Dettorre looking for a few good young men

BLAIRSVILLE--Even when he gets a break, Ab Dettorre can't get a break.

Faced with low turnout and the need to rebuild after a 3-6 campaign, Blairsville Coach Dettorre received more bad news when junior linebacker Brandon Falcone broke his leg in practice.

Dettorre, of course, was more concerned about the snakebitten Falcone, who in the previous preseason had broken his thumb, than by his own bad luck.

Nevertheless, 'that takes us down to 27 players,' said Dettorre, who is entering his 15th season as head coach of the Bobcats, second in the area only to Jerry Page's 23 at Laurel Valley.

'But that's been the only down note of camp,' he added. 'We're real pleased with what's been happening. Everybody's been working hard, and that's vital, for if we're going to have some success some of our young kids are going to have to learn on the job.'

Dettorre lost by his count half a dozen kids who were expected to come out for the team, including three or four seniors 'who decided to get on with their life's work.'

He feels bad for the seniors in particular, who 'are going to question themselves down the road, could I have played, should I have played.'

With 10 sophomores on the team up from a good junior high squad, Dettorre noted that some of them are going to be pressed into service right away.

He also thinks he has a good quarterback, one who can run his veer offense, in junior Casey Austin, a big athletic kid much in the mold of his immediate predecessors in the job, Matt Doak and Jarrod Highberger.

'Casey has a year of experience in our system, although most of his reps were on the JV level,' Dettorre explained. 'He went to quarterback camp at IUP, and he's benefitted from working with our assistant coach, Rich Artley.'

However, only one Bobcat has ever scored a varsity point--receiver Rich Oswald made a nice end zone catch against Ligonier last season.

Another of the offensive keys, and defensively as well, will be fullback-linebacker Rich Munsell. Matt Rebovich is slated at running back and corner. Adam Doak is a probable starter on both lines.

But those three are the only two year lettermen, and are counted upon to provide senior leadership.

Defensively the Bobcats were, to put it gently, subpar last year, allowing more than 300 yards per game. Their low point came at Ligonier, where they lost 34-28 in overtime.

'It's always been a given in high school football, if you can score 21 points, you ought to be able to win the game,' Dettorre said. 'To be successful we have to keep the other team off the board. We're working very hard to correct the problem, believe me.'

Dettorre's solution is a simple one--in numbers there is strength. 'We have to get five, six or seven guys to the ball. Last year we would have one or two guys at the ball, and if they didn't make the play, it's a score.'

Falcone's loss doesn't help that process, since he lettered at linebacker as a sophomore. 'It's a major loss, but we have to move on.'

Despite the low numbers and the inexperience, Dettorre--who says his health is excellent after a heart problem scare two years ago--says he is 'having fun' building his team.

'I like this team,' he said. 'The coaches are coaching their butts off, teaching the fine points of the game.' He said he's never had a team with so much togetherness. 'Everybo-dy sits together and eats lunch.'

BOBCAT BANTER--The schedule is never kind to the Bobcats when they have to start the season at Laurel Valley, which they do tomorrow. Last season's 34-6 loss at home to the Rams was the only game in which Blairsville was truly out of the game. Each of their other five losses were by a touchdown or less.