The NA Tigers welcome the new season with higher expectations than we have seen in a long time. The team has their sights set high on the coveted three-peat, which means winning three straight WPIAL football titles, one of the most impressive feats a team can achieve.
After a year of freshman football and watching the varsity squad exit the playoffs in the semifinal round in 2021, the class of 2025’s seniors have had this goal since their sophomore year. After winning back-to-back WPIAL titles in 2022 and 2023, their goal is now well within reach.
“Being a team that has been overlooked for three years despite the constant and proven success really places a chip on our shoulders,” running back, linebacker, and team captain Liam Flaherty said. “Now with the chance at a WPIAL championship three-peat, which has not been achieved for many years in 6A, we are still not being talked about. It would mean so much to every player on this team and to the school.”
The Tigers return many key pieces from last year’s state championship appearance–one of the most successful seasons in Tiger football history. Jack Yatchenko, a Princeton commit, headlines these players.
“It is very important that we made it as far as we did last year, as it gives us a blueprint on how to win consistently,” Yatchenko said. “We now know what it takes to get to the state championship, and what it is going to take to win it this year. The returning starters are going to be a big part of that.”
Many other seniors are returning to the field, especially on defense, including James Donaldson, Nick Humphries, and Brady Meyer, who will all make their presence known as defensive backs and receivers.
There are also many juniors that are already shining in the spotlight as well, such as quarterback Jackson Failla, running back Luke Rohan, cornerback Korry Pitts, and returning starting lineman Lincoln Hoke. Failla has big shoes to fill, following last year’s WPIAL standout QB Logan Kushner, but he appears more than ready for that challenge.
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he Tigers opened their 2024 campaign with a win at home on August 23rd against St. Frances Academy Regional out of Maryland. The team showed flashes of greatness in many moments, such as when Colman Craft, a senior receiver and Division 1 lacrosse commit, caught a 29 -ard touchdown pass from Failla.
When asked about how the first game went, Craft stated, “I felt like we played well, but we have a lot more to show. We showed signs of good football, but struggled to capitalize on many plays throughout the game. It was a great week 0 game to build on, though.”
The game featured many plays that fans were expecting, such as a touchdown from Flaherty, and a team-high number of tackles from senior linebacker Kyle Langdon. Flaherty, Langdon, and his twin brother, Dylan, star the linebacker group and are the keys to success for the Tiger defense this season.
Kyle Langdon has high expectations for the defense, especially his linebacker core.
“My expectations for those two and the rest of the defense are high, and we really focus on communication on the field. Especially between the three of us, I want us to pick each other up and always be able to rely on each other to make a play,” he said.
The Tigers will once again be challenged by many teams in the competitive 6A conference, especially their rivals, Central Catholic, as they return many stars. Similar to last year, they have many players sporting Division 1 offers. The Tigers have never worried about that, though, and that won’t change this year with their sights set on a third straight championship. The match-up with Central is on September 27th.
With another home game tonight, Gateway comes into Newman Stadium as the Tigers’ next opponent. The game will provide another great opportunity for the team to improve before starting conference play against Hempfield on September 13th.
