Spencer
Teams in the Wyoming Valley Conference held a Media Day Event gathering in a hallway of Wilkes-Barre Area High School Thurday.
Fred Adams | For Sunday Dispatch
Flexibility is one of the keys as Wyoming Area reshapes its offense in an attempt to claim another Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 football title.
Lidge Kellum and Anthony DeLucca combined for more than 3,700 yards rushing and passing last year as seniors.
Graduation took away four of the top five rushers, the only players to complete passes and two of the top three receivers from an 11-2 team that reached the District 2 Class 3A championship game. Adjustments may also mean the Warriors proceed without being able to throw to their leading receiver from a year ago.
Luke Kopetchny, who earned all-state honors as a receiver as a sophomore, is being considered for a move to quarterback and the Warriors enter the season with several players who could work at either running back or receiver.
Kopetchny’s future probably remains as a receiver, but he does have some quarterback experience in his past.
“At the end of the day, you want to have the ball in the hands of your best, not just quarterback, but football player,” Warriors coach Randy Spencer said. “ … Luke is ready to play quarterback. He was developed initially as a quarterback, then he found his role as a receiver early in his freshman year. We know that’s his home out there, not just now, but on the next level.
“If we need him to play quarterback, he’s preparing to play there and he can play quarterback at a high level for us.”
Jack Gravine, another junior, is also working at quarterback. If he runs the offense, that would allow Kopetchny to remain at receiver.
Trustin Johnson, last season’s second-leading rusher, will be at running back, but he could also be used as a slot receiver to get him out into open space.
Nick Ciampi, Donovan Miller, Gavin Feeney also fit Spencer’s description as “back slash slot receivers.”
Drew Keating and Ronald James are other receivers. Nick Kondrosky is another back.
Flexibility extends to the group that plays fullback/H-back and tight end.
Jamari Yates is the most experienced fullback. Josh Mruk returns at tight end where Ben Gravine also has experience.
Senior tackle Max Getzie and junior center Chase Krogulski are the returning starters in the offensive line.
Getzie, a 6-foot-5, 290-pounder, is receiving attention from FCS and Ivy League colleges.
“Chase Krogulski played as undersized lineman last year, he has put on size and strength,” Spencer said of the 6-foot, 210-pounder. “He’s the other leader of that group of younger, talented, but less experienced players.”
Seniors Caden Reynolds and Tyler LaNunziata and junior Brad Bohn join Getzie as two-way linemen.
Senior tackle Nick Little and junior guards Logan O’Malley and Jonathan Snopkowski are also in the mix offensively along with senior Aidan Allardyce, who could also play fullback.
Senior Ricky Rowles is a defensive option at nose guard.
Mruk is again expected to be a force defensively on the edge, serving as an end/outside linebacker.
“When you see the type of playmaking he had from an edge position, he was a game-wrecker, he was somebody you had to account for, somebody who took half the field away,” Spencer said of Mruk, who missed the start of the 2024 season with an injury, but became an increasing factor as he worked his way back to full strength. “He was somebody who created turnovers and big plays defensively.”
Keating is another edge player along with Miller, who could also work in at inside linebacker.
Gravine, Miller, Yates, Allardyce and freshman Jordan Rosario are the options to form the new group of inside linebackers.
Trustin Johnson is the only starter returning in the secondary.
“He’s a very physical player in the run game and he also has strong coverage skills in the secondary,” Spencer said. “That type of player is very valuable.”
Kopetchny, Jack Gravine, Nick Ciampi, James, Feeney and Kondrosky are others who figure into the mix in the defensive backfield.
Ciampi and Feeney will again handle the kicking duties. Johnson was one of the team’s top kick returners last season.
The Warriors again have a deep roster by small school standards.
Elijah Prioleau, a wide receiver/defensive back, is another senior.
Other juniors are: running back/linebacker Derek Bohn, wide receiver/defensive back Andrew Pechal, and two-way lineman Aidan Burke.
The sophomore class includes tight end/linebacker Isaiah Edwards, wide receiver/defensive back Maddox Fink, quarterback/wide receiver/defensive backs John Booth and Bradyn Lynch, center/linebacker Dominic Bell and two-way linemen Jeremiah Snee, Justus Reid and Matt Gonzalez.
Among the freshmen on the varsity roster are: wide receiver/defensive backs Hudson Sharpe, Lavelle Brock and Matt Najavich; running back/linebacker Dominic Bartell, tight end/linebacker Frank Hughes and two-way lineman Ethan Griglock.
