WPIAL Class 2A preview: Steel Valley tops new-look list of title contenders

By: Jonathan Bombulie
Sunday, August 18, 2024 | 6:01 AM

Steel Valley’s Ray Braszo is one of those old-school high school football coaches who generally has about as much use for preseason predictions as he does for a TikTok account.

But tell him the Ironmen look like the favorites in WPIAL Class 2A football this season, and he’ll begrudgingly admit — with an important caveat about the hard work that will be required — that his team should at least be in the conversation.

“I think we’re a playoff team, for sure,” Braszo said. “There are a few question marks on our O-line, with some of our guys who just have to keep working, but if we keep Donald (Barksdale) healthy and our quarterback plays good football this year, I think we’re going to have a pretty good defense. We’ll be hard to beat, I think.”

It all starts with Barksdale, one of the WPIAL’s most dynamic playmakers who scored 37 touchdowns last season. His brother Da’Ron Barksdale, a fellow Division I target who does his best work in the defensive backfield, should be back from a knee injury by the conference opener.

RaSaun Hough, who had a 77-yard fumble return for a touchdown in last year’s WPIAL finals, is a difference maker in the trenches. Jaden Cabbagestalk has experience at quarterback. Del Shields was the team’s top receiver last year and an all-conference pick as a defensive back. Cay’son Simpkins is an undersized linebacker who does nothing but make plays.

There’s an abundance of talent, for sure, but by no means should anyone start planning the parade through the streets of Munhall just yet.

There is a deep crop of contenders for whom an Acrisure Stadium celebration in November is a realistic goal.

The top challengers to Steel Valley in the Allegheny Conference have changed. Imani Christian moved up to Class 3A, and Serra Catholic dropped into Class A.

They’ve been replaced by South Park and Shady Side Academy, playoff teams in Class 3A last season, as well as a dangerous Our Lady of the Sacred Heart squad up from Class A.

South Park, with a ground attack led by running back Eric Doerue and twin linemen Parker and Troy Cunningham, looks particularly formidable.

There could be a changing of the guard in the smashmouth Midwestern Athletic Conference. Beaver Falls lost a ton of talent from its WPIAL championship team a year ago, including coach Nick Nardone, who stepped down in January. New coach Jim Mooney will have to retool in a hurry.

The MAC favorite just might be resurgent Ellwood City under coach Dan Bradley. The Wolverines ended a 27-game losing streak in 2022, but that’s a distant memory now. With running back Elijah Palmer-McCane, quarterback Chris Smiley and lineman Evan Tweddell, Ellwood City’s offense will be a handful for any opponent.

Western Beaver is a contender with sophomore Jaivin Peel at the helm. Peel, who set a WPIAL freshman passing record with 2,898 yards last year, announced in July he’d be transferring to Central Catholic but reversed course and was ruled fully eligible to play for the Golden Beavers at an Aug. 12 WPIAL hearing. Western Beaver has won seven games in each of the last three seasons.

Led by star receiver Bobby Fadden, Mohawk will have something to say about how the MAC plays out before it’s all said and done as well.

The conference also saw a high-profile change, with last year’s champ, Neshannock, dropping down to Class A and perennial Class A power Union bumping up to take its place.

Washington’s bid to repeat as Century Conference champs will be aided by an offensive line returning four of five starters.

The new threat in the Century is Seton LaSalle. The Rebels bring back 10 starters from a team that went 5-5 in Class 3A last season, including an all-star defensive backfield with Logan King, Nelson Coleman and Khalil Taylor.

Waynesburg, with top quarterback Jake Stephenson returning, is also a team to watch.

THE FAVORITES

1. Steel Valley (10-2)

The Ironmen easily could be going for a WPIAL three-peat this season. After rolling past Beaver Falls, 34-14, in the 2022 championship game, they lost the rematch with the Tigers, 14-12, last fall. It was the kind of game determined by a small handful of critical plays, including a pair of fourth-down conversions by Beaver Falls on a pivotal fourth-quarter scoring drive. If the Ironmen are seeking revenge for that gut-wrenching loss, they’ll certainly have the talent to exact it.

2. Washington (11-2)

3. South Park (7-5)

4. Ellwood City (5-6)

5. Seton LaSalle (5-5)

THE STARS

Donald Barksdale

Steel Valley, Sr., RB/DB

An instinctive runner with impressive cutback ability and 4.5 speed, Barksdale ran for 2,061 yards last season. He’s also a threat to pick off a pass on defense or run back a punt for a score. Division I schools such as Duquesne and Robert Morris have noticed.

Parker and Troy Cunningham

South Park, Sr., OL/DL

With the Cunningham twins blocking for star running back Erie Doerue, South Park’s ground game will be the envy of Class 2A. The 6-4, 290-pound Parker, who is headed to James Madison, delights in driving would-be tacklers miles away from the ball carrier. The 6-3, 265-pound Troy, who has multiple Division I offers, is disruptive defensively as a pass rusher.

Khalil Taylor

Seton LaSalle, So., WR/DB

A 6-foot, 182-pound speedster who has been clocked at 4.43 in the 40, Taylor filled up an amazing highlight reel as a freshman last season. Whether returning kicks or turning a short pass into a long gain, he often left opponents grasping air. Taylor already has scholarship offers from numerous big-time programs, including Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia.

Vann Kavals

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Sr., QB/DE

The 6-5, 240-pound Kavals has been limited by injuries the last two seasons, but when he’s healthy, he’s a big quarterback who can fire off deep balls or make passes underneath with touch. Perhaps he’s at his best, though, as a defensive end, which is where he likely will play at Akron. He sheds blockers and causes havoc in the backfield.

Camden Lewis

South Allegheny, Sr., TE/RB/LB

The 6-3, 235-pound Lewis looks good as a bruising fullback alongside the speedy Cameron Epps in the South Allegheny backfield, and he can make opposing pass defenses pay when lined up at tight end, but make no mistake, he’s a linebacker at heart. He’s got a linebacker’s instincts to blow up plays and the speed to make tackles sideline to sideline. MAC schools are interested.

DON’T MISS

8.30: Washington at Steel Valley

It won’t take long for a Class 2A favorite to emerge after these powerhouses meet in a nonconference showdown in Week 1. In the early part of the season, Steel Valley will be looking for its offensive line to come together. Washington will be looking for new skill players to emerge.

9.13: Mohawk at Ellwood City

The upstart Wolverines have some of the top offensive weapons in Class 2A. They’ll find out just how far their rebuild has come in their Midwestern Athletic Conference opener. Mohawk lost some key players to graduation, but the Warriors are coming off a 10-win season and still have the potential to light up the scoreboard.

10.5: South Park at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

This October matchup could determine which team has the best shot at knocking off Steel Valley in the Allegheny Conference. South Park is dropping down from Class 3A with a senior-heavy roster and a potent ground game. OLSH has some dynamic playmakers of its own.

Jonathan Bombulie is the TribLive assistant sports editor. A Greensburg native, he was a hockey reporter for two decades, covering the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 17 seasons before joining the Trib in 2015 and covering the Penguins for four seasons, including Stanley Cup championships in 2016-17. He can be reached at jbombulie@triblive.com.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Beaver Falls, Carlynton, Charleroi, Ellwood City, Freedom, Keystone Oaks, Ligonier Valley, Mohawk, New Brighton, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Riverside, Seton La Salle, Shady Side Academy, South Allegheny, South Park, Steel Valley, Sto-Rox, Union, Washington, Waynesburg, Western Beaver