TRIBUNE-REVIEW • SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022 • 33
GCC ON MEND AFTER
HEARTBREAKING SEASON
Nothing could have prepared
Greensburg Central Catholic’s
Marko Thomas for what he and
his team faced in his first year as
head coach of the Centurions.
Two of his assistant coaches —
William “BJ” Farrell and Joe Oslosky
— died within less than a week
of one another, just days before the
WPIAL Class A playoffs, leaving
the program in a state of shock
and dismay.
The Centurions decided to go
forward with their playoff game
against Our Lady of the Sacred
Heart and, despite a 28-8 loss that
was closer than the score indicated,
they are glad they did.
The move helped the team push
on. Healing is ongoing, but the
Centurions are back to the grind.
“BJ and Joe would have wanted
us to play,” Thomas said. “The
kids needed to play. It was tough
for all of us. I still tear up when I
talk about it.”
Farrell died from an undisclosed
reason and Oslosky was killed in
a vehicle accident on the way to
Farrell’s funeral.
“For some of the kids, that was
their first time at a funeral,”
Thomas said. “You hope there is a
lesson here. Life is short. Make the
most of each day and appreciate
what you have.”
Farrell’s catchphrase was, “Embrace
the suck,” meaning to face
tough times head on. There is an
odd irony in it with his passing.
GCC also had another assistant,
Shane Goydich, suspended for a
year because of a recruiting violation.
Thomas and his new-look staff
are not taking anything for granted
as they move the program forward.
“You wonder if there’s a curse or
something,” Thomas said. “It can
take a turn quickly.”
The Centurions will remember
Farrell and Oslosky fondly when
they take the field for a new season
with a skill-stacked roster that
could make noise in Class A.
“We’re excited,” Thomas
said. “There is some nice
potential there.”
Six starters return from a 6-5
team, including senior Nate Dlugos,
who makes a full-time switch
to wide receiver, junior quarterback
Tyree Turner, senior lineman/
linebacker Ryan Kimmel, senior
running back/defensive back
Jaydin Canady and senior receiver/
defensive back Amari Mack.
Also keep an eye on junior
Da’json Craggette, a running back
and linebacker.
Freshman Samir Crosby, a Jeannette
transfer, also is expected to
make an impact as a quarterback
or receiver.
The lines possess the most question
marks. Senior Elijah Washington
returns, and Thomas hopes
to develop sophomore Jarrell
Braxton, seniors Dean Crissman
and Mike Locotch and first-year
player Nick Hauser.
Junior Nick Dlugos, another
WR/DB, is set to return from a broken
leg he suffered during track
and field season.
Turner passed for 882 yards and
nine touchdowns, Canady ran for a
team-best 469 yards, and Nate Dlugos
led with 20 receptions. (Mack
had 19.)
Kimmel was a defensive leader
with 33 tackles, seven for loss, and
a team-best eight sacks.
Turner could also see increased
time on defense.
Another player to keep an eye on
is Yough transfer Shane Swope, a
junior who played quarterback at
Monessen and Yough but could
play receiver and defensive back.
Other players looking to find a
role in the team’s success include
senior Dom Vitula (WR/DB), sophomore
Ethan Shawley (RB/LB),
junior Pete Mazowiecki (WR/DB),
sophomore Tucker Lloyd (WR/
LB), and senior Dean Crissman
(WR/LB).
With big-play potential, GCC
should score some points and move
the ball. Anything that stunts that
ability had better not be self-inflicted,
Thomas said.
GCC had three one-score losses.
“Against Canevin, we had five
turnovers,” Thomas said. “Against
Clairton, we couldn’t finish. When
we played Leechburg, we took the
lead then let them dink and dunk
down the field.
“It’s about the little things. We
can’t kick ourselves in the butt.
We can’t beat ourselves, and we
have to limit penalties. We have
to worry about the things we can
control, not the things we can’t.”
Defending WPIAL champion
Bishop Canevin is no longer in
the Eastern Conference, but the
Crusaders will play GCC early in
the season.
“We play some good games early,
so we should have a good idea of
what we have,” Thomas said. “We
like our offense and hopefully we
can build off of it. We’ll make a few
little tweaks and bends to our five
basic plays.”
by BILL BECKNER JR.
No. Name Pos. Ht/Wt. Cl.
0 Dasjon Craggette RB/CB 5-10/190 Jr.
1 Jaydin Canady 5-9/180 Sr.
3 Tony Nickischer RB/CB 5-5/120 Fr.
4 Camden Petrunak QB/WR/CB 5-9/160 Jr.
5 Amari Mack RB/FS 5-11/185 Sr.
6 Nate Dlugos QB/CB 6-2/180 Sr.
7 Issac Swope 5-11/180 So.
9 Shane Swope Jr. 5-10/150 Jr.
10 Tyree Turner QB/CB/OLB 5-11/183 Jr.
11 Nick Dlugos WR/SS 5-11/180 Jr.
12 Samir Crosby QB/FS 5-10/150 Fr.
13 Peter Mazowiecki WR/CB 5-8/180 Jr.
14 Dom Piper Wr/CB 5-9/145 So.
15 Aidan Allison WR/CB 5-9/155 So.
16 Jackson McMullen QB/WR/CB So.
18 Landon Honick WR 5-8/135 Fr.
21 Dom Vitula WR/CB 6-0/190 Sr.
22 Ethan Shawley RB/WR,MLB 5-10/180 So.
23 Jackson Lowden WR/CB 5-8/120 Fr.
24 Brayen Hill WR/FS 6-2/205 Sr.
26 Evan Stasko WR/CB 6-0/170 Jr.
32 Tucker Lloyd SB/OLB 6-0/185 So.
50 Nick Hauser DE 6-0/220 Sr.
54 Ryan Kimmel C/DE 6-2/225 Sr.
55 Joseph Rehak OT/G/DT 5-6/240 Jr.
56 Dean Crissman G/MLB 6-1/215 Sr.
58 Mikey Lucotch G/MLB 5-9/202 Sr.
63 Henry Detwiler T/DE 5-9/150 Fr.
68 Jacob Reitler G/DE/K 6-0/185 So.
70 Matt Mazowiecki 5-8/185 Fr.
73 Joseph Kudla OT/DE 6-4/245 Jr.
75 Elijah Morgan-Washington C/DT 6-2/265 Sr.
78 Jarrell Braxton C/NG 6-0/270 So.
88 Ty Rozier Jr. WR/OLB 6-2/175 So.
ROSTER
Coach: Marko Thomas
2021 record: 6-5, 4-3 in
Class A Eastern Conference
All-time record: 361-244-18
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
8.26 at Mt. Pleasant 7
9.3 at Bishop Canevin 7
9.9 West Greene 7
9.16 at Washington 7
9.23 at Springdale* 7
9.30 Clairton* 7
10.7 at Frazier* 7
10.14 Jeannette* 7
10.22 at Riverview* noon
10.28 Leechburg* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing: Tyree Turner
62-124, 882 yards, 9 TDs
Rushing: Jaydin Canady
51-469, 4 TDs
Receiving: Nate Dlugos
20-334, 3 TDs
FAST FACTS
• A few new assistants
have joined Marko Thomas’s
coaching staff. Rocco Yauger is
the strength and conditioning
coach, while athletic director
Dan Mahoney will work with
the offensive line and former
Connellsville coach Bill Maczko
the defensive line. AJ Tarpley
is the running backs coach,
while Sergio Bell will assist
with the offensive line.
• Sonny Thomas, the father
of the head coach, has retired
after 50-plus years on the
sidelines and numerous stops
around the WPIAL.
TYREE TURNER
AMARI MACK
EASTERN • GREENSBURG CENTRAL CATHOLIC