Enthusiasm running high at Burgettstown
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Senior wide receiver Zack Schrockman follows a line of blockers as Burgettstown works to coordinate plays in preseason practice. The Blue Devils play their Class A Black Hills Conference opener Saturday night against Bishop Canevin at Dormont Stadium.
Mark Marietta
Mark Marietta/For the Observer/Reporter
Burgettstown wide receiver Cayden Petro looks in a pass during preseason drills.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Effective blocking by his offensive line gives senior wide receiver Zack Schrockman a wide lane to the goal line as the Blue Devils prepare plays for the 2023 season.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Blue Devils fullback Travis Coles finds running room as the offense works drills during preseason practice.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Burgettstown's Rudy Brown shows that he's a pass-catching running back.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Burgettstown tight end Brian Charles latches onto a pass in preseason drills.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Wide receiver Daniel Smith reels in a pass. Burgettstown will compete again in the Class A Black Hills Conference.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Wide receiver Aiden States readies for a reception as the Blue Devils prepare for the 2023 season.
BURGETTSTOWN – There is no shortage of enthusiasm in Burgettstown’s camp. That’s because energetic Mark Druga has returned as the Blue Devils’ head coach following a two-year hiatus and there are 10 returning players who had more than casual roles last season, when Burgettstown advanced to the WPIAL Class A playoffs.
Druga spent six seasons with Burgettstown (2015-2020) and compiled a 38-21 record. The Blue Devils made the WPIAL playoffs in five of his six seasons, won two conference championships and two playoff games.
He replaces Greg Marshall. Burgettstown made the playoffs in both years Marshall was head coach. The Blue Devils are coming off a 6-4 season, so those returning players know what it takes to win, which brings a sense of optimism to preseason camp, even if more than half of the team has never played under Druga.
“This group has a lot of potential,” Druga says, “but there are still some unknowns. The last group I coached here is the senior class. You change a lot from a freshman to a senior, but I do have an idea what I’m getting from those guys.”
What Druga expects to get from this year’s Blue Devils is competitive, winning football in the rugged Class A Black Hills Conference. The reason for that is the lettermen. Though it has only 31 players, at almost every position Burgettstown has a returnee with at least a few games of starting experience.
The strength of the team should be the backfield, where versatile Brodie Kuzior moves into the quarterback role and will have Rudy Brown back at tailback.
Kuzior played quarterback, tight end and fullback a year ago and was good at all three positions. He caught 13 passes and was the Blue Devils’ leading rusher with 664 yards.
He’s also a rugged competitor. Kuzior is a rarity as he plays quarterback on offense and inside linebacker on defense.
“That’s a lot of hitting, especially the way Brodie plays,” Druga says. “He’s not going to be timid about getting into the trenches. He’s a highly intelligent player and his size is very good.”
Druga says that Burgettstown, as it did during his first stint with the Blue Devils, will prefer to run the football and not always with the tailback.
When they do give the ball to the tailback, Brown knows what to do with it. Last year, he was having an all-conference level season when he suffered a broken finger that sidelined him for a large chunk of the year, though he did return for the Blue Devils’ playoff game against Union. He averaged 8.5 yards per carry.
“We’re looking for great things out of him at running back and outside linebacker,” Druga said of Brown. “He’s versatile, too. He can play cornerback and wide receiver. He’s fast and strong. This spring, he power cleaned 70 pounds over his body weight.”
Another versatile player who will give Burgettstown several options on offense is wide receiver Zack Schrockman. Ryan Murray also is back at receiver after averaging 25.3 yards per catch a year ago.
Up front, Burgettstown has experience in linemen Teddy Gray (6-2, 290), who is coming off a good season, Sam Elich (6-3, 225), Gerry Cox (6-3, 240) and Beau Ferris (6-1, 205).
“We have confidence in those guys, but we’re also looking for two more who can jump into the system,” Druga said.
The Blue Devils’ 3-4 defense will be anchored up the middle by Gray at nose guard and Kuzior at inside linebacker with Elich and Cox at the defensive ends.
Burgettstown has a rugged schedule in the Black Hills and the non-conference slate includes South Side Beaver, which advanced to the WPIAL semifinals a year ago.
“It’s not as though our schedule is a shock,” Druga said. “It seems like we’ve always had a tough schedule. We’ll get to see where we’re at because our conference is loaded. It won four first-round games last year and three of the teams played in the semifinals.”
Burgettstown is one of the few teams in the WPIAL that does not play its season opener next weekend. The Blue Devils will instead scrimmage Sto-Rox before playing the opener Sept. 1 at home against Beth-Center.
Having two scrimmages is something Druga likes, especially in his first year back at the helm.
“I’m a traditionalist. I don’t like playing a Week 0 game,” Druga said. “But in the next two-year cycle, I can see us playing a Week 0 game. One scrimmage is not enough to prepare and evaluate. I still think two scrimmages is the way to go.”
Druga says the goals for the Blue Devils are familiar.
“To continue to build off what Coach Marshall did the last two years,” he said. “I’m hopeful of getting into the playoffs and maybe create an upset, based on our seed, not our team.”