For more than a decade, the offense of Mount Pleasant Area football has heavily featured its running backs. One of the recent stars of the Wing-T formation is Robbie Labuda, who has since thrived on the other side of the ball at Saint Vincent College. Labuda is under the microscope in this installment of the Westmoreland Alum Q&A.

Labuda made the Mount Pleasant Area varsity roster as a freshman in 2019, as he was listed as a quarterback. He didn’t compile any offense stats that season, however, as the Vikings went 5-6 overall, including 4-4 in conference play. As a result, Mount Pleasant made the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs, but fell to Central Valley in the quarterfinals.

The following year, Labuda switched to running back on offense, and he carved out a valuable role. He notched 69 carries for 367 yards, caught five passes for 41 yards, and scored four touchdowns, kicking a field goal and 18 PATs. Collectively, Mount Pleasant amassed a mark of 4-4 overall, including 4-2 in the conference. Back in the WPIAL Class 3A postseason, the Vikes fell to North Catholic in the quarterfinals.

In Labuda’s junior year, he emerged as the top option for the Vikings, rushing 147 times for 1,004 yards, hauling in 11 receptions for 104 yards, and registering 13 touchdowns and 21 PATs. Mount Pleasant went 6-5 overall, including 3-2 in the conference. In the Class 3A playoffs, the Vikings bested Burrell, but fell to Avonworth in the quarterfinals.

As a senior, Labuda was one of the most accomplished players in the county. He produced 171 carries for 1,497 yards, 14 receptions for 259 yards, scoring 21 touchdowns and adding 39 PATs. Mount Pleasant Area once again went 6-5 overall, including 3-2 in the conference. Thus, the Vikings returned to the WPIAL Class 3A postseason, but lost to East Allegheny in the opening round.

Labuda concluded his career with the Vikings as a two-time First-Team All-Conference performance, and he also competed in track and field at Mount Pleasant Area, where he was a WPIAL qualifier in three events.

He opted to continue his career on the gridiron at Saint Vincent College, joining the Bearcats for the 2023 campaign. Playing as a defensive back, Labuda participated in all 10 games as a freshman, posting 52 tackles, a fumble recovery, and four passes defensed. The Bearcats achieved a record of 3-7 in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC).

This year, Labuda has enjoyed considerable success with SVC. Through three contests, he’s accumulated 23 tackles, three interceptions, and three passes defensed. As a result, he was named the PAC Defensive Player of the Week following a win against Allegheny College. Thus far, the Bearcats are 1-2.

Robbie dedicated time to answer questions about his adjustment to college football, the best qualities of his high school coach, and a couple of places he’d like to visit someday.

Q: You were named the PAC Defensive Player of the Week after your two-interception game earlier this season. What did that honor mean to you?

A: Being PAC Defensive Player of the Week is definitely a high honor. It is a huge challenge to get an award like this in a competitive conference such as the PAC. Overall, this award was not something I earned on my own, but an award attributed to the entire team.

Q: What are your best qualities as a player?

A: Some of my best qualities as a player have to be that I am coachable, have a strong drive, and that I can adapt well to any circumstance. I believe that I have the ability to make changes to my game at any time based on what I see, or what my coaches see.

Q: You played extensively as a freshman last year. How were you able to adjust to the college game so quickly?

A: Overall, I think I was able to adjust quickly based off of my knowledge for the game. The hardest part was adjusting to the speed of play, but other than that, I was able to pick up on the coverages we run, and the routes other teams run, fairly quickly.

Q: What team and individual goals did you establish for 2024?

A: This year as a team, our focus is to go out and win the games we didn't finish last year. We work hard every day to make sure we don't lose in close games, and beat teams we came up short to last year. Individually, the biggest goal I set for myself was to be All-PAC this year.

Q: Saint Vincent's roster includes numerous former WPIAL players. Which current teammates did you know before you joined the program?

A: In total, I only knew three players from the WPIAL who I now play with. This includes Daishaun Alexander, Tyler Horn, and Peter Billey, who was also my high school teammate.

Q: What led to your decision to attend Saint Vincent College?

A: My college decision was long, but I chose Saint Vincent due to both their academics and their football team. While visiting the campus, you can tell that the team is more than just a team. The players really bond and are able to become friends outside the sport. The engineering program was the main reason I came. Although it is fairly new, they have the certifications and run a thriving program.

Q: What is your major and ideal future profession?

A: My major is engineering with a focus in mechanical engineering. Ideally after graduation, my hope is to either design or test cars or planes.

Q: What has been your most enjoyable college course?

A: Throughout college so far, my favorite course has been engineering graphics and design. It allowed us to make prototypes and actually apply what we are learning. It has been my most hands-on course, and allows students to use their own ideas.

Q: You played for head coach Jason Fazekas at Mount Pleasant. What were his best qualities?

A: Mr. Fazekas was a great coach; he always took things seriously, but was also able to have fun at practice. Coach Fazekas was always able to put us in the best position to win by his play calling and offensive scheme. Overall, he is just a great person who gets to know his players as more than just football players.

Q: What was your fondest high school memory?

A: Some of my favorite moments in high school have come from my football team. The best, though, had to be the team dinners, where after practice on Thursdays we would all go out and eat together.

Q: You were also accomplished in track and field in high school. How did that sport benefit your football career?

A: I believe that doing track in high school allowed me to keep up my speed and even become faster in the offseason. It was a great way to stay in shape and compete while still training for football.

Q: If you could change one rule about college football, what would it be? Why?

A: In college football, one rule I would change is regarding celebrations. Athletes are just trying to have fun and celebrate after making a big play that could give their team momentum. Excessive celebration penalties should still exist, but they should be moderated better.

Q: Do you have any superstitions or rituals before, during, or after a game?

A: I wouldn't say I'm big into superstition; in high school, I would wear the same shirt and eat the same meal before every game. Now something I do is talk to my teammates about plays I want to make during the game and try and speak them into existence.

Q: Who is your celebrity dream date?

A: If I had to choose a celebrity dream date, I would probably choose someone like Zendaya.

Q: What is your favorite vacation spot, or a place you've always wanted to visit?

A: Two places I've always wanted to vacation to are Australia and Alaska. I like the outdoors, so I'd want to go fishing in Alaska, and I feel like a lot goes on in Australia and it would be fun to go experience it.