Carrick looks to carry on momentum despite revamped roster
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Friday, August 22, 2025 | 6:01 AM
The Carrick football team is looking to build off its best season in quite some time, but the Raiders will have to address some holes left by a large and talented senior class.
The Raiders won three games last season, beating Brashear and Brownsville by a combined score of 80-2 before squeaking out a 16-12 win over Perry Traditional Academy. It was a successful stretch of games that built confidence within the program, and coach Dennis Wolford is looking to take advantage of it.
“That’s the most wins that we’ve had in decades. So we’re hoping to build off of that and keep it growing,” Wolford said. “Hopefully, it will give everybody a little bit more confidence. They are all excited, and I’m trying to change the environment up there.”
Wolford has to replace nine or 10 starters after seniors filled most of the skill positions. That includes the Raiders’ entire secondary, all of their pass catchers and running backs, and their quarterback, the most important position on the field.
Treshawn Beasley, who wasn’t able to play last year, will take over under center and Wolford is excited about what he can bring to the offense.
“He played defensive tackle, so everybody is going to look at him like he is a big body,” Wolford said. “He’s going to show them a little bit different this year. He has a good arm and he’s a big boy.”
Beasley will be accompanied in the backfield by Jayden Wise, Sherron Beasley and Bryce Pryor at different times. Brian Babjack, Kejuan Johnson, Kane McCartney and Davauri Birchfield will see time on the outside.
However, with a talented incoming freshman class, Wolford isn’t counting out a few underclassmen who could push for playing time.
“We got a couple of young boys that are trying to stick their nose in, and I think they are going to have a good opportunity to make some waves,” Wolford said. “We got some young talent coming in, and they look pretty good.”
Several of those players will fill spots on the defensive line and at linebacker, while Wolford looks to retool his entire secondary.
Babjack is a player who will see time at both linebacker and strong safety. Johnson and Ra’melo Crawley will see time in the secondary as well, but it’s all a work in progress.
“That’s where it gets a little crazy because every single player in the secondary was a senior. Every single player,” Wolford said. “So it’s going to be a little different.”
Wolford also has to find a way to bring his team together. Losing a large senior class can affect the player-led leadership of a team. While Wolford has seen his new seniors step up, he knows that building an atmosphere within a team can take time.
“The biggest issue right now is that a lot of these players are new. So keeping everyone focused on the fact that we still have to come together and jell together,” Wolford said. “It’s not going to be all at once overnight. It’s not going to be that. It’s something that has to be built to come together. So keeping everybody’s mind focused on that, that’s going to be the challenge that I have.”
This could also be the last year that Carrick plays an independent schedule. Wolford said they are planning to try and rejoin the City League next year and have plans to speak with the athletic director and administration to see if it “works best for the team.”
“That is the goal,” Wolford said. “The goal is to get back in the City League next year.”
The Raiders do not play Westinghouse or Allderdice this year, but will line up against University Prep (Sept. 5), Brashear (Sept. 12) and Perry Traditional Academy (Oct. 10).
Carrick
Coach: Dennis Wolford
2024 record: 3-6
All-time record: 336-487-47
SCHEDULE
Date, Opponent, Time
8.22 at Carlynton, 7
8.29 Albert Gallatin, 7
9.5 University Prep, 3:30
9.12 Brashear, 7
9.19 at Buckeye Local (Ohio), 7
9.26 at Uniontown, 7
10.3 Brownsville, 7
10.10 at Perry Traditional Academy*, 7
10.24 at Collinwood, 7
FAST FACTS
• Carrick will play an independent schedule for the seventh straight season.
• The Raiders were only shut out once last year after being outscored 291-100 in 2023.
• Carrick lost its first three games before winning three of its next four.
Greg Macafee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Greg by email at gmacafee@triblive.com or via Twitter .
Tags: Carrick
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