Aug 29, 2008 8:36 pm US/Eastern
High School Football Stars Set To Shine
Reporting
Jory Rand
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
It's the first weekend of high school football in western Pennsylvania and there will be plenty of talent on the field this season.
Jordan Hall, who plays for Jeannette, is set to take over the Jayhawks. Hall, who has already committed to join his former teammate Terrelle Pryor in Columbus next season, scored 32 touchdowns last year everyway imaginable.
Also headed to Ohio State is a pair of Gateway stars – Dorian Bell and Corey Brown. Bell, listed by Scout.com as the top linebacker in the country, is 6'1", 225 pounds and can run the ball on offense. His teammate, Brown, is a 6'1" receiver and quarterback and together make up two of the four Gators who have committed to Division 1 A schools.
"I stay focused on the season. I'm still here, I'm still a Gateway student, I'm still an athlete for this team and just worry about the team and winning the championship," Bell said.
"It's not really that much pressure because we've had some great leaders in the past so we just learn from everybody so it came pretty easy and everybody listens here," Brown says, " … cause they all like knew we've been in the championship game last year so they all try to listen."
If Dorian Bell is No. 1 at linebacker, Dan Mason from Penn Hills is a close second. Mason picked up 17 tackles in a playoff game last season and led the team in tackles for the year. He will reportedly pick between Pitt and Penn State.
Elsewhere, Thomas Jefferson is looking to repeat as state champions and will look to Brock DeCicco to help. DeCicco plays tight end and safety and has reportedly narrowed his college search to Pitt or Wisconsin. He had six touchdowns last year, 13 sacks on defense and was second team all-state.
E.J. Banks rushed for almost 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns last year at Montour at quarterback. He also passed for 1,200 yards and six more scores and has committed to Notre Dame.
Tyrone Ezell, a defensive end at Steel Valley, will bring his 6'5", 260-pound frame to Pitt next year though he's one of only a handful of starters returning on the team.
Todd Thomas, a runningback who can play at wide receiver for Beaver Falls, may be headed for Pitt as well. Thomas rushed for more than 1,200 yards last season and is poised for another big output at either position in 2008.
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