Defense, line could have Eagles soaring
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Sam Kelvington high steps through a running drill.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Kevin Markel hits the blocking sled.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Avella High School football coach Ryan Cecchini helps with a drill during practice.
AVELLA – After four consecutive losing seasons, the Avella Eagles feel like this is a season when improvement can be made, and can be seen.
Avella (2-8 overall and 1-6 in the Class A Tri-County South Conference last year) has enough talent and power up front to muscle its way up in the conference standings.
“We do return most of our linemen on offense and I feel very good about that group,” said Eagles coach Ryan Cecchini. “Our challenge will be at quarterback and running back. We didn’t lose a whole bunch from last season, but we did lose our quarterback and running back.”
What Avella does have is a bevy of returning starters on defense. The Eagles return nine to that unit and Cecchini is counting on it to keep Avella competitive and give it a chance to improve on its win total from 2018.
“I think it starts up front for us on defense,” Cecchini said. “Last year, when we moved Robbie West to defensive end, that’s when we started playing better as a unit.
“I feel we have an excellent coverage group returning as well. We don’t have any glaring weakness on defense. But it has to, and I think will, all start with the people we have up front on the line.”
West, a junior, performed well, Cecchini said, after being moved to the defensive end position. He, along with defensive tackle Blaze Allen, a junior, and Dylan Gzikowski, also a junior, figure to anchor the Eagles’ defense.
Avella qualified for the WPIAL Class A playoffs in 2013, 2014 and 2016. The Eagles lost in the opening round all three times.
Avella has managed just three wins over the past two seasons in 20 games and is 5-26 over the past three seasons and 7-33 in the last four. The Eagles posted consecutive winning seasons in 2012 (6-3) and 2013 (6-4) and were 5-5 in 2014.
Cecchini said West Greene and California are still very good and he expects Monessen to be in the mix at the top as well in the Tri-County South.
While he’s not sure Avella is ready to challenge those teams, Cecchini does expect the Eagles to compete with everyone else in the conference who are looking to improve in 2019.
“The hope and goal is to compete every single game,” Cecchini said. “All the other teams are looking to get better. I look forward to us playing hard and playing well and making the improvement.”
Avella will open with a nonconference game against Mapletown and also play a nonconference game against Bishop Canevin before opening Tri-County South play Sept. 6 against California.
The Eagles allowed 36.2 points per game last season and finished seventh, ahead of only Mapletown in the conference.
If they can replace quarterback Owen English and running back Frank Craig, who have graduated, Avella’s offense should better its average point total per game of 12.7 from a season go.
“Not any one person is going to replace either one of them,” Cecchini said. “But we have a group of players that can help us get better on offense.
“We’re challenging our quarterbacks and running backs to get better. As I said, I feel good about our offensive line.
Senior Justin Dryer and junior Tanner Terensky and sophomore Brandon Samol will vie for time at receiver.
Senior Derek Tarolli and sophomore K.J. Rush are competing at quarterback.
“I can see the competition there,” Cecchini said of the quarterback position. “They both should play. I can see some type of rotation with those guys.”