10 • SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2021 • VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH
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1993-2020
No. Name Pos. Cl.
2 Brayden White WR/DB So.
3 Montrell Johnson RB/DB Fr.
4 Aaran Randolf WR/DB So.
5 Manni Carson WR/DB Jr.
6 Tyler Oligee WR/LB Jr.
7 Boyd Brown QB/LB So.
8 Nick McQuade QB/LB Jr.
9 Jordyn Taveras WR/DB So.
10 Adian Burford WR/LB Fr.
11 Jrake Burford WR/DB Sr.
12 Chandler Thimons QB/LB Jr.
14 Menage Lucas QB/LB Fr.
15 Tony Jones WR/DB Sr.
20 Landan Signorella WR/DB Jr.
21 Bryan Harvin WR/DB Fr.
22 Brock White RB/LB Sr.
24 Bryan Randolf WR/DB Sr.
26 Julius Suanders RB/LB So.
28 Ashton Hatajik WR/LB Jr.
31 Devonne Wilson WR/DB So.
32 Nygel Jack RB/DB Fr.
33 Luke Bombalski RB/LB So.
34 Cameron Layhew WR/DB Jr.
41 Rondeal Hewlett WR/DB Jr.
42 Burton Babinsack WR/DB Fr.
44 Braden Litwicki TE/LB Fr.
48 Angelo Markey TE/LB So.
50 Calub Hank OL/DL Jr.
51 Cody Hubert OL/DL Jr.
52 Dylan McConville OL/DL Fr.
53 Brian Marra OL/DL Fr.
54 Caliel Long OL/DL Sr.
55 Landon McConville OL/DL Fr.
56 Lucas Callen OL/DL Sr.
57 Adian Vargo OL/DL Jr.
58 Brennan Haidze OL/DL So.
59 Tyler Thompson OL/DL Sr.
61 Devon Witherup OL/DL So.
63 James Naviglia OL/DL Fr.
64 Ethan Roberts OL/DL Sr.
66 Zachhary D’Angelo OL/DL Fr.
67 Roman Vivirito OL/DL Jr.
68 Caden Kowalski OL/DL Fr.
70 Daniel Gohn OL/DL Fr.
72 Daniel Thimons OL/DL Sr.
73 Logan Leslie OL/DL Jr.
75 Noah Leslie OL/DL Jr.
78 Tyler Bender OL/DL Jr.
79 Jeremiah Martz OL/DL Jr.
81 Landon Black WR/DB Fr.
82 Vinny Viglione WR/DB Fr.
83 Demani Cargile WR/DB Jr.
85 Cyler Strader WR/DB Sr.
86 Talen Newcomer WR/LB Fr.
88 Jordan Gangloff TE/LB Fr.
ROSTER
Coach: Dom Girardi
2020 record: 4-3, 4-3 in
Class 4A Greater Allegheny
Conference
All-time record: 268-250-7
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
8.27 University Prep 7
9.3 at Valley 7
9.10 Burrell 7
9.17 at Mars* 7
9.24 Hampton* 7
10.1 Plum* 7
10.8 at Indiana* 7
10.15 Armstrong* 7
10.22 at Greensburg Salem* 7
10.29 Knoch* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Chandler Thimons
90-153, 1,315 yards, 16 TDs
Rushing Brock White
141-654 yards, 7 TDs
Receiving D.J. Loveland*
36-396 yards, 3 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• Last year’s three losses —
Mars, Hampton and Plum —
came by a combined 25 points.
• Girardi, who begins his fifth
season as coach of the Golden
Rams, owns a pair of winning
seasons. He helped the team
go 5-4 in his first season in
2017.
• White tallied 833 combined
receiving and rushing yards
and 13 touchdowns last year.
• Thimons hopes to build on
his first two seasons as Highlands’
quarterback when he
threw for a combined 2,678
yards and 27 touchdowns.
HIGHLANDS LOOKS TO PUT
PLAYOFF DROUGHT IN PAST
Chandler Thimons enters his
third year as the Highlands starting
quarterback hoping to help
snap the Golden Rams’ five-year
playoff drought.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound signal
caller said he developed a high
degree of optimism through the
team’s work in the offseason.
“This team has a really special
bond this year,” Thimons said.
“We lost a lot of quality players
from last year, but at the same
time, the guys we have back and
some of the younger guys have
put in so much time in the weight
room and on the field getting ready
for the season. We can’t wait to see
what the season holds for us.”
Highlands defeated Knoch in
its opener last year before suffering
consecutive losses to Mars,
Hampton and Plum. The Golden
Rams rebounded with convincing
wins over Indiana, Armstrong and
Greensburg Salem as they challenged
for a WPIAL playoff spot
and finished 4-3.
Coach Dom Girardi hopes his returning
players can pick up where
they left off when they open the
season Aug. 27 against University
Prep.
“The kids definitely showed a
number of times last year what we
can do if we execute consistently,
do the little things right and play
well as a team.” Girardi said.
Five teams make the playoffs out
of the Greater Allegheny this year.
The Class 4A bracket will have
13 teams as opposed to eight in last
year’s truncated, covid-affected
season.
“I expect the conference to be
extremely competitive week-in
and week-out,” Girardi said. “It’s
going to come down to making
those little plays throughout the
course of a game to tip the scales
in your favor.”
Thimons threw for 16 touchdowns
and more than 1,300 yards
in seven games last fall.
“One of the big things I’ve seen
from Chandler is his ability to
grow even more as a leader for this
team, holding guys accountable,
expecting them to show up and
do the right things,” Girardi said.
“On the field, there is just no substitute
for his experience. He got a
ton of throws in the offseason. It’s
definitely to his advantage to have
those games under his belt going
into his season.”
Junior Landon Signorella, who
also started in the secondary on
defense last year and made 34 tackles
with two fumble recoveries,
is expected to be one of Thimons’
main targets in the passing game.
Jrake Burford, a senior, also
hopes to increase his stock at one
of the wideout spots. At linebacker
in 2020, Burford recorded 39 tackles
with three sacks.
“They both looked really good in
the offseason,” said Girardi, who
also looks to senior Tony Jones to
make an impact.
“We’re not afraid to throw three,
four, maybe even five receivers out
there from time to time. If you are a
receiver on our team, you definitely
will have ample opportunity to
show what you can do.”
Senior Brock White, the team’s
leading rusher last year who added
36 tackles and four sacks from his
linebacker spot, is recovering from
a knee injury suffered in a 7-on-7
game in May. Girardi hopes to
have White back in the early part
of the regular season.
“Knowing Brock and his work
ethic, he’s done everything asked
of him and more in his recovery,”
Girardi said. “He’s really pushing
himself. He has a history of coming
back from injuries like this.”
Sophomore Luke Bombalski, Girardi
said, stepped up into a bigger
running back role this spring and
summer.
“He’s grown in the weight room
and also has grown mentally and
maturity-wise,” Girardi said.
“He’s someone who will help us
this year, no doubt.”
Girardi said though the offensive
line is inexperienced — only
senior center Danny Thimons returns
— he likes the group’s work
ethic, mental toughness and commitment.
“Danny makes a lot of the calls,
and he’s extremely smart,” Girardi
said. “He has grown as a leader in
his own right.”
Thimons, senior Caliel Long and
junior Tyler Becker are expected
to form a united front in the
defensive trenches after seeing
significant time there last year.
by MICHAEL LOVE
CHANDLER THIMONS
GREATER ALLEGHENY • HIGHLANDS