Player profile, Brandon Robertson

Name: Brandon Robertson
School: Trinity
Class: Senior
Sport: Football
Measurables: Robertson is 6-2, 220 and runs a 4.43 40-yard dash, which is the fastest time for an Ed Dalton-coached player at Trinity.
Offense: Fullback
Defense: Linebacker
Special teams: Long snapper
What coach is saying: "He's an unbelievable natural talent. He just has ti show it on the field," Dalton said. "He reminds me a lot of Brandon Weaver. He has that kind of talent. He's fast and strong, kind of a genetic freak."
What teammates are saying: "From my perspective, he could be ready but he has to slow down what he's doing," classmate John Laschinsky said. "He's trying to do too many things. Once he's thinking everything through, he's going to be awesome."
The skinny: Robertson primarily serves a Kyle McWreath's backup on offense and defense last year, so he saw most of his on-field time on special teams.
Extremely athletic, Robertso won the Nike Combine held in March at the Steelers' training facilities on Pittsburgh's South Side. Following that performance, Robertson's profile with college coaches skyrocketed.
"I've talked to Pitt, WVU and a couple other ones," Robertson said. "I'm having to train hard so I can get bigger and quicker because I hope to play at that level."
Robertson must show he can on the field, and he'll get a chance this year. Dalton has pegged Robertson at fullback in Trinity's new offense and will give him an opportunity at linebacker.
"These first few games are absolutely big for me," Robertson said. "I have to step my game up; take all the hits and do all the running."
Speed and strength are two of Robertson's obvious gifts.
"We had to try to put together something for our talent level on offense. Hopefully, Brandon will do what we think he can." Dalton said. "If he gets in space, he's going to score. I know that much."

Four Jersey players killed in crash

Sad news from the Garden State, where a SUV carrying football players to a team meal crashed.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/highschool/news/story?id=6881681

Camp Kovak takes the fast route to visit Ringgold at Cal U

Quad Law, Ringgold's senior quarterback, waddled away from a tent set up just off the Rams' practice field at California University's Roadman Park with several teammates to speak with a reporter (who could that be?) at the conclusion of the final practice during the first week of camp.

Law sported a bag of ice on each knee, and a grimace on his face. When asked about the knees, Law said, "It's nothing bad. Just been a real tough week."

A move to the Class AAA Keystone Conference coupled with the emergence of talent like Law bolstered Ringgold to a historic regular season. The Rams went 9-0 for the first time before running into eventual WPIAL champion Central Valley in the first round of the playoffs.

Ringgold went hunting last year. These days, the Rams are the hunted. Thanks to a group of returning players like Law, Ringgold just might be the fastest team in the WPIAL. All reasons to make the opening week of camp rugged for the players.

There were sprints, lots of them, and, even as many players were packing up at the practice field, coaches were running special teams players through some drills.

"I feel these guys learned from that (Central Valley) game but, at the same time, that's in the past and that's where we want to keep it," Humbert said. "They know what's expected of them, and they're looking forward to the challenge."

Tough guys: Michael Beveridge, Dom Affinito, Lance Tritschler
Humbert believes Beveridge, thanks to his offseason work in the weight room, could project as a lower-level Division I tight end prospect. A member of the 2010 Elite 11, Beveridge is athletic with quick feet, and, at times, he's a dominating defensive lineman.
Affinito played along the offensive line last year but will move to fullback, where he'll be blocking for the Rams' stable of speedsters. Affinito excels at linebacker. Tritschler will be vital to Ringgold's success as he's the lone returning starter on the offensive line with Affinito moving to fullback.

Speedsters: Law, Demetrius Louis, Alfon Cook
When Pitt introduced Todd Graham as its football coach and Graham talked about speed, he might as well have been referring to Ringgold. Not the all the Rams' skill players stack up to Division I level speed, but they do believe they're the fastest group in the WPIAL. There's a good chance they're correct.

Fast facts: Senior Fred Johnson, a transfer from Uniontown, suffered a knee injury Wednesday during Oklahoma Drills. Humbert said Friday morning that a MRI was forthcoming and they would know the extent of the injury soon. Johnson was an all-conference player with the Red Raiders, and Humbert said he would be a two-way starter. ... Louis, Law, Joey Wall and Ringgold graduate Derrick Fiore won the WPIAL Class AAA 400 relay. Louis also qualified for the PIAA championships in the 100 dash. ... Counting two games Humbert served as head coach in 2009 when then-head coach Lloyd Price was suspended, his career coaching record is 11-1.

A long, winding road carries Camp Kovak to Beth-Center

Inside the music room at Beth-Center Elementary, where the Bulldogs coaching staff have used as living quarters since training camp began, is a dry-erase board with the last names of several key players.

Beside each name is a number - a recent 40-yard dash time.

Some of those numbers may not stack up with the likes of Ringgold or Washington, but, for Beth-Center, they represent a faster, hard-working group. Senior Deshan Brown, a multi-purpose threat on offense and an all-state defensive back according to Pennsylvania Football News, was clocked at 4.47 - the top time on the team. Senior quarterback/linebacker Sal Faieta, who is drawing some Division I attention, came in at 4.5. Junior running back Cody Durant (4.6) is not far behind.

For Beth-Center, those times might prove significant. The Bulldogs have been a steady Class A program for years. The past two seasons, however, they lost to Monessen during the regular season and did not advance past the WPIAL quarterfinals.

Team speed and undersized offensive lines have hurt the Bulldogs against strong competition both seasons.

"I'd say both things are what's kept us from taking the next step," Beth-Center coach Ed Woods said Thursday afternoon. "We had to get faster, and we had to get stronger. To be honest, we have to work harder, though I'm not sure that the kids can work harder than they are."

Top players: Sal Faieta, Jake Sofran

Faieta has heard from Pitt, West Virginia and is a top target for Youngstown State. He was team MVP as a sophomore and might be the strongest quarterback in the WPIAL. Sofran was the Bulldogs' MVP last season, and he's led the team in tackles and rushing yards in each of the past two seasons.

Watch out for: Cody Durant

Durant made the most of his touches last year as he averaged 8.8 yards per carry and 13.7 per reception. With the loss of Kyle Colborn, who moved to North Carolina, Durant along with Brown figure to be more prominent in the passing game.

Key position(s): Offensive line

The front five has been a concern for the Bulldogs in recent years, mainly due to a lack of size in comparison with opponents. Led by Zach Miller, the line is bigger and stronger, and they'll be counted upon to do more as Beth-Center adds more to its offense.

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Twitter Thursday

It's time to recap some of the best tweets from the past week...

Jaylin Kelly, Wash High football
@j_kelly21
"triples tomorrow lets gett it.. bros i feel a good year coming our way."

David Kuhn, Peters Township boys golf coach
@CoachDavidKuhn
"The 1st tee shot is in the air at 6:30 am! The championship journey for 2011 begins."

Maceo Saunders, Trinity basketball and an interesting follow on Twitter
@Maceo22
"im better than your ex and ill be better than your next"

Jenna Ezarik, former Bentworth volleyball player who has 35,707 tweeples (possibly because her sister is model iJustine)
@jennaezarik
"Getting some cavities drilled. Or whatever they do to cavities. Show me yourrrrr teethhhhhh."


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Saturday's scrimmages

Ringgold at Baldwin, 10 a.m.
Montour at Peters Township, 10 a.m.
Brooke (W.Va.) at Canon-McMillan, 10 a.m.
Chartiers Valley at South Fayette, 10 a.m.
Trinity at Keystone Oaks, 10 a.m.
Albert Gallatin at Waynesburg, 10 a.m.
Central Valley at Washington, 10 a.m.
McGuffey at Monessen, 10 a.m.
Burgettstown at North Catholic, 10 a.m.
Brownsville at Carmichaels, 10 a.m.
Beth-Center at Charleroi, 10 a.m.
Westinghouse at California, 10 a.m.
Northgate at Fort Cherry, 10 a.m.
Chartiers-Houston at Springdale, 10 a.m.
Bentworth at Jefferson-Morgan, 10 a.m.
Clay-Battelle (W.Va.) at Mapletown, 10 a.m.
West Greene, Hundred (W.Va.) at Avella, 10 a.m.

Camp Kovak soaks in the scene at historic Wash High Stadium

The Wash High Prexies football team huddled just outside their locker room on the practice field at Wash High Stadium. As the players talked and chanted, coaches scurried about with a large, white water cooler.

About five minutes prior, Prexies head coach Mike Bosnic informed me that the coaching staff was planning to pelt players with water balloons before the start of Wednesday's third practice session.

That's where the water cooler came into play.

Displaying the stealth that they no doubt once showed during their playing days, coaches carried the cooler past unsuspecting players, opened it and unleashed an assault. At first, the Prexies scattered before a few players realized, "Hey, let's throw balloons back at them."

That's exactly the type of thing that can break up the monotony and exhaustion of training camp, not that the youthful Prexies seem to mind the hard work. Actually, that's been the catch phrase around Wash High Stadium.

"These guys have really taken to everything we've asked them to do," Washington head coach Mike Bosnic said. "We've structured this a lot like a college camp. Practice sessions, weight lifting, a lot of film study. They've responded well."

Top players: Joe Phillips, Jaylin Kelly
Phillips is wearing a walking boot on his right foot, the result of a stress fracture, but Bosnic expects the senior to be healthy for the regular season. Phillips is moving to fullback on offense, where he'll be a lead blocker for what could be a loaded Washington backfield. Phillips will be counted upon along the defensive line.
Kelly, a junior, is already considered one of the more promising prospects in the WPIAL Class of 2013. He's a punishing runner with a nose for the end zone, and one of the better linebackers around.

Watch out for: Josh Wise, Shai McKenzie
Wise enters his second year as starting quarterback, and he's emerging as Wash High's on-field leader. McKenzie, in limited opportunities as a freshman running back, averaged a first down on every touch.

Key position(s): Offensive line
The front five were exposed a year ago when Wash High played top-flight teams like South Fayette and Clairton. That unit must improve in order for the Prexies to contend for a home playoff game or a conference title.


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Camp Kovak takes the back roads to Fort Cherry

With players like Tanner Garry, Corey Garry, Ryan Babirad, Tyreke Brown, Zack Dysert and Jeff Whalen, Fort Cherry fields one of the better sets of skill position players among Class A teams in the WPIAL.

That set is one player larger this football season.

Koltan Kobrys, a sophomore, has transferred from Avella and is quickly integrating himself into the Rangers' diverse offense.

"He's naturally athletic. He can carry, the ball, and he's really quick," Tanner Garry said Monday following the first day of training camp. "He's a Wes Welker-type player. … He's a very, very well-rounded player and we already have him in on defense to, trying to mix him in."

Kobrys led all local receivers with 55 receptions during the regular season in 2010, and his play drew extensive praise from then-Avella head coach Frank Gray, who lobbied to get Kobrys nominated for All-State consideration.

The addition of Kobrys should help Fort Cherry, which finished 5-5 last season but in second place in the Black Hills Conference, but so showed an additional year of maturity and work for many of their returning players.

Top players: Tanner Garry, Corey Garry
The cousins and grandsons of long-time Fort Cherry head coach Jim Garry enter their senior seasons as key components of the Rangers' offense and defense.
At quarterback, Tanner Garry can make throws a lot of high school quarterbacks can't, which is one reason why he's received college interest from team in the Mid-American Conference and Division I-AA programs like Youngstown State. On defense, Garry will move from safety to linebacker.
Corey Garry is the Rangers' tough guy. At fullback, he'll be the lead blocker for Whalen. As a middle linebacker, he'll be the quarterback of the defense.

Watch out for: Ryan Babirad
Babirad has the size and the speed to get behind defensive backs, and the hands to haul in passes. He's a big-play receiver.

Key positions: Defensive back/safety
In losses, the Fort Cherry defense struggled against the pass. Granted, the Rangers played a schedule that included both WPIAL Class A finalists in Clairton and Rochester, but, for the Rangers to advance in the postseason, players like Brown, Babirad and Kobrys must avoid breakdowns that struck Fort Cherry at inopportune times a year ago.

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Camp Kovak pulls into Hiller Field

During the early years of Ed Dalton's head coaching tenure at Trinity, the Hillers ran the football. They ran the football a lot. Then, they ran the football some more.

Once quarterbacks like Cody Endres and Brad Martin entered the program, Trinity went to a more pro-style offense. Sometimes, the Hillers actually passed - on first down.

In an era of spread offenses and prolific statistics, Trinity decided to tinker its offensive approach for the 2011 season. Rather than study offenses being implemented at Pitt and West Virginia, Dalton and staff studied the ways of Georgia Tech, Army, Navy, McKeesport and Serra Catholic.

The Hillers are working on the triple option.

"With our depth at running back, we thought it gave us the best chance," Dalton said.

It's not a complicated offense, but it is one of precision. For the Hillers, it's been a work in progress but they believe it's their best chance to improve as a program.

Trinity is an annual playoff team, and figures to contend again in the Class AAA Big Seven Conference. Yet, the Hillers haven't advanced past the first round since 2007 - the senior seasons of Andrew Sweat and Michael Yancich.

"This offense is a separator," Dalton said. "It's turned programs that just hung around into ones that played state championships, and it's made the Georgia Techs and Navys competitive against better talent."

Top players: Patrick Frey (Soph., RB), Xavier Severns (Jr., OL/DL)

Frey put together a strong freshman season and will be relied upon heavily in Trinity's new triple-option offense.

At 6-2, 275, Severns is Trinity's next blue-chip prospect. The Hillers coaching staff became believers in Severns' work habits during the offseason and plan on using the powerful lineman on both sides of the football full-time. Severns may also be the Hillers' kicker.

Watch out for: Brandon Robertson (Sr., FB/LB)

Robertson served as Trinity's long snapper last year - a job he'll continue to hold - and a back-up defensive player. With the gradation of Kyle McWreath, Robertson's role will increase. There's no doubt he has the athleticism as Robertson was the top performer among 800-plus players at a Nike Combine in Pittsburgh in March.

Key position: Quarterback

John Laschinsky and Jason Vankirk are competing for the starter's role. Laschinsky is the more mobile of the two; Vankirk the more accurate passer.

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