Westinghouse renews quest for state title after drop to Class A

By: Andrew John
Friday, August 23, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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After almost climbing to the mountain top in Class 2A but falling short to Southern Columbia in the state finals in back-to-back seasons, the Westinghouse Bulldogs will look to reach new heights in Class A this season.

Westinghouse (13-1, 4-0) was one quarter away from being the first City League team to win a state title since Perry did it back in 1989. The Bulldogs fell to Southern Columbia, 21-20.

Heading into this season, the Bulldogs successfully avoided moving up to Class 3A under the PIAA’s competitive-balance rule and in fact dropped to Class A, which aligns with Westinghouse’s alignment of 127 boys in grades 10-12.

“We are excited,” coach Donta Green said. “It doesn’t really change anything for us when you talk about the change in classification. It’s the same grind. It’s the same journey. That’s what we’ve been preaching to our guys since we found out that we will be in Single-A.”

The Bulldogs will return six starters on both sides of the ball. Senior quarterback Khalil Green returns for his final season. Green completed 10 of 16 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns as well as running for 109 yards and a score on 21 carries in the loss to Southern Columbia.

“We’re going to play more physical this year. We got more leaders,” Khalil Green said. “We can’t look down at our opponents. We need to stay focused and tighten up details.”

Khalil Green will have senior Lloyd Penn, a first-team all-City League selection, returning at receiver.

The Bulldogs will have senior Lenny Wicks, a transfer from Harvest Prep in Canal Winchester, Ohio, as the lead back this season. Wicks, who rushed for 1,124 yards last season, will step in for Tyjuane Abram, a first-team all-City League selection last season.

“He’s a heck of a back,” Donta Green said. “He’s very capable of getting some home run hits. He can really outrun some guys. We aren’t used to having so much speed in the backfield. He’s a natural leader. He’s finding his way but over camp, we’ve seen his leadership role increase daily.”

Donta Green will look to replace two first-team all-City League selections in guard Raymon Poindexter and tackle Zecheriah Hines.

Junior Josiah Collins and senior Nyxai Robinson return this season to headline the Bulldogs defensive line. Collins, a first-team all-City League selection last season, finished with 12 sacks last season.

The Bulldogs suffered a significant personnel loss during preseason camp when heavily recruited junior cornerback Kyshawn Robinson announced he will miss the season due to injury. He has scholarship offers from more than a dozen Power 4 schools, including Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Clemson, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Ohio State, Southern Cal and Wisconsin.

Donta Green is excited to see what sophomore cornerback Jordan Reid can do.

With having long playoff runs in recent seasons, Donta Green hopes the Bulldogs can learn from those experiences to guide them through another season with high expectations.

“I think every year we get better at playing a long season,” he said. “I think the first year, it was a lot for us.

“I don’t know if this happens with all the good teams across the state, but around Week 10 or Week 11, there is another level of focus that needs to be tapped into because the season is very long. Our ability to focus and sustain our sanity throughout the year, I think that will be the determining factor if we make the same run we’ve had the last couple of years.”

Westinghouse will kick off its season at 7 p.m. Saturday against Beaver in the KDKA Kickoff Classic at the Wolvarena. Beaver was a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinalist last season.

“It will be a good atmosphere for our guys,” Donta Green said. “I think Beaver is a heck of a team who returns a boatload of kids who are hungry to win. I think it will be a good barometer to see where we are at.

“If you take the stadiums out and the lights out, it’s just their best 11 versus our best 11. We just need to focus on winning one play at a time.”

Westinghouse

Coach: Donta Green

2023 record: 13-1, 4-0 in the City League

All-time record: 623-335-40

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.24 Beaver at the Wolvarena, 7

8.29 Linsly Institute (WV), 7

9.6 Brashear*, 7

9.12 at Perry*, 7 p.m.

9.20 at Butler, 7

9.26 at Allderdice*, 7

10.11 University Prep*, 7 p.m.

* Conference game

FAST FACTS

• After the matchup against Beaver, Westinghouse will have nonconference matchups against Linsly School from West Virginia and Butler.

• Westinghouse’s practice field, The Graveyard, underwent a facelift after the Pittsburgh Steelers donated sod.

• Westinghouse won its 39th City League title and fourth in fifth seasons last year after a 42-14 win over University Prep.

• Lenny Wicks is familiar with the City League. His father, Lenny Wicks Sr., was Carrick’s top running back in the 2000s. His uncle, Eric Wicks, is a Perry and West Virginia alum.

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