Inside the Program: Thomas Jefferson Football

Friday, November 12, 2010

By Mike White, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Thomas Jefferson has made it to the WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinals. So what else is new? The Jaguars (9-1) are in the quarterfinals for the 16th year in a row and play Hopewell and star running back Rushel Shell tonight at Canon-McMillan. A win puts Thomas Jefferson in the semifinals for the 13th consecutive season, a WPIAL record. Thomas Jefferson's only loss this season was to Cocoa, Fla., in the season opener. Cocoa is undefeated and ranked among the top 20 teams in the country in national polls.

A DECADE OF WINNING

Wins the past 10 seasons for Thomas Jefferson. According to the Pennsylvania Football News, Thomas Jefferson (122-13 since 2001) has won more games than any other team in the state. Southern Columbia is next at 121-18 and North Penn third at 111-20. From the WPIAL, Rochester is sixth at 109-21 and Central Catholic seventh at 108-17.

HERE'S A SHORT STORY

No matter the time of year, no matter the temperature, coach Bill Cherpak always wears shorts on the sideline during games. That's funny because he rarely comes up on the short end of the score. Cherpak, in his 16th season, has an impressive 172-31 record and an .847 winning percentage. At this rate, he will get to 200 wins in less than 20 years. He has won four WPIAL championships and three PIAA titles. Cherpak won a WPIAL title as a player at Steel Valley before becoming an offensive lineman at Pitt. He also is Thomas Jefferson's athletic director. Before becoming athletic director, he worked at a funeral home in Homestead.

THIS AND THAT

Thomas Jefferson has a balanced team offensively without a big star, and Cherpak uses a two-quarterback system. Ryan Crouse is 37 of 66 for 603 yards and seven touchdowns; Dom Presto is 40 of 67 for 703 yards. ... The Jaguars also have a balanced running attack -- T.J. Matrascia has 666 yards on 120 carries; Ryan Ruffing 645 on 98 attempts. ... Three former TJ players are starting at Division I colleges -- OL Lucas Nix (Pitt), LB Dom DeCicco (Pitt) and DE Chris Drager (Virginia Tech). ... Thomas Jefferson brings its own sound system to away games to play music in the locker room.

ABOUT FACING SHELL

In tonight's game against Hopewell, Thomas Jefferson faces the second-leading rusher in the history of the WPIAL. Rushel Shell has 6,528 yards and 28 consecutive 100-yard games. Hopewell started the season 1-4 but has since won five in a row. "If you're a great player, then you have to make everyone around you better and I think he's done that," Cherpak said. "Obviously, they were a young team coming into the year. He made them better every week. After watching film, I can't believe they've lost four games."

GIVE THEM A BREAK

Cherpak is in the minority when it comes to offseason workouts. Many coaches have weightlifting sessions and other workouts with their teams not long after the season ends. Not Cherpak. "The majority of our kids play at least two sports, so we don't really get together as a team for anything until April," Cherpak said. "These people and coaches who say they start lifting one week after their season ends, I'm not into that. The coaches need time off. The kids need a break. Sometimes, by the time you get to the summer, the kids are already burned out if you worked them so much already."

Thomas Jefferson: Moving forward with same goals

by Ray Fisher Staff Writer

September 2, 2010

The Thomas Jefferson football team is ready to move forward.

The Jaguars have picked up the pieces from their disheartening loss to West Allegheny in the semifinal round of last year's WPIAL Class AAA playoffs.

Thomas Jefferson had gone into that game as a three-time defending WPIAL and two-time defending PIAA champion, with a 48-game winning skein against WPIAL opponents, as well as a 26-game overall winning streak.

The Jaguars have advanced to the WPIAL semifinal round for 12 consecutive seasons, and have won four WPIAL titles in the past six years.

The aim of the 2010 squad is to claw its way back into the WPIAL Class AAA limelight.

"We have the same goals as always," Bill Cherpak, TJ's head coach, said. "We didn't win anything last year. That's pretty much unacceptable here. We want to get back on track." 

"We have a lot of work to do (early in preseason). It's always like that.

Under Cherpak's guidance, it's annually been a re-stocking process instead of rebuilding plan for the Thomas Jefferson varsity football program.

Cherpak and his assistant coaches aim to keep it that way in 2010, despite the graduation loss of 21 seniors — including nine all-conference players — from last year's playoff team.

The 2010 senior class finished with near-perfect 45-2 overall record in three years of varsity action.

But gone from last year's team are the likes of all-conference players such as wide receiver/linebacker Jim Giansante (New Hampshire), who was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player in the Big Seven Conference, quarterback Sam Johnston (St. Vincent), guard Shane McNally, tight end Anthony Greives; and, on defense, defensive backs Steve Licht and Ed Hasis, and linemen Chris Heim, Dan Pastore and Dan Biddle.

Giansante emerged as one of the top receiving threats in the WPIAL last season, catching 53 passes for 1,234 yards and 14 touchdowns.

He averaged a sensational 23.3 yards per reception and, on his 14 touchdown catches, averaged an electrifying 43.1 yards per reception.

Giansante scored 17 touchdowns on the year, good for 102 points. He had two interception returns for touchdowns, along with a 23-yard touchdown run.

Giansante also reeled in 34 receptions for 794 yards and six touchdowns in 2008, giving him 87 receptions for 2,028 yards and 20 touchdowns for his career.

He averaged 23.3 yards per reception the past two seasons.

"He was such an impact player for us," Cherpak  said. "He holds a lot of records at TJ and was such a big part of everything we do. He will be hard to replace."

Johnston jettisoned to the forefront with a banner season in 2009 in his only year as the Jaguars' starting signal caller.

Johnston eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark in passing, connecting on 90 of 163 aerials for 2,036 yards and 21 touchdowns.

He completed 55.2 percent of his passes, averaged 22.6 yards per completion and 12.5 yards per attempt, and threw only seven interceptions.

"I think we have a good nucleus of starters returning with some obvious holes to fill," Cherpak said. 

"It should be interesting to see who the new kids are that step up and play a prominent role like Sam Johnston did."

While the Jaguars suffered a heavy toll in graduation losses, there is a slew of athleticism and talent on the 2010 squad.

A host of all-conference selections has returned, led by one of the leading players in Western Pennsylvania, junior running back/defensive back Ryan Ruffing.

Ruffing has received much preseason hype as a player to watch in Class AAA this year.

After bursting onto the scene as a sophomore sensation last season, Ruffing, who was hurt late in the year, ended up being a first-team all-conference selection.

Ruffing is joined by a talented group of returning seniors in linebacker T.J. Matracia, lineman Dustin Vissari, lineman Chris Thearle, defensive back Mike Terpin and kicking specialist Mike Wainauskas, along with Bruno Natter, a junior linebacker.

All were all-conference selections a year ago, and all will be two-way starters this season.

Matrascia is a running back/lineback-er, Natter is a tight end/linebacker, Vissari and Thearle are offense/defensive linemen, while Terpin is a wide receiver/defensive back.

"Our tradition never changes. Our goals are conference, WPIAL and state championships," Terpin said. "Everyone who comes through (the TJ football program) tries to live up to what the others have started."

Wainauskas is a kicker/punter/wide receiver who attended several national kicking camps this summer.

If you're keeping score, that's a total of 16 players at TJ who were named all-conference in 2009. Nine were seniors; seven are back this season.

"We have a good nucleus of skill players," Cherpak said. "Our wide receivers and running backs are our strengths; they still have to keep getting better.

"We could be good (as a team), if we stay healthy."

One of the most important positions in a football program is quarterback.

Ryan Crouse, who was the most valuable player of the TJ crank team last year, enters the season as the Jaguars' starting signal caller.

Crouse, a senior, will be backed up by two other talented QBs in junior Dom Presto and sophomore Joe Carroll.

Until Crouse gets comfortable in his role as a first-year starter, TJ most likely will rely on Ruffing's running abilities in the early part of the season.

The Jaguars picked up 2,012 yards on the ground last year, led by Ruffing's and then-senior Kevin Edmonson's 1,015 combined rushing total.

Ruffing ran for 557 yards on 95 carries and scored 12 touchdowns, averaging 5.9 yards per carry.

Edmonson rushed for 458 yards on 80 carries and scored four touchdowns. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry.

TJ's senior fullback, Dylan Breisinger, accounted for 322 yards and five touchdowns on 39 carries in 2009.

Breisinger secured a first down almost every time he carried the football, averaging 8.3 yards per rushing attempt.

And not to be overlooked in the offensive backfield is Matrascia, the team's leading rusher during the WPIAL playoffs a year ago.

Matrascia, aka "Mr. TJ," picked up 221 yards — and five touchdowns — on 51 carries, an average of 4.3 yards per attempt.

"We have the same goals as always, to win the conference, WPIAL and state championships," Matrascia said. "We're trying to take back what is ours."

Two other two-way starters include senior Tom Greives, at wide receiver and defensive back; and senior Nick Greer, an offensive and defensive lineman.

The most likely candidates to round out the Jaguars' offensive line are sophomore Pat Hall, at center, and either junior Alex Reber or freshman Cole Costy, at the tackle position.

Defensively, Matrascia and Natter will be joined by juniors Nick Raimondi and Tyler Toboz, and Breisinger, in the linebacking corps. Natter ranked among the team leaders in tackles last season.

Jake Bronder, a senior, also has been penciled in as a starter on the Jaguars' defensive line.

Both Terpin and Matrascia believe last season's playoff loss to West Allegheny has provided impetus for a strong showing by the Jaguars in 2010.

Terpin: "It was a rough defeat. We're motivated to not letting that happen again Only one team can win the WPIAL and state championships. We want to be that team again." 

Matrascia: "It's given us lots of motivation. We're trying to bounce back from that loss. We've been working harder than at any other time since I've been here."

Thomas Jefferson will defend its Class AAA Big Seven Conference crown in the Class AAA Big Eight Conference.

South Park and McGuffey have been added to the conference, while Ringgold has been switched to the Class AAA Keystone Conference.

South Park is moving up from the Class AA Century Conference.

"I don't think it is really a big change at all because both teams were in the Big Seven before they moved down to AA," Cherpak said. "We have scrimmaged South Park every year (prior to 2010), so I am familiar with them. I haven't really seen anything of McGuffey since they left our conference four years ago. Any time you have new teams, it creates a new challenge. It should be exciting."

The five other conference holdovers are Belle Vernon, Chartiers Valley, Elizabeth Forward, Trinity and West Mifflin.

The Jaguars, who ended up 11-1 overall in 2009, have won four consecutive conference titles and nine in the past 10 seasons.

"If you want to win the conference, you have to beat us," Cherpak said.

The numbers attached to the Thomas Jefferson High School varsity football program always are intriguing.

Here are some to consider prior to the start of the 2010 season:

• 163 — victories recorded by Bill Cherpak, the all-time winningest coach in Thomas Jefferson football history.

Cherpak, now in his 16th season with the Jaguars, owns a 163-30 career record. He has eclipsed Bap Manzini's 114-36 career mark compiled in 16 years (1965-80).

• 18 — regular-season losses for Cherpak (in 15 years).

• 16 — school record for wins in a football season at Thomas Jefferson, established in 2007.

• 11 — number of wins last season.

• 11 — consecutive wins last season, including nine during the regular season and two in the WPIAL playoffs.

• 1 — number of losses last season.

• 0 — regular-season setbacks in 2009.

• 14 — the previous school record for wins in a season at Thomas Jefferson, accomplished in 2004 (14-2) and 2006 (14-1).

• 3 — times in the past six years that the Jaguars have won a PIAA championship, in 2004, 2007 and 2008.

• 5 — WPIAL football championships won at Thomas Jefferson.

• 4 — times in the past six years that the Jaguars have won a WPIAL title — in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

• 2 — times the Jaguars have finished as a WPIAL runner-up, in 2003 and 2005.

• 9 — conference championships won by Thomas Jefferson in the past 10 years.

• 16 — all-conference players at Thomas Jefferson last season.

They included then-seniors Jim Giansante, Sam Johnston, Ed Hasis, Steve Licht, Shane McNally, Anthony Greives, Chris Heim, Dan Pastore and Dan Biddle.

• 7 — returning all-conference players this season.

They are seniors T.J. Matrascia, a wide receiver/linebacker; Mike Terpin, a wide receiver/defensive back; Dustin Vissari, an offensive/defensive lineman; Chris Thearle, an offensive/defensive lineman; Mike Wainauskas, a kicker/punter/wide receiver; plus juniors Ryan Ruffing, a running back/defensive back; and Bruno Natter, a tight end/linebacker.

• 23.3 — yards per reception Giansante averaged over the last two years.

• 2,036 — total yards passing by Johnston last season.

• 70 — players on the 2007 team (18 seniors, 24 juniors, 28 sophomores).

• 67 — players on the 2008 team (24 seniors, 26 juniors, 17 sophomores).

• 59 — players on the 2009 team (23 seniors, 17 juniors, 19 sophomores).

• 68 — players on this year's team (15 seniors, 19 juniors, 13 sophomores, 21 freshmen).

• 24 — defensive backs listed on this year's varsity roster.

• 20 — wide receivers on the 2010 roster.

• 37 — offensive linemen, including tight ends.

• 9 —  tight ends.

• 27 — defensive linemen.

• 15 — linebackers listed on the 2010 roster.

• 7 — running backs.

• 4 — quarterbacks.

The Jaguars' signal callers consist of senior Ryan Crouse, junior Dom Presto, sophomore Joe Carroll and freshman Chase Winovich.

• 6-0, 280 —  height and weight of sophomore lineman Thor Henze, the biggest/ heaviest player on this year's squad.

• 5-10, 275 — height and weight of senior lineman Dustin Vissari, the second biggest/ heaviest player on the squad.

• 20 — players who weigh 200-or-more pounds on this year's team.

• 8 — number of times Thomas Jefferson will play a regular-season contest on a Friday night.

• 1 — number of times the Jaguars will play on a Saturday during the regular season.

TJ will meet Cocoa (Fla.) this Saturday at 5 p.m. as part of the Rally at the Wolv-arena in Turtle Creek.

• 4 — road games this season — South Park, Elizabeth Forward, Chartiers Valley, Belle Vernon.

• 4 — regular-season home games — McGuffey, Baldwin, Trinity, West Mifflin.

• 1 — "neutral" site game — Cocoa.

• 5 — shutouts posted by the Jaguars in 2009.

• 23 — shutouts generated by Thomas Jefferson over the last five years.