By ED LOOMAN

For The Times Leader

STEUBENVILLE — Anthony Agresta will make his Harding Stadium coaching debut Saturday when Columbus Africentric helps Catholic Central open the 2019 football season.

Agresta was hired in April as Central’s new grid boss. He came to Steubenville from Covington, La., where he served as head coach for Northlake Christian School. In nine years at the helm, he led the Wolverines to a 63-48 record.

The Crusaders went 7-3 during the 2018 regular season and qualified for the Division VI playoffs where they were eliminated by Kirtland, the eventual state champion. Central suffered losses to teams with a combined 45-4 records, two of the defeats coming to state championship clubs (Kirtland and Wheeling Central). Agresta replaced Steve Daley, who guided the Crusaders for eight campaigns, made the postseason four times and posted a .500 or better record seven straight years.

Graduation claimed a boatload of talent. Gone are: All-Ohio quarterback Justin Hartzell, a walk-on wide receiver at Kent State University; All-Ohio lineman Jordan Maul, who walked on at Akron; All-Ohio lineman Jacob Stoll, who’s playing at Walsh University; All-Ohio linebacker Matt Bell; All-Ohio defensive back Noah Fayak; Anthony Fallon, the team’s leading receiver; Dom Argentine; Austin O’Kruta; and Alec Constantini.

In three years as Central’s starting signal-caller, Hartzell passed for 3,261 yards and 26 touchdowns. On the ground, he ran for 2,527 yards and 26 more scores. He had 1,041 passing yards as a senior and 1,127 rushing yards.

Letterwinners Vinnie Marcino and Jarred Roberts, the only sophomores on the 2018 roster, also won’t be returning, as they transferred to other schools.

Despite all those losses, the CCHS football cupboard is far from bare.

Agresta welcomed back a large group of seniors, led by hard-nose running back Jayden Keeder. As a junior, Keeder rushed for 642 yards and six touchdowns. He earned second-team All-Eastern District honors.

Others returning who saw considerable playing time in 2018 are Jeffrey Dawson (429 rushing yards, eight touchdowns), Anthony LeFever, Anthony Simmons, Anthony Sprochi, Chole Maragos, Indy Marcino (who missed considerable playing time due to an injury) and Alex Ialenti.

“We do have some talent back in our senior class,” Agresta said. “The program lost some size — there’s no question about that. Last year’s senior group was talented, and they were big. That goes a long way.

“We have some kids back who can play. Our numbers in the senior class are very good (the Crusader roster features 15 seniors). They are leading the way and doing a good job. I really can’t ask any more of them right now. We know we need to get tested a little, but I’m not displeased with where we are heading into the regular season.”

Agresta used summer camp to install an ace-based offense, featuring two tight ends, two flankers and a single running back.

“We’ll primarily be a running team,” Agresta said. “My philosophy has always been you run the football because in this game, if you are a good team, you have to run the football. You throw the football because you want to throw the football.

“If you throw the football because you have to, you generally are not a very good football team.”

QUARTERBACK

Junior Ryan Gorman will direct the Crusader offensive unit. LeFever also is in line for playing time at quarterback with Dorsey, who Agresta described as “the kid in waiting,” the third candidate.

“Ryan is one of several first-year players on our roster, and they are all working hard,” Agresta said. “Gorman has not played football since the seventh grade.

“The Rook twins (Jack and Mike) have never played. They have all embraced every part of the game right now. That really brings smiles to the faces of the staff.”

BACKFIELD

Keeder and Dawson will get the bulk of the carries in the one-back set. LeFever and Sprochi also could line up behind the quarterback.

“Jayden runs hard — he’s a North-South kind of guy, and he’ll be good for us,” Agresta said. “Jeffrey, on the other hand, is a big play waiting to happen, so I’m excited to see what he is going to be able to do for us.”

RECEIVER/TIGHT END

LeFever and Sprochi at the top flanker candidates. Seniors Ryan Manneh and Seth Fitzgerald also are in the mix.

Maragos and Simmons will start at the tight end spots, with Ialenti possibly seeing time there, along with freshman Andrew Dorsey.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Ialenti will get the nod at one tackle spot, with freshman Tate McKenna the top candidate on the other side. Indy Marcino will man the center position.

Candidates for playing time at guard are freshman Jerome Coniker, senior Luke Anderson, senior Richard Montlione and freshman Willy Rao.

Agresta, who will serve as dean of the students at CCHS, was quick to point out that, in order for his offense to have success, the line will have to work hard.

“Our line will need to be extremely disciplined,” he said. “Steps, footwork and assignments all are going to be critical, but that’s really how our offensive system is tailored.

“As the offensive system continues to be installed, our line will have more time to adapt to it. With our size, we’re not going to necessarily manhandle people at the line of scrimmage, but we will be physical, no doubt about it. We are scheme-oriented. As the linemen continue to progress and understand what we are trying to accomplish, we will be fine.”

DEFENSIVE LINE

Defensively, the Crusaders will go with the 4-3 look.

“Like most teams, we were a little ahead defensively early in the camp, and that’s to be expected,” Agresta said. “Defensively, we will be aggressive. We’ll do a whole lot of moving around. We’re not going to sit and wait. We are going to get after people.”

Maragos, junior Mike Rook and Anderson are expected to see the bulk of the playing time at defensive end. McKenna, Coniker and Rao are the top players at tackle.

LINEBACKER

Simmons has locked down the middle linebacker spot. Ialenti will play the strong side, with Keeder occupying the weak side. Senior Nick Kissinger and Dorsey will provide depth at linebacker.

SECONDARY

The top four candidates for starting positions in the defensive backfield are Manneh, Dawson, Sprochi and LeFever. Manneh and Dawson probably will start at the corners, with Sprochi and LeFever at safeties. Agresta said, however, that’s all subject to change since they are interchangeable parts.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Senior Daniel Kissinger is, according to Agresta, the leading candidate to handle the placekicking duties.

Jack Rook will handle the punting duties.

Agresta’s staff includes defensive coordinator Jeremy Presley, Rick Gillette, Donnie Vandeborne, former CCHS standout quarterback Tony Barber and Richard (Moose) Pizzoferrato.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t admit we are a couple of weeks behind because of my late hire,” said Agresta, a native of Northeast Ohio. “But, I don’t know if it could have happened any faster, so we’re probably a couple of weeks behind. That’s nothing we can’t make up before Week 1.”

Africentric, which competes in the Columbus City League and went 0-10 in 2018, is one of four new opponents on the Central schedule. The others are Caldwell, Lucas and Morgantown Trinity.

Following the home opener, Agresta and his Crusaders will visit Wheeling Central and Southern Local. Central will celebrate homecoming when Edison visits during Week 4. A home game with Caldwell will be followed by a trip to Lucas. Harrison Central and Trinity will visit Harding Stadium on consecutive weeks. Central then will visit cross-river rival Madonna, before dropping the curtain with a home game against long-standing rival Toronto.

Caldwell went 5-5 in 2018, while Lucas, which is located in Richland County near Mansfield, finished 10-3, falling in the Division VII Region 27 championship game. The Cubs posted a 55-20 victory over Harrison Central.

It has been five years since Morgantown Trinity was able to field a football team. Trinity began with a varsity program in 2009 and dropped the sport in 2010. A 7-on-7 team was introduced in 2011 and lasted three years. The school brought back 11-on-11 at the jayvee level in 2014.

Central and Harrison Central last met on the gridiron in 1999.

“Our schedule presents many challenges for our team this season,” said CCHS athletic director Vince Oliver, who put the slate together. “I can tell you first hand that our young men have embraced what’s before them and know that success won’t be given but earned, and they are working hard to live up to the expectations of Crusader Nation.

“We have scheduled each opponent out of great respect for their program. Personally, my goal was to generate as many local games as possible. That was a little difficult during my first year of doing this, but there is promise for upcoming seasons.

It is my hope that new local rivalries and, perhaps, a few old opponents can resurface on our schedule.”

With the opener just a few days away, Agresta admitted he was getting excited.

“I’m excited because this game is something that always energizes me,” he said. “That being said, I’m also a little cautious. We have a lot of work to do. I’m excited, but it’s tempered with some caution.”

After spending the past couple of seasons competing in Division VI, Central will return to Division VII in 2019, competing in Region 25. From an OVAC standpoint, the Crusaders will remain in Class 2A, where they will be the second smallest school.

In 2018, Central’s program struggled with numbers, but Agresta listed 33 players on his preseason roster.

“We are senior top heavy, but there is talent in our underclass group,” he said. “Our freshman class is very promising. The numbers are good there.

“The junior class is small, but those kids are going to be on the field.

“I’m trusting that our numbers will go up. We’ve had some conversations with students who have not been part of the program, and we’re hoping they will come out. We’re working hard and hope our numbers will continue to grow.”