18 • SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022 • VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH
HEAVNER WANTS TO BRING
PRIDE BACK TO VIKINGS
When Dave Heavner was a student
athlete at Valley High School,
the “Back to the Future” movies
were popular.
But don’t expect Michael J. Fox
and Christopher Lloyd to show up
at Valley High Memorial Stadium
anytime soon.
Instead, Heaver has returned
to coach the Vikings and hopes
to replicate an earlier era where
Valley was one of the top programs
in the area.
“I’m very excited about coming
back here,” Heavner said. “My parents
still live up on the hill at Aluminum
City Terrace, I graduated
from Valley and taught at the middle
school, my brother coached at
the middle school, I was the defensive
coordinator under Ray White,
so coming home is special to me.”
With Heavner on the team from
1986-88, Valley compiled a 23-8 record.
Even the colors from that era
— old gold and black — are coming
back. Even the 1986 slogan “The
Pride Is Back,” is emblazoned on
the practice shirts.
There will be 42 players expected
to start the season.
Heavner plans on bringing back
former players to inspire the team.
Junior Tristin Goodwin will
start at quarterback for the Vikings.
Initially, running backs and
receivers will be moved in and out
of the lineup until starters earn
jobs for good.
Two-way tackle Cory Pinson is
learning new schemes.
“The schemes are different, and
I like it a lot,” Pinson said. “I like
the new coaching staff.”
Jeremy Hughley will be the
H-back and a linebacker.
“We want to make progress and
try to go far this year,” Hughley
said. “It was a struggle last year,
and we had issues.”
Xavier Wilson will be a running
back and outside linebacker.
Valley will run a 4-2-5 defense
where Heavner feels the Vikings
can counter the various spreads,
shifts and motions.
The season’s opener will be a
tough one as the Vikings will host
Armstrong, featuring one of the
best quarterbacks in the state, Cadin
Olsen. In the last two seasons,
Olsen has 4,536 passing yards and
51 touchdowns. He won the Willie
Thrower Award as the region’s
best quarterback.
“It’s going to be a tough challenge,
but I didn’t get into this
to play easy games,” Heavner
said. “You have to play the best in
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There is plenty of work to do.
Said Heavner: “Valley has been
down for a long time. Nine losing
seasons in the last 13 years, made
the playoffs twice and lost in the
first round and have been on probation
twice. The players have
been working extremely hard and
I’m excited. We’re grinding at it
every day. We want to bring that
winning mentality back.”
by GEORGE GUIDO
Name Pos. Ht/Wt. Cl.
Lamar Anderson RB/DL 5-6/170 Jr.
Xavier Andree TE/DL 6-1/215 Sr.
Tamir Ansari OL/DL 5-8/160 So.
Demetrius Ballard OL/DL 6-5/270 Jr.
Dorian Briggs WR/DB 6-0/160 Jr.
Jaelemar Broadnax WR/LB 6-3/165 Jr.
Anjay Chambers RB/LB 5-9/185 So.
Darnell Coaston WR/DB 6-0/185 Jr.
Josh Dunlap WR/DB 5-7/140 Fr.
Zayaan Ferron WR/DB 5-6/130 So.
Levaunte Godfrey WR/DB 5-1/105 Fr.
Tristin Goodwin QB/LB 5-10/175 Jr.
Cieontae Guy OL/DL 5-10/245 Jr.
Matt Guy OL/DL 6-1/230 Sr.
Derek Hassim WR/LB 5-9/160 So.
Tayshawn Hawkins WR/DB 6-1/185 Fr.
Nikolas Heakins RB/DB 5-7/145 Fr.
Jeremy Hughley RB/LB 6-8/165 Sr.
Ricky Johnson WR/LB 5-8/150 So.
Lamontae Jones OL/DL 6-2/210 Sr.
Ryan Knapp OL/DL 5-6/200 So.
Brendon Knuckles WR/DB 5-7/120 Fr.
Ryan Long OL/LB 5-10/165 Jr.
Josue Martinez RB/LB 5-6/125 Fr.
Blake Miles WR/DB 5-10/150 Fr.
Javon Norman OL/DL 5-10/255 Fr.
Chuck Perkins TE/LB 6-0/165 Jr.
Corey Pinson OL/DL 6-1/260 Sr.
Coury Pitts WR/DB 5-8/135 Fr.
Dallas Price RB/LB 5-10/170 Sr.
Jayden Richter RB/LB 5-10/180 Sr.
Conner Sakala TE/LB 5-10/155 Fr.
Mason Simmons QB/LB 6-0/175 So.
Raydn Thomas WR/DB 5-5/105 Fr.
Dashawn Wilkerson OL/DL 6-1/240 Sr.
Jaden Wall OL/DL 6-0/190 Fr.
Preston Wilson WR/LB 5-11/155 Fr.
Xavier Wilson RB/LB 6-1/200 Sr.
ROSTER
Coach: Dave Heavner
2021 record: 2-8, 1-5 in
Class 3A Allegheny Conference
All-time record: 266-261-9
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
8.26 Armstrong 7
9.2 at Apollo-Ridge 7
9.9 Burrell 7
9.16 Mt. Pleasant 7
9.23 at Uniontown 7
9.30 at East Allegheny* 7
10.7 Deer Lakes* 7
10.15 at Shady Side Academy* 2:30
10.21 Freeport* 7
10.28 at Knoch* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
FAST FACTS
• Valley will play Armstrong
for the first time ever Friday.
• The last Vikings playoff win
was in 2005 against South
Fayette.
• Heavner is only the second
Valley graduate to be the head
football coach at the school.
Eugene Ciciarelli, a 1972 grad,
guided the team in 1985.
• This will be the 75th anniversary
of Memorial Stadium,
which opened Sept. 6, 1947,
with New Kensington defeating
Central Catholic, 20-6. A week
later, the Steelers played an
exhibition game there.
DAVE HEAVNER
TRISTIN GOODWIN
ALLEGHENY 6 • VALLEY