10 • SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022 • VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH
DROP TO CLASS 4A AMONG
MANY KISKI AREA CHANGES
When Kiski Area moved down
from Class 5A to Class 4A and into
the Greater Allegheny Conference,
coach Sam Albert knew one of
the league matchups would carry
extra meaning.
The Cavaliers will host Albert’s
former team, Highlands, on Oct. 14.
“I’m sure that probably is one
that Highlands circles on the calendar,”
said Albert, who went 75-57 at
Highlands from 2004-16, including
eight postseason appearances and
a berth in the 2008 WPIAL semifinals.
“Highlands is loaded, and it
should be a really fun game.”
Changes in the offseason not
only came to Kiski Area’s conference
schedule but also to the lineup
as numerous key seniors moved on
from last year’s team that finished
6-4 overall and 1-4 in the Northeast
Conference.
Several close conference games,
including a 14-10 loss at North Hills
and a 33-27 setback at Pine-Richland,
denied Kiski Area a spot in
the WPIAL playoffs.
“We went three days a week all
summer, and the kids were really
committed,” Albert said. “It was
important to get a lot of good work
in. We’re going to be real young
this year. We lost a lot of seniors
from last year and very important
seniors at that.”
Albert said a lot of things on both
sides of the ball would be determined
once the returning players
donned full pads and showed how
much they progressed from last
year and if the newcomers are
ready to step up and challenge for
playing time or starting spots.
“We try to stress every day that
the guys need to be salesmen for
themselves and show the coaches
that you want to be the guy to fill in
at a certain spot,” Albert said. “It’s
a learning process as we progress
forward into the season, see where
are strengths are and see what
kind of team we can be.”
Albert said an important part
of his team’s progress this season
will be its ability to stay healthy.
The injury bug caught up to a few
key two-way players last year.
A key component to the Cavaliers
this year on both sides of the
ball is senior quarterback/defensive
back Lebryn Smith.
Smith hopes to increase his role
and visibility in the offense at
quarterback and returns as a starter
on defense where he made 28
tackles and defended more than a
dozen passes.
“Athletic isn’t even the word,”
Albert said. “Hopefully, going into
his senior year, it is his turn on
both sides of the ball. Hopefully, he
steps up and meets that challenge.
He’s been there every day and is
very committed. I was impressed
with his work in the weight room.
And in his case, it’s about injuries.
We need him to stay healthy.”
Smith said he’s excited for what
this season can hold, and that the
cupboard is far from bare with a
number of returnees ready to show
improvement.
“I think we reloaded with talent
and should be able to compete,” he
said. “What we did last year really
set the tone for the offseason. We
thought we could’ve gone further
than what we did. The seniors now
are really pushing everyone else
to work as hard as them and help
achieve the goals everyone wants.”
Albert said he hopes the offense
can be balanced this season. The
running game accounted for twothirds
of the total offensive yards
last year.
Up front, the Cavaliers are anchored
by the return of all-conference
seniors in first-team lineman
Braden Mika and honorable mention
guard Jack Crider. Sophomore
Cam Murphy also is expected
to be a factor in the trenches at
center.
Fellow senior Dom DiNinno
picked up second-team all-conference
honors last year at safety and
will be one of the key receivers in
the passing game.
DeShaun McBryde also is back
after leading the Cavalier defensive
returnees in tackles from his
linebacker spot, and Albert hopes
junior Isaiah Gonzalez, a starter
the last two years at cornerback,
can take his game to the next level.
Albert said senior Domanick
Simmons, a transfer from Valley,
hopes to make an impact on both
sides of the ball.
Senior Connor Flemm has battled
injury the past couple of years,
and Albert hopes he will be able to
stay healthy and contribute at running
back and inside linebacker.
In addition to the conference
clash with Highlands, Kiski Area
will take on Greater Allegheny
mainstays Armstrong, Hampton,
Indiana and Mars and conference
newcomer North Catholic, a stalwart
the past several seasons in
Class 3A.
Kiski Area opens with a Week
Zero matchup against traditional
rival Plum before nonconference
matchups against Pine-Richland
and Laurel Highlands, led by West
Virginia commit Rodney Gallagher.
“Those games are going to be
tough challenges, but hopefully,
they will help us prepare for the
conference schedule,” Albert said.
by MICHAEL LOVE
No. Name Pos. Ht/Wt. Cl.
1 Isaiah Gonzalez WR/DB 6-2/175 Jr.
2 Lebryn Smith QB/DB 6-2/175 Sr.
3 Connor Flemm RB/LB/K 6-1/220 Sr.
4 Dom Dinnino WR/DB 5-9/155 Sr.
5 Tavian Wilson OL/DL 6-4/215 Jr.
6 Brennan Moore WR/SS 5-10/180 Jr.
7 Colin Cline TE/DL 6-3/225 Sr.
8 Deshawn McBryde RB/LB 6-1/215 Sr.
9 Luke Emmerling WR/DB 5-6/160 Sr.
10 Davien Pope WR/LB 6-0/165 Jr.
11 Dominick Simmons WR/DB 6-0/165 Sr.
12 Caleb Schultz WR/DB 6-0/170 Sr.
13 Xavier Ford WR/DB 6-1/175 Jr.
14 Carson Heinle QB/FS 6-1/170 So.
15 Connor Jordan HB/LB 6-3/215 So.
16 Bart Martin WR/DB 6-3/185 Sr.
17 Evan Opaska WR/DB 6-1/180 So.
18 Aven Shirley QB/DB 5-10/155 Fr.
19 Robert Sarno QB/DB 5-11/120 Fr.
20 Carter Brown RB/SS 5-7/165 Fr.
24 TJ Phelps RB/SS 5-10/165 Jr.
25 Landon Kucic RB/SS 6-0/185 So.
27 Miguel Ramos RB/LB 5-9/155 So.
30 Landyn Moore WR/SS 5-10/160 Fr.
36 Maddox Anderson K/P 5-10/165 Sr.
44 Jacob Pattison RB/SS 5-11/160 Fr.
52 Maxine Crosby K 5-7/190 Sr.
53 Franklin Mullooly OL/DL 5-8/185 Fr.
54 Braden Mika OL/DL 6-4/265 Sr.
55 Wilson Spencer OL/DL 5-8/200 Fr.
56 Cam Murphy OL/LB 6-1/225 So.
57 Nate Uncapher OL/LB 5-10/200 So.
60 Cohen Fritch OL/DL 5-10/175 Fr.
62 Mason Caldwell TE/DL 6-3/215 Jr.
67 Eli Schultz OL/DL 5-11/220 So.
70 Ryan Franklin OL/DL 6-0/270 So.
72 Luke Early OL/DL 6-1/235 Sr.
74 Ben Pencak OL/DL 6-0/200 Sr.
75 Ryder Ekas OL/DL 5-9/230 So.
76 Adam Large OL/DL 6-3/275 So.
77 Jack Crider OL/DL 6-3/275 Sr.
78 James Grimm OL/DL 5-8/250 So.
80 Andrew Finney WR/DB 5-10/160 Fr.
81 Matt Vigna WR/DB 5-6/130 So.
82 Collin Peterson TE/LB 5-9/150 Fr.
83 Lucas Vacanti WR/DB 5-7/135 Fr.
87 Braden Anderson TE/LB 6-0/185 Fr.
88 Owen Kowalkowski WR/FS 5-10/155 So.
89 Lucas Yost WR/DB 5-11/155 Fr.
90 Tyler Kubiza OL/LB 5-9/190 So.
95 Dalton Custer P 6-1/225 So.
ROSTER
DOMINIC DiNINNO
Coach: Sam Albert
2021 record: 6-4, 1-4 in
Class 5A Northeast Conference
All-time record: 310-290-7
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
8.26 at Plum 7
9.2 Pine-Richland 7
9.9 at Laurel Highlands 7
9.16 Hampton* 7
9.23 at North Catholic* 7
9.30 Indiana* 7
10.7 at Mars* 7
10.14 Highlands* 7
10.21 Fox Chapel 7
10.28 at Armstrong* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing: Logan Johnson*
70-142, 1,004 yards, 6 TDs
Rushing: CJ Hepler*
126-865, 7 TDs
Receiving: Calvin Heinle*
24-305, 2 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• Sam Albert enters his sixth
season with Kiski Area and
28th overall as a high school
head coach. He is 17-31 with
the Cavaliers since 2017 with
a WPIAL playoff appearance
in 2019. Albert won his 150th
game last year at Shaler (42-
27).
• This season marks Kiski
Area’s first not in Class 5A
since the PIAA went to six
classifications prior to the
2016 season.
LEBRYN SMITH
GREATER ALLEGHENY • KISKI AREA