Monessen just trying to stay afloat
Marissa Sacco/For the Observer-Reporter
New Monessen head coach Wade Brown guides the Greyhounds on hitting the sled during a summer conditioning practice.
Marissa Sacco/For the Observer-reporter
Wade Brown is the third Monessen head coach in as many seasons. He will try to rebuild the Greyhounds in the Class A Tri-County South Conference.
By John Sacco
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
MONESSEN – No one would blame Wade Brown, Monessen High School’s third football coach in as many seasons, if he felt a little like Old Mother Hubbard.
Honestly, there was not much in the cupboard when he was hired last winter.
The Greyhounds had only a few holdovers from a 2020 season that was delayed and restructured a bit by the PIAA and WPIAL because of COVID-19. Then the season ended after only four games because of lack of players.
Brown, a former assistant coach at West Mifflin and a Duquesne High School graduate where he was a member of outstanding teams in the 1990s, does not want your sympathy.
He has taken on a job that few would have dared to attempt in trying to resurrect the Greyhounds’ football program.
As Brown and Monessen open the 2021 season, his goal is to maintain and grow the numbers and to work toward improvement each day and each game.
“Our mission is to try to bring it back to where Monessen traditionally used to be,” Brown said. “We want to compete, try to bring some type of respect back for the football program. It will not happen overnight and it will take a lot of work and a lot of sacrifice.
“We cannot skip any steps. It’s a long haul and the players have to realize and value the importance of practice, paying attention to details, being disciplined and being a good teammate.”
The challenge will not be easy.
The Greyhounds ended with 14 players for the 2019 finale, eight of whom graduated, and after four consecutive losses to start last season, the district decided to suspend the program for the balance of the season.
Coach Shane Swope, who succeeded Mike Blainefield, was not retained and Brown emerged as the district’s top candidate.
His task is clear: keep the program afloat and try to increase the participation.
Monessen will not have a middle school program again in 2021.
Brown, who has overseen the Duquesne midget football program for several years, said the interest and participation must increase from the midget program through middle school to varsity.
“We have a lot of single-parent families with the kids we have in the program,” Brown said. “In some cases, these young men need more than just a football coach. Sometimes they need to be able to talk to someone who will listen and have their best interest at heart. Really, it can be finding the right person to lead.
“I am here for the long haul. I know where we are. We have some athletes in our program, just not a plethora of them. Our school has 51 or 52 boys in grades nine through 12. We have some in the school who just aren’t coming out. We’re going to make the best out of our situation. It’s not always about wins and losses. It’s about getting better and creating a culture where young athletes want to be part of.”
The Greyhounds will again compete in the WPIAL Class A Tri-County South Conference. California appears to be the favorite.
But with three other playoff spots available, unless the WPIAL is forced to reduce postseason participations like in 2020 because of the COVID-19 global pandemic, anything seems possible among the other Tri-County South teams, which includes Avella, Bentworth, Carmichaels, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown and West Greene.
The Greyhounds’ few returning players include, sophomores Jamar Bethea and Lorenzo Gardner, juniors Nigier Foster (running back and defensive back), Omarion Rainey and Jai’sean Blackman, a two-way lineman, and sophomore Leonaj Thomas. Junior two-way lineman Tre Thompson has transferred back to Monessen from Clairton.
The Greyhounds open the season Friday, August 27 at Wash High Stadium. The Little Prexies own a school-record 38-game home winning streak.
Monessen then hosts Imani Christian and Charleroi September 3 and10, respectively, at Memorial Stadium.
“I’m OK with it,” Brown said. “Tough times make tough people.”