Reist ready to lead Tigers’ offense

By JOSE NEGRON
jnegron@yourmvi.com

Caleb Reist has been following McKeesport football since he was 5 years old.

He watched the Tigers continue their tradition of winning year after year while idolizing the stars that came before him.

Now, as the expected starting quarterback for McKeesport heading into the fall season, Reist isn’t just dreaming of an opportunity to play for his beloved Tigers. He’s living it.

“It’s kind of a dream come true to be the starting quarterback,” Reist said during practice Wednesday. “There are always high expectations, but it’s a good feeling to be in this role.”

As a senior, Reist is entering his first full season as the man under center.

He started a few games at quarterback last season, sharing time with senior Terrance Glenn, but began the year only playing defense after undergoing major shoulder surgery.

Reist made his debut at quarterback in a 54-0 win over Ringgold on Oct. 2. He only threw three passes, including a 36-yard touchdown strike to Kanye Thompson, but he also ran for 112 yards. He began the scoring with a 47-yard touchdown run.

Reist’s final passing statistics weren’t overwhelming at the end of the season as he completed 12 of 39 passes for 147 yards and two scores. On the ground, he was a much more valuable asset, rushing 71 times for 380 yards and five touchdowns.

Nevertheless, Reist valued the experience more than anything. He built confidence in the few starts he had and got a head start in preparing for the upcoming season.

“Getting varsity time last year helped a lot because it’s a lot different than JV,” he said. “Especially when you’re playing the competition we have in our conference with teams like Thomas Jefferson and Belle Vernon. The experience I had last year was definitely beneficial.”

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