University Prep dominates Westinghouse to win 1st City League title in 7 years
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Saturday, October 25, 2025 | 8:08 PM
University Prep’s Zion Hauser beats Westinghouse’s K’shawn Hawkins to the end zone during the City League championship game Saturday at Cupples Stadium.
University Prep’s Zion Hauser cuts back on Westinghouse’s Kiontae Robinson during the City League championship game Saturday at Cupples Stadium.
Westinghouse’s Jordan Reid takes down University Prep’s Me’laun Stamper during the City League championship game Saturday at Cupples Stadium.
University Prep’s Zion Hauser and Brayden Clark (r) defend on a pass intended for Westinghouse’s Jaylen Stanford during the City League championship game Saturday at Cupples Stadium.
Westinghouse’s Kingston Thornton defends on a ball intended for University Prep’s Zion Hauser during the City League championship game Saturday at Cupples Stadium.
Lou Berry was in demand, but what he really wanted at the time was his phone.
“I need to find it,” the University Prep football coach said in a frantic moment during the midst of a chaotic celebration at Cupples Stadium on Saturday, where the Wildcats dethroned three-time City League champion Westinghouse Academy in convincing fashion.
In time, Berry moved on.
Perhaps the veteran coach was just eager to learn if there were any congratulatory text messages directed his way.
Sophomore Dai’Mere Adair passed for 229 yards and two touchdowns to Zion Hauser and University Prep dominated Westinghouse, 26-0, in the PIAA District 8 championship game for the Wildcats’ second victory over the Bulldogs in 16 days.
It also marked their first City League title in seven years.
Me’laun Stamper added two rushing touchdowns for University Prep.
“Looking at that scoreboard and seeing 26-0 is nothing that you expected,” a wide-eyed Berry said, “because Westinghouse is a tough team. They never quit. I don’t think it’s a situation where they didn’t play hard. We just played great football today. It was great to see.”
Surging University Prep (7-2) also defeated Westinghouse, 20-14, on Oct. 8, ending the Bulldogs’ 21-game City League winning streak.
The Class 4A Wildcats won their seventh game in a row after opening the year with losses to WPIAL Class 4A Hampton and to Hickory, a PIAA District 10 Class 3A school.
“It’s a surreal feeling because we’ve had some talented teams in the past, but we were snakebit,” Berry said. “An injury or two with key players at the wrong time. It just felt like if we could just catch a break and get back here and then see what happens …”
The answer was resounding.
Westinghouse (6-4) was coming off a convincing 26-6 victory over Allderdice in the semifinals.
Both teams will advance to the PIAA playoffs on Nov. 14 or 15, University Prep playing in a Class 4A subregional and Westinghouse in a Class A subregional.
“We get another opportunity,” Westinghouse coach Donta Green said. “I get to really see what these guys are about. We’ve dug ourselves a hole, and now I get to see how they’re going to respond.”
University Prep, which routed Brashear, 63-6, in the City League semifinals, competes with players from Science and Technology Academy and Obama Academy as a co-op program.
Against Westinghouse, the Wildcats took a 6-0 lead on Adair’s first TD pass to Hauser, a 34-yard strike with 3 minutes, 26 seconds left in the first quarter.
The duo again hooked up at the 5:52 mark of the second quarter on a 41-yard scoring play to put University Prep up 12-0 heading into halftime.
Hauser finished the day with four receptions for 97 yards.
The Wildcats defense limited Westinghouse to virtually no yards rushing while bottling up quarterback Zahir Ismaeli, who managed just 70 yards passing on 4 of 16 completions.
Meanwhile, Adair, his counterpart, completed 9 of 20 attempts and survived two interceptions.
“A lot of his grooming started last year as a freshman. We did a lot of stuff from the neck up,” Berry said. “We saw the ability to throw the ball. At the quarterback position, you’ve got to be mentally tough to deal with some of the things he has had to deal with. It’s a testament to his parents for the way he was raised because he has poise beyond his years.”
Adair, holding a trophy and looking around the stadium scene, seemed unfazed by it all.
“It feels great,” he said, “but I’m not really surprised at all. Now, we’re going to states.”
University Prep added Stamper’s two fourth-quarter touchdown runs of 3 and 21 yards, and Adair tossed a two-point conversion pass to Micah Saunders, who had three receptions for 110 yards.
Berry, still without his phone but seemingly less concerned by now, let out a sigh of relief as he looked back at that shutout reflected on the end zone scoreboard.
“We’ve had some trials and tribulations this year,” he said, “but we were able to overcome them with a great senior group that sacrifices for one another because they’ve been in battles and wars for the past three or four years.”
Tags: University Prep, Westinghouse
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