WPIAL title contender Clairton somehow flying under radar

By: Chris Harlan
Monday, August 22, 2022 | 12:01 PM

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Remember Clairton?

As in, the football team that won 10 WPIAL titles in a 14-year span, most recently in 2019? The Bears lost in the first round of the playoffs last season and coach Wayne Wade has noticed folks seem to have forgotten about them.

In fact, he was a little surprised to see some state rankings this summer not include Clairton among the Top 10 in Class A.

“I really don’t understand that,” said Wade, who’s entering his ninth season as head coach. “We haven’t lost a lot, we have a good core returning, and we have some new freshmen and sophomores who are really good.”

But after being so good for so long, Wade said he understands if some outsiders may believe they see a program in decline, especially after last year’s disappointing finish. He says that’s probably wishful thinking by others.

“I honestly think they’re waiting for us to not be there,” Wade said. “But with what we have, we’ll be there for the next couple of years.”

Clairton returns a handful of key starters from last year’s team that went 7-3 overall, 7-0 in the Eastern Conference.

Among them is senior quarterback Capone Jones, the team’s leading rusher with 719 yards and eight touchdowns. Also back are three starters on the offensive line: seniors Tyrese Law, Truthe Anderson and Macye Carr.

But what has Wade feeling more confident is an influx of young talent from Clairton’s youth program. Freshman running backs Michael Ruffin and Donte Wright and sophomore Drahcir Jones give the Bears great options in the backfield.

Wade said Ruffin ran a fast 4.5-second time in the 40-yard dash at a camp this summer.

“I feel really good about them,” Wade said. “They were champions last year in the little league program. Michael Ruffin looks like he’s running a 4.4 out on the field and the other two kids are fitting right in.”

Plus they still have Capone Jones, the quarterback who showed his speed with a 15-carry, 118-yard, four-touchdown game last season against Leechburg. He had three 100-yard games overall.

Jones also passed for nearly 600 yards.

“He can throw the ball and really run the ball,” Wade said. “Teams are going to have to worry about him as a dual threat.”

The Bears bring back two experienced receivers in senior Devon Dean and junior Martin Lawrence, but also add 6-foot-3 sophomore Zaemere Correll, who’s expected to make an impact this fall.

“We’ve got a few veterans up front, a veteran at quarterback and a whole lot of young kids,” Wade said. “Sophomores and freshmen, but they look really good.”

Clairton won the WPIAL title in 2019 and was runner-up in 2020, but the team’s playoff run was cut short last season. They’d had a strong regular season including a 28-18 win over Bishop Canevin in Week 5. Canevin later won the WPIAL title.

But Clairton’s championship hopes were dashed in the first round when it found itself shorthanded. The Bears lost to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 29-15, in the playoff opener.

“We’d beaten Bishop Canevin last year with our full team and they ended up winning it,” Wade said. “We went into that (OLSH) game with only 22 kids. We had kids ineligible. We had kids injured. If we’d had our whole team ….”

Clairton entered this season with 30 players. Wade said the talent level is high, so he sees many more good days ahead.

“We’ve got some young kids,” he said of this year’s roster, “and we have some young kids who will be coming up in the next year or two. So, it looks promising.”

Clairton

Coach: Wayne Wade

2021 record: 7-3, 7-0 in Class A Eastern Conference.

All-time record: 709-354-41

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.27 vs. Westinghouse at Cupples Stadium, 6

9.2 Washington, 7

9.9 at OLSH, 7

9.17 at Riverview*, noon

9.23 Leechburg*, 7

9.30 at Greensburg Central Catholic*, 7

10.7 Springdale*, 7

10.14 Rochester, 7

10.21 at Frazier*, 7

10.28 Jeannette*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Capone Jones

51-102, 569 yards, 6 TDs

Rushing: Jones

107-719, 8 TDs

Receiving: Brooklyn Cannon*

14-243, 5 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Wayne Wade is 86-15 in eight seasons with four WPIAL titles. The 1990 Clairton graduate also quarterbacked his alma mater to a WPIAL title as a senior.

• Former Clairton quarterback Capri Thompson is the team’s offensive coordinator this season. He was a senior starter in 2011 when the Bears went 16-0, outscored opponents 705-78 and won the PIAA Class A title.

• Capone Jones earned second-team all-conference honors at quarterback and safety. Martin Lawrence (WR) and Tyrese Law (G/DT) were honorable mention.

Note: Due to a production scheduling conflict, the preview for Eastern Conference member Frazier will appear on Trib HSSN later this week.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.