Experienced Skill Group Gives Holy Redeemer Optimism Entering 2026
Holy Redeemer enters the 2026 season with experience at quarterback, proven production at the skill positions and the belief that another year of development can lead to significant improvement.
The Royals finished 2-9 overall in 2025, earning victories over Susquehanna Community and Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech before falling to Lakeland in the District 2 Class 2A semifinals. Although the record reflected a challenging season, Holy Redeemer’s young offense showed encouraging signs by scoring at least 25 points in five games.
Head coach Vito Quaglia now welcomes back nearly every major offensive playmaker, including junior quarterback Brady McDermott and four senior receivers who combined for more than 1,400 receiving yards last season.
The Royals must replace three important two-way linemen, but their returning experience at the skill positions gives them a strong foundation as they look to climb the Independence League standings.
McDermott Returns After Breakout Sophomore Season
Junior quarterback Brady McDermott returns after emerging as one of District 2’s most productive young passers.
McDermott threw for 1,725 yards and 20 touchdowns during his sophomore season, directing an offense that became increasingly dangerous through the air. His ability to distribute the football to several different receivers made Holy Redeemer difficult to defend when the offense found its rhythm.
Entering his second full season as the starter, McDermott should have a greater command of the offense and a better understanding of opposing defenses.
The Royals will look to him for leadership, consistent decision-making and continued production. With nearly his entire receiving corps returning, McDermott has an opportunity to take another major step forward.
Veteran Receiving Corps Returns Intact
Few teams in District 2 Class 2A return as much receiving experience as Holy Redeemer.
Senior tight end Kaden Sepkoski caught 35 passes for 481 yards and five touchdowns last season. At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Sepkoski provides a dependable target over the middle while also contributing as a blocker.
Senior Josh Grochowski finished with 27 receptions for a team-high 497 yards and six touchdowns. His ability to produce explosive gains should make him one of McDermott’s top targets again.
Senior Mike Zbierski led the Royals with 39 catches, producing 446 yards and five touchdowns. His consistency and ability to find openings underneath give McDermott a reliable option in key situations.
Senior Kevin Arroyo and senior Lucas Shrader also return, giving Holy Redeemer additional size and athleticism on the perimeter.
That depth should allow the Royals to spread the field, attack favorable matchups and remain productive even when opponents attempt to take away one receiver.
Offensive Line Faces Important Transition
While the skill positions return nearly intact, Holy Redeemer must replace several important linemen.
Kyle Ly, Cole Lisowski and Chase Swoboda all graduated after contributing on both sides of the football. Their departures create openings and make the development of the offensive front one of the biggest storylines entering preseason camp.
Junior Amir Pierce-Zaghloul is expected to become the leader of the unit. The coaching staff views him as the spark plug of the offensive line because of his effort, athleticism and physical style.
Senior Alex Snyder, senior Connor Pribula and senior Gabe Shutt also return with varsity experience. Shutt, listed at 6-foot-2 and 260 pounds, gives the line valuable size on the interior.
The Royals need that group to protect McDermott and establish a more consistent running game. If the line comes together, Holy Redeemer should have the balance necessary to prevent defenses from focusing exclusively on its passing attack.
Balance and Consistency Will Be Essential
Holy Redeemer’s offense demonstrated big-play ability in 2025, but consistency will determine how much progress the unit makes this fall.
The Royals scored 38 points against Holy Cross and Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech, 27 against Susquehanna Community and 26 against Midd-West. However, they were also held to seven points or fewer in five games.
With all of their primary skill players back, the Royals expect to become more consistent from week to week.
Establishing a dependable running game, protecting the football and finishing drives will be critical. The offense has enough speed and experience to produce points, but it must avoid negative plays and keep McDermott in manageable situations.
Snyder Anchors the Defensive Front
Defensively, Holy Redeemer will build around senior outside linebacker Alex Snyder.
At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Snyder has the size and athleticism to set the edge, pressure quarterbacks and pursue plays from sideline to sideline. The coaching staff expects him to anchor the front and become one of the unit’s primary leaders.
Pierce-Zaghloul returns at defensive tackle and will be counted on to provide pressure in the middle.
The Royals believe their offseason strength program has prepared the defense to play with greater physicality. Replacing Ly, Lisowski and Swoboda remains a challenge, but the returning players should be stronger and better prepared to handle expanded roles.
Experienced Secondary Should Be a Strength
Holy Redeemer returns several experienced defensive backs.
Zbierski returns at strong safety, where his speed and physicality allow him to support the run and make plays in coverage.
Arroyo returns at cornerback. At 6-foot-2, he has the length to match up with bigger receivers and challenge passes along the sideline.
Shrader returns at free safety, while junior Colton Handley provides experience at cornerback.
That veteran group should give the Royals confidence against the pass. Communication and discipline will be especially important as Holy Redeemer attempts to reduce the number of explosive plays it allowed last season.
Limiting Big Plays Is the Defensive Priority
Holy Redeemer surrendered at least 30 points in nine games last season, including more than 40 points six times.
Improving those numbers begins with tackling and assignment discipline.
The Royals want to force opponents to sustain long drives rather than surrender quick scores. Stronger play from the defensive front should help the secondary, while the experience on the back end should allow Holy Redeemer to be more aggressive.
Staying healthy will also be critical. The Royals have several talented two-way players, and maintaining depth over a full season will be important.
If Holy Redeemer limits explosive plays and creates more third-down stops, the defense should show considerable improvement.
Mohutsky Gives Royals a Special Teams Weapon
Senior Max Mohutsky returns to handle both the kicking and punting duties.
Mohutsky’s strong leg gives Holy Redeemer an advantage in the field-position battle. His ability to drive punts deep can help the defense, while his range as a placekicker gives the offense another scoring option.
Shrader returns as the primary kickoff and punt returner. His speed and open-field ability make him a threat to create momentum-changing plays.
With an experienced specialist and returner, special teams could become one of Holy Redeemer’s most reliable units.
Players to Watch
Brady McDermott, Jr., QB: Returning starter who threw for 1,725 yards and 20 touchdowns as a sophomore.
Kaden Sepkoski, Sr., TE: Dependable target who caught 35 passes for 481 yards and five touchdowns.
Josh Grochowski, Sr., WR: Big-play receiver who led the Royals with 497 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
Mike Zbierski, Sr., WR/SS: Two-way standout who caught 39 passes for 446 yards and five touchdowns.
Alex Snyder, Sr., OL/OLB: Physical defensive leader expected to anchor the front seven.
Kevin Arroyo, Sr., WR/CB: Athletic two-way player who brings size and speed to the perimeter.
Lucas Shrader, Sr., WR/FS/KR/PR: Versatile senior expected to contribute on offense, defense and special teams.
Amir Pierce-Zaghloul, Jr., OL/DT: Emerging two-way lineman who will be central to the Royals’ success in the trenches.
Gabe Shutt, Sr., OL: Experienced 260-pound lineman who adds size to the offensive front.
Max Mohutsky, Sr., K/P: Strong-legged specialist capable of influencing field position and producing points.
My thoughts on Holy Redeemer
Holy Redeemer enters 2026 with considerably more experience than it had a year ago.
The Royals return a productive quarterback, their top receivers and several experienced defensive backs. That continuity should allow the offense to become more efficient while giving the defense a veteran secondary to build around.
The biggest questions are along the line of scrimmage.
Holy Redeemer must replace three significant two-way linemen and develop enough depth to keep its returning playmakers healthy. The progress of Pierce-Zaghloul, Snyder, Pribula, Shutt and the rest of the line will determine how much the team can improve.
If McDermott continues his development, the offensive line provides consistent protection and the defense limits explosive plays, the Royals have the potential to make a noticeable jump in the Independence League and become a more dangerous opponent in the District 2 Class 2A playoffs.
Head Coach: Vito Quaglia
Assistant Coaches:
Mike Conway
Steve Phillips
Dylan Lukachko
Steve Sedon
Rich Fino
Del McDermott
Matt Curry
Team Name: Holy Redeemer Royals
District: 2
Class: 2A
League: Independence League
2025 Record: 2-8 regular season. Lost to Lakeland in playoffs. 2-9 overall.
8/23 Nativity BVM (1A) 7:00 pm L 0-36 at WVW Spartan Stadium
8/29 @ Tunkhannock (3A) 7:00 pm L 7-55
9/06 Carbondale Area (3A) 7:00 pm L 13-46 at WVW Spartan Stadium
9/12 @ Susquehanna Community (2A) 7:00 pm W 27-20
9/20 Lake-Lehman (3A) 7:00 pm L 6-56 at WVW Spartan Stadium
9/27 @ Holy Cross (1A) 1:00 pm L 38-44
10/04 Montrose Area (3A) 7:00 pm L 25-30 at WVW Spartan Stadium
10/10 @ Montgomery (1A) 7:00 pm L 6-57
10/18 @ Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech (4A) 1:00 pm W 38-12
10/24 @ Midd-West (3A) 7:00 pm L 26-34
10/31 @ Lakeland (2A) 7:00 pm L 0-49 District 2 Class 2A Semifinal
2026 Schedule:
Date Opponent Kickoff
8/29 Northwest Area* (1A) 7:00 pm at Wyoming Valley West
9/03 @ Nativity BVM (1A) 7:00 pm
9/12 Susquehanna Community (2A) 7:00 pm
9/18 @ Western Wayne (3A) 7:00 pm
9/25 @ Pine Grove Area (2A) 7:00 pm
10/03 Holy Cross (1A) 7:00 pm
10/09 @ Greater Nanticoke (4A) 7:00 pm
10/16 Tunkhannock (3A) 7:00 pm
10/23 @ Montrose Area (3A) 7:00 pm
10/31 Midd-West (4A) 7:00 pm
Key Starters Lost:
Kyle Ly (OL/LB)
Cole Lisowski (OL/DL)
Chase Swoboda (OL/DL)
Offensive Starters Returning:
Jr. QB Brady McDermott, 6-1, 185
Sr. WR Josh Grochowski, 6-0, 175
Sr. WR Mike Zbierski, 5-10, 170
Sr. WR Kevin Arroyo, 6-2, 175
Sr. TE Kaden Sepkoski, 6-1, 205
Sr. WR Lucas Shrader, 6-1, 175
Jr. OL Amir Pierce-Zaghloul, 6-0, 190
Sr. OL Alex Snyder, 6-3, 220
Sr. OL Connor Pribula, 5-11, 185
Sr. OL Gabe Shutt, 6-2, 260
Defensive Starters Returning:
Sr. SS Mike Zbierski, 5-10, 170
Sr. CB Kevin Arroyo, 6-2, 175
Sr. FS Lucas Shrader, 6-1, 175
Jr. DT Amir Pierce-Zaghloul, 6-0, 190
Sr. OLB Alex Snyder, 6-3, 220
Jr. CB Colton Handley, 5-9, 165
Special Team Starters Returning:
Sr. K/P Max Mohutsky, 5-10, 160
Sr. KR/PR Lucas Shrader, 6-1, 175
Key Newcomers:
Sr. RB/LB Jerry Fino, 5-8, 170
Jr. RB/LB Wildy Rodriguez, 5-7, 175
Jr. RB/LB David Jackiel, 5-10, 175
Jr. Xavier Fernandez, 6-0, 260
Sr. WR/CB Ryan Zelinka, 5-9, 165
Jr. OL/DL Jagger Pukala, 5-8, 175
Fr. QB/DB Blake Pribula, 5-9, 165
Fr. ATH Braydon Antonello, 5-11, 150
Fr. OL/DL Parkar Stoss, 5-9, 175
2026 Returning Player Stats:
Jr. QB Brady McDermott 1725 yds passing, 20 TDs
Sr. TE Kaden Sepkoski 35 rec., 481 yds, 5 TDs
Sr. WR Josh Grochowski 27 rec., 497 yds, 6 TDs
Sr. WR Mike Zbierski 39 rec., 446, 5 TDs
2026 Offensive Outlook: All of our skill players return, so hopefully their experience will help give us a balanced offensive attack. QB Brady McDermott returns after an outstanding sophomore season (1725 yds passing & 20 TDs), so we will look to him to lead the offense. Jr. Amir Pierce-Zaghloul will be the spark plug of the offensive line. We have several athletic players on our roster, if we can stay healthy and execute consistently, we can be successful.
2026 Defensive Outlook: After a solid offseason strength program, we look to be an improved defensive unit. Sr. Alex Snyder (6-3, 220) will anchor the front from his OLB position. Sr. CB Kevin Arroyo and Sr. SS Mike Zbierski will bring speed and physicality to our defensive secondary. If we can stay healthy and limit big plays, we will be successful.
2026 Special Teams Outlook: Sr. K/P Max Mohutsky has a strong leg. He can be a weapon for us at both punter and kicker.