Dworek enjoying Varischetti game experience
ST. MARYS – Today, the North and South players for Friday's 7th Annual Frank Varischetti All-star Game, will have their final tuneup at the game's venue – Frank Varischetti Field.
Practice started on Sunday. On Wednesday, the head coach of the North, Chris Dworek said his team has made great strides since that first day.
“Surprisingly, they are coming together quicker than I thought,” said the head coach of the St. Marys Dutch. “I knew they were football smart on Sunday because they picked up what I call the foreign language. On Monday, they retained a lot of it, so we keep adding new things daily. So, so far, so good.”
The North is comprised of teams from the old AML and the South from the former KSAC.
Ridgway's Domenic Allegretto, Camron Marciniak, Dan Park, and Hunter Wall; Jake Costanzo, Harley Morris, and Cooper Nystrom from Kane; Elk County Catholic's Jake Parrish and Dom Zambanini; and Connor Bullers, Christian Coudriet, Tony Lewis, and Colton Swanson from St. Marys, are on the North roster. They'll be joined by the other 16 athletes from Brockway, Bucktail, Cameron County, Otto-eldred,
Port Allegany, Smethport.
The 29 players for the South are from Karns City, Redbank Valley, Brookville, Central Clarion, Dubois, Keystone, Moniteau, Punxsutawney, and Union/ac-valley.
Dworek loves seeing the former rivals come together for Friday's affair.
“You can tell how they talk and act around one another; they're becoming a team, which is cool to see.”
It's the Dutch coach's first time being a head coach in the game. He served as an assistant for the KSAC in 2018 when the AML won 4014. He's enjoying getting to know players from other teams. and
“It's cool to meet everybody you coached against or read about. It's pretty special to have coached against the Ridgway, Kane, and kids from other teams then get to coach them. It's fun for me, and I think for them.”
While players are adapting to the on-field jargon, Dworek said, things can't get too complex.
“Because of the (game) rules, there are some things you can't do that I would like to do. I told the kids we're going to push to see how much of our stuff sticks with their brains. And like I said, it's been pretty good so far.”
The praised
North the coach dedication of players on both teams.
“It's amazing to experience it because District 9 is so vast. It's nice to see kids so committed. Some have had to travel for an hour and forty-five minutes to get to practice, proving that commitment which is nice to see.”
A game preview will appear in Friday's edition.
Varischetti game fun facts
2022 - Average South Player – 6-2, 205; Average North Player 6-0, 203
2021 season - South teams 36-15 vs. North teams
2021 D9 championships: Redbank Valley (A), Karns City (2A)
Players by school
North: 4 – Ridgway, St. Marys, Brockway; 3 – Kane, Smethport, Port Allegany, Ottoeldred; 2 – Elk County Catholic, Bucktail; 1 – Cameron County.
South: 7 – Karns City, Redbank Valley; 4 – Keystone; 3 – Dubois, Punxsutawney; 2 - Union/ac-valley; 1 – Brookville, Central Clarion, Moniteau.
Series: North (AML) 4-2
Average Score: North 25, South 14
Most Points in a game: 2018 – 54; AML 40, KSAC 14
Least Points in a game: 2021 – 26; South 14, North 12