CTK ’16: 1-A Eastern Conference Preview

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, August 28, 2016 | 10:07 PM

Most of the time, the Clairton Bears have a perfect view from the top of the Eastern Conference. Will anyone get in the way of that view this year?

Clairton has won the Eastern Conference championship outright nine of the past 10 years. Every time, the Bears finished with a perfect record. Over the past decade, the only time Clairton didn’t finish perfect in conference play was 2013, when the Bears tied for first with Monessen and Fort Cherry.

Just about everybody picks Clairton as the No. 1 team in WPIAL Class 1A this season. But Jeannette seems primed to give the Bears a challenge.

Without a doubt, the Eastern Conference is the strongest of the three new conferences in Class 1A. The others are the Tri-County South and Big Seven. Here is a look at the Eastern Conference:

BISHOP CANEVIN CRUSADERS

After four years in the Black Hills Conference, Bishop Canevin returns to the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2010-11. It might be a rough baptism to life in the Eastern, though, as Bishop Canevin’s first game is Friday at Clairton.

No matter what happens against Clairton, Bishop Canevin has the makings of a playoff team. Some key skill-position players return, headed by senior quarterback Austin Scott. He threw for 1,056 yards last season. Sean Fitzgerald, last year’s leading receiver, has graduated. But the passing game has potential with receivers Donovan Leckie and Kellan Gustine.

Malek Hemingway is only 5-7, but figures big in the running game. He averaged 6.9 yards a carry last season and rushed for 548 yards. What might make the skill players go is a strong line, led by all-conference selection cam Rush, who is 6-4, 285.

On defense, Rush and Jon Shar return up front. Trusky and Hemingway return in the secondary.

CLAIRTON BEARS

Just about everyone pegs the Bears as the favorite to win their ninth WPIAL championship since 2006. One of the main reasons is Lamont Wade.

Wade is a four-year starter. He is a talented running back, but an even better defensive back. Scouting services rank him among the top five cornerbacks in the country. Wade had scholarship offers from colleges coast to coast, but has narrowed his list to eight schools – Pitt, Penn State, Ohio State, UCLA, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi State and West Virginia. Wade will announce in December, will graduate early and enroll at a college for the spring semester.

On offense, Wade has more than 4,000 career yards. But the offense will be directed by Noah Hamlin, a receiver last year who moves to quarterback. Hamlin also has some Division I college offers as a receiver. Wade might also see time at quarterback along with possibly Bryson Koontz.

Clairton has some solid linemen and one of the defensive leaders will be Tre-Sean Howard, who made first-team all-conference DB as a sophomore last season.

GREENSBURG CENTRAL CATHOLIC CENTURIONS

Greensburg Central was hit hard by graduation. The Centurions still figure to be good enough to finish in the top half of the conference, but there are some questions after GCC was trounced by City League member Westinghouse, 41-14, in the season opener this past Friday.

Greensburg Central should o have one of the best running backs in Class 1A in Alvin Ross, who rushed for 1,346 yards last season. He also caught 15 passes.

Greensburg Central will miss quarterback Tommy Pellis, who graduated. Dom Eisaman will take over. Two returning linemen will be counted on heavily – Jassan Eubank and Luke Bekar. Eubank also plays fullback.

IMANI CHRISTIAN SAINTS

The Saints come marching back into the WPIAL after not fielding a team the past three seasons. The last time Imani played, the Saints finished 6-3 in 2012 and tied for third place in the Black Hills Conference, but missed out on the playoffs because of tiebreakers.

Ronnell Heard is Imani’s coach now and a top player fell into his lap when Kenny Robinson transferred from University Prep in the City League. Robinson was a standout receiver at University Prep as a sophomore, but played only a few games last year because of injuries. He has scholarship offers from Pitt, West Virginia and Iowa State, among others.

Robinson will play quarterback for the Saints, who will have to rely on a number of young players, including sophomore running back Stephone Vick.

JEANNETTE JAYHAWKS

Jeannette finished second to Clairton in the conference last year, and many believe Jeannette can give Clairton a run for the conference title this year.

Jeannette returns a number of players from a team that finished 11-2 last season and both losses came to Clairton – in the regular season and the WPIAL championship. Gio’Vonne Sanders will be one of the top players in Class 1A. He was a first-team all-conference defensive back, but was also a standout dual-threat quarterback. He threw for 1,531 yards and was the team’s second-leading rusher with 753 yards.

Also back is running back Kareem Hall, who rushed for 765 yards last season, but missed the final five games because of an injury.

Tremayne Briston is a dominating lineman who made first-team all-conference on offense and defense a year ago. Mark Womack was an all-conference linebacker who also plays tight end. Defensive back Ryan Swinton and lineman Eric Hall also return. Swinton rushed for 334 yards last season.

LEECHBURG BLUE DEVILS

Since 2000, Leechburg has the second-worst winning percentage in the WPIAL at .181 and has only 26 wins. So the goal for the Blue Devils is simply to be more competitive.

Leechburg has an experienced quarterback to build around. J.B. Burtick is a senior who has started since his sophomore year. Cory Nulph also returns at running back. The offense needs to improve after averaging only 14 points last season, but things look a little better with the return of five offensive linemen.

Leechburg is 0-1 but showed some positive things in a 27-14 loss to Apollo-Ridge this past Friday.

RIVERVIEW RAIDERS

“Bones” has come to Riverivew.

Matt Bonislawski is Riverview’s new coach. He is a former quarterback at Highlands who went on to play at the University of Connecticut.

Riverview finished 4-5 last season and would like to improve an offense that averaged only 15.9 points a game last season. The Raiders have the makings of a good running attack with the return of halfback Nasan Tibbens, who ran for 1,048 yards last season and averaged 8.1 yards a carry.

Senior Jake Hanus threw for less than 400 yards last season, but gained plenty of experience at quarterback and returns.

Riverview has the potential for a good start as the Raiders play Leechburg and Imani Christian in the first two games.

SPRINGDALE DYNAMOS

With seven starters returning on offense and six on defense, things are looking up for Springdale and coach Dave Leasure.

The Dynamos have the potential for a rather dynamite running game. Ben Sowinski is a 6-foot, 204-pound senior who rushed for 1,001 yards last season. Ethan McFarland added 434 yards rushing in 2015 and also returns.

Also back is 6-3 quarterback Sammy Carey. He threw only 71 times for 553 yards last season, but might have to throw more if defenses stack the line in order to stop the run. The offensive line is anchored by Zak Igo, who goes 6-3, 322 pounds.

On defense, Springdale has an excellent group of linebackers. McFarland had 73 tackles last season at inside linebacker while Sowinski had 53 and Josh Harmon 77 at outside linebacker. Other returning starters are offensive linemen Dom Varatto and Matt Schlessman, defensive end Levi Hargenrader and defensive back Kodie Marchek.

Springdale is 0-1 after starting the season with a 33-20 loss to Burrell.

MSA SPORTS PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH:

1.      Clairton Bears

2.      Jeannette Jayhawks

3.      Bishop Canevin Crusaders

4.      Springdale Dynamos

5.      Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

6.      Riverview Raiders

7.      Imani Christian Saints

8.      Leechburg Blue Devils

Tags: Bishop Canevin, Clairton, Greensburg C.C., Imani Christian, Jeannette, Leechburg