Kennedy Christian loaded for bear in 2000

By Lynn Saternow
Herald Writer

The Kennedy Christian Golden Eagles are soaring with optimism. And for good reason!

The 2000 Golden Eagles return six starters on both offense and defense. Throw in solid starters from Sharon, Neshannock and Lakeview high schools who transferred to Kennedy during the past year and the Hermitage-based school has the potential for one of the greatest teams in the program's history.

"We're very talented," said head coach John Turco, now in his seventh year at KC. "All they need is coached to be great."

Not since Turco's first year at Kennedy in 1994 has he had this kind of overall talent. That '94 team won the District 10 Class A championship and advanced to the PIAA western regional finals where it fell one win short of the state title tilt. That team included three All-State selections in lineman Mike Garofalo, specialist Bill Fuchs and running back Joel Giroski. Turco couldn't help but make comparisons to that team, although he wasn't about to say that the 2000 squad would have the same success.

"This is the fastest team, overall, we've ever had," said the veteran coach, who headed Youngstown-Rayen's program for many years before taking the reins at Kennedy where his teams have posted a 39-24 record. "But talent alone isn't enough; hard work is the key. We expect to be very competitive; in fact, more than competitive. We should win a lot of ballgames."

When it comes to speed, the Golden Eagles are led by running back Justin George. The 6-foot, 180-pound senior transferred from Lakeview in the middle of the last school year and won the 200-meter dash at the PIAA State AA track and field championships, while finishing fourth in the 100. In his three years at Lakeview, he amassed well over 2,000 yards rushing.

Joining George in the modified wishbone backfield is running back Phil Doyle, a junior who has good speed for a 6-4, 210-pounder. Turco is high on both, not only for their running ability, but for their talents at catching the football. In fact, when KC breaks the 'bone, either George or Doyle will shift out to flanker or wide receiver.

"That way we'll be keeping our best athletes on the field," said Turco.

The fullback slot will be shared by Nick Artis, a senior who started for KC in '99, and Brian French, a senior who ran fullback for Neshannock High last year. The team is blessed with three talented quarterbacks. Ryan Squatrito, a senior who started at Sharon at the beginning of last season, probably has the edge over last year's KC backup Tony Rossi, another senior, and Neshannock sophomore transfer Danny Harris.

Up front, depending on the offensive set, will be: tight end Galen Hurl; right tackle Jake Dougherty; right guard Greg Shaffer; center Eric Eshenbaugh; left guard B.J. Jarrett; left tackle Josh Cotelesse or sophomores Andy Wilds and Adam Cwynar, and wide receivers Nick George and Rick Whalen.

Aaron Friday, a fleet-footed senior who started at running back for the Golden Eagles last season and averaged 45 yards per game, could carry the ball if needed, but coaches are hoping to use him solely at defensive back to prevent injuries and take advantage of his talents there. Other defensive backs will be Nick George, Harris or junior Matt Cascio. The linebackers will be the strength of the defense, with Justin George and Doyle on the outside and Shaffer and Rossi inside. The line will include Hurl and French at ends and Jarrett and Angelo Hall at tackles.

"We have some depth this year, as well," said Turco, "We have 44 kids out for the team, which is good for us. And we have two good kickers from the soccer team (Cameron Vernon, who will handle kickoffs and long field goals, and Steve Hough, who will attempt extra- points and short 3-pointers).''

This team is stronger than the 1999 squad, which finished 5-4. Key losses to graduation were Nick Rapone, Adam Heckroth, Ryan James, Tim Brown, Andy Allshouse and Larry Frangos.

"We've got to win two games to get to the playoffs, Sharpsville and West Middlesex," said Turco, referring to the 3-team Mercer County Athletic Conference Class A Division. Sharpsville, the '97 Class A state champion, has won the league four straight years, although KC knocked off the Blue Devils in the '98 District 10 championship game.

As for the D-10 playoffs, Turco looks for Linesville of the French Creek Valley Conference and Iroquois of the Erie County League to be top contenders.

Turco was disappointed that KC was able to schedule only eight regular-season games after being dropped from the slates of some other higher-classification MCAC teams.

"It's disappointing that Grove City dropped us," he said, "but when a AAA team can't beat an A team, they don't play us anymore. (Class AA) Mercer dropped us and there's no excuse; we should play every year. For the sixth game, we tried to schedule Hickory, but they wouldn't play us. Why wouldn't Hickory (about 2 miles away) play us? Last year we tried to play them in a 10th game, but instead they played Erie Strong Vincent. They lost a lot of money and only about 100 people came to the game. Thank God for (Reynolds coach) Roger Shoaff, who gave us a chance to play Reynolds in our first game (Sept. 2 at Butala Stadium)."

Turco is high on his coaching staff, which includes mainstays Al Boggia, Archie Donofrio and Joe Kenneally who have been with Turco for his first six years at Kennedy; former West Middlesex head coach Ed Pikna, and three former players for Turco at KC -- Ed Stabile, Joel Giroski and Chris Joseph.

"Our running backs know that Joel still has the Mercer County rushing record for one game (377 yards on 13 carries in a '94 D-10 playoff victory over Maplewood), so it's really nice to have the kid who holds the record helping those running backs. It's a great incentive for them to try to better what he's accomplished. It's not just the record they can see; here's the guy that did it."

But the coaches aren't that concerned with individual records. The Golden Eagles' coaches are hoping that this year's team can equal or better what that '94 squad accomplished.