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The Morning Call
Marian Catholic football countdown to kickoff: Colts have new voice, same expectations
By Tom Housenick, The Morning Call,
2024-08-21
Former player and assistant coach Billy O'Gurek is in his first year as head coach at Marian Catholic. Tom Housenick/The Morning Call/TNS
Billy O’Gurek lived next door to Joe Gillespie, who was classmates with J.D. Hackenberg.
“Those two were like my big brothers,” O’Gurek recalled.
Gillespie and Hackenberg were standout players on Marian Catholic’s 1990 state championship football team. That came in the midst of the building of a stellar program by longtime legendary head coach Stan Dakosty.
O’Gurek grew up in that culture and later played for the Colts, but coming back to be a coach at his alma mater was not in the cards because of his job with the state.
That changed seven years ago when he began working from home, but his timing wasn’t great. Dakosty was retiring.
However, Dakosty put O’Gurek in touch with new head coach Pat Morgans. O’Gurek was part of that staff until Morgans left
Dakosty came out of retirement to restore the proud program. O’Gurek’s role increasingly grew in his few years working with him.
On Friday night on the field named after Dakosty, the O’Gurek era begins. He replaced Dakosty who went to Colgate to be a part of his son Stan Dakosty Jr.’s program.
“Coach Dakosty told me that if I wanted to be a head coach,” O’Gurek said, “he would help me out. I was on the headset with him in games last year.
“I wanted us to do more zone read running, so he spent an hour with me at his house in the offseason watching film. I wouldn’t be here without him. I’m going to lean on him a lot.”
O’Gurek often was asked questions by players at last year’s practices. His response each time was the same.
“Coach Dakosty was the guy,” he said. “The kids would ask about how to do something or what to do. I said, ‘I’m not the guy you ask.’
“Now they are coming up and it’s me now. It’s been an adjustment.”
O’Gurek has plenty working in his favor.
Dakosty rebuilt the program, leading the Colts to last year’s District 11 Class A championship game and a 7-5 record. They were one win shy of their first district title and PIAA playoff appearance since 2015.
Many key pieces return for the Colts, including four linemen on both sides of the ball, a Division I tight end in four-year starter Mike Gelatko, two inside linebackers and their 1,000-yard rusher. Gelatko’s father was a member of the 1990 state championship team
Expectations remain what they were when Dakosty was in charge: high.
“We were in the second half of a district championship game,” O’Gurek said, “a one-possession game. Minersville made more plays than we did. If that’s doesn’t drive you, I don’t know what does.
“That was a big thing for us as a program. We went through a whole cycle of kids who didn’t experience that while being on a Marian football team. These guys now understand what you have to do to get there. It drives me. It should drive them, too.”
The rest of the Colts coaching staff is back, including Hackenberg, so the transition has been smooth for the players.
A recent intrasquad scrimmage was set for 20 minutes because there are only 41 players on the roster. There are 11 freshmen included in that number, several of whom have not played football before.
It lasted 45 minutes.
“We were hitting, getting after it and bouncing back,” O’Gurek said. “That’s how we have to be to be successful — physical, tough, a Coal Region type team. We started to show that then.
“I told our guys the first day that our team needs to be energetic, fast paced. We have to go to the echo of the whistle every play but not dirty. When teams come here, they are going to have their hands full because we play hard.”
Three things to know about the Colts
1. New quarterback : Senior Dylan Rodino takes over as the offensive leader after serving the last two seasons as the backup.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder was one of five brothers on last year’s team. Senior twins Jesse and James Rodino graduated. Junior Damian and sophomore Dominic Rodino are back on this year’s roster.
Dylan Rodino started last year at free safety for the Colts before breaking his leg on a kickoff return in the District 11 Class A championship game against Minersville. He was cleared to return to all football-related activities in June.
“He got operated on right away,” O’Gurek said. “They put a rod in his leg. He’s back stronger than he’s ever been.”
Rodino isn’t the only player returning from injury.
Rory Dixon suffered an MCL injury during last year’s district wrestling tournament. He had surgery to clean up his knee and is back to full strength.
Senior starting lineman and linebacker Zach Holt has recovered from a torn ACL and is penciled in as a two-way starter.
2. Next standout freshman : Dixon was going to get carries last season as a freshman running back. He became the starter when Jayden Fermin suffered a season-ending injury a month into the schedule. Dixon took advantage of the opportunity and kept Marian Catholic’s offense running. He rushed for 1,005 yards and eight touchdowns.
Dixon will be the go-to runner from the start in 2024.
Tyler Price is the next standout freshman in the Colts program. The 6-foot, 172-pounder has earned a starting spot at free safety.
“He is going to be a great player for us,” O’Gurek said. “He started coming to workouts in March and April. It was obvious after a week or two that this kid was ready to do it. He’s strong, fast. He’s going right in the starting lineup.”
Price will be part of a young secondary on an otherwise veteran defense. Juniors Nick Shigo and Hunter Sartori will be at strong safety in the Colts’ 4-2-5 look. Both were JV players last season. Shigo will be the back-up quarterback this season.
Senior Michael Johnson and Dixon, who played some linebacker last season, are the starting cornerbacks.
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