Loaded Beaver Area roster looks to make noise during 2024 season

BEAVER — It’s not every day you are put in the position that Beaver Area head coach Cort Rowse finds himself entering the 2024 season. After putting together a strong season in his third season at the helm of the Bobcats program, Rowse’s Beaver squad returns almost all of its starters from a year ago.

Now with his main core back, the Bobcats are looking to make a deep playoff run with its experienced group returning for the 2024 season.

Beaver Area’s roster is loaded with talent, who all made big splashes throughout the 2023 season which saw the team reach the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals before falling to Avonworth.

On the offensive side of the ball, Travis Clear returns for junior season after putting together a solid sophomore campaign throwing for over 1,000 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Heading into the 2024 season, Rowse wanted to challenge his young quarterback to help take his game to the next level by learning skills off the field which in turn would help translate to his play on the field.

“Travis has worked on the craft of being a quarterback throughout the offseason," Rowse said. “Not only has he put in the work on the field, but he has also put in the work in the classroom and taking his game to the next level by having him have a better understanding of how to read defenses, making the right throws.

"Even though he has made some mistakes along the way, as long as he is seeing those mistakes that he made and seeing that upward trajectory which we are seeing he is going to be fine this season.”

Along with Clear, Beaver Area returns two all-conference receivers Amari Jackson, who recently committed to Villanova to play football, and Brady Mayo for their senior seasons.

Though Rowse sees the talent that both wideouts bring to the table, he is more impressed with the overall work that the pair put in as leaders on and off of the field.

“I do not just like those guys based on their skill, I like the pair because of their mentality and what they bring to the team,” Rowse said. “These two players are gifted not only on the field but they are both 3.5 GPA students which says a lot about their commitment to doing things right all the way around. When you have guys that are high caliber like that, it just sets the bar higher for everybody else and that is what these guys do every single day that these guys come out.”

In just over a week, the Bobcats will kick off its regular season at the KDKA Kickoff Classic which features five games played at Woodland Hills’ Wolvarena.

More: Beaver County team-by-team football schedules for 2024 season

Beaver Area will take on PIAA Class 2A runner-up and City League champion Westinghouse on Aug. 24 at 8 p.m.

Rowse is eager for the opportunity for his team to have a chance to play in this type of setting and the test that Westinghouse will bring to his players to kick off the 2024 season.

“We [Beaver Area] have never seen this team live before but we admire that program on TV and tape," Rowse said. "They do a great job up there and it is a solid and physical football team. It is a great test for our kids in Week 0 and a great venue for our guys to go up there and experience it. But more importantly, it is going to help us get ready and take us where we want to go.”

Head coach: Cort Rowse (Fourth season, 25-10 overall record)

2023 record: (9-3, 4-2 Western Hills)

Top players lost: Marco Gutierrez, Nick Williams, Aaron Miller

Top players returning: Travis Clear, Qualan Cain, Drey Hall, Gabe Lutton, Zach Barnes, Aiden Conley, Tony Rabatin, Damien Lutton, Jonathan Pashuta, Alex Korcinsky, Amari Jackson, Brady Mayo

Offense: Beaver Area’s offense will look very similar compared to last year’s group as the team returns all of its starters from a year ago. Brady Mayo and Amari Jackson are both solid receiving threats for the Bobcats who made big splashes on the field last season. Along with Mayo and Jackson, who put up over a combined 1,000 yards receiving, the team also returns the dominant rushing duo in Qualan Cain and Drey Hall. Last season, the pair both rushed for over 1,000 yards on the ground with Cain and Hall reaching the end zone 16 and 11 times respectively. Rowse also believes that the offensive line made strides to get stronger in the offseason with all-conference lineman Jonathan Pashuta returning for his senior year. This offensive unit for the Bobcats can once again cause problems for programs in the Western Hills conference with another year under their belts.

Defense: The Bobcats lost four starters on the defensive side from a season ago, three of which were named to the all-conference team at the season's end. However, the team still retains several key pieces from the team last season including all-conference defensive back Amari Jackson, defensive back Brady Mayo and linebacker Gabe Lutton. Even with a few missing pieces on the defensive side of the ball, the Bobcats will look to find success on the defensive side of the ball with still several returners filling in the voids in those positions.

Classification: 3A

Last WPIAL playoff appearance: 2023

Last WPIAL title: 1982

WPIAL titles: 2

Schedule

8/24 8 p.m. Vs. Westinghouse at. Woodland Hills (KDKA Kickoff Classic)

8/30 7:30 p.m. Vs. Blackhawk

9/6 7 p.m. at Imani Christian

9/13 7:30 p.m. Vs. Hopewell

9/20 7 p.m. at Central Valley

9/27 7:30 p.m. Vs. McGuffey

10/4 7 p.m. at Deer Lakes

10/11 7 p.m. at North Catholic

10/18 7:30 p.m. Vs. Quaker Valley

10/25 7:30 p.m. Vs. Avonworth

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Loaded Beaver Area roster looks to make noise during 2024 season