South Fayette's football program lost another key part of its offensive scheme.
Besides graduating star quarterback Brett Brumbaugh, the Lions will be without the services of offensive coordinator Andrew DiDonato next season.
A 2006 graduate of South Fayette, DiDonato was named the successor for Grove City College's football team. He was hired by the college just days before the Lions captured their second consecutive PIAA Class AA championship.
A four-year starting quarterback and 2010 graduate of Grove City, DiDonato was hired Dec. 10 as the Wolverines' offensive coordinator for next fall and will take over as head coach in 2016. He will initially serve under longtime Grove City head coach Chris Smith, who has decided to retire after next season.
"Since the day I graduated, I knew if I ever got the chance to return to Grove City College, I would take it," DiDonato said. "I feel very fortunate to return and work with a man I greatly respect.
"It will make for a nice transition to be able to learn from coach Smith this upcoming year and then take over after next season."
This past season was a tough year for the Wolverines. They finished 0-10 overall and 0-8 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference.
"Coach Smith and I had a wonderful player/coach relationship during my time at Grove City College," DiDonato said. "I consider it my responsibility to make him, all alumni and the Grove City community proud of the way this program grows during my tenure."
Besides coaching football, DiDonato also will teach exercise science and physical education at Grove City.
"Having known Andrew DiDonato for many years as coach and colleague, he is an excellent choice to lead the next generation of Wolverines football and I'm delighted that he is joining our staff," Smith said.
DiDonato spent the past three seasons as Joe Rossi's assistant coach and South Fayette's offensive coordinator. The Lions went 16-0 for the second consecutive year and their 32 wins in a row ranks as the fourth longest winning streak in WPIAL history.
"I was blessed to work with and work around great people," said DiDonato, who also had coaching stints at the University of Buffalo and Peters Township High School before joining Rossi's staff. "Over the past two seasons I was fortunate enough to prepare for and coordinate in four championship games -- two WPIAL finals and two state championship games.
"The experience of coaching in that type of environment will help me at the next level."
As a quarterback at Grove City, DiDonato set all-time career passing records in yards (7,509), completions (750) and touchdowns (49).
"During my playing days at Grove City, I experienced first-hand how competitive every school is in this conference," DiDonato said. "The schools that have joined the conference since I graduated have made the competition even stronger."
DiDonato also believes the Wolverines will need to put in a lot of offseason work in order to be competitive next year.
"A major factor for the amount of success we will experience this season will be preparation," DiDonato said. "Developing in the weight room this winter, competing on the practice field this spring and ensuring there is no letdown in either area over the summer. We must maximize our opportunities from now until camp starts in August."
First Published: January 8, 2015, 5:00 a.m.
