2025 high school football storylines: What to expect from Butler, Karns City, Mars and every local team this season
Fourteen days remain until the start of the high school football season. Fourteen days until fans get to see the payoff of an offseason of weight room training, playbook installation and practices.
But each team has different hopes and expectations in 2025. Some are aiming to make deeper postseason runs, like Karns City. Others, such as Butler, are hoping to build off close-to-.500 seasons. And a few more are embarking regime changes, eager to turn around their fortunes.
As Week 1 draws near, here is one storyline for each team to watch for this season:
The Golden Tornado aren’t rich with offensive linemen, but in seniors Beau Burchett and Stone Spack, they have a pair of hard-working leaders in that group.
Starting with them, a big part of Butler’s success this year will hinge on its mindset, meaning starting games aggressively and finishing with a similar fervor. Quarterback Nicco Baggetta is another guy who coach Eric Christy can count on when his team needs a push.
If all goes to plan, this Golden Tornado team will set a tone for editions to come. Also, rather than traveling all over the map this year, Butler will play six home games.
The Yellowjackets have a very strong senior class, led by Drew Ross (QB/DB), Amos Glenn (RB), Cole Troutman (OL/DL), Wade Potocnak (OL/DL) and Dawson Gaillot (LB). Each of them turned in very impressive junior campaigns, helping Freeport to eight wins and a spot in the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals.
Can the leaders, and their supporting cast, build off of last year’s success? Allegheny 7 Conference foes Imani Christian Academy, Highlands and Deer Lakes stand in the way.
The Gremlins’ traditionally strong running game is in good hands this season with Hunter Scherer, Owen Heginbotham and Nathan Hess carrying the ball through holes opened up by a formidable line, but fans could see a few more balls in the air. Junior quarterback Cole Johnston has a season and a half of starts under his belt, and the passing game may be more of a threat this season.
An improved passing attack would make the Gremlins even more difficult to defend. Johnston is a dual threat, accounting for over 1,400 yards of offense and 17 total scores in 2024. He could be in for a very special season.
T.J. Wiley is in his first year as Knoch head coach, but he's not lacking experience. He's not only had numerous previous coaching stops himself, but the staff he's put together with the Knights has been at it quite a while. Offensive coordinator John Wiley, his father, has been coaching for 50 years. So has defensive coordinator Hank Marziale. Line coach Don Thomas has been coaching 40 years.
“These guys have been head coaches as well,” T.J. Wiley said. “There's nothing they haven't seen.”
That should play to the strengths of a roster Wiley has called very intelligent and hopes to rebound from a down 2024.
Eric Kasperowicz is headed into his fourth season as the Planets’ coach. Having won four WPIAL titles and a pair of state crowns at his previous stop, nearby Pine-Richland, Kasperowicz quickly formed a culture at Mars.
The Planets have appeared in back-to-back WPIAL Class 4A semifinals, falling to perennial powers Aliquippa and McKeesport. Even with a quarterback situation that has yet to be ironed out and the graduation of steady running back Eric Kasperowicz, the coach’s son, the same championship expectations remain.
With an experienced front on both sides of the ball and skill players ready to step up, this could be the season Mars attains that goal.
“Rebuilding” may sound like a dirty word in sports, but that is what this roster and coaching staff are tasked with after an 0-10 season a year ago. New head coach Clay Kohlmeyer, a former Moniteau and collegiate quarterback, is hammering home accountability. The players are saying all the right things, buying into new schemes and new attitudes.
No one expects it to be easy, but winning a couple games and being competive in others would be a huge step in the right direction for a program.
“I want to show people like what we can do and how much work we have put into this,” junior lineman Braden Beachem said.
Chris Rizzo’s Trojans had ups and downs last year, but an offense that proved to be powerful will be paired with a deep defense this time.
Senior quarterback Joey Felitsky has a collection of pass-catchers that other high school quarterbacks ask Santa for. Ryker Kennedy was among the leading receivers in the WPIAL in 2024, while Will Waskiewicz and Tom Arth also come back. Oh, and Preston Simko, Butler High’s leading receiver a season ago, also joined the fold.
Rizzo and his crew are aiming to start fast and ride the momentum to a WPIAL title. Good luck to the defenses in their way.
Don Barclay has professional football experience, having spent six years in the NFL. Now, the Seneca Valley coach is giving his players some pro experience of their own as they look to bounce back from a disappointing 2024 season. Ben Cary, who served as strength and conditioning coach at Penn State for four years, now holds that position at Seneca Valley.
“Everything feels so professional working with him,” Raiders linebacker and running back Cayden Parker said. “We're already seeing a difference.”
The hope is that difference leads to a few more wins.
Doug Popovec admits he’s most comfortable as a receiver, but the senior will be taking snaps for the second straight year.
He played quarterback in the team’s last four games in 2024, starting the final three, after Fred Campagna was lost to an injury. Popovec returns as the team’s best option at the position. A host of players will be worked in at receiver.
The Rockets aim to get back to the District 10 playoffs — they played for the district title two straight seasons 2021-22 — after winning a combined four games the last two years. The Region 4 slate will not be easy, however, with the likes of Sharon, Hickory and Grove City.
The team’s offense was very good last year, led by do-everything quarterback Owen Bish, who is now playing at Grove City College. Just think how good the Falcon Knights would have been if running back Logan Skibinski had been healthy.
Skibinski, a star sprinter on the track team, did not play a down last season due to a knee injury. He returned to break A-C Valley’s school record in the 100-meter dash (10.71 seconds) this past spring and now looks to make up for lost time on the gridiron.
He will team with wide receiver Aidan Fox, another speedster, to give Union/A-C Valley a pair of gamebreakers.
Eagle contributor John Enrietto contributed to this report.
