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2024 SLIPPERY ROCK ROCKETS PREVIEW

SLIPPERY ROCK – It’s safe to say that the Slippery Rock High School football program is not living in the past. After back-to-back District 10 title game appearances in 2021 and 2022, injuries, inexperience and a rugged schedule helped contribute to a 1-8 mark for the Rockets in 2023.

However, ninth-year head coach Larry Wendereusz and the 2024 Rockets are fully focused on the future. “I’ll be honest, since the last game, I’m not sure I spent much time looking at last year,” Wendereusz said. “It’s in the past. We’ve been focused on the future.”

Slippery Rock features only five seniors on its 48-man roster this season. Large freshman and sophomore classes comprise a significant chunk of the squad.

“We’re going to be young and we’re going to be learning week in and week out,” Wendereusz said. “We’re excited and I think that our kids are ready to go. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a lot of learning, but it will be fun.”

That youth will be on display at quarterback, where sophomore Fred Campagna takes over as the starter. He saw limited varsity action in 2023 while playing extensively at the junior varsity level during his ninth-grade year.

“(Campagna) is a talented young man and a very smart young man,” Wendereusz said. “I’m excited to see him progress and for him to show his talents.”

Junior Doug Popovec, last year’s backup quarterback, will again serve as the No. 2 quarterback. He will also start at wide receiver after making 13 catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns last year. Wendereusz also noted that Popovec could be used at quarterback in specific packages.

Senior Cooper Glass joins Popovec at wide receiver after leading the Rockets with 221 receiving yards on his 20 catches last year. Senior Cole Pearson, junior Zac Frederick and sophomore Logan Schlobohm are also expected to see action at wide receiver.

At running back, junior Owen Long returns after rushing for 201 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught 15 passes in 2023 after taking over as a full-time starter.

Sophomore Alex Cornelius saw action as a reserve last year and looks to join Long in the starting backfield.

Youth will also be prevalent on the Rockets’ offensive line as junior Jacob Reich is the lone full-time returning starter. Sophomore Lamont Patterson is expected to start at center. Classmate Brayden Hemphill will compete with senior Klint Shamblin and freshman Cole Staab for starting spots.

After using a 4-2-5 defensive scheme in recent years, Slippery Rock plans to utilize more three-man fronts in 2024. Reich, Shamblin, Staab, junior Liam Throm and freshman Braden Baughman are battling for the starting spots on the defensive line.

Patterson is competing with freshman Kolbie Magill, freshman Kaine Humphrey and freshman Trenton Reich at inside linebacker. Cornelius, junior Carter Jeannerat, junior Gavyn McDougall and sophomore Cole Schwartz are the contenders to start at outside linebacker.

Glass, Long, Pearson, Popovec, Schlobohm and senior Talon Hoover are battling for the two cornerback and two safety spots. “We have guys that we can move around,” Wendereusz said of the Slippery Rock secondary.

Sophomore Zach Lasko returns to handle the kicking and punting responsibilities. He went 10 of 11 on extra points and kicked a 23-yard field goal in the season opener against General McLane last year. “Zach had a nice year last year,” Wendereusz said. “He’s gotten stronger. We’re excited to see what he can do in that aspect of the game.”

Slippery Rock will compete in Class 3A Region 4, with traditional local rivals Grove City, Hickory and Sharon. Conneaut and Titusville join those four schools in the six-team league.

“It’s going to be a meat grinder. With a young team, we’ve taken the mantra ‘Don’t count todays, make todays count,’” Wendereusz said. “There are going to be difficult games. We know that. We believe we can compete. We believe we have a shot and we’re going take every opportunity we can. That’s the mindset we have and we’re not going to change that.”