Panthers hoping players will seize their opportunities
Upper St. Clair head coach Jim Render talks strategy kicker Max Herold. In addition to averaging 53.3 yards, per kickoff, Herold kicked two field goals and 55 extra points last season for the 11-1 Panthers.
Upper St. Clair defensemen swarm the ball carrier during practice drills. The Panthers ranked among the top defenses in the WPIAL last season, recording six shutouts and allowing only 94 points during an 11-1 season.
USC assistant coach Shawn Morton holds up the play for the offense to see during a practice session.
UPPER ST. CLAIR – Carpe diem is the motto at Upper St. Clair as the Panthers seek to replace 21 of 22 starters from last year’s 11-1 squad that captured a third straight conference championship and lost to Woodland Hills, 28-21, in the WPIAL Class AAAA semifinals.
“We have told the players that there is a lot of opportunity sitting out there waiting for them. If get your chance, seize it. Make a play,” said Jim Render, who enters his 36th season as head coach. “We hope that we have kids who rise up when we need them.”
The Panthers need players at every position save punter and kicker. Jesse Slinger averaged 39 yards per punt last season and Max Herold averaged 53.3 yards a kickoff. Herold contributed 55 extra points and two field goals to an offense that amassed 443 points. Slinger, meanwhile, also started at linebacker on a defense that allowed just 94 points and recorded six shutouts during the regular season.
Render looks for those two, along with seniors Mike Krenn, Andrew Bartusiak, Marcus Galie and Austin Himler, to be leaders on a youthful squad as they are the only returning players with experience. While Bartusiak, Kreen and Galie fueled USC’s special teams last season, Himler gained some starts when injuries plagued the line.
This fall, Himler will start at guard and rotate in on the defensive line. Bartusiak and Kreen are defensive backs who also will play flanker on offense. A linebacker on defense, Galie will start in the backfield at fullback.
“Our problem is we return one true starter (Slinger) and four with playing experience, three of whom were excellent on special teams,” Render said. Of the others, he added, “They have not played under the lights.”
Render cites two reasons why being a young club is not a bad thing. “Potential and competition,” he said. Because there are 21 starting positions available, training camp has featured spirited battles.
“We are seeking answers,” Render said. “It’s been a fun group. They are aware, and in some cases, they have waited three years to go out there on Friday nights. It’s been fun watching their enthusiasm and their work ethic has been good.
“Sure, you’d like to have a Pete Coughlin (a quarterback now at W&J) or a Dakota Conwell (Arizona) coming back. It’s nice to have veterans but this is high school football. We all hold graduation.”
Joe Repischak (1,411 passing yards, 7 TDs), last year’s starting quarterback, has graduated and is a walk-on at Pitt. A battle rages at quarterback between senior Dan Trocano, junior Gunnar Lund and sophomore Jackson Geisler. Lund’s father played for Render before going on to captain the Yale football team like his brother, Don, did when he played. Geisler’s father once coached at Baldwin. Yet Trocano holds the trump card, which is experience.
“He is the most knowledgeable about the offense and the most able to take charge because he has a take-charge mentality,” said Render. “Lund is the tallest. He looks like a quarterback. Jackson is getting better and better. I told the older ones they better keep an eye open on what’s behind them.”
In front of the three quarterbacks is size. In addition to Himler, Brandon Ford is a 6-5, 290-pound junior tackle, Jay Miller is an offensive guard, Key Smith, the center, is 6-1, 250. Plus, Sean Thomas (6-0, 270) and Matt Fennell (6-3, 260) are battling for the other tackle slot.
“The size is there,” Render said. “We have a center who can run. We have a lot of potential there. We are hopeful those guys can get it done in the trenches.”
In that same group, USC has defensive prospects. Plus, the Panthers’ tight ends, Nick Rutkowski, Yuya Kaneko and Ryan Harkleroad, a 6-3, 235-pound junior, will be asked to play on defense. Plus, Dan Pituch can help on the defensive line. The Panthers will be without Mike McGinnis, a senior defensive end who tore an ACL.
After playing Woodland Hills in 90-degree temperatures in last year’s opener, Render says the Panthers learned they can’t have their big guys playing two ways.
“The back-ups have to play,” he said. “I’m not sure we’ll have five offensive and five different defensive linemen, but we’ll rotate them.”
The Panthers have plenty defensive backs, including Matt Boyd. The senior is playing football for the first time and has looked good at cornerback. Krenn, Bartusiak, Trocano, Kevin Chrissis, Connor Brennan and Blake Kadar are in the mix, too, while Galie, Rutkowski, Thomas Vissman, Lund, Sean Park and Connan Rooney provide depth at linebacker.
“We lost a lot of great defensive players and graduated a lot of experience, so defense, particularly speed to the ball, is a concern,” said Render. “But, on offense, we like to think we have some speed and power.”
Galie possesses both as he can be used as a fullback or a tailback. USC will mix and match Galie with Vissman, a sophomore, and Chrissis, a junior. Bartusiak and Krenn have good speed and they will combine with wideouts Parker, Doug Wagner, Brennan and Dionte Johnson.
“We have some good combinations there, but until we get under the game lights we won’t know what the best schemes will be. We are breaking in a whole new line and quarterback, and that is why our scrimmages have been more important than they have been in a long time.”