Northgate hopes bigger roster translates to more wins, elusive playoff berth

By: Bill Hartlep
Thursday, August 22, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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Northgate’s football roster was hovering in the mid-teens five seasons ago. The limited numbers made it a challenge to compete.

As the numbers crept up, the wins followed. There were four wins in 2022 and five last fall.

This season, there are 43 players on the Flames’ roster, enough that they had a productive intrasquad scrimmage last week.

Now they are aiming to take the next step and improve their win total enough to qualify for the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2016.

“When we took over two years ago, we wanted to get to .500 for the first time in a while. We did that last year,” coach Chris Lucas said. “Our goal is to get in position to make the playoffs this year. It’s been a long time. That’s been a goal of the players and coaching staff to get to this point to potentially get there (to the playoffs) and see where it takes us once you are in there.”

Northgate returns eight starters on offense and five on defense in its quest to earn one of four playoff berths out of the Class A Big Seven Conference. The team is fronted by seniors Sonteon Layne and Darius Fields.

Layne, a quarterback/defensive end, threw for 283 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 316 yards and four TDs last season.

“We’re expecting a lot from him,” Lucas said. “He’s big, about 235 pounds. He’s really worked on developing the passing side of this game. He was always a good runner. He’s worked on being more physical as a runner and also his technique and form. Just put in time on reading defenses and understanding concepts. We’re expecting him to be a leader for sure.”

Fields, a running back and strong safety, ran for nearly 700 yards and 10 TDs and also caught 12 passes for 211 yards and four TDs last season. Defensively, he had a team-high 71 tackles and was named all-conference.

“He’s another one of our guys who’s a great leader and one of our hardest workers,” Lucas said. “Doesn’t miss a workout, doesn’t miss a practice, always going full speed. As a runner, he has very good vision and really worked in the offseason in the weight room to become a more powerful runner. He has the speed to go with it. He’s versatile enough that we can flex him out at receiver.”

The Flames also will rely on junior tight end Kaden Steiger on offense.

“He’s got a big body and really has developed his blocking ability,” Lucas said. “He’s a nice weapon in the run game and to catch passes.”

Juniors Nick Rawlings and Zion Ward are back at fullback. Senior Anthony Hopkins and juniors Johrdan Hairston, Anthony Barron and William Smith will contribute at wide receiver.

Northgate has plenty of experience returning on the offensive line, including center Kaleb Billings, tackle Nicholas Balzer and guards Jake Lenoski and Angelo Valeriano.

“They’ve been starting since their sophomore year,” Lucas said of the offensive line group. “It starts with the line. We’ve taken our beatings over the last two years when they were sophomores and other teams had senior lines. They’ve stuck with it.

“We have a great weight program. The entire team have bought into the strength/conditioning program. That’s the key piece for any turnaround at any level for any program to be successful. This line has, through all that work, they’ve built that up and they’re seniors now, and it’s time for them to try and be the dominant ones.”

Defensively, Lenoski made 42 tackles at nose tackle last season. Layne made 67 tackles, including 16 for a loss and seven sacks, at defensive end, and Steiger returns at the other end.

“Those three on the D-line are very good for us,” Lucas said.

The secondary will feature several cornerbacks (Smith, Hairston, Hopkins and others) fighting for time as well as Fields at strong safety and Barron at free safety. The linebacking core is a work in progress during training camp.

“Our conference is very good,” Lucas said. “Not just the players, but there’s very good coaches in our conference. They all run the ball real effectively. The past two years we haven’t been able to stop the run. That’s been a focus of ours this offseason. We can’t win important ballgames if we can’t stop the run.”

With the expanded roster and experienced lineup, the Flames appear to be in position to do that and more this season.

Northgate

Coach: Chris Lucas

2023 season: 5-5, 2-4 in Class A Big Seven Conference

All-time record: 217-251-7

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 at Fort Cherry, 7

8.30 at Riverside, 7

9.6 at New Brighton, 7

9.13 Shenango*, 7

9.20 Neshannock*, 7

9.27 at Laurel*, 7

10.4 South Side*, 7

10.12 at Summit Academy*, 12:30

10.18 Rochester*, 7

10.25 Chartiers-Houston, 7

* Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Austin Mitchell*

20-51, 301 yards, 2 TDs

Rushing: Darius Fields

98-692 yards, 10 TDs

Receiving: Fields

12-211 yards, 4 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Chris Lucas is entering his third season at Northgate. He has a record of 9-11 the past two seasons. He also was the head coach at Bishop Canevin and West Allegheny for one season, compiling a career record of 15-24.

• Sonteon Layne saw time at quarterback as a sophomore as well as last season. He passed for 554 yards and three touchdowns in 2022.

• Last season, Northgate averaged 19.5 ppg but allowed 30.2 ppg.

• Northgate will have to replace some key production that was lost to graduation, including running back Austin Mitchell (75-683 yards, 7 TDs) and receiver Donovin Boone (36-246 yards).

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

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