CTK 2012 – Pittsburgh City League Preview

By: Bruce Markey
Monday, August 27, 2012 | 7:19 PM

To make the playoffs in the Pittsburgh City League, teams must finish in the top four spots. With the size of the City League now, only two teams will NOT make the playoffs.

With school closures in the past few years, this is the smallest the City League has ever been. Langley and Oliver closed after the 2011-12 school year. That leaves the City League with only six teams. The league joins the WPIAL in some sports this year, but City League officials wanted to remain intact for football.

University Prep won the City League title in its first year of existence last year.

Here is a look at the City League:
 

ALLDERDICE DRAGONS:

Could this be the year of the Dragon? Allderdice has one City League championship in school history and that was 45 years ago. But coach Jerry Haslett’s squad is being picked by some as the team to beat this season.

Patrick Ferguson could have a big season. He is a big, bruising runner at 6 feet, 250 pounds. He rushed for 936 yards on 203 carries last season for a team that lost to University Prep in the title game.

Bishop Gethers also returns at quarterback. He is 6-3, 225 pounds and also plays linebacker.

The running game should be good with Ferguson and also Jaylen Wilkins, Sean Monroe and Gerald Hardick. There is some size on the lines with Shawdi Parker (6-6, 320), Melvin Palmer (5-8, 245) and Brody Miller (6-2, 275).
 

BRASHEAR BULLS:

The Bulls are annually one of the top teams in the City League. But coach Rick Murphy had 18 players graduate from last year’s team that was 7-0 in City League play during the regular season, but lost to Allderdice in the semifinals.

Scott Evans is a 6-3, 230-pound junior who was all-City League last season and will be one of the team leaders this year. Jamal Smith returns at receiver, Diondre Faulk at linebacker and Deshaun Roberts at linebacker.

On offense, either junior Angelo Reed or senior Russell Page will play quarterback.

Also, Brashear’s roster is bolstered by about a dozen or so players who attended Langley last year.
 

CARRICK RAIDERS:

Coach Jeff McCafferty’s team was 1-9 last season, but the Raiders do boast two all-City League selections in receiver Orlando Harvard and 5-11, 330-pound lineman Josh Walker.

Also back is Joe Kalsek, who led the team in rushing last season, along with fullback Tyler Frost. Junior Davon Cruse is the new quarterback. Receiver-defensive back Marlon Igles is another one of the top returnees.
 

PERRY COMMODORES:

Perry and Oliver were long-time neighboring rivals in the City League. Now how is this for change: Oliver’s players are playing for Perry.
Oliver’s students now attend Perry. About a dozen former Oliver players are on Perry’s roster.and one of them is all-City receiver-safety Shakeem Cox.

Perry should contend for the City League title. Curtis Edmonds returns in the backfield and the lines should be solid with the return of Jermaine Herring, Gene’t Moore and Lloyd Reid.

A few other players to watch this year are WR-DB DaRon Clark, WR Quentin Clark and WR-DB Mallory Claybourne. Junior Ahmad Turner takes over at quarterback.
 

UNIVERSITY PREP PANTHERS:

University Prep was hit hard by graduation. One of the players gone is Jaylen Coleman, last year’s City League Player of the Year.
Even though this team isn’t very experienced, University Prep will rely on its defense again this season after posting nine shutouts last year. The lines should be solid with the return of Jermaine Brown, D’Andre Caviness and Neondre Habour.

On offense, Myles Catlin returns at halfback. He scored 10 TDs last year. Senior Akil Young takes over at quarterback.
 

WESTINGHOUSE BULLDOGS:

Westinghouse hasn’t qualified for the playoffs since 2001, and it will be tough for the Bulldogs to do so again this year.

Westinghouse does have some talent, though. Quarterback Ronald Brown is only a sophomore, but started last year. Isaiah Moore is a four-year starter on the line. Senior receiver-defensive back Robert Bailey is a promising newcomer.

Darwin Parker (OL-LB) and Rico Christian (RB-DL) are two other players to watch.

MSA Sports Predicted Order of Finish:

6.  Westinghouse Bulldogs

Tags: Allderdice, Brashear, Carrick, University Prep, Westinghouse