Bearcats seek to snap non-playoff streak this fall
Bentworth running back Owen Petrisek (22) breaks a tackle against Brownsville during a game last season.
Bentworth's Trent Cavanaugh (30) breaks a long run against Mapletown during a game at Mapletown last season.
Bentworth coach JJ Knabb checks his play sheet during a game at Mapletown last season.
The Bentworth football team has not made the WPIAL playoffs since 2015, and according to second-year head coach JJ Knabb, his players are looking to end the streak.
鈥淲e had our first official offseason meeting in February, and I told the team that we had to set goals,鈥� said the former Peters Twp. and Ohio University standout. 鈥淭o a man, they said the playoffs.鈥�
Knabb is excited with where the team is despite missing over three months because of the COVID-19 pandemic and part of the reason is they now know what the coaching staff is looking for.
鈥淭he players know what to expect and half of the battle last year was setting expectations and them having to learn what to do,鈥� said Knabb. 鈥淓ven with the time off, we have nine returners on both sides of the ball and our limited time this summer has been three times what we put in last summer.
鈥淲e are getting 18 to 20 guys a day and that is double what we had last year.鈥�
According to Knabb, the workouts are tougher, and the players are all in.
鈥淚 will never be accused of running an easy program and the guys have bought in,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he stuff we do, I learned at Ohio and we go hard.鈥�
During the down time that started in mid-March, Knabb put a major focus on technology with the team not being allowed to get together.
鈥淲ith all of the craziness going on, it has been a good summer,鈥� said Knabb, who also teaches in the Bentworth district. 鈥淲e have had team Zoom meetings, have a Google Classroom for the team and use Hudl.
鈥淗aving the ability to do the video chats and Google Classroom will streamline us moving forward.鈥�
When conditioning was allowed to resume in mid-July, the players carried the weights outside from the weight room so there would be more space and more players could work out at the same time.
鈥淭hey hauled the weights outside, lifted and then put everything back,鈥� Knabb said. 鈥淭his may be a long-term thing, but we will have to see how it works under normal circumstances.鈥�
Line play is always a key in football, and the Bearcats return their entire offensive line from a year ago.
鈥淲e aren鈥檛 the biggest or most beefy, but we are athletic up front, move well and are fairly dynamic,鈥� Knabb said.
The five returners up front are senior center Nick Scarfo and right tackle Nathan Menzer, sophomore right guard Cam McGaw and a pair of juniors on the left side, guard Ethan Luketich and tackle Ethan Heinreich.
Junior Seth Adams and freshman Vitali Daniels are vying for the quarterback job, but regardless of who wins position, the other will be on the field at wide receiver.
Owen Petrisek set a school record with 19 rushing touchdowns a year ago, but did not get a lot of notoriety and Knabb offered why.
鈥淲est Greene蘑菇视频 Ben Jackson set a state record with over 50 touchdowns and we were in the same section,鈥� Knabb said while laughing.
Petrisek and fellow senior running back Trent Cavanaugh are an inside-outside combo.
鈥淥wen is elusive and more agile, while Trent is a road grader and carries guys,鈥� Knabb said.
Junior wide receiver Caleb Peternel is the other returning starter on offense.
Defensively, Cavanaugh leads the way at middle linebacker and already has recorded a school record 340 tackles.
Other returning starters on defense include Adams and Petrisek at linebacker, Peternel and sophomore Falon O鈥橰egan at corner, and Scarfo, junior Billy Leach, Menzer and Heinreich on the defensive line.
Heinreich played linebacker last year, while McGaw and Luketich also saw time last year on the line.
All but two of the returning players from a year ago lettered and the experience the team gained last year should help in the Tri-County South Conference.
鈥淵ou have to put California at the top,鈥� Knabb said. 鈥淵ear in and year out, they are the most consistent team and although West Greene lost a lot, the returning kids know how to win.
鈥淐armichaels is moving down (from Class AA) and has had success at times.鈥�
The other teams in the conference are Avella, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown and Monessen.
The Bearcats open the season when they host California on Sept. 11.