VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH • SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2021 • 25
LEECHBURG ON VERGE OF
ELUSIVE WINNING SEASON
DAN’SAPPLIANCE EVERYTHING WE SELL IS MADE IN AMERICA
168 THIRD ST. LEECHBURG, PA 15656 • 724-845-8141
GO BLUE
DEVILS!
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TOMMY BURKE
Coach: Randy Walters
2020 record: 3-4, 3-4 in
Class A Eastern Conference
All-time record: 400-514-38
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.4 at Summit Academy 12:30
9.10 Brentwood 7
9.17 at Clairton* 7
9.24 Springdale* 7
10.1 at Jeannette* 7
10.8 Bishop Canevin* 7
10.16 at Riverview* noon
10.22 Imani Christian* 7
10.29 at Greensburg Central Catholic* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Dylan Cook*
92-158, 1,338 yards, 10 TDs
Rushing Braylan Lovelace
109-983 yards, 11 TDs
Receiving Lovelace
27-325 yards
*GRADUATED
FAST FACT
• Leechburg’s 76 points
against Riverview last
year in Week 6 broke the
single-game scoring record of
62 set against Blairsville in
1950. The 76-25 victory for
a combined 101 points was
also the third-highest total in
A-K Valley history, equaling
Har-Brack’s 68-33 win over
Vandergrift in 1953.
No. Name Pos. Ht/Wt. Cl.
5 Logan Kline WR/S 6-1/180 Jr.
13 Thomas Burke III QB/C 5-9/165 Sr.
18 Ryan Shaw K 5-9/175 So.
21 Braylan Lovelace TB/LB 6-3/192 Jr.
29 Tyler Villa WR/DB 5-10/165 So.
32 Jessie McMillian WR/DB 5-8/155 So.
34 Brandin Gilmer H/S 5-10/165 Jr.
51 Tino DeCapite C/NT 5-9/215 Sr.
52 Sawyer Dudek OT/DT 6-1/195 So.
53 Owen Nuttal G/LB 5-11/195 So.
57 Sebastian Mason G/LB 5-5/150 So.
62 Jacob Reinke OT/DE 6-0/220 Sr.
64 Jon Talerico C/NT 5-5/185 Sr.
71 Collin Cook OT/DE 5-10/175 Jr.
75 Brandon Lucas OT/DT 6-2/240 Jr.
81 Tyler Foley WR/C 5-10/165 Jr.
85 Eli Rich TE/DE 6-5/240 Sr.
Tyler Burke WR/DB 5-11/145 So.
Jake Cummings WR/DB 5-9/140 Fr.
Jayden Floyd QB/LB 5-10/175 Fr.
Lucas Gamble WR/LB 5-9/155 Fr.
Eric Guo OL/LB 5-5/130 Fr.
Jake Heilman G/DE 5-10/195 Jr.
Reese Jones WR/DB 5-9/145 So.
Aric Learn TB/LB 5-8/150 So.
Owen McDermott WR/S 6-1/175 Jr.
Alex Pulkownik G/DT 5-10/175 Jr.
Brady Rollinger WR/DB 5-10/140 Fr.
Damani Stewart WR/LB 6-0/145 Fr.
ROSTER
Leechburg came oh so close to its
first winning football season since
1991, holding a 27-0 lead over Imani
Christian in the season finale.
But the Blue Devils couldn’t finish
it out, suffering a 28-27 setback
to go 3-4 in the truncated 2020 season,
3-3 in the Eastern Conference.
Despite the loss, coach Randy
Walters saw a lot of positives in his
first season at Leechburg.
“A couple things went wrong
there,” Walters said about the
game in Wilkinsburg. “A couple
calls didn’t go our way, and we had
to put some inexperienced linemen
in there. But those kids got some
experience and know how close we
came to a winning season.”
The first order of business as
Leechburg approaches its 103nd
football season is to replace quarterback
Dylan Cook, the first-team
Valley News Dispatch All-Star who
directed an offense that averaged
34.3 points per game. The Blue Devils,
however, think they’ve found
their man in Tom Burke.
Said Walters: “Dylan was all-Mr.
Everything at Leechburg and a
great kid. Tommy’s done a phenomenal
job, though. We knew he
could throw the ball. He can put
a touch on it, and he can throw
the deep ball. He played receiver
last year and showed he can run
the ball.
“Dylan was a great quarterback,”
Burke said. “I sat behind
him and watched and learned.
With a year behind coach Walters,
I think we should have a pretty
good year.”
Also returning are junior
running back Braylan Lovelace
and senior tight end/defensive
end Eli Rich.
“Eli’s put about 12 pounds on
during the offseason,” Walters
said. “He’s up to 236, and Braylan
now is about 192 pounds. Braylan’s
still a young kid, only going
into his junior year. They’re both
really, really good players for us.”
Lovelace started to get
WPIAL-wide notice late last season
after a 396-yard rushing performance
against Riverview.
Tyler Foley and Logan Cline are
both expected to contribute as receivers.
Walters and his staff spent
much of training camp putting
together the starting line.
Foley will be a receiver on offense
and a cornerback on defense.
“Our offense is very fast-paced,”
Foley said. “In the air or on the
ground, we’ll take every chance
we get.”
Tino DiCapite will be the center,
and Jacob Reinke and Brandon Lucas
will be counted on as Walters
continues to finish the puzzle with
younger players.
Assisting Walters will be defensive
coordinator John Allan Snyder,
Devin Wasylink, Cody Wolfe,
Bruno Tresco, Connor Walters
and Ryan Lightcap, hired as a new
Leechburg phys ed teacher from
Punxsutawney.
While Leechburg starts the
season with two road games, the
community is looking forward to
Sept. 10, the night the Devils play
their first game on the artificial
turf at Veteran Memorial Stadium.
Walters could be found at the
stadium daily throughout the summer,
watching the renovation.
“If you want to find me between 3
and 5, that’s where I’ll be,” Walters
said. “Once that gravel gets down,
they’ll roll the green stuff out. I’m
excited, and everybody should be
excited. The surface will be safe,
level and fast for us.”
Said Foley: “It’ll be nice. We
won’t have to worry about all the
potholes and twisting our ankles
trying to perfect our routes.”
Burke will see action on the other
corner.
“I told coach when I came here
(from Kiski Area) that I’ll play anywhere
and do anything to help the
team,” Burke said. “I’m focused on
getting that first winning season
in 30 years.”
Leechburg will again compete
in the rugged Eastern Conference
that has produced the last two
WPIAL champions in Clairton and
Jeannette.
by GEORGE GUIDO
BRAYLAN LOVELACE
LEECHBURG • EASTERN