Allderdice ready to flush 2024, contend for City League title

By: Greg Macafee
Friday, August 22, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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Allderdice’s players and coaches were left with a bad taste in their mouths after the 2024 season.

The Dragons started 4-1, earning wins over Fox Chapel, Perry Traditional Academy, Uniontown and Brashear by a combined score of 115-24 while pitching two shutouts. Their only loss in that stretch came against Hollidaysburg, 42-0.

However, Allderdice finished the regular season with three straight losses. They did make an appearance in the City League championship, losing to Westinghouse, 40-12, despite leading at halftime. They then suffered a season-ending loss to Hollidaysburg, 41-8, in the PIAA subregional.

“When you start 4-1, you expect to do better than that. It’s left a bad taste in my mouth, and I think the kids are right there with me,” second-year coach Mark Matson said. “So, I fully expect to improve on last year, on the team’s attitude and focus. The culture around the team is a lot better.

“They are a lot more locked in and just ready to go win as a team than they were last year. It’s something that’s big for me. Just the overall culture. I just want guys to have fun by working hard together and these guys have really embraced that. They’ve been working their tails off all summer.”

The Dragons will have some holes to fill. Matson said he lost his starting linebacker corps, his entire secondary and three of his five starting offensive lineman. So, he’s had to move returning players around to fill positions of need heading into the season.

Matson did come out of their three-way scrimmage with Thomas Jefferson and Steel Valley this past weekend feeling confident in what he saw, however.

“A lot of little easily fixable mistakes from the scrimmage on Saturday,” Matson said. “We held our ground against TJ pretty well and Steel Valley, and those are two pretty good teams. I’m pretty happy with how that turned out.”

Despite having holes to fill, the Dragons also return several key contributors from last year and have had a few newcomers join the team who could have an impact. It all starts with All-City League defensive end/tight end Lukas Stead.

Stead has drawn a ton of attention heading into his senior season and will likely draw a lot more from opposing defenses. The Dragons move him around their offensive formations as a true H-back as he’ll line up out wide, in the backfield and at tight end.

“Just work ethic to be honest,” Matson said about what sets Stead apart. “I mean he would be just another 6-foot-3, 230 pound dude if it wasn’t for his work ethic. The kid is just relentless.”

As far as pass catchers go, Stead will be an option alongside junior receiver Dav’Veion Lee, a two-time All-City League selection, and senior Brandon Beechaum, another All-City League wide receiver from a year ago.

To complement that, the Dragons will have a senior tandem in the backfield in Nasir Scott and Demond Simms. Matson described both as “big, physical backs” but Scott looks to be the primary ball carrier this year.

“I expect big things out of our run game this year,” Matson said. “I think teams are going to have to focus on our pass threats. I mean we have two kids with elite speed plus we have Shady (Dav’Veion Lee) back, who has been All-City freshman and sophomore years and then Lukas and a seasoned quarterback coming back. Teams are going to have to respect that.”

Scott had a solid year as a junior, but is on the verge of taking another step forward this season.

“He is coming back hungry. That kid wants the ball and he is a punishing runner,” Matson said. “I think he’s going to have a huge season. There’s going to be a lot of focus on Lukas, and I think that’s going to work out really well for Nas. We’re going to feed him the rock and let him do his thing.”

Trecyn Ford returns under center and Victor Toliver will lead both the offensive and defensive lines.

Allderdice

Coach: Mark Matson

2024 record: 5-6, 2-2 in City League

All-time record: 318-483-64

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.22 at Fox Chapel, 7

8.29 at Hollidaysburg, 7

9.4 at Perry Traditional Academy*, 6

9.12 Uniontown, 3:30

9.18 Brashear*, 6

9.25 at Westinghouse*, 7

10.3 University Prep*, 3:30

10.10 Butler, 3:30

*City League game

FAST FACTS

• Last season for the Dragons started with the loss of longtime head coach Jerry Haslett, who died at the age of 59. He coached the Dragons for 15 years and won three City League titles.

• Haslett led the Dragons to his first City League title in 2017, which ended a 50-year drought.

• In the final three weeks of the regular season, the Dragons were outscored 71-6.

Greg Macafee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Greg by email at gmacafee@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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