CLARKS SUMMIT – Abington Heights returns six starters on each side of the ball and hopes to have improved depth from a growing roster as the Comets look to improve on a 2-9 football season in 2018.
Corey Perkins, Mike Malone, Robby Horvath and Michael Pusateri are returning two-way starters for Abington Heights, which is most experienced offensively in the line and defensively in the secondary.
Malone is established at tight end after catching 31 passes there the past two seasons, but is now listed on the roster as an offensive lineman in a move that could help the Comets up front after having managed fewer than 80 yards per game and three per carry rushing last season.
The Comets also return Will Stevens, Griffin McGinley and Michael Pusateri to the offensive line and already have other receiving options available.
Perkins is one of District 2’s top receiving threats after catching 52 passes for 896 yards and eight touchdowns. Robby Horvath, the second-leading receiver, also returns after catching 22 for 280 yards.
Julian Blanco and Louis Natale, the second- and third-leading rushers with 208 and 130 yards last season, respectively, are the most experienced players in the offensive backfield.
Matt Lastauskas, one of the team’s top defenders, has spent some time at fullback.
Junior Mike Show takes over at quarterback.
The Comets return five of their seven leading tacklers from a team that went 2-6 in the second half of the season after an 0-5 start.
Pusateri, the leading tackler, is back at linebacker along with Lastauskas.
Perkins, Horvath and Griffen Noone all return in the secondary. Perkins was third on the team in tackles and led with two interceptions.
Malone, a four-year starter at defensive end, already has eight sacks and 22 total tackles for losses in his career. He led the team in sacks and shared the tackle for loss lead last season.
Joe Repshis, who enters his 15th season as coach, still has Malone and Lastauskas around from being contributors to the school’s district championship team in 2016 as freshmen. Repshis said he will lean on the experience of them and other veterans to get the team through the early stages of the season while others get accustomed to their new roles.
The team’s toughest games appear to be in that early part of the schedule.
“We return several players who have significant varsity experience and have played many games over the past several seasons for us,” Repshis said. “We also have other returning players and newcomers to our program that will compete for starting position and playing time and will also add depth.”
