TRIBUNE-REVIEW • SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020 • 23
LIGONIER VALLEY READY
TO BE TESTED BY WPIAL
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL IS BACK!
D o n ’ t M i s s a Mi n u t e o f t h e A c t i o n
Friday Previews & Matchups • Saturday Scores • Stats • Standings & More
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NICK BEITEL
Coach: Roger Beitel
2019 record: 7-4, 2-4
All-time record: 218-275-9
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 at Apollo-Ridge* 7
9.18 at Frazier 7
9.26 at Western Beaver 7
10.2 Steel Valley* 7
10.9 at Serra Catholic* 7
10.16 at Waynesburg 7
10.23 Shady Side Academy* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Sam Sheeder*
108-177, 1,914 yards, 20 TDs
Receiving John Beard*
48-765 yards, 7 TDs
Rushing Kyrie Miller*
176-1,876 yards, 31 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACT
• Before leaving the WPIAL,
the then-Ligonier Mounties
played Franklin Regional, Trafford
and Blairsville, which was
a WPIAL member in 1969.
No. Name Pos. Ht/Wt. Cl.
1 Logan Foust SE/DB 5-6/117 Jr.
2 George Golden K 6-2/184 Jr.
3 Broderick Schreyer QB/DB 5-8/157 So.
4 Brody Kreiger RB/DB 5-9/143 So.
5 Nick Beitel RB/DB 5-8/180 Jr.
7 Nick Lonas SE/DB 5-11/145 So.
12 Dylan Plummer SE/DB 5-11/157 So.
13 Grant Dowden RB/DB 5-11/145 Jr.
15 Miles Higgins TE/LB 6-3/221 Jr.
17 Haden Sierocky QB/DB 6-0/170 So.
19 Matthew Marinchak SE/DB 6-2/190 Jr.
21 Sam Mundorff RB/LB 5-5/135 Jr.
24 Logan Johnston RB/DB 5-9/150 So.
26 Khorter Drury RB/DB 5-8/158 Jr.
28 Kaden Faas RB/LB 5-10/185 Jr.
33 Lanigan McCulty RB/DB 5-8/157 So.
35 Bruce Kreiger SE/DB 5-9/151 So.
42 Logan Palmer SE/DB 5-9/142 So.
45 Christian Brugler TE/LB 5-11/165 So.
46 Mason Mohnkern RB/LB 5-11/175 So.
51 Jesse Turner OL/LB 5-9/182 So.
53 Derek Fox OL/DL 6-0/263 Sr.
57 Jacob Hay TE/DL 6-1/185 Jr.
60 Colten Foust OL/DL 5-8/190 Jr.
63 Billy Sugden OL/DL 6-1/200 So.
74 Jude Grzywinski OL/DL 6-3/295 Jr.
75 Colin Smith OL/DL 5-11/238 So.
77 Tylan Wilkins OL/DL 5-11/226 So.
78 Logan Mulheren OL/DL 5-9/275 So.
83 McKinley Shearer TE/LB 5-11/185 So.
ROSTER
A new chapter in Ligonier Valley
football history starts Sept. 11.
Ligonier Valley returns to the
WPIAL after spending the past 50
years in District 6, including the
past five seasons as one of the most
dominant teams in Class 2A.
The Rams went 60-7 over the
span, including a 51-4 mark the
past four years. They reached the
District 6 Class 2A title game four
consecutive seasons, winning in
2016 and ’17. Also during that span,
the Rams won four Appalachian
Bowl titles against WestPAC opponents.
They won 37 consecutive
conference games.
The return to WPIAL competition
will be challenging.
There will be new opponents,
new travel times and a new way to
make the playoffs. New rivalries
will be forged, and there will be
a chance to play at Heinz Field
(under normal circumstances) if
they are lucky enough to reach the
championship game.
Ligonier Valley, which played
in the Class B Alle-Fay-West
Conference (1964-67) against the
likes of Trafford (Penn-Trafford),
South Huntingdon (Yough), West
Newton (Yough), Edgewood
(Woodland Hills), Frazier and
Dunbar (Connellsville), now will
battle Apollo-Ridge, Serra Catholic,
Shady Side Academy, Steel
Valley and Summit Academy (not
participating in 2020). Frazier is a
nonconference game Sept. 18.
The loss of Summit Academy, a
nonconference game at Jeannette
and an open date forced Ligonier
to look for a couple of opponents.
The Rams added Western Beaver
(Sept. 26) and Waynesburg (Oct. 16)
to the schedule.
“We just want to play games,”
Ligonier Valley coach Roger Beitel
said after he was faced with a
possible five-game schedule when
the WPIAL altered the original
schedule and pushed back the season
because of the coronavirus
pandemic.
Ligonier Valley lost a home
season-opener against Indiana and
another home game in Week 1 with
Elizabeth Forward.
The Elizabeth Forward game
was changed to a scrimmage, but a
possible covid-19 case at EF forced
the game to be canceled. Ligonier
Valley managed to schedule a
scrimmage with South Allegheny.
Ligonier Valley returns to the
WPIAL with a young squad that
includes two returning offensive
starters and one defensive starter.
Because of an injury, the only
senior on the roster is lineman
Derek Fox.
The Rams graduated 16 seniors,
including 11 who went on to play
college football. Included in the
group were NCAA Division I linemen
Michael Petrof (Navy), Christian
Jablonski (Lehigh) and Wylie
Spiker (St. Francis, Pa.).
“This is a new chapter for our
players,” Beitel said. “While we
only have three starters returning,
a lot of players saw playing time
when games got out of hand.”
The offensive starters are junior
center Jude Grzywinski and junior
wide receiver Matt Marinchak.
Beitel’s son, Nick, a junior, is a
returning defensive back. Grzywinski
has started in 26 games the
past two seasons.
“We thought about moving Jude,
but I asked around to some college
coaches and they said you want to
build from the middle,” Beitel said.
“You do that in baseball, soccer
and hockey. I feel we have players
who are capable to build around
him.”
Beitel said he was pleased how
his players handled the pandemic
and how they worked out on their
own.
Grzywinski is a lot stronger,
and Nick Beitel, who scored 12
touchdowns and rushed for 642
yards in mop-up roles, is faster
and stronger. Marinchak caught
26 passes for 453 yards and eight
touchdowns.
“Our expectations aren’t going
to change,” Beitel said. “The reality
of the situation, we’re relatively
young. One senior on the team, and
Derek has only participated in one
camp. He didn’t play as a freshman
and was injured last year.
“There is a big difference between
seniors because they have
a sense of finality and urgency
and they bring that every day.
Young kids are often talented, but
they don’t have that same sense of
urgency.”
And the move to the WPIAL isn’t
the only thing Beitel has to deal
with. He’s got new offensive and
defensive coordinators and several
other new assistant coaches.
“Our philosophy is love the kids
up as best as we can, give them
as much love and coaching as we
can and make this team feel as
much as a big family as possible,”
Beitel said. “We’ve been extremely
patient.
“It’s extremely important we get
games in and we get experience
for ourselves for not only this year
but down the road. We have a very
talented junior and sophomore
group that need reps.”
by PAUL SCHOFIELD
JUDE GRZYWINSKI
LIGONIER VALLEY • ALLEGHENY