Allderdice aims to contend for City League title in memory of coach Jerry Haslett

By: Andrew John
Friday, August 23, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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The Allderdice football team is coming off a disappointing season that the senior class doesn’t want to repeat, but now they are playing for a deeper purpose this season after the loss of their head coach just weeks before the start of the regular season.

Longtime coach Jerry Haslett, 59, died July 24 after he suffered a medical emergency while driving near his Northside home as he was heading to an Allderdice scrimmage at his high school alma mater, Northgate.

Haslett was Allderdice’s coach for 15 seasons and won three City League titles. The Dragons had gone 50 years without winning one before his team ended that drought in 2017. He led the Dragons to the finals nine times and won two other titles in 2018 and ‘21.

Mark Matson has taken over as head coach of the Dragons (1-8, 1-3) and has been impressed with how the players have handled a situation they never could have imagined.

“It’s a really tough situation to lose your coach three weeks before the start of the season, something you never imagined you would have to deal with,” Matson said. “To see how the whole group has come together and has risen above this challenge while trying to do the best we can to honor Coach Has has been amazing to see.”

Junior Lukas Stead, aka “Baby Gronk,” returns for the Dragons at tight end and defensive end. A first-team all-City selection at tight end last season, he will play tight end for the second season after playing on the offensive line during his freshman year. Stead, a team captain, can also be found on the basketball court and baseball field.

The Dragons also return some experience on the offensive line, headlined by last year’s team MVP, senior Edward Simms. During the offseason, Simms dedicated himself to slim down, get faster and set an example as another team captain.

“I think he thought if I lean out a little bit, it will help me out a little bit,” Matson said. “He has been a vocal leader and a leader by example. He’s really going to anchor that line. He really makes sure no one gets too high or too low.”

Besides Simms at left tackle, the line includes senior Jhamir Rainey at left guard and junior Connor Dickey at center. Senior Amaree Venson returns at right guard. Seniors Doral Gross and Lucien Pierotti are competing at right tackle.

Senior Nasir Scott will share the backfield with fellow senior Darryl Strong.

“I feel like we can’t just do this for ourselves,” Scott said. “We have to do this for Coach Has. I think we have a great group here. Last year, we had an awful season but this season we are working a whole lot harder. We have great leaders and practice has been going great.”

Senior receiver and safety Kaden Ayre has made the most of his offseason heading into his final season. Ayre caught some eyes during 7-on-7 and has made some local preseason rankings.

Sophomore Dav’Veion Lee and freshman Marcell Moore will see action at receiver for the Dragons.

Senior linebacker Mario Watkins Jr. returns to the lineup after missing last season because of a knee injury. Watkins Jr., whose father is the defensive coordinator, led the Dragons in tackles during his sophomore season. He and others will try to make up for the loss of Christian Perry, a first-team all-City linebacker who graduated.

Watkins Jr. might be the player who knew Haslett the best since he has been around Allderdice practices for the last decade.

“Mario has been at practice since (he was) 7 or 8,” Matson said. “He knew Coach Has better than maybe any of the players. Along with Simms, he is the undisputed vocal leader of the team. He has done a really good job to make sure guys are not letting any distraction get in the way of working hard for themselves and Coach Has.”

Senior Damiane Scott, who was a first-team all-City selection, returns at corner, and senior Matt Dorsett will man the other corner spot.

The Dragons open their season Aug. 23 at Fox Chapel. Allderdice’s nonconference schedule includes games against Hollidaysburg, Uniontown and Butler.

“We are a senior-heavy team, but we are still a young team,” Matson said. “We are returning a lot of starters and with the amount of seniors there are, a lot of kids that don’t want to go out like last season for the senior class and Coach Has.

“They don’t want to have another season like last year so they have been working really hard this offseason in the weight room and on the field. They want to make sure they look a lot better as a team, and it looks a lot better in the win-loss record.”

Allderdice

Coach: Mark Matson

2023 record: 1-8, 1-3 in City League

All-time record: 313-477-64

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 at Fox Chapel, 7

8.30 Hollidaysburg, 7

9.05 at Perry Traditional Academy*, 7

9.13 at Uniontown, 7

9.19 at Brashear*, 7

9.26 Westinghouse*, 7

10.5 at University Prep, noon

10.10 at Butler, 7

* Conference game

FAST FACTS

• The Dragons qualified for the City League playoffs after finishing in a three-way tie with Brashear and Perry for the final two spots. Brashear was left out of the playoffs due to a coin flip.

• Allderdice’s lone win last season came in late September when it beat Brashear, 24-8.

• The Dragons’ 2023 season came to a close after a loss to Westinghouse, 42-18, in the opening round of the City League playoffs.

• This year’s captains are Edward Simms, Nasir Scott, Lukas Stead, Ashton Buckner and Marion Watkins Jr.

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