Teams in the Wyoming Valley Conference held a Media Day Event at Wilkes-Barre Area High School Thursday.
Fred Adams | For Sunday Dispatch
PLAINS TWP. — Paul Russick leads a revamped coaching staff at Pittston Area.
One of the most pleasing things Russick sees as he prepares for his debut at his alma mater is how many of the faces remain the same on the roster.
A large senior class includes established veterans who will lead the team’s hopes of a turnaround after a 2-9 season, but also features a dedicated group that has kept working toward its chance to make an impact.
“They want to do all the right things,” Russick said at Thursday’s Wyoming Valley Conference Football Media Day. “We have 21 seniors. I said to parents the other day in a meeting, ‘that says a lot about their character, because usually when you’re not playing a whole bunch, you kind of fade away’. These guys didn’t.
“They come every day. They want to be there. They want to get after it. They’re OK with whatever role that might be in as long as they make our team better, which is really great to see. You don’t see that often anymore.”
Russick, whose Honesdale teams featured a 1,000-yard rusher in three of the last four seasons, says the Patriots will employ multiple looks on both sides of the ball.
“We’re not going to reinvent the wheel,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of carry-over of what I’ve done.”
Russick hopes to lean on a veteran line and the presence of Brody Spindler, a physical force at fullback and inside linebacker after spending parts of his career in the line.
“I think the biggest thing is developing that toughness, that physicality,” Russick said. “We have a great group of linemen with a lot of experience, so we’re hoping to be physical off the ball.
“I’m an offensive lineman in my heart, in my entire life, so we’re going to run the football. We’re going to find ways to run the football from a multiple standpoint.
“ … We’re going to take pride in everything we do, in finishing our blocks, in being physical, trying to do all the little things correctly to make the big things easier.”
The Patriots return senior starters at tackle in Brandon Lockett and Gunnar Zaledonis. This will be Lockett’s third year as starter.
Nico Cielo returns at a guard position.
Brian Hankey has some experience and Kayden Walker could be ready for a starting role in his return to the team after seeing some time as a sophomore.
Jordan Talarico, a junior who has transferred from Scranton Prep, could join those seniors in the frontline.
Pittston Area also has experience at the skill positions.
Junior Lucas Lopresto has already been one of the top receivers in the WVC in his first two seasons.
Senior Stephen Barnic also returns at wide receiver.
Malkolm Blackshear, another senior with experience at the position, is among the group of other players expected to see some time as receivers. That group includes senior Billy Dessoye and sophomore Christian Cerasaro.
Jaylen Hart, a senior, and John Jadus, a junior, both have some experience at tight end.
The quarterback position opened preseason as a three-way battle. Senior Paulie Ferentino and sophomore Santino Capitano each had moments running the offense last season. Freshman Deondre Miller joins them.
Spindler, the team’s top rusher two years ago, settles back into the fullback spot.
Junior Jude Ferentino and freshman Kayden Bailey are working at tailback.
Spindler leads the defense in his fourth year as starter and is joined by three-year starters Victor Narsavage, Lopresto, Blackshear and Barnic.
Hart returns in the interior defensive line.
Matt D’Aiello, a senior who saw some significant playing time as a sophomore, and Zaledonis also have some experience up front. Junior Ryan Kowalcyzk is expected to fit into the mix.
Chance Radzewicz, a part-time starter last season, is another inside linebacker.
Narsavage leads the group that plays roles that could be described as either outside linebacker or defensive end. Bailey will also be there as a freshman along with seniors Blake Jaworski and Walker.
Jude Ferentino, Hankey and two more seniors, Zak Ridgley and Landon Kendzor, add to the options at the linebacker positions.
Blackshear, Lopresto and free safety Barnic are all part of an experienced secondary.
Senior Antonio Lombardo or promising freshman Miller could join them.
Cerasaro, senior Aiden Brody and Dan Girman, a senior in his first year on the team, all will play there as well.
Wide receiver/defensive back Aiden Levandoski and two-way lineman Elijah Murray are the team’s other seniors.
The juniors on the roster include wide receiver/defensive back Matt Pisano, running back/linebacker Dominic Salvo and two-way linemen Jimmy Tighe, J.J. Grochal and Katire Febles.
The other sophomores are: tight end/linebacker Donnell Williams, two-way linemen Logan Slater and Tyler Kane, offensive lineman/outside linebacker Joe Cianfichi and C.J. Bradley, and wide receiver/defensive backs Evan Mancini, jayden Falkowski and Damien Hernandez.
Lon Hazlet, who has been a head coach at four high schools, including Pittston Area, will return to the defensive coordinator role he held prior to taking last season off.
Russick will call the offense as part of his head coaching duties.
