From: Jonathan Bombulie

Sunday, August 18, 2024 | 6:01 a.m.

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

But if you tell him the Ironmen look like the favorites in WPIAL Class 2A football this season, he will reluctantly 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 definitely a playoff team,” Braszo said. “There are some question marks with our O-line, some of our guys that just have to keep working, but if we keep Donald (Barksdale) healthy and our quarterback plays good football this year, I think we’ll have a pretty good defense. I think we’ll be tough to beat.”

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

RaSaun Hough, who returned a 77-yard fumble for a touchdown in last year’s WPIAL final, is a key player in the trenches. Jaden Cabbagestalk has experience at quarterback. Del Shields was the team’s best receiver last year and was an all-conference selection as a defensive back. Cay’son Simpkins is a below-average sized linebacker who does nothing but make plays.

There is certainly plenty of talent out there, but no one should start planning a parade through the streets of Munhall just yet.

There are numerous contenders for whom a celebration at Acrisure Stadium in November is a realistic goal.

Steel Valley’s top challengers in the Allegheny Conference have changed, with Imani Christian moving up to Class 3A and Serra Catholic dropping to Class A.

They were replaced by South Park and Shady Side Academy, who played in the playoff league last season in Class 3A, and a dangerous Our Lady of the Sacred Heart team from Class A.

South Park looks particularly impressive with its ground attack led by running back Eric Doerue and linemen Parker and Troy Cunningham.

There could be a changing of the guard in the Midwestern Athletic Conference. Beaver Falls lost a lot of talent from its WPIAL championship team last year, including coach Nick Nardone, who resigned in January. New coach Jim Mooney will have to make a quick adjustment.

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

Western Beaver is a contender with sophomore Jaivin Peel at the helm. Peel, who set a WPIAL record for freshmen last year with 2,898 yards, announced in July that he would transfer to Central Catholic, but changed his plan and was declared fully eligible to play for the Golden Beavers at a WPIAL hearing on Aug. 12. Western Beaver has won seven games in each of the last three seasons.

Led by star receiver Bobby Fadden, Mohawk will also have something to say about the outcome of the MAC before all is said and done.

There was also an important change in the conference: last year’s winner Neshannock was relegated to Class A and Union, the perennial Class A contender, moved up and took its place.

Washington’s bid to defend its Century Conference title is aided by an offensive line that has four of its five starting players back in the game.

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

Waynesburg is also a team to keep an eye on with the return of its top quarterback Jake Stephenson.

THE FAVORITES

1. Steel Valley (10-2)

The Ironmen could easily make it three straight WPIAL wins this season. After rolling over Beaver Falls 34-14 in the 2022 championship game, they lost the rematch to the Tigers 14-12 last fall. It was the kind of game decided by a handful of crucial plays, including two fourth-down conversions by Beaver Falls on a crucial fourth-quarter scoring drive. If the Ironmen are looking for revenge for that heartbreaking loss, they’ll certainly have the talent to pull it off.

2. Washington (11-2)

3.South Park (7-5)

4. Elmhurst 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 4.5x speed, Barksdale ran for 2,061 yards last season. He’s also a threat when he’s on defense intercepting a pass or running back a punt for a score. Division I schools like Duquesne and Robert Morris have taken notice.

Parker and Troy Cunningham

South Park, Sr., OL/DL

With the Cunningham twins blocking for star running back Erie Doerue, South Park’s running game will be the envy of Class 2A. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound Parker, who is headed to James Madison, enjoys driving potential tacklers miles away from the ball carrier. The 6-foot-3, 275-pound Troy, who has multiple Division I offers, is disruptive on defense as a pass rusher.

Khalil Taylor

Seton LaSalle, So., WR/DB

Taylor is a 6’1″, 180lb speedster with a 4.43 40m dash speed. He performed incredibly well as a freshman last season. Whether returning kicks or turning a short pass into a long gain, he often left opponents gasping in mid-air. Taylor already has scholarship offers from numerous major programs, including Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia.

Vann Kavals

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

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Kavals has been limited by injuries the past two seasons, but when healthy, he’s a big quarterback who can fire long balls or pass under the ball with great feel. Perhaps he’s best as a defensive end, though, and that’s likely his position in Akron. He can outrun blockers and cause havoc in the backfield.

Camden Lewis

South Allegheny, Sr., TE/RB/LB

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Lewis looks good as a hard-hitting fullback alongside the speedy Cameron Epps in South Allegheny’s backfield, and he can trouble opposing pass defenses when lined up as a tight end, but don’t be fooled, he’s a linebacker at heart. He has the instincts of a linebacker to blow up plays and the speed to make tackles from sideline to sideline. MAC schools are interested.

DON’T MISS

8.30 a.m.: Washington in Steel Valley

It won’t be long before a Class 2A favorite emerges after these powerhouses meet in a non-conference showdown in Week 1. As the season begins, Steel Valley will be looking to get its offensive line together. Washington will be on the lookout for new talent.

9.13: Mohawk in Ellwood City

The up-and-coming Wolverines have some of the best offensive weapons in Class 2A, and they’ll find out how far they’ve come with their rebuild in the 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 chance of beating Steel Valley in the Allegheny Conference. South Park is moving up from Class 3A, has a senior-heavy roster and a strong running game. OLSH has some dynamic playmakers of its own.

Jonathan Bombulie is TribLive’s deputy sports editor. The Greensburg native 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 the 2016-17 Stanley Cup championships. Reach him at [email protected].

Keywords: 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