Adeyanju not deterred by Illini's struggles
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James Adeyanju realizes the Illinois football team hasn't had much success in recent seasons. The 6-foot-2, 250-pound defensive end also understands the winning culture at places like Nebraska and Wisconsin. And yet that difference in wins and losses hasn't deterred him from the Orange and Blue - not yet at least.
Last week, Adeyanju listed Illinois among the leaders in the recruiting battle for his services. The other schools that the Chicago Curie standout mentioned, in no particular order: Northwestern, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Boston College, Arizona and Michigan State.
If anything, the struggles of the Illini might intrigue Adeyanju, who is the younger brother of Victor Adeyanju, a St. Louis Rams defensive end who attended Indiana.
"To me, (everybody's) even," Adeyanju said. "Teams have up and down years. Someone's got to win and someone's got to lose. I'm not holding that against anybody ... It'd be great to help turn around a team."
Far more important to Adeyanju is those who will surround him during his time on a college campus.
"I think the most important thing is the people," Adeyanju said. "Everyone wants to be in a place with genuine people who care about you. Then no matter what, whether it's football or anything else, you can succeed."
Adeyanju's recruitment likely won't come to an end any time soon, as he plans on taking five official visits this fall. He already is scheduled to visit Wisconsin on Sept. 17, Boston College on Oct. 1 and Nebraska on Oct. 15. He said he will also make trips to Illinois and Northwestern, but those haven't been scheduled yet. He tentatively guessed he would make a decision sometime in December.
There is at least one advantage Illinois has on the other schools.
"They were my first offer. I really do appreciate that coming from them, having faith in me," Adyanju said before continuing with what else attracts him. "I like the school. I like the players. I took an unofficial visit (in July). I liked hanging out with the players, they were real cool."
In the end, a simple concept will likely lead to what is often a complicated decision for many.
"I'm going to go where I can succeed as both a student and as an athlete with the right people," Adeyanju said.
Bob...share with the coaches:
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Baldwin blows out Fox Chapel
By Ray Judy, FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, September 4, 2010
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Fox Chapel needed a fast start to help forget a disappointing 2009 season.
But the injury-depleted Foxes quickly found themselves on the receiving end of an offensive onslaught, as they fell to visiting Baldwin, 30-7, on Friday.
Baldwin's Dorian Brown rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns, and receiver Demetrius Carrington had five catches for 192 yards.
The Fighting Highlanders soundly dominated both sides of the ball.
"The toughest thing is that we're so devastated with injuries," Fox Chapel coach Bryan Deal said. "Up front, we're OK, but we have no kids on the outside -- receivers and corners. We're playing freshman; we don't have any bodies."
Fox Chapel starting cornerback Tre' Bradley was injured on the first play of the game and didn't return, and starting quarterback Tony Pompeo filled in the rest of the game.
The majority of Fox Chapel's offense was generated by senior running back Montay Green. the 6-foot-2, 230-pounder rushed for 148 yards on 19 carries, including a 55-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Green has been hobbled by a tender hamstring throughout training camp.
"Montay played his heart out," Deal said. "We did everything we asked him to do. He's exhausted. he left it on the field, as did others. But we didn't have any bullets left."
Fox Chapel will travel to Seneca Valley next week before returning home to face Altoona on Sept. 17.
Knoch flattens Brashear
By Dave Mackall, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, September 4, 2010
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The new turf at Cupples Stadium on the South Side got a vigorous workout Friday night in its first high school football game. Most of the wear-and-tear came from visiting Knoch's offense, which ran at will during a 56-7 rout of Brashear in the opener for both schools.
"The kids are excited. It was a great way to open the season," Knoch coach Mike King said.
In a rare regular-season matchup of WPIAL and City League schools, Class AAA Knoch piled up 386 yards of total offense — all but 18 on the ground — and set a school record for points in a game in taking advantage of Class AAAA Brashear's inexperience and injuries.
Junior Andrew Rumburg-Goodlin rushed for 144 yards and scored four touchdowns, and Adam Tuzikow rushed for 127 yards and added one score, a 32-yard touchdown run on Knoch's first play, to power the Knights, who won for the fourth time in five games dating to last year.
Cupples Stadium renovated its playing surface during the offseason with a multi-million dollar project. The stadium regained the City league championship game last season after it had been held at Heinz Field.
Knoch scored on its first four possessions, including its first two plays — Tuzikow's run up the middle untouched on the first possession and Rumburg-Goodlin on a 39-yard run on the first play of the Knights' second possession.
Knoch led, 21-0, after the first quarter and 42-7 at halftime after Rumburg-Goodlin and Tuzikow did most of their damage. Quarterback Kyler Kenyon attempted just one pass before being replaced in the second half, completing an 18-yard scoring strike to Dan McCormick in the second quarter.
"Both of our guys can run with the football," King said. "Tuzikow (5-foot-11, 200 pounds) is just a moose, and Rumburg-Goodlin (5-8, 152) is so quick. It's the kind of backfield you dream about when you run the I formation."
The duo ran roughshod on Brashear's outmanned defense, following the lead of an offensive line that opened King's eyes.
"That offensive line was flawless tonight," he said.
Knoch limited Brashear to a net rushing total of 1 yard. The Bulls, who began the game without injured wide receiver Manny Reed (eye) and running back Joell Nesbit (ankle) and lost running back Dillon Semian and tight end Mike Barron (shoulders), scored their only touchdown in the second quarter on a 6-yard pass from Adam Lynch to Jawanza Bryant.
Lynch completed 14 of 25 passes for 127 yards, but Brashear lost four fumbles.
"We're banged up, but our guys will be OK," Brashear coach Rick Murphy said.
Rumburg-Goodlin also scored on runs of 1, 45 and 20 yards. Backup quarterback Dakota Bruggeman added a 13-yard scoring run, and reserve running back Jonathan Campbell scored on a 3-yard run in the third quarter for Knoch, which ran out the clock during the closing minutes by taking several delay-of-game penalties and taking a knee on a number of plays.
Notice below that Prudue U. is recruiting in the Western PA (Pittsburgh, PA). Why not us? Go Illini
North Allegheny trounces last year's PIAA runner-up
By Dan Stefano, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, September 4, 2010
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Dan Slivka
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
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North Allegheny served notice Friday night that it plans on being counted among the Class AAAA football elite this season.
Hosting District 6 power State College, last year's PIAA runner-up, the Tigers rode a 171-yard, four-touchdown rushing effort from senior Alex Papson and manhandled the Little Lions at the line of scrimmage in a 42-7 season-opening win.
It was as satisfying of an opener as coach Art Walker Jr. could have hoped for, but he never saw a win of this magnitude coming against a program like State College.
"I know about the tradition, the season they had last year, the quality coaches they have and the quality kids and program," Walker said. "It was one of those things all week when we were very serious, concerned."
The Tigers put Walker's mind at ease by halftime. North Allegheny scored all of its points and Papson had all 17 of his carries in the first half. The backups handled things in the mercy rule-shortened second half.
"We played like we practiced all week, and we played very well," said Papson, a three-year starter. "I'm proud of all my teammates. The offensive line did a great job, the defense did a great job and you can't ask for more."
The Tigers scored on each of their first-half possessions, though no drive was as impressive as their 98-yard march on their first possession of the game. First-year starting quarterback Mike Buchert had a 69-yard completion to Dan Slivka to put the Tigers in scoring position, and Papson scored on a 2-yard run two plays later for the game's first points.
On the next drive, North Allegheny senior Rob Kugler, a Purdue recruit,
made his first big play in a Tigers uniform, intercepting a Josh Weakland pass at the State College 42. He returned it 23 yards to set up Papson's second touchdown run on the next play.
"He came in and earned his stripes right away by being a worker," Walker said of Kugler, the son of Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler. "He didn't expect to be handed anything."
North Allegheny's defense created four turnovers, three in the first half. One of the turnovers led to a 12-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Matt Steinbeck.
Papson added touchdown runs of 14 and 17 yards in the half. Buchert wrapped up the scoring for North Allegheny with 15 seconds left in the half on a 24-yard pass to Slivka. Buchert finished 6 for 8 for 155 yards and no interceptions.
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