As reported by the Observer-Reporter, the Central Greene School Board has hired Joe Kuhns as the varsity football coach at Waynesburg High School. Kuhns, 38, spent the past seven years as the head football coach at California High School.
Kuhns guided the Trojans to the WPIAL Class A playoffs in each of those seven years and made two quarterfinals appearances. He also coached Donte Valentino, the leading rusher in California's history and a member of the WPIAL 4,000-yard club.
He replaces Scott Orndoff, who picked up one win in two years at Waynesburg. Kuhns went 38-33 at California.
22 comments:
Didn't he coach at Ringgold before he went to California?
Not as a head coach
A huge jump from the Tri-County South to the Interstate Conference.
Kuhns was defensive coordinator at Ringgold for two years when the were in AAAA. He is a great coach no matter what the name of the conference is. Good Luck to him!
Here is a good topic of discussion. Do you think if Bill Cherkpak took over any other school they would have the same success? Or is it just the fact that he caught a really good group of kids over the past 10 years? Belle Vernon went through a similar run, but not as successful.
Yes,
One of the keys to Cherpak's program is his off season conditioning. Working hard and establishing a system is not just getting lucky with a good group of kids, especially over an entire decade. Alot of groups pass through a program in ten years.
I believe that Belle Vernon's run
coincided with the coming and going of a coach there too?
Cherpak would make any program better, but to say he would have similar success as he has had a TJ at some of the bottom of the barrel programs is wrong. He is a great program builder and if you gave him 5 years he could turn any program into a playoff program, a perennial state champ contender, NO.
Remember, with very few exceptions, year in and out TJ has been a dominant program long before Cherp got there. It is a FOOTBALL FIRST community, similar to Clairton, Blackhawk, Rochester and other areas where football is still king.
Give Cherp the talent that Trinity has had the past 5 years and you are looking at at least 2 WPIAL titles in that timeframe. No question about that.
I'd like to see Cherpak move on and join the Pitt coaching staff. It has long been rumored that he would eventually make the move and I think he would bring a lot of energy to any college program.
College and High School are alot different. Its hard to say he would be a great college coach. Also I dont see Pitt bringing him on the staff. Now maybe he could join the staff at a D-III school. Usually you have to work your way up the college ranks. Not too many jump right to the D-1 level.
Cherpak even said it himself that he has had a great run with the talent he has.
Look at this quote:
When asked about the dynasty term, Cherpak said, "You have your run. You look at Strath Haven, West Allegheny, Berwick. They all did it. Eventually, you're going to go down. You just strive to keep it as good as you can."
I will be interested to see what he does with a less talented team. I mean has had some really talented kids through the program.
"Remember, with very few exceptions, year in and out TJ has been a dominant program long before Cherp got there. It is a FOOTBALL FIRST community, similar to Clairton, Blackhawk, Rochester and other areas where football is still king."
- I dont know about this...i remember a time when TJ couldnt win more than 3-4 games a season...
Looking at Cherpak's success, what would be considered the current local (wash co) dynasties?
My thoughts for the Big 3 sports:
Football: Nothing jumps out. No one has won consistently enough to be a dynasty although several teams have had some decent playoff runs. I think the last dynasty in this area was the old Wash High teams that Guy Montecalvo coached. They were a regular championship participant and dominated AA.
Basketball: I think Peters Township has the ability to be a dynasty, but isn't there yet. Once again the best teams in this sport are located in Beaver, Westmoreland, and Allegheny Counties. Wash High has had many good teams, so they might qualify, but they haven't been elite in AA in a long time.
Baseball: Peters township is the name that immediately jumps out. Back-to-Back Wpial titles and a 6 year run (03-08) that has seen excellent players and many victories. Trinity and Canon-Mac may challenge them for the dynasty throne if they can continue their recent successes for another couple of years. Trinity has had two straight deep playoff runs and figures to be a contender in AAA again this year. Canon-Mac won a state title last season and was a surprise playoff team the year before. The only blemish for them was the 2006 team b/c they also had a great 2005 team.
Washington County dynasties are hard to come by. There have been some excellent teams and excellent players over the years, but no one has really been able to sustain their success year in and year out. I think baseball has been the area's most successful sport with Peters, Carmichaels, Char Houston, Canon-Mac, Wash High, and California all having pockets of tremendous success (i.e. championships). Of those teams, this past season Peters and Carmichaels won Wpial titles and Canon-Mac won a state title. So I think it is fair to say that the O-R coverage area has seen its most success in baseball. I didn't even mention Trinity and Levi's boys have had an excellent run. I know it's only December, but if we could just fast forward to baseball season, I for one would be thrilled.
The guy who keeps mentioning Peters as a dynasty must live there. There basketball team isnt even close to a dynasty and never will be. Peters is a soccer school only that produces a good baseball team once every 10 years.
Here are the Wash-Greene sports teams which qualify as or were recently a dynasty according to my qualifications:
Peters Township boys soccer
Peters Township baseball
Carmichaels baseball
Chartiers-Houston softball
Burgettstown boys golf
California baseball
In a more traditional sense, Wash High football and basketball, the wrestling teams at Canon-McMillan, McGuffey, Trinity and Waynesburg are among the best.
Mike,
Th Canon McMillan Girls and Boys track teams have both had a pretty good run (and jump and throw) over the past 10 seasons. If we're going beyond the big three sports
they get a vote.
I disagree anon. C-M has won one team championship in track and I may be wrong but I can't remember an individual state champ since I started at the O-R in 1999.
A good program? Yes. A dynasty? No.
Mike,
Do you have any insight into the local program that is most likely to become a dynasty? After talking to a few people, the same two names keep popping up: Trinity Baseball and Canon-Mac Baseball.
Considering that baseball has been the area's most dominant sport, I guess it isn't surprising that two baseball teams would be "Next."
High praise was given to Steve Bucci (HC @ CM) and Levi Bubby Bristor (HC @ Trinity). I guess when you win a state title your profile gets elevated, but is the success at CM sustainable? As for Trinity, they are on an impressive run of late, but can they get over the hump and win a championship?
I guess we should define what "Dynasty means". state level:
very few make the list. WPIAL level: a few more. Local level: There are alot of programs in several sports with long strings of local success. If CM's WPIAL wrestling success and local track success don't qualify as dynasy, then the baseball team needs to win for many years to be"the next."
Southern Columbia Football was a dynasty. There is no program in any sport around here even close to that.
Dont be so quick to give out the "dynasty" label. I understand everyone wants to feel as though they are a part of a dynasty or a great team...but few programs ever qualify as dynasty's...
Maybe this shake up will follow through in Waynesburg's basketball program. Something's gotta give.
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