Aug 22, 2018 4 min read

Over the summer, Ed Dalton attended too many parties.

Graduation parties, that is.

The head football coach at McGuffey High School lost 22 seniors to graduation from last year’s team that went 6-4 in the WPIAL Class AAA Interstate Conference team. There will be new faces and a new conference in Class AA with a renewed rivalry against Washington.

“There were a lot,” said Dalton of last year’s senior list. “I think it was the largest (graduating) class we’ve had. We lost a lot of experience-wise and on the line.”

Three of the five starters will be new this year but the skill-position people in Dalton’s triple-option offense are back. That should soften the blow from the losses along the line.

“We feel we have a lot of capable linemen but they just don’t have a lot of starting-game time,” said Dalton. “Fortunately, we were up big in four or five games and they got to play a few quarters.”

Marshall Mounts, a senior, returns to tight (non-wide receiver side) tackle for a second season and Jake Phillips, a senior, is back at tight guard for the third consecutive year.

“The one thing we’ve had here is linemen,” said Dalton. “We have size; we have numbers. When some schools look at their roster, there are 10 or 11 linemen. We have like 25. We have the possibility of having a good line. It just depends how fast they come together.”

McGuffey has seven players for the five spots. Senior Dalton McCuen has the inside track at center and seniors Elijah Harps and Noah Cline are fighting it out for the other tackle position. Senior John Wright and sophomores Aidan Brookman and Nate Cumer are gunning for the remaining guard spot.

“I’m pretty confident they’ll come together quickly,” Dalton said. “If you had asked me to describe McGuffey kids before I got here, I would describe that line. They are just tough, hard-working and they love to be challenged. They love flipping tires (in workouts), tug-of-wars. They drive big trucks, music blasting. That’s the kind of guys they are.”

Making the transition for the line easier is the return of some dangerous skill people, led by senior Christian Clutter, who rushed for more than 1,100 yards last season. He is big and strong and a standout on the wrestling team. Adam Townsend graduated but Brendan Crowe is back and he averaged nearly six yards per carry. Quarterback Marshall Whipkey will lead the offense again and brother McKinley will probably take Townsend’s fullback spot.

“And we have Bryton Johnson, a junior, who is really a talented running back,” Dalton said. “We have to get him onto the field, some how, some way, some time. It’s pretty exciting. Bryton could be our best breakaway threat since I’ve been here. He can just run away from everybody and we haven’t had that. If he gets into the open field, then get the extra-point team ready.”

On defense, the Highlanders lost linebacker Luke Shingle, who by Dalton’s estimate blocked 20 kicks in four seasons.

“I’m estimating low, not high,” Dalton said. “And that talent was game changing. In two of our Mt. Pleasant games, we beat them because he ended up blocking a kick somewhere. He had the innate ability to get through.”

Sophomore Rocco Falosk and junior Tommy Sells will handle the linebacker positions and Clutter has been a playmaker at safety. Senior Jake Garrety returns at one cornerback spot and sophomore Nate Yagle will be on the other side. The line will flip-flop with maybe a couple exceptions

Dalton said the conference shift presents some different challenges.

“Washington is Washington,” he said. “I think we can compete. That Washington game will be really important. Charleroi has some really good kids. That kid (quarterback Geno Pelligrini) can throw it. It’s a tough conference.”