can spin it and he’s worked hard on his overall play,” Palko said.
“David has natural ability that you cannot coach. It’s neat to see,” Palko said. “Not too many freshman can stand in the pocket with no experience and do the things he did for us. He has a huge future in baseball but he can be just as good in football. He’s here for a reason. He loves football.”
Palko also mentioned Patrick Smith among the quarterbacks although the freshman is likely to play another position, particularly on defense.
Though Heidenreich was Lebo’s go-to-guy in the aerial attack, the Blue Devils boast a nice array of seniors in their receiving corps. Michael Biersdorff is the most seasoned with 16 receptions and four scores. John McGhee played in 10 games.
Seniors Garrett Pavlick, Cole Markel, Anthony Pietragallo and Michael Gevauden along with juniors Matt Nguyen and Ezra Heidenreich are emerging as top targets.
The Blue Devils have a variety of options from their H-backs. Among them are J.P. Walters, Luke Lombardo, William Hartung, Rocky Fennell and Noah Archibald.
Kade Capristo anchors the offensive line. A three-year starter, he is a Richmond commit.
While Palko hopes Capristo will be a leader, he expects seniors Frank Tinnemyer, Andrew Freedy, Ryan Long and David Cowher to have great years up front.
“It’s their opportunity. They’ve played behind some unbelievably great guys but it’s time for those seniors to have their turn,” Palko said.
The Blue Devils are equally excited about the emergence of juniors such as Connor Young, Miles Halter and Maddox Metzler as well as sophomores Lukas Bovino and Ben Taback.
“The O-line is always developing. We have a lot of kids in here training and working hard that people are going to be surprised. We expect good things from our group.”
On both sides of the ball, but particularly on defense, Grayson Dee, is Lebo’s guy. A tight end on offense, he will anchor the D-line with Young and Capristo in Lebo’s three-man front.
“Grayson’s a stud,” Palko said. “He might be our best football player.”
Lebo looks to Beckahm Dee and Hartung at inside linebacker along with Walters and Archibald. Dee started last year and Hartung saw plenty of action. Rocky Fennell, Pavlick, Dawson and Michael Devauden are the outside linebackers.
Lebo also has an array of defensive backs, from Pietragallo, McGhee, Nguyen, Aiden Fennell and Ben McAuley on the corners to Sala, Biersdorf, Lasota and Markel in the safety slots.
“There are a lot of unknowns this year,” Palko said. “Last year, we had all those guys coming in as three-year starters. Their experience was incredible. They knew what to expect.”