VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH • SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022 • 13
SAM GUTHRIE
Coach: Tim Burk
2021 record: 4-6, 3-3 in
Class 3A Allegheny Seven
Conference
All-time record: 175-321-9
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
8.26 at Keystone Oaks 7
9.2 at Burrell 7
9.9 Apollo-Ridge 7
9.16 at Greensburg Salem 7
9.23 Southmoreland 7
9.30 Knoch* 7
10.7 at Valley* 7
10.14 East Allegheny* 7
10.21 Shady Side Academy* 7
10.28 at Freeport* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing: Derek Burk
86-159, 1,096 yards, 8 TDs
Rushing: Cody Scarantine*
175-843, 7 TDs
Receiving: Ryan Cochran
24-347, 2 TDs
*GRADUATED
DEER LAKES IN POSITION
TO RETURN TO PLAYOFFS
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No. Name Pos. Ht/Wt. Cl.
2 Conner Walker WR/DB 5-6/170 Sr.
4 Dustin Affinito WR/LB 5-8/165 Sr.
6 Ryan Cochran WR/S 6-1/180 Jr.
7 Dom Sciubba QB/S 6-2/150 Fr.
9 Dylan Ferraro WR/DB 5-9/140 Fr.
10 Brayden McCoy WR/DB 5-11/150 Fr.
11 Derek Burk QB/S 6-0/190 Jr.
12 Aiden Fletcher WR/S 5-11/175 Jr.
13 Tanner Walker WR/DB 5-3/120 Fr.
14 Logan Emerick QB/S 5-9/160 Jr.
15 Brandon Colledge WR/DB 5-9/185 Sr.
16 Wayne Love WR/DE 6-2/170 Jr.
17 Zach Grant WR/DB 5-8/150 So.
17 Luca Mangieri WR/DB 6-0/150 Fr.
18 Jake Fleischer QB/S 6-1/160 So.
20 Justin Siford WR/LB 5-9/170 Sr.
22 Nathaniel Moore WR/DB 6-3/170 So.
23 Ryan Love RB/DB 5-7/170 Fr.
24 Chris Blatnik RB/DB 5-8/170 Sr.
27 Aiden Detman RB/DE 5-9/190 Sr.
29 Noah Wright WR/LB 5-9/165 Sr.
30 Wyatt Good WR/DB 5-10/165 So.
32 Zier Williams RB/LB 5-10/185 So.
42 Blake Gornick WR/DE 6-3/170 Jr.
44 Nick Cristillo TE/LB 6-0/185 Sr.
45 Garret Waybright TE/DE 6-0/190 Fr.
48 Sam Guthrie TE/LB 5-9/190 So.
50 Dylan Moore OL/LB 5-9/225 Sr.
51 Jevon Flatt OL/DL 5-9/175 So.
55 Nick Rossi OL/DE 6-2/235 Jr.
56 Sawyer Hadlum OL/DL 6-0/235 Sr.
62 Dakota Kelly OL/DL 5-11/240 So.
64 Aiden McCurdy OL/DL 6-2/210 Fr.
65 Joey Creaturo OL/DL 6-0/235 Jr.
66 Jaden Zier OL/DL 5-10/240 Sr.
67 Shaun Bier OL/DL 6-0/280 Fr.
72 Kasey Bowser OL/DL 5-11/235 Sr.
77 Lee Henglesberg OL/DL 5-10/240 So.
77 Joey Ashi OL/DL 5-11/260 Fr.
78 Saxen Persinger OL/DL 5-11 Fr.
82 Brandon Williams WR/DB 6-1/170 Sr.
ROSTER
Deer Lakes came as close as a
team can to making the WPIAL
Class 3A playoffs last year.
The Lancers, who finished 4-6
overall and 3-3 in the Allegheny
Seven Conference, lost out to East
Allegheny and Burrell on a threeway
tiebreaker for the third and
fourth playoff spots from the conference.
Coach Tim Burk hopes his
team’s playoff fortunes this year
can be a little more clear cut. With
a mix of returning talent, those
hoping to increase roles and a few
newcomers ready to make an impact,
his confidence is high.
“We had a great turnout all summer,
and that has us excited for
the continued preseason work as
the season gets going,” Burk said.
“I like where we’re at. With all
of the guys we have returning, a
lot of them really bought into the
weight room and are stronger.
When you buy in there, it usually
translates to something good on
the field. It’s hard to believe that
we’re here again. The offseason
goes by so fast.”
Derek Burk enters year three
as the Lancers’ starter at quarterback,
and the junior hopes to build
off a sophomore campaign where
he threw for more than 1,000 yards
and tossed eight touchdowns to
go along with 193 yards and two
scores on the ground.
“Derek was one of those guys
who really found the weight room
and put on some nice muscle,”
Tim Burk said. “He’s around that
195-pound mark and is 6-1. He has
really conditioned his body to a
much better place where it will
hold up well over the course of the
season. He was on the camp circuit
this summer and learned a lot.
“There’s something to be said
about a multi-year starter who is
only a junior with his leadership
skills who can also produce on
the field. Obviously, he’s going to
make our team go in both the run
and pass game.”
Junior Ryan Cochran, who grew
to 6-2 in the offseason, is a main
returning weapon in the passing
game. He caught a team-best 24
passes from Burk last year.
Other receiving targets Burk can
count on include juniors Wayne
Love and Aiden Fletcher.
Fletcher, who started at cornerback
last year, is expected to see
his role on offense increase as a
slot receiver with senior returnee
Conner Walker.
Tim Burk said freshman receiver
Brayden McCoy, the younger
brother of WPIAL and state champion
track and field runner and
Division I commit Carson McCoy,
is looking good.
“He runs like a deer,” Tim Burk
said. “He blew people’s doors off
in 7-on-7s. It’s impressive. We’re
really high on him.”
Senior Aiden Detman is expected
to feature prominently in the
run game.
“He is lean, runs downhill, and
we love what we see from him right
now,” Tim Burk said. “He got a few
carries last year and really built
on that in the offseason. He’s a kid
we have high hopes for this year.”
Senior Chris Blatnik and sophomore
Zier Williams also are expected
to give depth to the backfield.
Tim Burk said the success of the
offense is built up front, and a lot is
expected to fall on the shoulders of
linemen such as junior Nick Rossi,
seniors Kasey Bowser, Sawyer
Hadlum and Jaden Zier and sophomore
Lee Henglesberg.
“I think the potential to put up
points on offense is huge with the
skill weapons we have and the experience
on the line,” Derek Burk said.
“We had a lot of young players on
both sides last year, and now we’re
ready to break out and win games.”
A lot of the same names on offense
will be featured defensively
as the Lancers do battle in conference
play with East Allegheny
and local rivals Freeport, Knoch,
Shady Side Academy and Valley.
Sophomore Nathaniel Moore intercepted
a pair of passes last year
in the win at South Allegheny.
“He’s another who really grew
in the offseason, and he now is
6-2, 6-3 and is really strong,” Tim
Burk said.
Another sophomore, Sam Guthrie,
saw the field mostly as a reserve
last year and is expected to
have a bigger role at linebacker.
Deer Lakes opens with a Week
Zero matchup at Keystone Oaks
and also will face Burrell, Apollo
Ridge and Greensburg Salem in
nonconference play.
“We have a lot to be excited
about,” Tim Burk said. “We don’t
want to get ahead of ourselves, but
we feel that if we stay healthy and
the guys continue to work hard
and progress together, we can have
a really nice season.”
by MICHAEL LOVE
OFFENSIVE CORDINATOR SETH NAPIERKOWSKI
AND DEREK BURK
DEER LAKES • ALLEGHENY 6