106 • TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
Coach: Richard Johnson
2019 record: 1-9, 1-6 Class A
Big Seven
All-time record: 301-280-12
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.12 Imani Christian* 7
9.19 Springdale* 7
9.25 at Greensburg C.C.* 7
10.3 Clairton* 7
10.10 Leechburg* 7
10.16 at Jeannette* 7
10.24 at Riverview* 12
EASTERN • BISHOP CANEVIN KEYSHAWN HARRIS
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Willie Banks
42-107, 420 yards, 3 TDs
Receiving Xavier Nelson
14-164 yards, 4 TDs
Rushing Keyshawn Harris
89-459 yards, 4 TDs
FAST FACTS
• Johnson replaces T.J. Wiley,
who was 1-9 in his lone season
at Bishop Canevin.
• Johnson brought in several
motivational speakers to
talk with the players in the
offseason. The group included
the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike
Hilton, SEC men’s basketball
player of the year Immanuel
Quickley from Kentucky
and Alison Pate, who directs
camps run by NBA players.
• Bishop Canevin won its lone
WPIAL title in 1990 (Class
AA) under longtime coach Bob
Jacoby.
• The new coaching staff
has started a campaign to
help upgrade the locker room
facilities.
XAVIER NELSON
BISHOP CANEVIN WILL
REBUILD BRICK BY BRICK
Building takes time … brick by
brick.
There are steps to every project,
and levels that need to be achieved.
New Bishop Canevin football
coach Richard Johnson hopes to
establish a solid foundation this
season and begin to rebuild the
proud program at Bishop Canevin.
Brick by brick.
“It’s a slogan for the program and
the future,” said Johnson, who was
an assistant coach at Baldwin the
past two seasons. “That’s just how
we’re trying to build it. We have a lot
to work on, not just with the team
but the program as a whole.”
Bishop Canevin finished 1-9 last
season and is 7-23 the past three
years. The Crusaders have now had
four coaches in five years, but Johnson
has vowed to rebuild a program
that was among the WPIAL’s best
under longtime coach Bob Jacoby,
who retired in 2013.
His plan begins in the classroom,
where he preaches accountability
and attention to detail when
it comes to players’ schoolwork.
On the field, he expects players to
focus on the fundamentals and be
good teammates.
“Becoming a team, picking each
other up and being able to rely on
each other,” he said of his goals for
his players on the field.
From there, it’s a matter of building
more and more with each practice
and each game. Offensive and
defensive schemes will highlight
the team’s strengths in the areas of
speed, athleticism and playmaking
ability.
“We’re going to be fast, aggressive
and fundamentally sound,” Johnson
said. “We have to go back to
the fundamentals and teach, teach,
teach until they aren’t thinking and
just doing it.”
Johnson expects the Crusaders’
final roster to have between 25-30
players, a welcome luxury after last
year’s team was forced to forfeit a
midseason game because of a lack
of healthy players.
The Crusaders return 10 letter
winners on both sides of the ball, including
their leading skill players.
Junior Willie Banks (6-foot-3, 210
pounds) threw for 420 yards and
three scores last season. He also ran
for 387 yards and a score. He returns
under center to lead the offense and
also will be an outside linebacker.
“Willie has the tools you want out
of an athlete,” Johnson said. “We
are challenging him to be a better
leader on and off the field and take
on that role.”
Banks’ top returning target is
sophomore Xavier Nelson, who had
14 catches for 164 yards and four
scores a year ago. He also will play
defensive back.
“Xavier has put a lot of work in
over the summer,” Johnson said.
“From everything I keep hearing,
he tore up the 7-on-7 tournaments
he was able to make.”
The bulk of the carries will again
go to Keyshawn Harris, a junior
running back/linebacker who ran
for 459 yards and four touchdowns
a year ago.
A young offensive line will be
anchored by seniors Carmen Worral
(6-2, 220) and Collin Milko (5-10,
190), who also will make the calls on
defense at middle linebacker.
“Colin Melko stepped up and has
been a leader on and off the field,”
Johnson said. “He’s put in tremendous
work in the weight room.
“Carmen has got it in his head
that he’s tired of losing. He wants
to go out of Canevin with a bang.
He’s locked in, put in the work and
is excited. He’s taking young guys
under his wing and is asserting
himself as a leader. It’s been good
to watch.”
Other returning letter winners
include seniors Jordan Ruffing
(TE/LB) and Alex Brooks (OL/DL)
and sophomores Adantae Berrien
(WR/LB), Juice Garth (OL/DL) and
Andrew Johns (WR/DB).
There also will several freshmen
who make an immediate jump
into the lineup, especially in the
trenches.
The Crusaders, who went 1-6 in
the Class A Big Seven Conference
last season, have been realigned
to the Class A Eastern Conference
this fall with the likes of defending
WPIAL champion Clairton and perennial
power Jeannette, as well as
Greensburg Central Catholic, Imani
Christian, Leechburg, Riverview
and Springdale.
“Our guys look good in shorts,
but what’s going to happen when
times get tough and we have to go
to Clairton and Jeannette and fight
in the trenches?” Johnson said.
“Do you depend on the guy next to
you to do their job? If we can come
together as a team, we’ll definitely
surprise some people.”
by BILL HARTLEP