Moving Forward with DeMarco at top Xtra points
1980 Warriors grad is in his first season leading his alma mater
John DeMarco has waited more than 40 years to stand on the sideline of Elizabeth Forward — his alma mater.
So it was obvious there were going to be some intense feelings when the Warriors played their first home football game this season against East Allegheny.
“Our first game was supposed to be at home against Ringgold, but it got switched around and it was just like another game for me. But that first home game, it really hit me, walking down over the hill to the field,” DeMarco said. “I had a lot of my family, and it really hit me when we walked out for the toss.”
It’s not surprising it would be an emotional event. DeMarco is a 1980 Elizabeth Forward graduate and never held a head coaching position until he stepped into the role this season after Mike Collodi left for Mt. Lebanon.
“It’s something I’ve thought about for the last 10 or 15 years because I’ve never been a head coach. I never really had the time and I didn’t really want to be a head coach anywhere but here,” DeMarco said. “The opportunity came up, and here we are.”
It may be DeMarco’s first opportunity to run the show, but the transition appears seamless.
Record-wise, Elizabeth Forward (6-0, 1-0) is in the exact same position it was in 2022 at this point in the season. In fact, the numbers that got the Warriors to this part are eerily similar.
So far this season, Elizabeth Forward has outscored its opponents, 201-60, as compared to 2022 when they were up 251-48. Both Warriors squads also had two shutout victories in their first six games, both against Ringgold and Knoch. It’s not like everything has been as easy for this year’s team as compared to last, which had four mercyrule games in its first six wins. Elizabeth Forward trailed heading into the fourth quarter against Southmoreland last week before Charlie Nigut scored three of his four touchdowns in the final frame to pull out a 31-24 victory.
Nigut has 12 touchdowns this season and is tied for seventh in the WPIAL in scoring with 74 points. Quarterback Ryan Messina has put together a solid year so far, as well, as his 910 yards ranks him among the top 20 passers in the WPIAL.
But the defense is allowing only 10.0 points per game. Senior defensive end Charlie Meehleib and junior defensive tackle Chris Climes lead the way up front, while Isaiah Turner keeps the deep threats at bay as the team’s shutdown corner.
But if there’s one similarity to last year the team is trying to avoid, it’s how the season ended. Elizabeth Forward reeled off nine consecutive victories to open the season, then got mercy ruled in a 48-14 loss on its home field against eventual state champion and Interstate Conference rival Belle Vernon. Then, Elizabeth Forward lost at home to Shady Side Academy in the first round of the playoffs.
“Looking at it from a coaching standpoint, they had so much invested in that last game that whenever they got beat, they thought it was the end of their season,” DeMarco said. “Our mentality is next game up. This week, Mount Pleasant is in our way, and we line ’ em up and knock ’em down every week.”
DeMarco still marvels at where he is 43 years after graduating from his current employer.
“It’s really special for me to come back,” DeMarco said. “I’ve been coaching football for a long time, but to come back to my hometown and take over is pretty special for me. I’m really happy with the way things have gone and the support of the community, the school and especially from the kids.”
Talbots biting back
Hampton lost to Montour by one point in the opening round of the 2022 WPIAL Class 4A playoffs but had serious hope of a turnaround this season.
It did not begin well. “We had a set of unfortunate circumstances happen before the season started. On the second day of camp, our starting quarterback, Adrian Midgley, tore his ACL on a noncontact injury,” Hampton coach Steve Sciullo said. “I think that took a little of the wind out of the sails of the kids, and it took them a couple of weeks to settle because we had two guys sort of going in and out.”
Hampton finally settled on Porter Kelly to take over under center, and he has thrown for 400 yards and five touchdowns, while Brock Borgo has handled the running game.
Even so, the Talbots have been perhaps the biggest anomaly in the WPIAL this season. They are 0-4 in nonconference play, where they have been outscored, 171-72, including a 55-0 drubbing from Central Valley. But Hampton is 2-0 in the Greater Allegheny Conference and tied for first with Mars.
“It really is kind of cool. We’re trying to get healthy right now and we’ve been relying on Brock Borgo the last several weeks, and that’s what he does,” Sciullo said. “Football is a simple game, and we’re all just refining what we do and running the same plays with great effort and great execution.”
A grand old time
West Greene senior Colin Brady joined the 5,000-yard club last week with 301 yards and four touchdowns in a 4132 win against Monessen.
He is the third Pioneers rusher to reach 5,000, joining Ben Jackson (7,083) and Rodney Wilson (6,304). Even more impressive might be his season total. He has carried 95 times for a WPIAL-leading 1,055 yards and 13 touchdowns. Brady is the only 1,000yard rusher so far in the WPIAL this season and also has 192 yards more than No. 2 Eric Doerue of South Park.
No one else even has 900 yards.