There aren’t many guarantees in life, but if history is any indicator, there is one thing you can always be certain of when it comes to City League football — when the playoffs come around, University Prep is going to be right in the thick of the championship chase.
In their debut season in 2011, the Wildcats captured a City League title under coach Lou Berry, who is now going into his 14th year at the helm. University Prep went on to win three City League titles in its first six years of existence, but the Wildcats have now waited eight years to raise another championship banner. Still, the program remains as consistent as ever, returning to the City League championship game last year for the first time since 2019 and the sixth time overall. There, University Prep fell to eventual PIAA Class 2A runner-up Westinghouse, 42-14, while finishing with an overall record of 7-4.
On one hand, the Wildcats have had their fair share of success in recent years, but make no mistake about it — Berry and his players are tired of settling for second place.
“We feel good about things, but everyone looks good in shorts and T-shirts,” Berry said. “We’ll see what it looks like when we put the pads on.”
Having built University Prep’s program from the ground up, the third grade teacher at Liberty Elementary School is the only head coach the team has ever known. After steering the ship for more than a decade, Berry has a firm grasp on the ins and outs of navigating a season, and few coaches do a better job of connecting with their players. His son, Lou Berry IV, helps run practice as offensive coordinator, while the elder Berry oversees the defense. Several of his former players also occupy roles on his staff, including former Toledo linebacker Jaylen Coleman — hailed by Berry as the best player in program history.
This fall, the Wildcats must search for ways to replace another one of their most productive and impactful players in Daniel “Boy Boy” Cain, an electric wide receiver who caught 39 passes for 734 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior. Talented quarterback Max Qureshi is also gone after passing for 1,597 yards and 21 TDs in 2023.
“We’re definitely talented in some areas, but we also lost a great senior class,” Berry said. “Any time you’re starting with a new quarterback, you’ve got to take things slow.”
In Cain and Qureshi’s place, senior Xair Stevenson and freshman Dai’mere Adair will look to replicate their potent connection for University Prep this season. Stevenson is a Buffalo recruit who excels as a playmaking linebacker on defense, but he is also a tremendous athlete capable of emerging as a dangerous receiving threat.
“I’ve got a chip on my shoulder,” Stevenson said. “Last year it wasn’t really my game on offense. … This year, it’s my time.”
As for Adair, the skinny 5-10 quarterback might not have the size or appearance of a typical gunslinger, but he does boast a rocket of a right arm, and Berry said he has displayed impressive touch and accuracy on his throws during preseason camp. Adair and Stevenson showed flashes of what could be in store for defenses this season while connecting on several deep balls in practice during heat acclimatization week.
“We work all the time [together],” Stevenson said. “We’ve had a lot of chemistry since 7-on-7. … This year is a revenge tour.”
Senior left tackle Bryon Clark is an imposing presence who will take over for Trevor Waller as the leader of the Wildcats’ offensive line, a group that Berry pointed to as one of the team’s biggest strengths this season. Junior Zion Hauser is another talented offensive weapon who will start alongside Stevenson at wide receiver, and University Prep will likely rely on a stable of running backs to help balance out the offense and ease the pressure on Adair in his debut season.
Time will tell whether or not the Wildcats have enough firepower to go all the way and knock Westinghouse off its lofty perch atop the City League, but it sure will be fun to find out.
“We’ll do our best work every day to get better at practice,” Berry said. “We’ve got to take care of things in house, first and foremost. … I like where we’re at, though.”
Two-time defending City League champion Westinghouse came about as close as it gets to defeating mighty Southern Columbia in last year’s PIAA Class 2A title game, with a fourth-down defensive holding penalty negating a would-be game-winning sack-fumble by Josiah Collins in a soul-crushing 21-20 defeat. Now, the Bulldogs have dropped to the Class 1A bracket for the PIAA playoffs, and many expect them to make a third consecutive state championship appearance — but first, they must hold off the challengers to their City League throne. Senior quarterback Khalil Green showcased his elite dual-threat ability in his first year as a starter, and he will have plenty of weapons at his disposal, including senior receiver Lloyd Penn and speedy sophomore K-Shawn Hawkins. On the other side of the ball, Collins and junior defensive back Kyshawn Robinson are both Division-I prospects and three-year starters tasked with leading a dominant defensive unit.
There will be an unmistakable sense of sadness in the air when Allderdice takes the field for the first time without longtime coach Jerry Haslett, who died on July 24 at the age of 59, less than a month before the start of what would have been his 16th season. Under his watch, the Dragons went 47-31 in City League play while capturing three City League titles in nine championship appearances. In his place, Mark Matson will take over as head coach after spending the past nine seasons as an assistant. Junior tight end-linebacker Lukas Stead and senior defensive back Damian Scott are both returning all-city selections who will try to help Allderdice through an emotionally charged season dedicated to Haslett’s memory.
Expect junior Santonio Barnett to solidify his grasp on the starting quarterback position for Perry, which enters year three under coach Stephen Hale in its quest to return to its glory days of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. The Commodores finished in a three-way tie for third place in the City League last season, but they will have to replace most of their key contributors on both sides of the ball, including all-city lineman Alvin Perry.
Brashear tied Allderdice and Perry for third place in the City League in 2023, but the Bulls were the odd team out and missed out on the playoffs while finishing with an overall record of 2-7. Brashear had a trio of all-city performers last season, but all three have since graduated, leaving plenty of holes for coach Andrew Moore and his staff to fill.
In his second year as head coach at Carrick, Dennis “Shor D” Wolford will look to improve on last season’s 1-6 finish while navigating an independent schedule that includes a blend of formidable opponents from the City League, WPIAL and outside the state. Senior quarterback Zion Frye is a three-year starter who is looking to put a stamp on his career for the Raiders.
Players to watch
Josiah Collins, Westinghouse, 6-2, 226, DL, Jr. — Game-wrecker on the defensive line capable of lining up either inside or outside while excelling as both a pass rusher and run stopper.
Khalil Green, Westinghouse, 5-9, 160, QB, Sr. — Dual-threat quarterback throws a picturesque deep ball and has a knack for making big plays in big moments.
Kyshawn Robinson, Westinghouse, 5-10, 170, RB-DB, Jr. — Blue-chip recruit with offers from Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Ohio State, USC and Colorado, among others.
Lukas Stead, Allderdice, 6-3, 220, TE-LB, Jr. — Multi-sport athlete and all-conference performer capable of making an impact on both offense and defense.
Xair Stevenson, University Prep, 6-2, 187, WR-LB, Sr. — Fast, athletic linebacker and Buffalo recruit with the potential to break out for a big season on offense.
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
