24 • SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2021 • VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH
Clairton senior receiver Brooklyn Cannon (left) averaged more than 15 yards per catch last year.
CLASS A
PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. Clairton (8-1)
The WPIAL runner-up Bears
return seven starters and feature
size up front and speed at
receiver. They will look to take
full advantage of a rare lean year
at Jeannette and make a run at
their 15th WPIAL title.
2. Rochester (7-2)
3. California (6-1)
4. Springdale (5-3)
5. Shenango (7-2)
* RECORDS FROM 2020
THE STARS
JOE BLAHOVEC
Greensburg C.C., sr., WR/DB
Big-bodied receiver and solid
pass defender is a Youngstown
State commit.
BROOKLYN CANNON
Clairton, sr., WR
Big-play pass-catching threat
averaged more than 15 yards per
reception last season.
LOGAN DEXTER
Springdale, sr., DB
The Dynamos’ top defender and
a multi-faceted talent, he helped
the team allow 15.2 points per
game last season from his safety
spot.
BRAYLAN LOVELACE
Leechburg, jr., RB
Lovelace rushed for 983 yards,
including a 392-yard game,
caught 27 receptions and scored
13 TDs for the Blue Devils last
season.
DAMANI STAFFORD
California, sr., RB/LB
A running back and outside
linebacker with big-play ability,
he played quarterback last
season but will return to the
backfield.
DON’T MISS
10.15 Greensburg C.C. at
Clairton
If GCC can live up to its potential,
this game will show just
how good the Centurions can be.
Conversely, the game could be a
step closer to another conference
title for Clairton.
10.22 Rochester at Shenango
A game that could decide the
Big Seven title should be all
about defense. Rochester won
last year’s meeting 13-0.
10.22 Clairton at Springdale
Springdale has the potential to
give the Bears a run in the Eastern
Conference, and playing the
Bears at Veterans Memorial Field
is a plus for the Dynamos.
CLAIRTON RETURNS SIZE,
SKILL, SPEED ... AGAIN
GCC, Springdale look to
step in as title contenders
in Eastern Conference
Wayne Wade has heard about
Jeannette’s transfer issues and
low player turnout.
But the Clairton coach wants
to see for himself if the ravaged
Jayhawks are truly in for the
rough go everyone says they are.
Call it a respectful nod to the
defending WPIAL Class A champions,
who throttled the Bears,
45-14, to win their 10th district
title.
“We’ll see what happens in
their scrimmage and once they
get going,” Wade said of the
Jayhawks. “You hear about all
those guys leaving. You hate to
see that happen to any program.
No team should have to experience
that. But Jeannette is the
defending champs, so they have
to be the team to beat.”
Jeannette returns one starter
from a team that came within
a few plays of winning a PIAA
title. The top playmakers are
gone, including quarterback
Brad Birch and his main receiver
and brother, Brett, both of
whom transferred to Gateway.
Nine potential two-way starters
left the program. Two went
to Greensburg Central Catholic,
which could join Springdale as
another contender in the Eastern
Conference.
Then again, Wade might simply
be downplaying his own
team. The Bears are the preseason
No. 1 because they return
size, skill and speed — sound
familiar?
“I expect a big year from us,
yes,” Wade said. “We set the
culture and climate here. We
won’t be a Lamont (Wade) or Tyler
(Boyd) or Desi (Green) team,
but the kids still expect to win.”
Since 2006, Clairton has won
eight of its 14 WPIAL titles, and
Jeannette has captured four of
its championships, including
two in Class AA.
The Bears last season became
the sixth WPIAL program to
reach 700 wins. Jeannette leads
the list of WPIAL football wins
with 766.
“It is what it is with our situation,”
Jeannette coach Roy
Hall said. “Our kids are working
hard. They have a chip on
their shoulder because people
are doubting them. We’ll see
how it goes.
“Clairton has to be No. 1.
When you talk about Class A
football, you always talk about
the Clairton Bears.”
Clairton returns key linemen
in seniors Kanye Hawkins,
Keith Meade and junior Tyrese
Washington-Law, along with senior
quarterback Capone Jones
and senior wideout Brooklyn
Cannon.
Greensburg Central Catholic
has a new coach in Marko
Thomas, who left Class 5A Connellsville
after four seasons. He
inherits a talent-rich team that
looks strong at receiver, running
back and linebacker.
The Centurions are hoping
to take preseason hype and run
with it this time. They were
ranked No. 3 to start last season
and stumbled to a 2-5 mark
to finish sixth in the Eastern
Conference.
“We need to continue to jell,”
Thomas said. “And be able to
fight through adversity.”
While the Eastern gets much
of the respect, and rightly so,
the Big Seven Conference has a
couple of potential contenders in
Rochester and Shenango.
Playoff regular Rochester
brings back senior linebacker
Sal Laure and junior defensive
back Jerome Mullins from
a semifinal team that lost to
Jeannette.
Look for senior linemen Jason
Domenick and Trever Valenti to
open running lanes for Shenango,
which lost to Clairton in the
semifinals.
Don’t completely undersell
the Tri-County South, either.
California returns seniors Damani
Stafford and Ethan Fike,
a talented linebacker pair. Stafford
played quarterback last
year but will move to running
back as Brownsville transfer
Hunter Assad takes over under
center.
by BILL BECKNER JR.