North football preps for 2023 under new coach
CRANBERRY TWP — Chris Rizzo logged a lot of miles in the air after being named varsity football coach at North Catholic eight months ago.
"I was living in Arizona and didn't actually move here until June," said the Western Pa. native who played football at Bethel Park High School. "In the interim, I was able to make it here for a number of long weekends, Thursday to Sunday, to get to know the players and get some work in with them.
"That was critical because it gave me a chance to see the kids in the weight room, watch some of them run routes and I got to see what they could do physically and how well they move. I also had virtual meetings with the players, got to know them on the screen. With the way things have been done the last few years, they're pretty used to that."
Rizzo coached at Ironwood High School in Glendale, Ariz., the last five years and is anxious for a new era to officially begin with the Trojans, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011 last year.
"We're telling the guys that we expect their effort to equate to the academic standards that are in place here and the tradition that surrounds this program," he said. "We are focused on building a culture on the practice field, in games and in the meeting room. Wins will take care of themselves.
"Our senior class is our best class and we need to lean on that experience."
Jason Siket and Kaden Sarver, current seniors who both saw time at quarterback last year, are battling for the top spot. Siket saw the most work, passing for over 700 yards and five touchdowns.
"Jason is more elusive and Kaden has a big arm," said Rizzo. "It's up in the air right now, but a lot of starting spots are currently open to competition.
"We'll be a spread offense, but have the ability to condense the formation and run downhill against teams."
Jack Fennell returns as a major threat with his sprinter speed. He amassed over 800 yards from scrimmage in 2022 and scored a team-leading nine touchdowns. He should once again line up at both slot receiver and running back.
Gavin Kamody looks to build on 200-plus receiving yards from a year ago. Junior tight end Brady O'Hara could cause major problems for opposing defenses with his 6-foot-6, 245-pound frame. He is already attracting attention from college programs.
“We didn’t have a tight end in our offense last year, so I played in the slot,” O’Hara said. “I think I had seven or eight catches the whole season, but my hope is to have a few catches every game this year.”
Rizzo expects the left side of the offensive line to be stout with Alex Jackson (6-4, 260) at tackle and Gabe Paredes (5-11, 277) at guard.
"We have the size to go downhill, but should also be an athletic line," he said. "We don't have a ton of guys, though, so they all need to know how to play each position."
On defense, O'Hara (lineman), Sarver (linebacker), Kamody (safety) and Siket (safety) will each get opportunities to make plays.
“We’ll use either a 3-4 or 4-3 base defense, depending on the opponent,” said Rizzo. "We have to get great pursuit, get 11 hats running toward the ball. We're emphasizing technique. I don't care how many yard lines the other team crosses, as long as they don't cross the goal line.“
