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121

YSU Penguin Athletics / 2021 Football Signees

« on: December 21, 2020, 02:54:55 PM »

You know with all of this stuff going on, everything is so "out of whack". We have not even spoke about the class.

-Clearly a small class but the concentration on the OL is every exciting for me to see. This new focus on Toledo is also very exciting. Add that to what will be two coaches that focus on WPA & it is going to change the face of this program.
-I am not sure what he sees in Alexander out of Alliance at QB, but we will see more soon. I do like films showing receivers being hit in-stride, from behind.
-Coach is taking a big risk with Hensley, but his injury was in his junior season, so it seems like a smart risk to take. Play-maker potential.
-If they work with him, that EJ Johnson out of DeSales can be another in the line of great TE's for us.
-Tanner is 1st-team all D-II on the end, looks like a great pick-up.
-This Jackson Wassler certainly has the resume. Good grades and a team captain from St. X

122

YSU Penguin Athletics / Basketball Predicted to Finish Second, Quisenberry, Bohannon Preseason Honors

« on: November 09, 2020, 05:46:46 PM »

Indianapolis, Ind. -- The Youngstown State men's basketball team has been predicted to finish second in the 2020-21 Horizon League season in a preseason poll conducted by the league's head coaches, athletic communications directors and selected media.

This is the Penguins' highest preseason ranking since joining the league and just the third time YSU has collected first-place votes. The three first-place votes are the most in program history. YSU received one first-place vote in 2017-18 and in 2013-14.

Wright State was tabbed as the preseason favorite with 517 points and 37 first-place votes while the Penguins garnered 423 votes for second. Northern Kentucky was picked third with 413 points and four first-place votes while Horizon League newcomer Robert Morris was predicted to finish fourth with 345 points. UIC was fifth with 312 points, Oakland sixth with 288 points, Cleveland State seventh with 283 points and Green Bay selected eighth with 253 points.

Rounding out the final four were Detroit at ninth with 185 points, Milwaukee  was 10th with 172 points, league newcomer Purdue Fort Wayne comes at 11th with 127 points and IUPUI was 12th with 114 points.

Individually, junior Darius Quisenberry, a 2019-20 All-Horizon League First-Team selection, was named to the 2020-21 Preseason All-Horizon League First-Team and senior Naz Bohannon was named to the Preseason All-Horizon League Second-Team.

Last season, Quisenberry averaged 16.6 points, 3.6 rebounds 4.2 a$$ists and 1.5 steals per game. He also ranked fifth in the Horizon League in scoring and a$$ists per game, fourth in a$$ist-to-turnover ratio (1.5), sixth in field-goal percentage (.422), steals per game and free-throw percentage (.792), and 13th with 1.5 3-pointers made per game. He is the first player in school history to earn all-league honors in his first two seasons, and became the first YSU sophomore in Division I era to score at least 900 points. Quisenberry has 990 career points and needs 10 more for 1,000.

Bohannon averaged 11.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.2 a$$ists per game last season and ranked third in the Horizon League in rebounds per game. He also averaged 12.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game against Horizon League opponents. Bohannon has scored 824 career points and grabbed 785 career rebounds. He needs 176 points for 1,000 career points and 215 rebounds for 1,000 career rebounds. He would become the first YSU Division I player to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career.

2020-21 #HLMBB Preseason Poll Results
1.           Wright State (37) – 517
2.           Youngstown State (3) – 423
3.           Northern Kentucky (4) – 413
4.           Robert Morris – 345
5.           UIC – 312
6.           Oakland – 288
7.           Cleveland State – 283
8.           Green Bay – 253
9.           Detroit Mercy – 185
10.         Milwaukee – 172
11.         Purdue Fort Wayne – 127
12.         IUPUI - 114

#HLMBB Preseason Player of the Year
Loudon Love, Wright State

Preseason All-Horizon League First Team (alphabetical order by school)
Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy
Amari Davis, Green Bay
Marcus Burk, IUPUI
Loudon Love, Wright State
Darius Quisenberry, Youngstown State

Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team (alphabetical order by school)
Algevon Eichelberger, Cleveland State
Te'Jon Lucas, Milwaukee
Rashad Williams, Oakland
AJ Bramah, Robert Morris
Naz Bohannon, Youngstown State

123

YSU Penguin Athletics / Baseball Announces Addition of Three Student-Athletes

« on: October 22, 2020, 05:16:03 PM »

Youngstown State head baseball coach Dan Bertolini has announced that Alex Cardona, Conner Johnson and Andrew Russell have joined the program for the upcoming 2021 season.

Cardona (Boardman, Ohio) spent the previous two seasons at Mercyhurst North East, Johnson (Heber City, Utah) played the last two years at Salt Lake Community College and Russell (Champion, Ohio) played for Ohio in 2020. Cardona and Johnson will both be juniors, and Russell will be a sophomore.

The group of newcomers will join three other student-athletes who signed National Letters of Intent to continue their academic and baseball futures at YSU during the early signing period last November.

Information on each of the student-athletes who have joined the program is provided below:


Alex Cardona

RHP | 5'8 | 175 | Boardman, Ohio | Boardman High School | Mercyhurst North East

Highlights: Posted a 4-2 record and a 5.32 ERA in 44.0 innings over nine starts and two relief appearances for Mercyhurst North East in 2019... Tossed three complete games and posted 12.27 K/9... Struck out 60 batters while walking 31... Posted an 8.00 ERA in nine innings over two relief appearances in 2020... Fanned 14 batters while issuing seven walks… Four-year letterwinner at Boardman High School... Posted a 6-0 record as a senior... Threw a no-hitter that featured 16 strikeouts... Accumulated 59 strikeouts and finished with a 1.17 ERA as a senior... Named First-Team All-AAC... Shared AAC Player of the Year honors.

Cardona on choosing YSU: "I chose YSU because I heard that it's a great environment with great coaches, and we have the ability to make some noise. It's a great feeling to be a Penguin. Having a chance to make an impact on your hometown is an amazing opportunity."


Conner Johnson

RHP | 6'1 | 200 | Heber City, Utah | Wasatch High School | Salt Lake Community College

Highlights: Made a total of 13 appearances out of the bullpen for Salt Lake Community College in 2019 and 2020... Recorded a 2.64 ERA and 18 strikeouts over 17 innings pitched... Earned two victories in relief during the shortened 2020 campaign... The Bruins were ranked in the top 15 in the nation in 2019 and 2020, reaching as high as eighth in 2019... Coach was David Nelson… Three-year letterwinner at Wasatch High School... Recorded an 8-2 record and a 1.80 ERA while pitching over 60 innings as a senior... Team advanced to the Utah 5A state playoffs where he earned a pair of victories on the mound... Was a 2018 5A All-Star Game selection and was honored as a 5A all-state selection.

Johnson on choosing YSU: "I chose YSU because of the great coaching staff and the great facilities we use. To me, becoming a Penguin means to be a hardworking, disciplined individual who makes a positive impact on the field and in the community. I am so excited to compete at the level we play at and do it with the great guys on the team."


Andrew Russell

RHP/UTIL | 6'1 | 190 | Champion, Ohio | Champion High School | Ohio

Highlights: Played in six games as a position player and made one pitching appearance as a freshman for Ohio in 2020... Recorded three hits and a run scored in 15 at-bats... Went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and a run scored at Southeast Missouri State (2/29)... Did not allow a hit and registered a strikeout in one inning on the mound vs. Saint Louis (2/21)… Holds the Champion High School record with a 0.27 ERA in a season... Won a state championship as a sophomore and pitched a complete game in the title game... Named First-Team All-Ohio as a junior... Named second-team all-conference as a sophomore.

Russell on choosing YSU: "I chose YSU because of the ability to continue my education and baseball career close to home. Becoming a Penguin means so much being that I am from the area and can have my loved ones come support me at my games. Go Guins!"

124

YSU Penguin Athletics / Baseball Program Sees Tremendous Turnout for 2020 Golf Extravaganza

« on: August 28, 2020, 01:48:45 PM »

The Youngstown State baseball program wishes to thank all the participants who took part in the team's 2020 Golf Extravaganza which was held on Monday at The Lake Club in Poland, Ohio.

"We are just blown away from the support and the turnout for this year's golf outing," said YSU head coach Dan Bertolini. "What a special event that raised significant funding for our program, especially during these tough economic times. I just want to personally thank all the golfers, corporate sponsors and local businesses that stepped up when we needed it the most. A special thanks to Ed Muransky and The Lake Club for their support as they provided not only a first-class facility, but just a very well-run event."

The event saw a tremendous turnout as 31 foursomes and 124 players took to the course on a beautiful, sunny day with temperatures reaching the low-90s. Golfers enjoyed food trucks, a massage station and various games that were stationed at different holes throughout the course.

YSU players, coaches and staff members were able to connect with many familiar faces in a socially-distant outdoor environment. The program's long-standing support was on full display once again as the field of golfers included former players and coaches as well as fans and supporters.

The YSU baseball program would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of the event.

Home Run Sponsor: The Muransky Companies

Triple Sponsors: Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods, Aqua Pazzo, United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, V2 Wine Bar Trattoria

Double Sponsors: Cafaro Foundation, Joe Rich, Bob Choppa

For complete coverage of Youngstown State baseball, follow @YSUBaseball on Twitter.

125

YSU Penguin Athletics / MVFC Update on Fall 2020 Season

« on: August 09, 2020, 10:08:10 AM »

The Missouri Valley Football Conference Presidents Council has announced the league's schools will not conduct conference competition this fall.
 
In its unwavering commitment to providing meaningful and safe competitive opportunities for the Conference’s student-athletes, the MVFC will play a full 8-game spring league schedule with the expectation to culminate the season with the FCS Playoffs.
 
“Without question the most important part of our decision-making process was listening to our student-athletes and hearing their feelings,” stated Jim Tressel, chair of the MVFC Presidents Council and President at Youngstown State University.  “What we clearly heard was that they want to play this year for a chance to participate in the FCS Playoffs.  It's great to know that they believe we are taking all the steps necessary to keep them safe in the process.  All 11 MVFC teams weighed in with their positions on the options we considered, and all thoughts and concerns guided our thinking.”
 
The Council also voted that non-conference competition in Fall 2020 be conducted at institutional discretion.

126

YSU Penguin Athletics / Becker, Coates Earn Phil Steele All-MVFC Second-Team Recognition

« on: August 09, 2020, 10:06:26 AM »

Youngstown State offensive tackle Dan Becker and punt returner Jake Coates were tabbed preseason second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference by Phil Steele.

Coates, a senior, was a second-team All-MVFC pick last year, while Becker, a junior, was a second-team selection.

In 2019, Coates set the school record for punt return yards with 353 on 32 returns, an average of 11.0 per return. In MVFC games, had 21 returns for 193 yards while averaging 9.2 yards per return. Becker started all 12 games at left tackle for the Guins. He played every snap in eight contests during the campaign.

Additionally, sophomore defensive tackle DeMarko Craig Jr. was named to the third team.

127

YSU Penguin Athletics / Horizon League Statement on Fall Sports

« on: July 17, 2020, 06:22:00 AM »

   INDIANAPOLIS – Guided by its core value of student-athlete well-being, the Horizon League Council decided on Thursday, July 16 to delay the start of fall competition for all sports (championship and non-championship) with the understanding that if competition occurs, it will not begin before October 1. The decision allows each campus to further focus on ensuring return to competition protocols uphold the Council’s principle of safety and can be reasonably implemented.

The delay in competition includes all exhibition, League and non-League contests in all sports (championship and non-championship).  Decisions related to training and practice will be left to members’ discretion.

Rescheduling of non-conference contests impacted by the postponed start of the fall seasons will be determined by each school.

The Horizon League’s Council will continue to monitor developments related to COVID-19, and will evaluate fall schedules and competitions with the understanding that there may be future changes.  The Council will continue to be guided by our top priority: the health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff.

The Horizon League Council consists of the 12 member institutions' athletic directors, chairpersons of the Senior Woman's Administrators and Faculty Athletic Representatives and a student-athlete.

128

YSU Penguin Athletics / NCAA Womens BowlingFinal Rankings and RPI

« on: July 11, 2020, 01:56:14 PM »

I know that this is old news, but I think that it is worth a second-look

https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/bowling/nc/ncaa-bowling-rankings

Lady Pens very well represented

10th in the NCAA final poll
8th(T) in the Coaches Poll
10th in final season RPI

Coach Doug Kuberski was Southland Coach-of-the-year AND National Tenpin Coaches Association Division I Coach of the Year. Kuberski is just the 2nd head-coach to win a national DI title. In our DI history (1981); prior to this year, coach Jim Tressel was the only other Penguin coach to be named a DI national coach of the year. Tressel was a two-time finalist (1st & 2nd) with coach Jon Heacock also a finalist (2nd). Former head-coach (and current president) Tressel won the award in 1997.

129

YSU Penguin Athletics / MOVED: Re: Akron haters will love this!!!

« on: July 09, 2020, 06:47:01 AM »

This topic has been moved to General BS.

http://ysupenguins.com/forum/index.php?topic=19087.0

130

YSU Penguin Athletics / YSU Baseball Program to Hold Golf Extravaganza Aug. 24

« on: June 28, 2020, 11:18:33 AM »

The Youngstown State baseball program will be hosting a special golf extravaganza on Monday, Aug. 24, at The Lake Club in Poland, Ohio.

The event will begin with a shotgun start at 11 a.m. and each golfer will receive food and drink on the course, a full dinner after golf and a door prize. In addition, food trucks will be on site and there will be games on each hole.

Registration ends July 17 and all proceeds will benefit the YSU baseball program.

There are five sponsorship opportunities for the event:

Home Run ($4,000): Includes one foursome; 24" x 48" corporate signage at the clubhouse; hole sponsorship; autographed YSU baseball helmet; 10 YSU baseball 2021 season tickets.

Triple ($3,000): Includes one foursome; 16" x 32" corporate signage at the clubhouse; hole sponsorship; autographed YSU baseball helmet; five YSU baseball 2021 season tickets.

Double ($2,000): Includes one foursome; hole sponsorship; on-course game sponsor; autographed YSU baseball; five YSU baseball 2021 season tickets.

Single ($1,000): Includes one foursome; YSU baseball mini helmet; five YSU baseball 2021 season tickets.

Hole Sponsors ($200): Name and/or logo will be displayed at a hole for participants to see.

For additional information, contact YSU Head Coach Dan Bertolini at dabertolini@ysu.edu or 330-502-2187.

131

YSU Penguin Athletics / Elliott, Harden Named 2019-20 YSU Athletes of the Year

« on: May 01, 2020, 08:50:53 AM »

Youngstown State track and field seniors Jaliyah Elliott and Collin Harden have been named the 2019-20 Joesph F. Malmisur YSU Female and Male Athletes of the Year. Do to the continuing effects of the COVID-19 virus, this year's Annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet has been canceled.

Over the last four seasons, Elliott has cemented herself as one of the most prolific sprinters in program history. The Beloit, Wisconsin native is both a recipient of the indoor and outdoor Alfreeda Goff Track and Field Female Athlete of the Year honors. She is the only female in school history and just the third in Horizon League history to be honored with both awards. In the 2018-19 indoor season, Elliott was named a Second Team All-American after placing 15th in the 60m dash at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

On the track, Elliott is a nine-time Horizon League champion and holds the school records in the 60m and 200m dashes. The senior also owns facility records at the WATTS in the 60m and 200m and at Farmers National Bank Field in the 100m and 200m. At this years' Horzion League Indoor Championships, Elliott won the 60m for the third consecutive year, becoming just the fourth sprinter in league history to be a three-time champion in the event. En route to capturing the 200m title for the second straight year, Elliott broke her own school record with a time of 23.66 seconds.

Last season, Harden punched the final ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a record breaking performance in the 400m hurdles at the NCAA East Preliminaries. The Girard, Ohio native broke his own school record in the event after clocking a time of 50.52 seconds. Harden went on to be named a Honorable Mention All-American after finishing 22nd at the championships.

Harden is five-time Horizon League champion which includes three titles in the 400m hurdles. Last spring, he became the Horizon League's first ever three-time winner in the event. In his final indoor championships, Harden won the 60m hurdles title for the first time in his career, finished as the runner-up in the 400m and took eighth in the 200m.

Despite losing the outdoor season, Elliott and Harden are both planning to return in 2021 to finish their senior seasons. Elliott will look to defend her Horizon League titles in the 100m and 200m dashes while Harden will look to capture his fourth crown in the 400m hurdles.

132

YSU Penguin Athletics / Basketball Inks Two During Signing Period

« on: April 20, 2020, 04:20:03 PM »

The Youngtown State men's basketball program has signed Shemar Rathan-Mayes (Toronto, Ont.) and Alex Vargo (Wheeling, W.Va.) to National Letters of Intent, Head Coach Jerrod Calhoun announced.

"We are really excited to add Shemar and Alex to our program," Calhoun said. "Both are terrific young men and outstanding players and will make us a better basketball team."

Rathan-Mayes, a 5-11 point guard, averaged 14 points, seven assists, four rebounds and three steals per game as a senior. He helped Orangeville Prep to a pair of state championships and an overall high school record of 86-4. Rathan-Mayes was voted All-OSBA Second-Team and was also selected to participate in the BioSteel All-Canadian Game, which is the Canadian version of the McDonald's All-American game.

"We like to recruit players from winning programs and that is Shemar, he played for the best team in all of Canada," Calhoun said. "We feel that he can help us immediately from the guard position with his ability to make plays with the basketball and is a floor general."

Vargo, a 6-6 guard, scored 1,634 career points, which ranked second in school history. He earned West Virginia AAA First-Team All-State honors as a senior, averaged 27.8 points and 7.8 rebounds a game and shot 42 percent from 3-point range, and was a 2020 McDonald's All-American nominee. He set Wheeling Park's school's single game scoring mark with 53 against Parkersburg South, January 20. Vargo was named first-team all-state as a junior and second-team all-state as a sophomore.

"A 'gym rat' is a word to describe Alex Vargo," Calhoun said. "It was very clear throughout the recruiting process that he loves basketball. Alex is a terrific 3-point shooter and natural scorer. He had a terrific career and played for a very good coach in high school at Wheeling Park."

Rathan-Mayes and Vargo join William Dunn, Myles Hunter and Cheick (pronounced SHAKE) Traore in this year's recruiting class. Dunn is a 6-8 forward from Quincy, Mich., Hunter is 6-5 guard from Charlotte, N.C., and Traore is a 6-8 forward from Concord, N.C.

133

YSU Penguin Athletics / Three Penguins Earn Postseason Recognition from D1Baseball.com

« on: April 20, 2020, 04:16:26 PM »

Youngstown State baseball players Gary Clift Jr., Steven D'Eusanio and Collin Floyd were each recognized by D1Baseball.com in the website's 2020 Horizon League Conference Wrap.

Clift Jr. was named the league's Best Senior, D'Eusanio was named Breakout Player and Floyd was named Most Impressive Pitcher. In addition, the Penguins were recognized as the league's Most Surprising Team.

YSU was off to its best start since 2010 at 7-7 before the 2020 season ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Penguins won three of their first four weekend series and a midweek contest at ACC member Pitt. YSU won two out of three games at preseason No. 35 Houston on opening weekend to begin the season 2-1 for the first time since 2001. The Penguins finished the shortened campaign ranked No. 92 in the RPI after ranking No. 278 at the end of the 2019 season. Youngstown State had the most wins and the best winning percentage in the Horizon League when the season came to an end.

Clift Jr. quickly became one of the most valuable arms in the Horizon League and a major weapon at the back end of YSU's bullpen in 2020. He went 2-0 with a 0.93 ERA, two saves and 10 strikeouts while allowing only three hits over 9.2 innings in six relief appearances. The senior, who had only thrown 13.1 career innings before this season due to injuries, surrendered only two hits and no runs over his final five outings. Clift Jr. led the Horizon League with his two saves and opponents batted .094 against him. The right-hander earned the win in YSU's 6-3 victory at Houston on Feb. 15 after recording career highs of 3.1 innings pitched and six strikeouts.

D'Eusanio established himself as a major force in the middle of the Penguins' lineup in 2020. He batted .291 while leading YSU with 16 hits, four home runs, 10 RBIs, 10 runs scored, 30 total bases and a .545 slugging percentage. He also led the Horizon League in home runs while ranking in the top five in runs scored, RBIs and slugging percentage. The sophomore went 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs in the Penguins' 6-3 extra-inning win over Houston on Feb. 15. D'Eusanio hit a two-run inside-the-park home run in the sixth inning before hitting the go-ahead, three-run blast in the top of the 11th. He recorded at least one hit in 10 of YSU's 14 games, and he had multiple hits on five occasions.

After missing all of 2019 with an injury, Floyd got right back to his dominating ways on the mound. He ranked second in the Horizon League with 25 strikeouts and third with 23 innings pitched over four starts. He went 2-1 with a 2.74 ERA and opponents batted just .159 against him. The senior went 2-0 while allowing one run on four hits and fanning 14 batters in 12 innings over his final two outings. Floyd was named Horizon League Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 17 after helping the Penguins to a 6-3 win at Houston on Feb 15. Floyd allowed two runs on a pair of solo homers while striking out seven and walking none over seven innings in his first start since May 5, 2018. He retired 18 of the first 20 hitters he faced and 21 of 24 overall while sitting down the Cougars in order in four different frames.

134

YSU Penguin Athletics / Seven Former Penguins Named to NFF Hampshire Honor Society

« on: April 15, 2020, 12:08:48 PM »

The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced today the members of the 2020 NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who each maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college careers. An impressive 1,432 players from 364 schools qualified for membership in the Society's 14th year.

The Youngstown State football team had seven student-athletes named to the 2020 National Football Foundation's Hampshire Honor Society. Former Penguins TB Joe Alessi, WR Ryan Emans, OL Brandon Finamore, S Kyle Hegedus, C Matt Jones, QB Nathan Mays and OT James Wilson were the Penguins to be named to the NFF Hampshire Honor Society team.

"We are pleased to honor another impressive group of athletes as part of this year's Hampshire Honor Society," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "For more than a decade, the Hampshire Honor Society has served as a powerful vehicle for schools to recognize their college football players who have distinguished themselves both academically and athletically, and we congratulate the schools and each of these young men for their commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives."

The NFF Hampshire Honor Society capitalizes on the NFF's National Scholar-Athlete program by greatly expanding the number of scholar-athletes the NFF can recognize each year. The program further strengthens the organization's leadership role in encouraging academic performance by the student-athletes at the 775 colleges and universities with football programs nationwide. The initiative has now honored 12,127 student-athletes since its inception.
Nominated by their respective schools, members of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society must have:

    Completed their final year of playing eligibility in 2019;
        Graduated players, who have remaining eligibility but will not return to collegiate play (e.g. declared for NFL Draft or retired from football), may also be nominated.
    Achieved a 3.2 cumulative grade point average throughout entire course of undergraduate study;
    Been starters or significant contributors throughout the 2019 season.

135

YSU Penguin Athletics / Football Signs Diggs, Martin to National Letters of Intent

« on: April 15, 2020, 12:06:34 PM »

First-year YSU Head Coach Doug Phillips announced on Wednesday that the Penguins have signed Dawan Martin and Deamontae Diggs to National Letters of Intent.

Both players will be eligible to play for the Penguins this fall. Martin is from nearby Youngstown East High School. He was a senior for the Golden Bears in 2018 and played with current Penguin defensive lineman Chris Fitzgerald. Diggs was a standout two-sport athlete at McKeesport High School. He played basketball and football during his scholastic career with the Tigers.

Dawan Martin | DL | 6-5 | 250 | Youngstown, Ohio | East HS

Two-star rated player by 247sports.com…played in the OHSFCA North-South Football Classic…was a second-team Division IV All-Northeast Inland District on the defensive line…also earned second-team All-American Conference Red Tier honors…helped lead East to the Class 4 Quarterfinals where the Golden Bears dropped a hard-fought 34-30 contest to Girard and current YSU quarterback Mark Waid...East finished the season with an 8-4 mark…coach was Bryan Marrow.

Deamontae Diggs | TE/H-Back | 6-6 | 225 | McKeesport, Pa. | McKeesport Area HS

Two-sport standout at McKeesport…as a senior, was named Big East Conference as a defensive lineman…the Tigers reached the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals and finished the season 9-4…as a junior, had 14 catches for 424 yards and seven touchdowns…was a second-team Big East pick as a junior…also kicked two extra points…in 2018, the Tigers finished with a 9-3 record and reached the WPIAL quarterfinals, falling to eventual district and state champion Penn Hills…coach was Matt Miller…as a basketball player, averaged a team-best 20.3 points and 12 rebounds per game as a junior…McKeesport reached the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs last year.