Avella hoping experience pays off
Mark Marietta/Observer-Reporter
Foot speed is foremost as Avella sophomore running back Austin Oiler steps though the ladder during summer conditioning for the 2020 season. Avella is one of four local teams off to a 2-0 start.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Returning from an all-conference season last year, Avella Eagles senior Robbie West digs for the turn in a cornering drill during summer conditioning.
Mark Marietta/Observer-Reporter
As his team works to condition for the 2020 season, Avella Eagles quarterback K. J. Rush sharpens his cornering skills.
By Chris Dugan
Sports editor
dugan@observer-reporter.com
AVELLA – Things are a little out of sorts at Avella and it has nothing to do with the unique and trying circumstances of 2020.
Avella, one of the smallest football-playing schools in the WPIAL, has only 21 players on its roster, which is not unusual as the Eagles annually are fighting the numbers game. What’s unusual is, even with the small roster, Avella has one of the most experienced teams in the Class A Tri-County South Conference.
“This is one of our biggest senior classes,” Avella coach Ryan Cecchini says. “We didn’t graduate much. We lost only five seniors from last year and three of those were only in their first year.”
Avella has eight seniors this fall, many of whom have been playing significant roles for the Eagles for several years. Two of those players, Robbie West (6-4, 230) and Blaze Allen (6-0, 235), will be at the key offensive tackle positions and will be among the best players in the conference. Each was an all-conference selection last year. West has been a starter since his freshman season.
“They provide leadership,” Cecchini said. “Both were tackles last season and didn’t give up a sack. And we threw the ball a lot last year.”
West and Allen will be blocking for quarterback K.J. Rush, who at 6-2 and 225 pounds has the size of an offensive lineman, which he was last year. Making the move from guard to quarterback is unusual but these are unusual times.
“I know moving from guard to quarterback is unusual, but that’s what you have to do at Avella,” Cecchini said. “We hope we can use K.J.’s size with a lot of inside runs.”
The Eagles will have a new primary ball carrier in senior Matt Kidwell, who was a tight end at this time last year. Kidwell is another multi-year starter.
Cecchini likes the potential of his wide receivers, seniors Tanner Terensky and Ty Jaworowski, and junior Brandon Samol. All three players finished last year with double-digit catches. The group is bolstered by the addition of senior Gabe Lis, who joined the team after being one of the Eagles’ top basketball players.
Avella has 10 starters back on defense, which produced a shutout of Bishop Canevin a year ago. Allen will anchor the defense from the middle linebacker spot and West will be a defensive end. Rush and Kidwell give the Eagles a solid group of linebackers.
“The strength of the team should be the defense,” Cecchini said.
West agrees with his coach’s assessment.
“We have to rely on our defense and then get our offense going. Defense is our strength,” West said. “There are a lot of older kids in the secondary and a lot of returning starters.”
One of the unique circumstances for the Eagles in the summer of 2020 is they have not been allowed in the high school, which has meant no weightlifting on campus. That hasn’t stopped the players from showing up for summer workouts with enthusiasm.
“Even with all the craziness, we’ve had good turnouts,” Cecchini said. “I think some of that has to do with kids being bored. They want to get outside and do things. They weren’t able to play spring sports and summer workouts were shut down through June.”
After analyzing what Avella has coming back, and what other teams in the conference have lost, Cecchini believes the Eagles can make a run up the standings in the Tri-County South and improve on their 1-9 overall record and 0-7 mark in the league last year.
“Our goal will always be to compete for the playoffs. With all the seniors and juniors this year, I think that’s realistic,” Cecchini said. “There is a lot of high-end talent in the conference that is gone. Last year, we had to try tackling Ben Jackson at West Greene and Cochise Ryan at California. Those were two of the best players in Class A. Those guys are gone, so I would think California and West Greene should come back to the pack.”