Wrapping up local football season, and peeking ahead
Yes, football season is still very much alive and well. However, with all five Greene County teams preparing for next year and Waynesburg University gearing up for its season finale on Saturday at Washington & Jefferson, the cool fall days feel like they are quickly giving way to the bitterness of winter.
While there will still be plenty of football for fans to enjoy at all levels, I thought it might be time to put a bit of a bow on the local gridiron schedule before turning our full attention to the hardwood and the wrestling mats.
West Greene’s memorable 2019 season came to a loss this past week with a deflating loss to Sto-Rox in the WPIAL semifinals. There’s certainly no shame in having a 10-2 overall record, an undefeated conference record and your program’s first playoff win since 1993. However, with the way the Pioneer defense played against a talented Viking offense for the majority of the game, the team’s 24-7 loss was hard to swallow.
So, what now?
West Greene is graduating a senior class that has made three-straight trips to the postseason. Obviously, superstar running back Ben Jackson highlights the group after setting a bevy of impressive records at both the school and WPIAL levels. However, there are plenty of other valuable contributors that have played their last game as a Pioneer. Included in that group are 1,000-yard back and standout linebacker Kolin Walker, do-it-all offensive player Gavin Scott, mammoth two-way line star Brock Bedilion and gritty two-way contributors Andrew Litton and Colten Anderson.
Obviously, replacing that much talent and experience is going to be incredibly difficult to do. Could this mean the door is now open for another team to take over the top spot in Greene County?
With Carmichaels moving back to Class 1-A next year, the Mighty Mikes appear to be the early favorites to take the throne and, assuming they return to the Tri-County South, perhaps the conference championship. However, the Mikes must first find a new head coach following the resignation of Ryan Krull. Whoever earns the job will also have a lot of holes to fill with the graduation of nine accomplished seniors.
A dark horse candidate that I will be watching closely is Jefferson-Morgan. Though an incredibly young Rocket squad took its lumps during a 3-6 season, the offensive potential of the squad showed up in flashes throughout the year.
I am very excited to see the growth of a passing game that featured freshman Cole Jones throwing to 6-3 junior Owen Maddich and 6-4 sophomore Colt Fowler among others. That passing game is complemented by a young man who could be the county’s top running back next year in 5-11, 220-pound powerhouse Jonathan Wolfe.
Moving up in classification, 2020 could be a chance for the Waynesburg Central Raiders to reverse their fortunes. Next year, WCHS will not only get to move out of the Tri-County West Conference and all of its ridiculous road trips to Beaver County, but also drop back to Class 2-A.
WCHS will have a ton of work in the offseason to basically completely rebuild its offensive line. However, Darnell Johnson looks like a legitimate star heading into his senior season and Nate Stephenson has proven himself a contributor on offense.
I’ve also been told by those close to the Waynesburg football program that there are several exciting freshmen on the way after putting up big numbers as eighth graders.
Just where WCHS is placed when the new realignments are revealed could play a significant role in the team’s success. However, the bigger factor in getting more wins is just how good a job the coaching staff can rebuild the roster, particularly on the offensive and defensive lines.
Full disclosure, I am a 2000 graduate of Waynesburg Central High School, meaning I was roaming the halls during the golden era of Raider football that featured the great rivalries with Washington and Brownsville. Will those days ever return? I don’t know.
However, a return to respectability would be a great place to start for the Raiders and their fans.