Young Bucs aren’t down about moving up
Jake Mele makes a reception during a passing drill at Chartiers-Houston's football workouts.
Zach David slips under the defensive pylon held by two Chartiers-Houston teammates during a drill designed to improve linemen's agility.
Austin Kulock attempts to strip the football from Tavain Miller during a drill at Chartiers-Houston's training camp.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Zach David successfully slips under the defensive pylon held by two Chartiers-Houston teammates during a drill designed to improve linemen’s agility.
By John Sacco
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
The Chartiers-Houston High School football team has returned to Class AA in 2020.
While the Bucs have been ping-ponging between Class 2A and Class A the past six years, the aim remains constant, according to Terry Fetsko, the longest-tenured football coach in Washington County.
Last season and in 2018, the Bucs competed in the Class A Tri-County South Conference. In 2016 and 2017, they were in Class 2A. For many seasons before that, Chartiers-Houston competed in Class A.
The loss of a solid and large senior class, and the move back up to Class 2A, certainly creates changes for the Bucs.
“We’re in a little bit of a transition,” Fetsko said. “The competition in Double-A is going to be more difficult. The size of teams, physically and in sheer number of bodies, will be bigger.
“We lost 14 seniors and we only have four returning seniors. But we expect a lot out of them. While our lineups will be made up of mostly sophomores and juniors, our expectations are the same.
“Our goal is to compete for a playoff spot, as it always is. A lot will depend on how fast we mature and develop.”
The Bucs went 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the conference last season, finishing third in the Class A Tri-County South. Their only losses came against West Greene and California, the top teams in the conference. Chartiers-Houston’s other loss was to Sto-Rox.
The last time the Bucs qualified for the postseason was 2016, when they finished as runnersup in the Class 2A Century Conference.
The top returner in 2020 is senior Jimmy Sadler, a West Virginia University baseball recruit. He is expected to provide leadership and big plays, Fetsko said.
Sadler (6-0, 175) is listed as receiver but Fetsko will find as many ways as possible to get him the football.
“He’s definitely is a player who will have the ball in his hands,” the coach added.
In addition to Sadler, who will also play defensive back, Chartiers-Houston is counting on seniors Carson Craig (6-1, 185) and Zach David (6-3, 225). Craig will play wide receiver and linebacker while David will anchor the offensive and defensive lines. Senior Austin Kuslock (5-11, 190) will play tight end and defensive end.
Others being counted on include middle linebacker Lane Camden (5-11, 180), two-way lineman Blake Bard (6-1, 235); Nathan Cavallo, a (5-10, 175) junior linebacker-running back; and outside linebacker-wide receiver Colton Craig (6-1, 175). All are juniors.
Fetsko’s son, Terry (5-10, 175), will be the quarterback and is coming off a 2019 freshman season where he gained some valuable experience.
“He needs to mature and develop quickly,” the elder Fetsko said. “We found out last year that the stage wasn’t too big for him. For our good, he needs to grow and develop quickly.”
Fetsko confirmed that longtime coach Jim Morris is returning as an assistant. It will be Morris’ 55th year of coaching and this season marks the seventh decade in which he will coach.
“He’s as excited as anybody,” Fetsko said. “He’s like that every day.”
As of this writing, the Bucs will not be playing on opening night as it is an open date. They will open the season Sept. 18 at Beth-Center.
The Century Conference also includes Charleroi, Frazier, McGuffey, Washington and Waynesburg. Only one or two teams in the conference will advance to the postseason this year.
“When you look at it, it’s up to us to be as good as we can be,” Fetsko said. “We understand the competition we will be facing is bigger and faster and with more depth than what we’ve been competing against.
“It’s a difficult conference. McGuffey and Wash High are the top two. McGuffey has a very strong team and Wash High doesn’t rebuild. They reload. There isn’t an easy game in the conference. Frazier also has talented players.”