The 2024 boys football season definitely mimicked a roller coaster ride – a couple highs, a couple lows, and a lot of fun along the way.
The Titans started their season with a Week 0 win against Butler, 20-14. That game showcased a hard-nosed defense with two takeaways, a run-heavy offense able to inundate the Butler defense, and key players stepping up in key situations.
One of these players includes starting quarterback Joe Rispoli, who used his legs and scrambling ability to defeat the Golden Tornadoes. Rispoli finished the game with 16 rushes, 109 yards, and two touchdowns.
“No matter if it was running or passing, all I wanted to do was score and contribute to the win,” he said. “However I could get into the end zone, whether that be through or over someone – just doing everything in my power to have the result be a win.”
The Titans would have their momentum halted when suffering their first loss against South Fayette, falling 28-6, which saw a QB change starting in the second half to try and spark a comeback. Sophomore Max Wiley found the field and was able to contribute the only touchdown for the Titans that night.
Despite the play from Wiley, there was no doubt in Head Coach Jim Ryan’s mind who the quarterback would be moving forward.
“When you have a guy like Joe, you put him in a position where everyone on the team looks for leadership. Rispoli made some amazing plays against Butler, even ones that were broken, which reinforced my decision for him to be our starting QB.”
Another standout from the Titans this year came from sophomore Sami Tapu, who was versatile and multi-faceted. He was able to run, block, catch, and defend – however, his role this year was up in the air, as Coach Ryan stated there was some uncertainty about where Tapu would contribute on the offensive side of the ball.
“We had Tapu starting at tight end, and we knew that with his size and athleticism, he would be a good fit there. We found out later on, especially against Hampton where he rushed for 154 yards and scored two touchdowns, his role at running back gives us a much better chance to win, factoring in his size, strength, and speed.”
The Titans would wind up going on a 5-game skid, losing to the likes of Plum, Woodland Hills, Penn Hills, Central Catholic, and North Hills.
During this stretch of games, the injury bug bit the Titans when Rispoli went down with an injury against Plum, then Wiley suffered a concussion a game later. senior outside linebacker Alex Weber.
“ We were plagued by a couple injuries to Joe [Rispoli] and our QB room as a whole, but we persevered and went into every game with a mindset that we were going to win at all costs,” senior outside linebacker Alex Weber said.
Despite these injuries and losses, one thing the Titans didn’t do was throw in the towel — something that’s been instilled by the coaches.
“Through the five weeks of losses, it got hard coming into games against powerhouse schools, but as a team, we were able to use the low expectations as motivation to compete and get better each rep, play, and week – something that’s been implemented by Coach Ryan and staff,” Tapu said.
One highlight toward the end of the year was the Senior Night victory against Fox Chapel, 35-19. The Titans would finish the season with an overall record of 2-8 and missing the playoffs. However, the future’s still bright for the Titans in Coach Ryan’s eyes.
“We will have roughly 31 returning letter winners and about 21-25 returning full-time starters for next season. We have a great mentality on this team. They get it. They don’t complain and they just look to the next rep and we know that their positive attitudes combined with the talent we have, will pay great dividends in the future,” he said.
