Experienced Bulldogs set bar high
The 12 returning lettermen for the Beth-Center football team have a combined 23 seasons of experience, so it’s easy to see why the Bulldogs once again have high expectations for the 2011 season.
Four of the seniors have lettered since their freshmen year, including QB-LB Sal Faieta, RB-DB Deshan Brown, TE-DE Jeremy Price and FB-LB Jake Sofran.
Last year’s squad posted an 8-3 record and qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.
The Bulldogs finished second to Tri-County Conference champion Monessen with regular season losses to Monessen in conference play and Avonworth in a non-conference game.
BC defeated Cornell 34-12 in the WPIAL first round before losing to WPIAL runner-up Rochester in the quarterfinals.
In his 14th year at the helm, coach Ed Woods said he doesn’t focus on individual numbers and past records. “I’m not a stat guy,” Woods said. “I focus on preparing for the next week. After we win a football game, I’m already thinking about what to do to get ready to play our next game.”
In addition to the four three-year lettermen, the Bulldogs are experienced in virtually all other positions. Seniors OL-DE Zach Holmes and OL-DL Roberto Roux each have two letters, while senior FB-LB Cody Ross lettered as a junior.
Junior OL-DL Zach Miller has two letters, while TE-LB C.J. Novak and RB-DB Cody Durant lettered for the first time last season. Sophomores Matt Ruggle (RB-DE) and Gino Faieta (QB-DB) lettered as freshmen.
Woods said Sal Faieta has continued to improve each season.
While BC usually emphasizes the running game, the ratio could change this season because of Faieta’s passing potential.
He will also be the punter, which will force opponents to always be on guard for possible fake punts that Woods said will likely come at some point during the season.
The placekicking duties had not been determined early in the preseason.
“I stress special teams as much as defense and offense,” Woods said. “You can win or lose football games because of special teams play. We’ll put our best 11 athletes on special teams and hope if we can get up by two touchdowns or more to work young kids in as long as it doesn’t hurt the team.”
Beth-Center has qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for nine consecutive seasons and hopes for an extended playoff run this year.
“This year more than last, we’re really ahead of the game for the three phases of the game. We put in more plays in the off season and more defensive schemes because of our maturity.”
Woods expects the four conference playoff berths to be hotly contested between the Bulldogs, Monessen, Carmichaels, California and Jefferson-Morgan.
A home non-conference game with Avonworth will provide a late season non-conference test.
“We have a long way to go to be a championship-caliber football team,” Woods said.
“We’re on the right track and will continue to work towards that.”
He adds, “This is an unselfish group. They don’t worry about who scores or who has the most catches. They just want to go out and win.”