Slippery Rock High football 2025 preview: What to watch, 3 things to know and schedule
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Slippery Rock High School coach Larry Wendereusz gives instructions during practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock High’s Michael Bossler tries to stay cool in 90-degree heat during football practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock High School coach Larry Wendereusz gives instructions during practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock High School varsity football team practiced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock High’s Owen Long practices defensive drills on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock High’s Lamont Patterson practices defensive drills on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock High’s Lamont Patterson practices defensive drills on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock High’s Alex Cornelius practices defensive drills on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock High’s Alex Cornelius practices defensive drills on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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(L-R) Slippery Rock’s Jacob Reich, Owen Long, Douglas Popovec, and Sawyer Allen during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Owen Long during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Owen Long during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Jacob Reich during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Jacob Reich during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Sawyer Allen during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Sawyer Allen during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Doug Popovec during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Doug Popovec during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Larry Wendereusz knew the 2024 season would be a trying one for his Slippery Rock High School football team.
"When we took the field in our first game up at Fairview last year (a 35-0 loss), 16 of our 22 starters had never played on Friday night,“ he said. ”It's tough to walk into a season with just four seniors, but young guys got a lot of experience, and hopefully that leads to more success on the field. We're expecting that maturity to show."
The Rockets did improve on their showing in 2023 when they won just a single game. They defeated Franklin, Conneaut and Mercer and finished 3-7. They will attempt to keep moving in a positive direction this fall.
Senior Doug Popovec is the team’s leading returning receiver with 19 catches for 240 yards and a touchdown in 2024. He’s also the team’s best option at quarterback and will be taking snaps this year.
Popovec saw action as a signal caller in four games last year following a season-ending injury to teammate Fred Campagna. Popovec passed for 295 yards and three interceptions while completing 27 of 55 passes.
“Doug came in during a game against Conneaut, made the right read and ran over 50 yards for the game-winning touchdown,” Wendereusz said. “His athletic ability supersedes anything else.”
The biggest challenge now for the Rockets is to find reliable receivers. Logan Schlobohm, Mitch Stadtmiller, Jonny Petras and Jackson Novak are all possibilities, but they combined for only two receptions last year.
“They are not proven, but the talent is there,” Wendereusz said. "We’ll be running the ball more. We were a spread offense before, but this season we'll be using multiple tight ends."
Much of the focus in the ground game will be on senior Owen Long, who rushed for 436 of the team's 665 yards in 2024 and scored two touchdowns.
“I became a more physical runner last year,” Long said. “It was mostly a mental thing, and I noticed improvement as the season played out. I’ve gained some weight and that should help.”
Alex Cornelius and Kole Scott, who recently moved into the district after playing for Moniteau, should get carries as well.
1. Leader of the pack: Overall, the offensive line will be young and/or inexperienced. One exception will be senior left tackle Jacob Reich, who is in his third year as a starter.
“He was voted a team captain as a junior. That shows how much his teammates respect him as a leader,” Wendereusz said.
Sophomores Maddox Reich, Trenton Reich and Cole Staab could each be starters or see significant playing time.
"Those kids have put in a ton of time in the offseason to improve, and you can see that growth. We're not a big line, but from everything I've seen, we should be aggressive," Wendereusz said.
Tight ends Sawyer Allen, Lamont Patterson and Michael Bossler will provide key blocks for the ground game.
2. Improvement needed: Opponents averaged 188 yards rushing per game and 6 yards per carry against Slippery Rock last year. A stingier effort this year is a must.
Jacob Reich, who can play any position on the defensive line, will anchor that unit and be joined by Braden Baughman and Allen. Patterson, Peyton Reich, Scott and Kaine Humphrey will play linebacker.
Popovec, Long and Cornelius will be at safety and Schlobohm at cornerback.
“Four out of our five starting defensive backs are back from last year,” Wendereusz said. “That gives us a lot of confidence there. The guys won’t have to think as much, they can just react.
"Our inexperience showed last year, but now we're more ready physically for what teams are going to try and do against us."
3. The climb continues: It was only a few years ago the Rockets went a combined 14-7 in 2021 and 2022, playing in the District 10 championship game both seasons. Reich was a freshman on the 2022 squad.
“We were pretty beat down the last couple of years,” he said. “We just need to get our minds right. Winning early in the season would definitely help with that.”
- Aug. 22, 8 p.m. — vs. Fairview
- Aug. 30, 7 p.m. — at Franklin
- Sept. 5, 7 p.m. — vs. Sharon*
- Sept. 12, 7 p.m. — vs. Grove City*
- Sept. 19, 7 p.m. — at Sharpsville
- Sept. 26, 7 p.m. — vs. Harbor Creek
- Oct. 3, 7 p.m. — at Conneaut*
- Oct. 10, 7 p.m. — at Titusville*
- Oct. 17, 7 p.m. — at Hickory*
- Oct. 24, 7 p.m. — vs. Mercer
*Division/section/conference game
