Blogger's note: This is the fourth in a short series documenting Observer-Reporter staff writer Mike Kovak's travels to local high school football camps.
All it takes is one look and one thing is clear about the 2009 edition of Peters Township football – these Indians are one big outfit.
First, there's the numbers. Peters Township opened camp with 81 players. Heading into its first scrimmage, that number was a healthy 78 with only one freshman, which gives Peters Township the largest varsity roster in the Washington-Greene region.
And, for the most part, these guys aren't playing football to kill the time before baseball or basketball season.
"When I first got here, only a handful of kids considered football their primary sport," Peters Township coach Nick Milchovich said. "For this group of kids, this is it for them. Football is their sport."
That's unusual at Peters Township, where championships are frequently won in soccer, golf, tennis and baseball. Just last year, the Indians concluded its season with a lopsided loss to Canon-McMillan. Milchovich estimates he had 30 players on the sidelines.
"You need players, you need bodies and you need depth at Quad-A," he said. "That last game against Canon-Mac, we were out of options."
There figures to be a few more of those at Peters Township, which hopes to compete for one of four playoff spots in the wide open Great Southern Conference.
Quarterback Austin Hancock is evolving into a solid dual threat and possible Division I prospect. Receiver Brandon Hoffman caught 40 passes last year and the addition of running backs Andrew Erenberg and Chris Olivo provides offensive balance.
In previous years, the toughness of Peters Township football came under question. The Indians want to erase that stigma this year. And they certainly look like they spent a lot of time in the weight room and at the dinner table.
The players are noticeably bigger.
"When I first got the job, I wanted to see fourth-and-one kind of guys. We didn't have a lot of them," Milchovich said. "I want guys who can get a yard on fourth down and who can stop the other team when they need a yard on fourth down. If we can get this, then we're headed in the right direction."
34 comments:
Oh boy...let the crazy PT fans start posting. I'm surprised there aren't 20 messages on here already talking about pt's speed, pt winning at heinz and going to hershey.
PT Indians
2009 AAAA WPIAL CHAMPS!
Trinity and CM, you can go to Heinz too, you just have to buy tickets!
Milchovich is an excellent individual who is building PT's program the right way with a good work ethic. Good Luck to the Coaches and players for a successful season.
That's the kind of comment I like to see. I would respect you PT fans so much more if you were humble, knew you had a work in progress and were willing to support it instead of being arrogant. What you guys have to be arrogant about, ESPECIALLY in football is beyond me. You might actually have a good season this year...but be humble...you are not the next coming of jesus christ...you guys aren't great. But you have the potential to be good. Just take it in stride please.
I heard that P.T. might play the steelers next year.
Anon @ 12:40, I hope you know that the people making the ridiculous comments about PT are either joking or trying to make fun of the program. But like you said the person above you said it well. Some people are taking those comments way too seriously.
What happened to all the Wash Hi hype.in football,thats right it left when the Coach went to CM.and basketball won't be far behind .pretty soon we will here about the swim team from Wash HI.
I sure hope the guy telling PT fans to be humble is not a Trinity fan.
PLEASE, that would be the ultimate pot calling the kettle black.
enough with the Trinity bashing. For the record Trinity doesn't gloat. Whatever the O.R. does is totally up to them. Get it straight.
I'll bash Trinity all I want, they've earned it. You should be celebrating, Trinity is still undefeated, at least for the next eight days!
Why would Trinity gloat? In order to gloat you should actually win something first.
More typical PT crying and whining. I am sorry but when was the last time PT won anything in football. Heck, they ran one of the best coaches they had because he didn't play the "right" players. Give me a break. I don't have much respect for too many people who are involved with PT football...
One of their best coaches? Who on earth would that be?
PT football has not had a decent head coach except for the current guy for the past 20 years.
anon @ 8:10 - That's real big of you. You sound like a snot faced kid. I'll do what I want..blah blah blah. Go kick rocks kid.
Peters smashes Connellsville in the second scrimmage.
Just step 2 on the road to Heinz. Man I wish we played Trinity, that would be such an easy W.
Are you kidding me? Peter's Twp is mediocre at best. The thing I feel bad about is they got just enough enrollment after a terrible run in triple A to classify for qaud A a while back. They will never be able to beat the high profile teams like USC, CC, NA, NH, PH etc. But hey, at least you can still be a legend in your own mind.
5 days left in Trinity's undefeated season.
why would someone throw in a comment about wash high in a pt blog. people just dont know the talent wash high kids have. most have more talent in their pinkies than those wash high bashers.these kids will work hard. work and talent is a potent combo. leave this blog for peters. by the way did any washington co team win a playoff game last year???
Well peters only has to compete with USC, which will be a tough game, but there's no way USC can handle peters offense, and don't underestimate there deffense, there quick, and they'll hit u in the mouth...peters is a good team, and people will soon start to realize it
Please let them play out their schedule.
They will play out there schedule.? Then again your knowledge or opinion of things are pretty questionable.
Then again what does yours matter..
hey mike, how's pt's offensive and defensive lines looking?
I haven't seen any team scrimmage but when I was at Peters Township, the guys up front were noticeably bigger from years past.
Whether that equates to on-field success will be determined shortly.
72 hours from now Trinity will face reality, undefeated season OVER!
Trinity, 0-1, it's inevitable.
Peters lines looked pretty good in the 2 scrimmages I saw, they really played well as a unit, both ways they look pretty solid, compared to the other teams in PTs division, our line should dominate
What I was implying was that people have concluded that Peters is going to be the next AAAA power. I do not particularly care how Peters does this season. However, I wish all the people in Peters would stifle themselves and wait until Peters has actually played a game. Considering that Peters has not had success in recent years or years past for that matter, how can people suddenly imply that they are going to be good? Just a thought.
What I was implying was that people have concluded that Peters is going to be the next AAAA power. I do not particularly care how Peters does this season. However, I wish all the people in Peters would stifle themselves and wait until Peters has actually played a game. Considering that Peters has not had success in recent years or years past for that matter, how can people suddenly imply that they are going to be good? Just a thought.
September 1, 2009 10:22 PM
Because its a new year a new season and all the parents/players/coaches want to be optimistic.
From what I have read, optimism and arrogance must be synonomous in Peters.
From what I have read, optimism and arrogance must be synonomous in Peters.
Of course another mature comment from you. Then again its not surprising. Then again maybe you will change.
Not! Your still a loser.
Peters Twp. the city with a little money that proves money can't buy you class.
You stay classy Peters.
it must be those idiots from canonsburgh notice I didn't call them big mouths you'll be eating crow after Friday night instead of Big Macs. Big Mac's 0-1 A football genius
to the poster at 2:49. Canon Mac will be eating crow Friday night. Trinity will be eating Big Macs. GO HILLERS!!!!!
Coach Milchovich coached me at California and hes a great coach and a great all around person to learn from so PT is on the right track and this year is theres...WPIAL AAAA Champs and maybe further....good luck on the upcomming season...Tommy Mac
Tommy, good though but not hardly. Peter's struggled with one of the worst teams in TRIPLE A last night that graduated all their starters last year. Peter's will be knocked around something aweful.
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