Jan 23, 2016 5 min read

Khalid Blount was one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the WPIAL last fall, leading a defense that allowed just two opponents to run for more than 100 yards and made quarterbacks uncomfortable.

Quick off the line of scrimmage with brute strength, Blount’s production reflected a player ready to play college football. Though his production was unquestioned, coaches from major college programs believed the Washington senior’s height – he’s 6-1 – was a problem.

Scholarship offers from schools such as Penn State and Pitt never came, but Blount found one enamored with his potential and he doesn’t have to travel far from Washington County to get there.

Blount, a four-year starter for the Prexies, decided to continue his athletic and academic career at Duquesne. He chose the Dukes over offers from Robert Morris, New Hampshire, North Carolina A&T and several Division II programs.

Playing for Duquesne defensive coordinator Dave Opfar, who was a starting defensive lineman for Penn State’s 1982 national championship team, and the interest the coaching staff showed was too much for Blount to pass up.

“I can’t even put it into words,” Blount said of proving other coaches’ doubts wrong. “People don’t think you can do things, but really, what’s the difference if I’m 6-4 or 6-1? If I can play, I can play. I have to prove that to those big schools over the next couple of years and show them how big of a mistake they made.”

Their loss is Duquesne’s gain. The Dukes, who are the defending Northeast Conference champions, lost every starter on their defensive line on a defense that was second in the conference against the run and third against the pass.

He’ll join fellow Wash High grad Zack Blystone, who was redshirted as a freshman last season, on the line. They spearheaded a defense that led the Prexies to the WPIAL semifinals in 2013 and both are expected to push for playing time at Duquesne in 2016. Blount had 43 total tackles with 21 for a loss and four sacks as a senior, helping Wash High repeat as conference champions and reach the quarterfinals.

After watching his oldest brother, Akil, go from The Linsly School in Wheeling to a standout linebacker at Florida A&M in Tallahassee, Blount thought he wanted to pick a school far from home.

Conversations with Akil and his father, Mel, a hall of fame cornerback who played 14 seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers, changed his mind.

“At the beginning of the recruiting process, I thought I wanted to get away from home, but the more I thought about it, I kind of realized I’m a big baby and I didn’t want to be too far from home,” Blount said with a laugh. “Playing in the same city my dad played in would be cool and he can come watch me play every week, so can my family and friends. It was too much to pass up.”

Hunter Hayes, the Observer-Reporter’s Football Player of the Year, will become the latest former South Fayette player to join the University of Pennsylvania’s football program.

Hayes, a senior running back, safety and linebacker for the Lions, chose Penn over offers from Columbia, Dartmouth, Air Force, Army, Bucknell, Cornell, Lafayette, Colgate, Robert Morris, Holy Cross, Saint Francis (Pa.), Harvard, Duquesne, New Hampshire, Albany and Yale.

A three-year starter, Hayes helped the Lions win back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA championships, and finish as runners-up to Aliquippa after another trip to Heinz Field this season. He ran for 1,381 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior, and finished his career with 3,954 rushing yards.

He’ll join two former Lions at the Philadelphia school. Wide receiver Justin Watson was a finalist for the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year this fall after leading the league in receptions (74), receiving yards (1,082) and receiving touchdowns (9) as a sophomore.

Logan Sharp, a former standout tight end at South Fayette, redshirted for the Quakers as a freshman.

Trinity offensive lineman Brandon Wolfe will continue his academic and athletic careers at Johns Hopkins University. Wolfe, a 6-4 right tackle, blocked for an offense that ran for 1,929 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Canon-McMillan tight end Jordan Smith, who started his career with the Big Macs as a quarterback, chose Gannon after a breakout season. He caught 40 passes for 636 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior.

The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League All-Star Games, scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 31 at Brady’s Run Ice Arena in Beaver, will include four players each from Peters Township and Canon-McMillan.

The first-place Indians will be represented in the Class AAA game by senior forwards Matt Amelio and Jake Shopes, as well as senior defenseman Zachery Gielarowski and senior goalie Caden Shell. Forwards Jake McClelland and Luc Lavella, goalie Conor Hartnett and defenseman Jay Oravetz were chosen for the Big Macs.

In Class A, junior defensemen Jake Stack and Jack Lipovich, as well as junior forward Jordan Timmons were selected from South Fayette. Ringgold juniors Dan Marek and Devin Brown will represent Ringgold in Division II, and Aaron Cowden, a Fort Cherry student, was picked from Trinity’s team.

The players selected within each classification will be divided into two teams and players from the same school will be mixed across both squads. The four games begin with the Division 2 game at 1 p.m., Class A at 3 p.m., Class AA at 5 p.m. and Class AAA at 7 p.m.

McGuffey senior Aaron Harris was one of four local soccer players chosen to the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association’s all-state teams for 2015.

Harris was joined by Canon-McMillan striker Nick Sodini, Big Macs goalkeeper Christian Snatchko and South Fayette defender Mitch Ford.