Few programs in the WPIAL, if any, can match the batch of elite quarterbacks that have suited up for Pine-Richland over the past dozen years.
Ben DiNucci. Phil Jurkovec. Cole Spencer. Ryan Palmieri. The list goes on and on. But when his high school career comes to a close three years from now, there’s a very good chance one singular name will soon be added to the list:
Oobi.
After breaking onto the scene as a run-first freshman and taking over as the Rams’ starting quarterback during the postseason stretch, Aaron “Oobi” Strader dazzled with his scrambling ability and poise under pressure, leading Pine-Richland all the way to the WPIAL Class 5A championship game. Strader then got hurt at halftime of a blowout loss to Peters Township, but he has come back with a vengeance while emerging as a true dual-threat quarterback and a star in the making through the first two games in 2024.
“I know he feels that had he been healthy and been able to play in the second half [against Peters Township], that he would have put the team on his shoulders like he did the week before. But he got injured and had to go out,” said Rams coach Jon LeDonne. “We’re looking for an opportunity to get him back there and see what he can do in the championship game.”
In a season-opening 35-24 win at Hilliard Davidson, Ohio, Strader took a backseat to junior tailback Maclane Miller, who rushed for 234 yards and three scores to power Pine-Richland to victory. Still, Strader was in complete control of the offense from the opening whistle, leading his team into enemy territory in a pressure-packed environment and helping the Rams build a 25-point lead before coasting to victory in the second half.
“It was a really good experience, finally being the true quarterback for the team and helping us win the game against a really good team from Ohio,” Strader said. “We worked a lot in the offseason, so everything just felt natural to us. It was all easy.”
Then, before Pine-Richland’s televised home opener against rival Central Catholic on Aug. 30, one of the Rams’ senior captains reached out to LeDonne and suggested Strader be named a captain as well, despite being only a sophomore. LeDonne obliged, and Strader rewarded his coach’s and teammates’ confidence in him with a scintillating second-half performance, rallying Pine-Richland from an 11-point halftime deficit for a memorable 22-17 win against the No. 2 team in Class 6A.
In the victory, Strader went 11-of-21 passing for 202 yards and a touchdown with one interception, also rushing for 68 yards and another score on the ground against the Vikings’ imposing defense.
“I used to play a lot of the kids from Central when I was younger growing up in little league,” said Strader, who is now 2-0 against the Vikings. “Most of them used to beat me, but the roles are reversed now.”
Strader showcased his stellar playmaking ability in the open field every time he escaped the pocket, including his third-quarter touchdown run to get the Rams on the board. He left defenders grasping for air as he sidestepped would-be tacklers on several highlight-reel runs, but of course, everybody already knew Oobi could do that.
What Strader proved once and for all in that come-from-behind win is that he is capable of beating top-notch opponents with his arm, not just his legs.
“I think he’s more of a balanced guy now,” LeDonne said. “He’s a little more comfortable sitting in the pocket, going through his progressions and making his reads. Last year, as soon as he saw a different colored jersey, he was pulling it down and ready to go. I think he’s more dual-faceted now, and he’s able to read the defense and make the plays that he needs to.”
Athleticism has always come naturally to Strader, whose father, Aaron Sr., played his high school ball at Westinghouse before going on to play cornerback at Duquesne. His older brother, Raion, starred at Penn Hills from 2019-23 and is now a freshman All-American cornerback at Miami (Ohio).
As for Oobi, he’s the only quarterback in the family — but it’s easy to see where he gets his shifty moves and lightning-quick agility from, too.
“It was definitely competitive [growing up] and it helped me a lot,” Strader said. “Going up against [Raion] and people that were around us who were always older than me, it made it easier for me when I was going against people my age and my size.”
At 5 feet 11, 160 pounds, Strader doesn’t have the prototypical frame of a future major-college quarterback — but then again, neither did Spencer or Palmieri. Still, each of them left their own indelible mark on Pine-Richland’s program while raising WPIAL and PIAA championship banners during their time with the Rams, and Strader is determined to follow in their footsteps and add a few more pieces of hardware to the school’s well-stocked trophy case.
“It’s state champs or bust,” Strader said. “Coming from a school like this, we’ve got a lot of history of winning state championships. I feel like we’re one of the teams that can be up there with them.”
As a freshman, Strader went 25-of-58 passing for 321 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions while rushing for 579 yards and five TDs. And if Pine-Richland’s scheduled Week 2 contest at Seneca Valley last Friday hadn’t been canceled at the last minute due to inclement weather, he likely would have already blown past his passing yardage total from last season.
Through two games in 2024, Strader is 22-of-35 passing for 276 yards with one TD and one interception, and his level of competition couldn’t have been much tougher. Now, with the Class 5A No. 2 Rams set to welcome North Hills into town on Friday night for a pivotal matchup to open up Northeast Conference play, it’s safe to say he’s ready to step into the spotlight.
“He has grown tremendously in the last year, and we have confidence in him going out there and executing what we need him to do now,” LeDonne said. “It’s going to show with his play and how the guys rally around him. The offensive linemen are there to pick him up any time he gets knocked to the ground. They respect what he’s doing for our program.
“He’s still a young kid as far as varsity football goes, but the way he handles himself and the expectations he has for himself, the sky’s the limit.”
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
