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Friday, October 25, 2024 | 12:19 AM
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Allderdice’s Lukas Stead catches a pass as Westinghouse’s Ayron Pride defends on Sept. 26 at Cupples Stadium.
There will be no surprises when Allderdice (5-4) and Westinghouse (7-1) meet in the City League championship game at 3 p.m. Saturday at Cupples Stadium.
The schools have faced each other a lot over the last few years. It will be the third time in four years they have met in the championship game.
Allderdice won the title in 2021 and Westinghouse has won the last two years.
“We know each other very well,” said Allderdice coach Mark Matson. “It’s been the same group of coaches on both sides for a number of years. The last seven years, whoever has won between us in the playoffs has gone on to be City League champions.”
Matson took over head coaching duties two weeks before the season after the death of longtime Allderdice coach Jerry Haslett, and on the field, the season has been a series of ups and downs for the Dragons.
They got off to a 4-1 start, then lost three in a row before they defeated University Prep, 14-6, in last week’s semifinal game.
“We’ve been on a roller-coaster ride all season,” said Matson. “Felt really good after our hot start, then we were looking for anything to go our way during the losing streak. But here we are in the championship game. It’s truly been a wild ride.”
Not that the Dragons players need any extra motivation, but the chance to win the championship in honor of Haslett is something Matson says the players will have in the back of their minds.
“It certainly helps to have that thought,” Matson said. “You’re not just playing for yourself. This game is so much bigger and is so much more important.”
The Allderdice offense is primarily run heavy, using a rotation of three backs to carry the load.
“Nasir Scott has been our feature back and has nearly 500 yards this season,” said Matson. “Demond Simms took the game over last week. He’s a bigger back but has got some speed and good vision. Darryl Strong is our third back but has also been a feature back at times during games. We try to keep them fresh with the rotation because they also play defense.”
To balance the three-headed running attack, Allderdice will look to both its quarterbacks, Mekhi Butler and Trey Ford, to make plays by connecting with their receivers to give the Dragons the best a shot at victory.
“If they can hit their targets in the intermediate and deep passing game at all, it will open up the run game more and if that happens, I really like our chances,” Matson said.
It will be tough sledding for the Allderdice offense no matter what. Westinghouse’s defense is the pet project of coach Donta Green and has allowed seven points per game.
“They’re super fast and always have been,” said Matson. “Coach Donta coaches them to perfection. Everyone on that defense knows what they need to be doing at any given moment, and they never have to think about what to do. They just fly around the field.”
“It’s almost like every year, the bar rises higher,” said Green. “I’m not looking for the fastest, biggest or strongest. I’m looking for those players who want to run into people play after play, week after week.”
The anchor of the defense is the line, highlighted by brothers Josiah and Jakai Collins on the ends and two-year starters Nasir Robinson and Byron Lewis in the middle.
“Josiah is playing at an extremely high level right now,” said Green. “They all do a very outstanding job of controlling the line of scrimmage.”
On offense, the Bulldogs have athletic standouts in quarterback Khalil Green and running back Khalil Mitchell.
Green leads the team with eight touchdowns and Mitchell is third with six.
“Those kids are ultimate competitors and football players,” coach Green said. “Not much ever shakes either one of them. They’re never too high and never too low. It’s a quality that’s unmatched. They take each play one at a time and they are constantly churning and moving.”
The key to the Bulldogs’ potent offense is a big, physical and young offensive line.
“All of them are violent football players, but they’re very coachable players and, in fact, they’re very young,” said Green. “We have a couple sophomores and a freshman start for us and they work very hard. They do their job and they love it.”
“Their O-line is formidable,” said Matson. “You watch their film and their running backs go untouched for three yards before they have to do anything.”
On the outside, Lloyd Penn, K-shawn Hawkins and Jalen Stanford will be major players in the receiving game.
Hawkins and Jordan Reid return kicks and punts and have taken several to the house this season.
“We make sure to stress the importance of all three phases to our players,” said Green. “We spent a good amount of time on special teams, and they’re both special kids with the ball in their hands.”
Westinghouse averages nearly 50 points a game while allowing only seven. That was essentially the margin of victory when Westinghouse won its only meeting with Allderdice this season, 50-6.
“Last time we played them, we allowed a punt return and let them return another punt and kick to our 20 and we threw a pick-six on a screen,” said Matson. “We gave them five gift-wrapped touchdowns. If we think we’re going to do that again and win, we’ve got to be crazy.”
Matson doesn’t believe his team needs to execute every play perfectly in order to defeat Westinghouse but says the effort needs to be perfect.
“There can’t be any time where we slack of for even half a second of a play if we think we’re going to beat these guys,” said Matson. “There will be some plays where they’ll get the better of you and some plays, you’re trying your best and you get called for a hold. Those are a part of the game and we accept that. Without the effort, we don’t stand a chance.”
As for Westinghouse, the Bulldogs have a full roster after all but 11 players were suspended for their semifinal game against Perry Traditional Academy after being involved in a bench-clearing altercation in their last regular season game.
“That win against Perry was a huge testament to everyone involved and how hard we work,” said Green. “It’s the reason why we have long practices so we’re ready for any curveball that’s thrown our way in the season. The kids responded extremely well.”
The Bulldogs are looking for their fifth City League championship in six years, a feat that, although he’s done it so many times, is still surreal to Green.
“I’m super grateful to have dedicated kids and coaches,” said Green. “It’s kind of a cool situation, because it was my class who started the decline of Westinghouse football when we played, and now, I’m a part of a swing towards being back on top and being competitive every year.”
Tags: Allderdice, Westinghouse
