With a strong-armed passer and a big, mobile target at tight end, Hempfield has its own version of Tom Brady-to-Rob Gronkowski in the playbook.
But the Spartans know senior quarterback Justin Sliwoski can't throw to 6-foot-4, 235-pound senior Braden Brose on every play.
Getting into the red zone can be just as important as how a team scores, if not more so. Hempfield, which finished 5-6 overall and 4-2 in the Class 6A Southeastern Conference last season, needs to patch together a new offensive line to give Sliwoski time to operate.
“Our skill guys have a ton of experience, which is nice,” Hempfield coach Rich Bowen said. “Justin will do his thing, and Braden catching the ball is his bread and butter. He's a load to bring down. We want our skill guys to get touches. But we have to replace five starters on the line. Our backups might get as much work as our starters.
“This is the first time in 25 years I have no one coming back on the line.”
Sliwoski, who has college offers from Dayton, Georgetown, Dartmouth and Columbia, threw for 2,009 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, completing more than 55 percent of his passes.
Brose, with offers from Slippery Rock and Seton Hill, caught 21 passes for 306 yards and four touchdowns.
Senior receiver Nick DiAndreth returns after leading the Spartans with 48 receptions for 720 yards and eight scores.
Hempfield lost to North Allegheny, 42-7, in the first round of the WPIAL Class 6A playoffs. A return trip to the postseason is no guarantee, but some offseason success has the team confident: The Spartans won back-to-back WCCA 7-on-7 Tournament titles, the most recent coming after a win over fellow conference opponent Norwin in the finals.
Friday's Week Zero opener against Greensburg Salem is no passing scrimmage.
“The seven-on-sevens are a necessary evil. I'm not a big fan,” Bowen said. “What happens is the offense gets into the habit of always going for the big play.”
While throwing home run balls downfield is nice — and Hempfield has the potential to do so — the running game can't disappear.
“We'll play to our strengths,” Bowen said. “We know we can throw, but you always want to be able to run the football.”
Hempfield has to replace 1,400-yard back Jordan Kempka.
Another pass-catching threat is Isaiah DiAndreth. But he also could see time at running back, and Bowen said senior Austin Gockle also could get carries out of the backfield.
Defensively, senior Brock Barnhart and Brose will be key run-stopping linebackers, while senior Derrick McFadden, Isaiah DiAndreth and senior Connor Walters will help hold down the secondary.
Bowen thinks Norwin is the team to beat in the Southeastern.
“They're loaded with skill players,” he said. “Norwin has what it takes to win the conference.”
Hempfield finished a win away from tying for the conference title last season. It has not won or shared a conference since 1966.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.
