Kennedy Catholic football program aims for turnaround under new head coach John Cox
The start of the 2023 District 10 football season is right around the corner. Visit GoErie.com throughout August for updated videos and photos from team camps. Here is one in a series of previews for all 39 D-10 teams:
Kennedy Catholic Golden Eagles
Coach: John Cox (1st season)
2022 record: 2-7 (2-5 Region 1)
2022 playoff results: Did not qualify for the District 10 playoffs.
Assistant coaches: Tyree Dessau, EJ Padula, Julian Cox, Ameer Dudley, DeShawn Gordon
More: Preseason prep: Everything you need to know for the 2023 District 10 football season
New coach, new system
Kennedy Catholic turns to another new coach as the Golden Eagles look for consistency in their program. John Cox has coached youth football and basketball for 15 years in the New Castle area. He is the uncle of Dallas Cowboys standout Malik Hooker and replaces John Reay who coached the Golden Eagles for two years. Kennedy Catholic started heat week with 15 players and Cox was hoping to add more players as school started this season. He also has plans to put together a junior high program next year to try and keep the Golden Eagles program going each year.
Iron man football
Kennedy Catholic has battled low numbers since bringing the program back three years ago, and most of the players have played all three phases of the game. It'll be the same this year as most of the starters will never leave the field. Kennedy Catholic will rely heavily on two standout players this year with quarterback Rayvion Wilbon-Venable and all-around athlete Damian Harrison. Wilbon-Venable had a breakout freshman season in 2021 before transferring to Sharon. He is back at Kennedy Catholic this year to start under center. Harrison played quarterback last year but will be used as a running back and wide receiver.
Kennedy Catholic had some key losses in the offseason as there were questions if the program would keep going after Reay resigned. Simeir Wade, one of the biggest playmakers in Mercer County, transferred to Farrell, while standout lineman Blaiden Parcetich went back to West Middlesex but has been ruled ineligible this year. Sophomore Rider Chiappini also left Kennedy Catholic and is expected to start at quarterback for Mercer. The Golden Eagles will also turn to senior Dominic Haben (wide receiver/safety), sophomore Taijeire Chambers (wide receiver/cornerback) and senior Owen Sizemore (offensive line/defensive line) to lead the way this fall.
Schedule
Aug. 26 at Cambridge Springs* 7
Sept. 2 vs. Union City 1 p.m.
Sept. 9 vs. Lakeview* 1 p.m.
Sept. 16 vs. Cochranton* 1 p.m.
Sept. 22 Bye
Sept. 29 at Reynolds* 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 vs. Mercer* 1 p.m.
Oct. 14 vs. Maplewood* noon
Oct. 20 at Saegertown* 7 p.m.
Oct. 27 at Conneaut 7 p.m.
*Region 1 game
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Kennedy Catholic has another new head coach of its football program
