Monessen headed in right direction
Things are looking up for Monessen, and third-year head coach Wade Brown and the Greyhounds are excited about where they are headed.
“The kids are more used to us and are believing in us,” he said. “Even the younger kids, they were (with us as) water boys and are reacting good to things.
“We have kids who have been working out a lot more than in the past. They were more committed in the spring and into the summer. Our numbers have grown.”
Brown anticipates the Greyhounds’ roster having 28 to 30 players, including 10 to 12 freshmen, and expectations are high.
“We want to win a conference championship and go for a WPIAL championship and a state championship,” he said. “That is the process you have to have. We have to have them going out there believing they can beat anybody.”
Brown says the coaching staff has the players focused on team goals.
“We don’t want players focusing on individual goals and trying to do more than what they are capable of,” he said. “We can’t have guys going off the beaten path and that would leave a teammate out to dry. We want to have a cohesive unit.”
When asked about the favorites in the Class A Tri-County South Conference, of which Monessen is a member, Brown did not hesitate to answer.
“Every team will be tough, and that is how I feel,” he said. “I’m not sure what all the teams have coming back. I would think us and California, but it is hard to say.
“We haven’t beaten Mapletown since I have been here, nor have we beaten Carmichaels.”
Other teams in the Tri-County South include Bentworth, Beth-Center, Jefferson-Morgan and West Greene.
Last year, Monessen finished 4-2 in the conference and 6-5 overall. The Greyhounds advanced to the playoffs, losing a high-scoring shootout at Fort Cherry in the opening round.
Monessen returns four all-conference players in sophomore running back/safety Ty Kershaw, senior running back/linebacker Daevon Burke, senior tackle/linebacker Gemere Majors and sophomore tight end/fullback/defensive lineman Rodney Johnson. Majors will move to tackle from fullback.
The Greyhounds have a plethora of returning starters, and key reserves, on both sides of the ball.
Offensively, in addition to the returning all-conference starters, the Greyhounds return junior wide receiver Tim Kershaw, senior wide receiver Lorenzo Gardner, junior lineman Matt Moore, who returns from a knee injury, junior centern TJ Taylor, and junior quarterback Dan Dozier.
Another returning defensive starter who saw time on offense includes junior cornerback Devantae Robinson, who played wide receiver. Brown also pointed out sophomore Theo Moore, a 6-5 290-pound two-way lineman, as a potential key.
Freshman Dennis Hopkins Jr. will play linebacker and will be the backup quarterback.
“He is a person we are looking to have a big impact coming into the season,” Brown said.
The coaching staff is looking to Majors, Burke and Gardner for leadership, and Brown is excited to see what Burke and Ty Kershaw can do in the backfield.
“We are looking for big things from them,” he said. “Kershaw rushed for over 1,300 yards and had 20 total touchdowns while Burke had almost 800 yards rushing and 17 total touchdowns.”
Brown said having both back on special teams is huge.
“We are looking for big things from them on special teams,” he said. “Special teams are a third of the game, and we really have to try and score that way, too.”
Burke returned five kickoffs for touchdowns a year ago and added a pair of scores on punt returns while Ty Kershaw added a punt return for a touchdown.
Brown finished by sharing what needs to happen for the Greyhounds’ season to be a success.
“We have to stay injury free, and the players have to buy into what we are preaching,” he said.
Monessen hosts Washington in a non-conference game Friday night.