By DEAN DELLAMALVA JR.
MVI Sports
Last season was bittersweet for the Frazier football team. The Commodores had their first winning season since going 11-1 in 2015 and advancing to the WPIAL semifinals.
However, because there was a limit to postseason teams due to the pandemic, Frazier (4-3, 4-2 in the Century Conference) missed the playoffs.
Results-wise, it was an odd year for the Commodores. Only one of the games they played had a margin of less than 16 points. They posted two shutout wins and were shut out once.
“In a normal year, we would have made the playoffs,” Frazier head coach Greg Boggs said.
The offseason was much closer to normal this year and the Commodores are hoping their work in the weight room pays dividends on the field.
“It was a great offseason in the weight room this year. We had six linemen, a quarterback, a tight end and a running back benching around 250 pounds,” Boggs said. “The players with good attendance had great results.”
There are 13 players who have moved on from Frazier due to graduation, including do-it-all athlete Kenny Fine. But with those departures, there is plenty of opportunity for the new Commodores coming aboard and the 13 rising seniors on this year’s team.
“With graduating 13 seniors there are spots open,” Boggs said. “We will see when we get the pads on who is ready to step up. We also use JV games to see who is ready to make plays and move up.”
One of the players Boggs welcomes back from injury is senior quarterback Brayden Boggs. He missed most of last season and his return means converted senior signal caller Dom Dorcon can return to tailback.
Frazier has a stable of running backs ready to spell him as well in sophomore Dom Taranto, senior Zane Whitehead and junior Jeremiah Oldham. The offensive line is mostly intact as well, which bodes well for the Commodores’ ground game.
“We return most of the offensive line with Nicolas Vitale at center, Aaron Panepinto, Brayden Baccino, Jaedyn Marish, Nate Dale and Lucas Stevens,” Boggs said.
Baccino and Panepinto, both seniors, were all-conference selections a year ago at middle linebacker. Dorcon and Tony Muccioli will handle outside linebacker duty.
To read the rest of the story, please see a copy of Thursday’s special football edition in the Mon Valley Independent. Call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.