TRIBUNE-REVIEW • SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022 • 21
Coach: Matt Humbert
2021 record: 10-1, 6-0 in
Class 4A Big Eight
All-time record: 341-238-7
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.2 Laurel Highlands 7
9.9 at McKeesport 7
9.16 Penn-Trafford 7
9.23 at Thomas Jefferson 7
9.30 South Allegheny* 7
10.7 at Greensburg Salem* 7
10.14 Mt. Pleasant* 7
10.21 Southmoreland* 7
10.28 at Elizabeth Forward* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing: Devin Whitlock*
35-73, 528 yards, 6 TDs
Rushing: Whitlock*
101-1,082, 15 TDs
Receiving: Tanner Steeber
14-145, 2 TDs
*GRADUATED
WITH MARTIN LEADING WAY,
BELLE VERNON TACKLES 3A
No. Name Pos. Ht/Wt. Cl.
1 Kole Doppelheuer RB/DB 5-9/155 So.
2 Colton Lee WR/LB 6-2/160 Jr.
3 Evan Pohlot WR/DB 6-3/205 Sr.
4 Parker Jewell FB/LB 5-11/195 Sr.
5 Anthony Crews WR/DB 5-10/165 So.
6 Alonzo Wade WR/LB 6-2/180 So.
7 Dominick Sasko WR/LB 5-11/185 Sr.
8 Curtis Wade WR/QB/DB 6-1/170 Fr.
9 Deaubre Lightfoot RB/DB 5-10/165 Fr.
10 Jake Gedekoh RB/DB 6-0/205 Jr.
11 Tanner Steeber QB/LB 6-1/195 Sr.
12 Nick Mahaleko WR/QB/DB 5-9/145 Fr.
13 Chase Mertz QB/LB 6-0/150 So.
14 Braden Laux QB/DE 6-5/215 Jr.
15 Evan Mesco WR/DB 5-7/120 Fr.
16 Caleb Horner WR/DB 5-6/145 Fr.
17 Chase Ruokonen WR/DB 6-0/175 Sr.
18 Bradey Gabrovsek WR/LB 5-10/155 Fr.
19 Adam LaCarte WR/DB 6-1/185 Jr.
20 Mitchell Daley WR/DB 5-6/135 Fr.
21 Dominic Ghilani WR/DB 5-11/165 So.
22 Tanner Moody RB/LB 5-10/170 Jr.
24 Jake Tatar WR/DB 5-11/160 Jr.
25 Quinton Martin RB/DB 6-3/200 Jr.
32 Zach Zelenski RB/LB 5-10/195 Jr.
34 Dominick Sasko OL/DL 5-10/185 Jr.
41 Theo Brewer WR/DB 6-1/160 So.
42 Landen Baron WR/DB 5-11/155 Jr.
50 Dylan Dewitt OL/DL 6-0/235 Jr.
51 Zach May OL/DL 6-4/250 Sr.
52 Jake Heckel OL/DL 6-0/260 Jr.
53 Luke Bryer OL/DL 5-10/220 Jr.
55 Tyler Zelenski OL/DL 6-0/205 So.
56 Ryan Kent OL/DL 6-1/220 Fr.
58 Steve Macheska OL/DL 6-4/240 Sr.
60 Jacob Pfarr OL/DL 5-8/205 So.
63 Blake Jensen OL/DL 6-0/205 Jr.
64 Perry Riggle OL/DL 6-0/260 Jr.
65 Cole Browder OL/DL 5-10/200 So.
68 Timmy Schwerha OL/DL 6-0/245 Fr.
70 Dane Levi OL/DL 6-3/260 Jr.
72 Kyle Keller OL/DL 5-8/170 Fr.
73 Paul Kessler OL/DL 5-9/255 Jr.
80 Jackson Alexander TE/DL 5-11/160 Fr.
86 Willie Schwerha P/K 6-0/180 Jr.
88 Aiden Johnson TE/DE 6-2/215 Jr.
ROSTER
Belle Vernon coach Matt Humbert
doesn’t make too much of his
team’s drop to Class 3A, though it
would be hard to blame him for
being excited.
As a Class 4A school last season,
the Leopards advanced to
the WPIAL championship game,
where they lost to perennial power
Aliquippa. So, naturally, playing
in a smaller classification gives
BVA a better chance to get to the
top, right?
“We always think we have a
good shot,” Humbert said. “The
biggest thing we’re clinging onto
is we need to finish. The key to all
of that is we need to stay healthy.”
The Leopards were able to navigate
some injuries last season,
particularly along the offensive
line. But the roster was bigger
then. Despite this season’s smaller
roster, BVA returns a number
of players who made significant
contributions in 2021.
Chief among them is junior
Quinton Martin. One of the nation’s
top college prospects in his
graduating class, Martin will be
the focal point of Belle Vernon’s
offense now that shifty, athletic
quarterback Devin Whitlock is in
the college ranks.
Martin has played numerous
positions on offense and defense
during preseason workouts and
7-on-7s, so where he pops up at any
given time is anyone’s guess.
But if all eyes are on Martin, the
rest of the players on offense are
confident they can make opposing
defenses pay.
“If they have their eyes on Quinton,
somebody else is going to be
making those plays,” said receiver/
cornerback Evan Pohlot. “And
if there’s two or three guys watching
Quinton, there’s going to be
someone open, and whoever that
someone is, they can definitely
come up to the plate and make that
play happen.”
Pohlot is part of a small group of
seniors who will make a big splash.
Tanner Steeber is vying for the
starting quarterback spot, with
junior Braden Laux as the other
combatant. Chase Ruokonen joins
Pohlot at one of the wideout spots
and will play linebacker along
with classmate Parker Jewell, who
moves from defensive line.
Steve Macheska, who stepped in
to play offensive line last season,
will be one of the line’s anchors
along with Zach May.
Juniors Dane Levi and Luke
Bryer also will figure prominently
on the offensive line.
Whereas last season, the offensive
line was a bit of a question
mark — and became even more
muddled after a series of injuries
— Humbert said the line should
be one of the Leopards’ strengths.
“Last season was a very interesting
season in the sense that that
group of linemen overachieved
above and beyond what we thought
they would do and had a hell of
a year,” Humbert said. “But the
benefit to this year is we have some
of those younger kids who did get
experience, and we have some kids
returning, so I think we’re a little
deeper even though our roster
isn’t deep.”
Regardless of who wins the quarterback
competition, he will have
the comfort of being able to hand
the ball to junior Jake Gedekoh.
At 6-foot, 205 pounds, Gedekoh is
a hard runner who will be counted
on to get the tough yards.
Gedekoh also will play linebacker
along with talented junior Tanner
Moody and, at times, Martin.
Martin’s most frequent deployment
on defense will be in the
secondary.
Junior Adam LaCarte also returns
to shore up the secondary.
Belle Vernon would seem to have
the necessary pieces to, indeed,
take another shot at a WPIAL title.
All that remains is proving it
between the lines.
“We haven’t (won a title) in some
time … and then last year we came
so close,” Pohlot said. “So I think
this year is going to be the year.”
by CHARLES CURTI
TANNER STEEBER (LEFT) AND BRADEN LAUX
CHASE RUOKONEN
BELLE VERNON • INTERSTATE