Greyhounds move back into Tri-County South
Right off the bat, Monessen has two plusses going into the 2106 football campaign.
It was moved back to its familiar stomping grounds, the Tri-County South (TCS) Conference, in Class 1-A and the team’s numbers have almost doubled from the end of last season.
For Joe Salvino, who is used to having plenty of numbers for his storied basketball program, the move back to the conference and having bodies are both a plus.
“We are more familiar with the teams in the Tri-County South,” he said. “And right now, we have numbers but we have to stay healthy.
“I guess all of the coaches at this level would say that.”
The extra year working with the team has also paid dividends.
“The players are more adept with the system,” Salvino said. “They see the changes now and have adjusted.”
Monessen returns six starters on offense in seniors Jaden Altomore (quarterback), Damian Tineri (center), Hunter Telegraphis (right guard) and Marc Gibson (right tackle), junior, Dontae Cook (left guard) and sophomore fullback Vaughn Taylor.
Joining Taylor in the backfield in Monessen’s Pro-style offense will be senior Jaron Youngblood while sophomore Thaddeus King and junior Nate Simms are the receivers and junior Antonio Rhome is the tight end.
Junior Luke Farmer gets the nod at left tackle while freshman Jamec Kizzie is pushing Cook for time at left guard.
Up front defensively in Monessen’s 3-4 are Telegraphis at the nose and Tineri and Gibson at the ends.
Youngblood, freshman Darius Stevenson, and junior Isaiah Allums will all see time at outside linebacker while the inside will be handled by sophomores Vaughn Taylor and Zion Aldrich.
Junior Raymie Burger will also see time at the linebacker positions.
Altomore will be at one corner while Salvino also mentioned King and freshman Justin Towler as two others who will see time in the secondary, although the coaching staff has not set the rotation as of yet.
Junior Cory Fleming will handle the kicking duties.
With Monessen heading into its old, yet new, conference, Salvino has an idea of what to expect from the teams.
“Carmichaels always seems to put out a good team and Mapletown will be good,” he said. “California will be a challenge as it is up-and-coming while we will have to learn about Fort Cherry.”
Monessen, which opened the season at home with a non-conference game against rival Charleroi last week, opens TCS play tonight against visiting Carmichaels.