B-C strives for rebound from injury-plagued season
Beth-Center's Blayze Bilcoss carries a tire during an exercise at practice.
Holly Tonini/For the Observer-Reporter
Beth-Center quarterback Dominic Revi makes a throw on a play during a practice.
Beth-Center's Stefan Day streaks upfield and runs the football during a practice.
Beth-Center head coach Joe Kuhns
Holly Tonini/For the Observer-Reporter
Beth-Center asistant coach Eric Rohrer watches as members of the team run drills during practice.
By John Sacco
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
The 2019 season was unkind to the Beth-Center High School football team. Injuries and losses were plentiful.
If history speaks to anything, it would be unwise to dismiss the 2020 team because it is tough to keep the Bulldogs down.
The plan, according to coach Joe Kuhns, is to get back to playing Beth-Center football and on the winning track.
“I think we have the same expectations a Beth-Center football team has every year,” Kuhns said “We’ll put out a gutsy group that will give us the best effort it has. I feel we will look something like that.”
The Bulldogs will battle with familiar foes in the Century Conference including favorite McGuffey, Washington, Charleroi and Frazier. Chartiers-Houston moves up from Class A while Waynesburg moves down from Class 3A.
At the most, only two teams will advance to the WPIAL playoffs.
Beth-Center suffered through a 1-9 season overall and 0-7 conference mark. Kuhns said the team suffered about a dozen long-term injuries.
“We played a whole bunch of people quite a bit and they weren’t ready for it,” Kuhns said. “A lot of different guys saw a lot of playing time. They got a lot of unexpected playing time.”
Of the Bulldogs’ nine losses, two were by one point and three others were by five, eight and nine points.
Through all the struggles, Kuhns thinks Beth-Center developed a stronger and deeper offensive line. He thinks it may be a strength this season.
“We have a bunch of good players up front,” Kuhns said. “We have a good core and we should have a good rotation up front.”
The Bulldogs return junior Colby Kuhns, the coach’s son, at quarterback.
The younger Kuhns threw for 500 yards and five touchdowns before being injured in the second game, suffering a torn ACL. He was sidelined for the balance of the season but he’s back and ready to contribute in a big way.
Colby Kuhns will be counted on to direct the offense and he will rely on the offensive front to give him time to get the ball into the hands of several talented skill players.
Some of the players Beth-Center will rely on include senior Blaze Vilcoss, a receiver/running back; junior Aiden Symcheck, and senior Daijon Devers, a receiver/defensive back.
Some of the linemen being looked to both offensively and defensively are senior defensive end Austin Schoch; junior Hunter Bowser (6-0, 300), a two-way lineman; junior Ethan Novotney; junior Nathan Zelnis (6-6, 280) and sophomore Ryan Bittner, both two-way linemen.
Kuhns pointed out that Vilcoss is a four-year starter, Bowser will play nose guard, Zelnis has Division I size and Bittner received a lot of playing time last year, meaning Beth-Center’s line is in great shape and shows a lot of promise.
“Vilcoss has a defensive mentality,” Kuhns said. “He likes to run into stuff. Symcheck should be the best linebacker in the conference. Devers’ first year was last season. He started at cornerback. He’s matured from a boy into a man. He’s done some impressive things. He’s figured it out.”
Beth-Center posed identical 7-4 seasons in 2017 and 2018. The Bulldogs’ last conference title was 2014 in the Class A Tri-County South and their last WPIAL playoff victory was 2010.
After a rough season, Kuhns is hoping for and working toward a turnaround.
“We could have won five games last year,” Kuhns said. “It was a tough season.
“McGuffey should be really good this season. They have a big roster and some really good players. Wash High is Wash High. We will compete and hopefully we will surprise some people.”
Beth-Center is scheduled to open at Waynesburg Sept. 11. Its first home game is Sept. 18 against Chartiers-Houston. The Bulldogs will play their lone non-conference game the following week when they host Elizabeth Forward.