With roster loaded with skill, Clairton planning to return to WPIAL championship picture

By: Chris Harlan
Sunday, August 20, 2023 | 9:48 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

Call it what you want, football in shorts or touch football, but Clairton coach Wayne Wade sees some value in 7-on-7 tournaments, so his Bears spend the summer competing in them.

They entered six this year, reached the finals five times and won their division at Pitt’s camp. The Bears are hoping their successful summer can lead to another championship game, this time in November at Acrisure Stadium for the WPIAL Class A title.

“A lot of coaches say it’s only touch football. But for us, I think it’s important,” Wade said. “It helps our skill kids to stay in shape and keeps them with us all summer. They’re running, getting timing throwing the ball and seeing different coverages, so it’s important in that aspect.”

The 7-on-7 game is a battle of skill-position talent, which could explain why Clairton does well in them. The Bears on Friday nights run into few opponents who can top their speed and athleticism.

That’s likely the story again this year.

“We’ve got some good guys returning,” Wade said. “Our skill guys are young and they are going to be really good.”

Clairton returns six starters from a lineup that went 6-6 overall, 5-1 in the Eastern Conference and reached the WPIAL Class A quarterfinals. The Bears graduated three first-team all-conference players, but Wade said they have replacements ready to go.

Michael Wright, a senior, takes over at quarterback, replacing all-conference QB Capone Jones, who threw for more than 1,000 yards and was the team’s leading rusher. Wright was his backup last season, and Wade said he proved this summer that he’s ready for the job.

“We’re just asking him to control the team and manage our skill set,” Wade said. “We have skill everywhere, so just don’t make mistakes. Get those guys the ball and let them do what they do. He did a great job for us this summer in 7-on-7.”

Wright said the summer contests were valuable for him as a first-year starting quarterback.

“It definitely helps a lot with team chemistry and knowing my timing with the receivers,” said Wright, adding that gaining confidence also is key for everyone.

“I’m always letting my guys know we’re going to win,” he said. “Everybody calm down, get your attitude right and do your job.”

They’ve got enough playmakers to share the load.

Junior running back Drahcir Jones and sophomores Donte Wright and Michael Ruffin combined for more than 1,200 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns last season. Ruffin was the team’s leading receiver with 26 catches for 334 yards.

The top option at wide receiver is Zaemere Correll, a junior, who Wade said excelled this summer. At 6-foot-5, he gives Wright a big receiving target.

Clairton also has a promising freshman in Deon Pompey, who’ll see time in the backfield and play linebacker.

“We’ve got a lot of speed,” Jones said. “We fly around and get to it.”

On defense, sophomore cornerback Taris Wooding and senior lineman La’zavier Samuel (6-2, 275) are returning starters. The team has talent as usual, but the roster is a little smaller than normal. The Bears, who typically have around 35 players, have 28.

“If we stay injury free, we’ll be fine,” Wade said.

Clairton won nine WPIAL titles in an 11-year span from 2006-16 and added another in 2019, but the Bears are “itching” for a title, since they’ve gone three years without.

They lost in the WPIAL finals in 2020, fell in the 2021 semifinals to the eventual champion and last year lost to the No. 1 overall seed. So, don’t consider the Bears in playoff hibernation.

“The few teams we lost to over the last couple of years were championship teams,” Wade said. “We’re feeling like, if we’d beat that team, it should’ve been ours. We’re itching.”

The summer was good practice, but Wade stressed that the football that matters starts now. He said once preseason practice arrived, the team was ready to switch from the noncontact style of 7-on-7 to the physical game needed for WPIAL football.

“Football is tackling,” Wade said. “It’s not touch. You kind of then have to change the mindset to, ‘OK guys, it’s time to tackle.’”

Editor’s note: Due to production scheduling conflicts, the preview for Eastern Conference team Frazier will appear later this week.

Clairton

Coach: Wayne Wade

2022 record: 6-6, 5-1 in Class A Eastern Conference

All-time record: 715-360-41

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.25 Westinghouse, 7

9.1 at Washington, 7

9.8 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 7

9.15 Riverview*, 7

9.22 at Leechburg*, 7

9.29 Greensburg Central Catholic*, 7

10.6 at Springdale*, 7

10.13 at Rochester, 7

10.20 Frazier*, 7

10.27 at Jeannette*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Capone Jones*

73-122, 1,067 yards, 10 TDs

Rushing: Jones*

117-745 yards, 14 TDs

Receiving: Michael Ruffin

26-334 yards, 4 TDs

FAST FACTS

• Clairton has 14 WPIAL football titles, which ranks as the second most in league history. Aliquippa has the most with 19. The next closest are New Castle (11), Jeannette (10) and Thomas Jefferson (10).

• Among returning players, six earned second-team all-conference honors last season: Donte Wright (running back), Michael Ruffin (utility), Chad Law (offensive line), Tahvaz Armstrong (defensive end), Zaemear Correll (linebacker) and Drahcir Jones (safety).

• Wayne Wade is 92-21 in nine seasons with four WPIAL titles. The 1990 Clairton graduate also quarterbacked his alma mater to a WPIAL title as a senior.

• A nonprofit group affiliated with the school has announced a fundraising campaign to renovate 93-year-old Neil C. Brown Stadium. The project was estimated at $6.6 million, and organizers want to start construction by spring, if possible.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Clairton