The 93rd campaign of
City League Football begins this Friday, and a league that consisted
of as many as a dozen high schools battling on the oil-soaked dirt
gridirons of the Seventies enters 2012 with exactly half that many
entrants. Langley and Oliver are the latest high schools to enter
the ranks of the fallen in the history of this storied league, where
they take their place among such famous institutions as: Schenley;
Fifth Avenue; Gladstone; Allegheny; South Hills; Peabody; and South.
The players who wore the maroon and white of the Langley Mustangs and
the brown and orange of Oliver's Bears have found new homes among
Brashear's Bulls and Perry's Commodores.
While there are no more high
schools scheduled to close in the near future, there is the question
of what will ultimately happen to the City League in general and
football in particular. The recent acceptance of Allderdice,
Carrick, Brashear and Obama Academy into the WPIAL for certain sports
could be the the first steps towards what many who have watched the
City League over the years including Your City League Advocate have
argued about.
And that is the eventual
disbanding of the League and the merging of its athletics programs
into the WPIAL. For now, the City League will still be contesting
league championships and representing District 8 in the PIAA with all
six schools in football, basketball, volleyball, track and field, and
wrestling. Soccer, baseball and softball will have City teams
participating, but no league playoffs or championships. The
remaining sports will also have league competitions with varying
numbers of schools participating, but in most cases, not Allderdice.
But it is the Advocate's
contention that this arrangement will last but a couple years and
then the PIAA will step in and impose its will on the League to merge
with the WPIAL. The Advocate's position on this matter has been made
clear on numerous occasions so he sees no reason to expound upon it
here.
The Advocate does believe that
absorption into the WPIAL is inevitable. And he is not against it.
One can tilt at windmills for only so long. But he still feels that
the long history of the City League must still be preserved. And
that is something that can only be done by those who have grown up in
the League, and have followed it through its rise and decline.
And make no mistake about it, the
City League has been in decline for over 30 years. The disparity in
competitiveness between the City and the rest of the state in many
sports has never been wider. Fewer athletes are getting exposure to
D1 colleges, and even fewer get looks from major college programs. A
league that has struggled to stay relevant over the years may be on
the verge of being erased completely, its schools subsumed by its
larger all-consuming cousin, the WPIAL.
But until that fateful day comes,
the League still stands. Bending, but not broken. Streamlined down
to its final six survivors. Ready to face its final days, however
many or few that may be, with the grim determination that can only be
found amongst kids who grew up in the inner city with all its
pitfalls and challenges. Many of these kids come from broken homes,
from neighborhoods in stagnation. They have seen friends cut down
before their lives have even had a chance to bloom. They have been
forced to grow up a lot faster than they'd like.
But instead of embracing the life
of gangs and drugs, at least for the time they are in high school,
they turn their energies towards the field of play, towards spirited
athletic competition. And while they lack the luxuries, and the
necessities that their suburban brethren take for granted, they
still have one thing...hope, a chance, a shot, an opportunity, if you
will to make their lives better. To lift themselves out of the
quicksand that claimed so many of their friends and relatives. Some
will make it, some won't. But they all have the chance. Don't feel
sorry for these kids. They won't let you. And they don't want you
to. But they do desire and deserve your support. And the Advocate
has their back.
Okay, campers. Enough of the
sentiment and flowery speech. It's time to play some football. Due
to the small lineup of schools, and the changes in the WPIAL's method
of scheduling, This season has posed significant challenges for the
City League. Because the WPIAL no longer allows member schools to
schedule a non conference game on their own in the first week as in
the past, the routine of City teams opening their season against
WPIAL competition is kaput.
As a result, City League teams
have had to scramble to pick up games when and wherever they could.
Some of the perennial opponents from West Virginia like Wheeling
Central Catholic, Wheeling Park, and Linsly Academy, and familiar
District 10 opponents from Erie like Cathedral Prep, and Strong
Vincent have stepped up to fill holes in schedules, but some new
names and faces will lining up across the scrimmage line against City
League squads this season. Schools like Slippery Rock, Gilmour
Academy from Ohio, and Liberty Christian from Virginia will be
gracing the George with their presence for the first time, while some
City schools will be hopping on the bus and traveling to places like
Grove City, Fort Hill in Maryland, Buckeye Local in Ohio, and for the
first time in the league's history, a City team will be playing on
the road against a team from New York. Every team will be playing at
least one game against an opponent from outside Pennsylvania, and all
but one will be making a trip out of state.
Also due to there only being six
football playing schools in the City League, there are only five
games on the league schedule, making every game even more important
towards getting that coveted playoff seed. Jockeying for playoff
spots will begin as early as the first league games the weekend of
September 13-15. The City Championship game, usually held on the
second Saturday in November has been moved up a week to the first
Saturday.
**Allderdice**
The Post Gazette and the Trib have
the Dragons as the team to beat in the City League this season. And
the 'Dice has plenty of incentive to finally break what is now the
longest championship drought in the City League. The last time the
City Championship trophy paid a visit to 2409 Shady Ave in Squirrel
Hill was 1967. The Advocate was only five years old, The Green Bay
Packers won the first Super Bowl, the ABA was formed, Montreal
hosted the World's Fair, and a team with a similar drought, the
Toronto Maple Leafs won their last Stanley Cup.
The 'Dice has been in the title
game three times since 2000, and has come up empty each time. Two of
the three times have been close affairs, but they had one thing in
common. In both games, Allderdice had a great running game...and
little else in terms of offense.
Let's step back into the dusty
halls of history to the year 1990, which was a banner year for the
'Dice because it was the one and only year that Pitt, and NFL Hall of
Fame great, Curtis Martin wore the Green and White. The Advocate
remembers that season well, because that was the year that the
Dragons mowed down every team in the City League during the regular
season.
But despite having arguably the
greatest running back and offensive weapon in City League history,
Allderdice still didn't win the title. They didn't even get to the
title game. Why is that?, you ask the Advocate. Simple. Curtis
Martin was the entire Allderdice offense. The coaching staff ran him
out of the backfield. They lined him up out wide as a receiver, and
threw to him. And the vast majority of the time, he was a men among
boys. But the coaches didn't have anyone else to keep defenses on
their toes. Other than Martin, they had no passing game. Everyone
knew what was coming, and they still couldn't stop him, but it still
wasn't enough to get the 'Dice to the title.
Last year, Allderdice and
University Prep played for the City Title. Both teams got to the
final game on the backs of swarming relentless defense. University
Prep had shut out 8 of their 11 opponents and had a five game shutout
streak going into that City final. Allderdice's four league wins
were all shutouts, and they held a Brashear team that went undefeated
in league play to a safety in their semifinal game. But the Dragons
lost to the Panthers despite having a running back who rushed for
more than 900 yards during the season. The Dragons had no passing
game.
Their offense, like it was in 1990, was one-dimensional. And
the 'Dice have the same situation going into this season. Patrick
Ferguson, (6-1,250) a 2,900 yard career rusher returns for his final
season to anchor the Allderdice offense. But it's up to quarterback
Bishop Gethers, who has a strong arm, but isn't very accurate, along
with three year starter Cornelius Ray to provide a second dimension
to this offense. Allderdice lost Pitt recruit Tyrique Jarrett, but
will still have a large presence on the line on both sides of the
ball. Shawdi Parker (6-7, 350), and (6-3, 270) Brody Miller will
bring the beef to the lines. The Dragons will open against two teams
from West By-Gawd Virginia. They'll head down to Morgantown to take
on the Mohighans who beat Westinghouse in a shootout 58-36 last year.
The next week will see Linsly Academy come up to the George to open
the home part of the season. Allderdice has yet to beat the Cadets
of Linsly, come to think of it, no one in the City League has. The
Dragons first City League test comes on the 14th of
September when they take on Perry.
**Brashear**
DaBulls lost a lot due to
graduation. 18 players including quarterback Adam Lynch have put on
the cap and gown. But Brashear has also gained about 15 players from
the now-defunct Langley program. The question is, are the former
Mustangs good enough to cover the loss of the former Bulls? The
Advocate says...maybe.
Langley was a doormat for the City
League for as long as the Advocate can remember, which isn't very
much these days due to his rapidly advancing age. AAAnyway, the new
Bulls should be pretty excited to be a part of a program that makes a
yearly appearance in the City playoffs instead of one that was always
on the outside looking in. And it can't hurt to have extra bodies.
Russell Page and Angelo Reed will compete for the quarterback spot,
and Jamal Smith will play on both sides of the ball as a leading
receiver and and defensive back. Former Langley lineman Antonio Rosa
(6-4, 290) will provide bulk on the Bull's O and D-lines. Brashear
went 7-0 in league play during the regular season and lost to
Allderdice 6-2 in their playoff game. The Bulls open the season at
home against Slippery Rock and go on the road the next week against
Wheeling Park.
**Carrick**
The Raiders have an uphill climb
if they are to improve on a record who's only win came against a
school slated to close at the end of the season. The Tribe were
shutout 4 times in 2011, and held to 8 or fewer points 4 times.
Standout players for Carrick include All-City receiver Orlando
Harvard and sophomore rusher Joe Kalsek. Devon Cruse will be under
center as quarterback, and will be depending on a O-line anchored by
All-City sophomore lineman Josh Walker (6-1, 320) The Raiders will
open on the road at Grove City and will host Chestnut Ridge out of
New Paris, PA, between Johnstown and Bedford.
**Perry**
Like the Bulls, the One Stars also
benefited from a nearby school closing, when their long time North
Side rival Oliver got the chop. The major concern facing the Perry
coaching staff was whether the Perry and Oliver kids would get along.
The rivalry between the Bears and the Commodores was a long and
heated one.
And getting players from both
schools to come together required some delicate work as well as
numerous team-building activities. But it seems that those efforts
were largely successful. The Advocate thinks that Perry upgraded
their program with the addition of the Oliver transfers to a greater
extent than Brashear did with the kids from Langley. Oliver had seen
better days, football and academic-wise, but was still a better
program than Langley. As usual, Perry will have studs on offense.
Standout All-City receiver Shakeem Cox, a former Oliver Bear will
provide an immediate impact. Cox's versatility is also apparent in
that he can also play quarterback if needed, which should provide the
potential for trickeration and gadgetry.
Curtis Edmonds and Robert Willie
return to tote the pig. But the Commodores have lost their star
quarterback Darrelle Carson who threw for over 1,200 yards and 11
touchdowns. Replacing him will be (6-0, 205) Ahmad Turner. While
their linemen are a tad smaller compared to the behemoths playing at
other schools, never count out Perry's coaching staff. They teach
the fundamentals, they inspire their players, and they have a bunch
of trophies to prove it.
Perry's tradition of scrimmaging
and playing quality opponents anywhere continues as the One Stars
open with two games on the road against perennial Catholic
powerhouses, Erie Cathedral Prep and St. Pius X. Perry and ECP know
each other very well having played multiple times in PIAA playoff
games. And Pius X is a yearly contender in the PIAA's.
On September 28, The Commodores
will host Liberty Christian from Virginia, and the Advocate knows
what you're thinking. Yes, that is the Liberty Christian founded by
Rev. Jerry Falwell as a part of their massive Liberty
University/Thomas Road Baptist Church empire. The Advocate did a
little snooping around, and found out that Liberty Christian is a
pretty good team. They went 11-0 last season. Perry will have their
hands full. This could be the game of the season to check out.
**University Prep**
The Panthers are now the Wildcats.
U-Prep won the City Title last season in their first year of
existence and came within one point of the being the first City
League team to win a PIAA Class AAAA playoff game. U-Prep had an
impressive 11-2 debut in 2011, beating perennial state playoff
contender St. Pius X 24-12, and losing to State College in the AAAA
playoffs in a thriller, 33-32. They outscored their City playoff
opponents 32-0.
Until their loss to State College,
the Panthers/Wildcats had only one game where they gave up more than
12 points. And until they just added a road game for Sept 8
th
against Aquinas Institute of Rochester, NY, they weren't going to
open their season until almost three weeks after the rest of the
league. U-Prep will be the only team in the City League to have an
open date this weekend. According to an
article
in the Tribune-Review, the Wildcats would have gone as far as
Michigan to play this weekend. But the plans fell through, and the
'Cats are sitting idle.
U-Prep graduated their stud
rusher/linebacker, Jaylen Coleman, and their starting quarterback,
Dante Forte. But the cupboard isn't bare. Akil Young will take up
the duties under center, and Myles Caitlin will be the primary
offensive target. Marcus Johnson and Stephon Hawthorne will also add
versatility to the offense. The O-line is full of starters. And the
linebacking corps should be competent, but they'll need to find
people to step up in the secondary.
**Westinghouse**
The Big Bads are looking to
transition from City League pretender to contender. The 'House
hasn't added to their league-leading 35 City Titles since 1996. The
2012 Bulldogs are a very young squad, and being the smallest school
in the City League, they are also battling attrition. And the
closures of Oliver and Langley didn't add to the 'House's lineup.
The one advantage of being so young is that it can pay dividends down
the road. Ronald Brown will handle quarterback duties for
Westinghouse. He has a strong arm and the coaches are impressed with
his accuracy. Brown will have two good sized receivers to throw to in
6-2 Robert Bailey, who'll also play hoops for the 'House, as well as
6-1 freshman Sean Lyons. Westinghouse will open the season with two
road games. This weekend, they'll travel to Buckeye Local, an Ohio
AAAA school, and then six days later, down the road to Wheeling
Central Catholic.
So, after all this wordage, who
does the Advocate see hoisting the hardware on November 3rd?
If Allderdice can develop a passing game that can complement their
strong running attack, then there is a good chance that the Dragons
can win their first City title in 45 years. Although he's not as
bullish on his Dragons as the pundits at the PG and the Trib. They
will definitely be a playoff contender, along with Brashear, Perry
and U-Prep. But as far as the Advocate can see, there is no head and
shoulders team that he'd tell his readers to bet the kiddies college
fund on.
Brashear has a lot of new bodies
from Langley, but only a few will be significant contributors this
season, and they won't make up for the losses to graduation.
Perry also has a transfusion of
talent from Oliver, and unlike Brashear, they have harvested a bigger
upside. The Advocate believes the Commodores are the only threat to
Allderdice.
U-Prep lost a lot of its defense,
and that explosive running attack. But while they have players coming
back, the Advocate doesn't see the Wildcats having the year they had
last year.
Here are the Advocate's rankings
and predictions:
Allderdice
Perry
University Prep
Brashear
Carrick
Westinghouse.
Allderdice and Perry in the City
Championship game.
Allderdice wins the City title in a
squeaker.