Mt. Lebanon WR Cain adds Pitt to the mix
Tri-State Sports & News Service
No receiver in WPIAL history had a season like Mt. Lebanon’s Aidan Cain had this fall, and it was a comeback story like few others as he put up some uncanny numbers after missing his sophomore and junior seasons with knee injuries.
Cain has been talking to some Ivy League and other FCS schools for a few months and is not getting much FBS interest, but did a visit from a Pitt coach last week have Cain thinking differently?
Pitt assistant Charlie Partridge stopped by Mt. Lebanon High School and offered Cain an opportunity to be a preferred walk-on. Preferred walk-ons are guaranteed spots on the team, but not given scholarships. Pitt also offered one to Mt. Lebanon quarterback James Stocker on Monday.
“Yeah, I think it’s a possibility,” said Cain, who grew up a Pitt fan. “Missing your junior year, it really sets you back in the recruiting process. I’m kind of behind the ball. Having options is nice.”
Cain (6 feet, 170 pounds) set a WPIAL regular-season record with 93 catches and finished the season with 101 receptions for 1,749 yards and 14 touchdowns. Cain said he didn’t have much contact with Pitt coaches prior to Partridge’s visit. He attended Pitt’s game against Rice and said a few of the coaches follow him on Twitter.
While having an opportunity to play for a team in a major FBS conference is appealing, Cain said he wouldn’t pick one over an FCS offer just because it’s a bigger football school.
“I don’t look into size all that much. I think it comes down to basically academics is a big thing,” Cain said.
Cain visited Cornell earlier this month and is also considering Dartmouth, William & Mary, Georgetown and Dayton. He plans on visiting at least two of those schools next month and said he doesn’t plan on making his decision anytime soon.
“It feels like everything is being squished into two months,” he said.
Mars’ Johnson to Bucknell
It has been a tough start to the season for Mars point guard Tai Johnson, who missed her team’s first five games due to a shin injury.
But Johnson practiced over the weekend and was hopeful she would play her first game this week. When she does, it will give Mars a pair of Division I players in its lineup.
Johnson, a 5-7 junior, verbally committed to Bucknell last week. Johnson joins senior guard-forward Lauren Wasylson as Mars players with Division I futures. Wasylson signed with Xavier last month.
Johnson chose Bucknell over offers from Youngstown State, Niagara and IUP. Johnson attended Bucknell basketball camps the past three summers and visited the campus again in October.
“Bucknell has a really strong basketball program and is also a good academic school. I saw it as a good mix of athletics and academics,” Johnson said. “I also have a pretty strong relationship with their coaching staff.”
Commitments
• Central Catholic senior football player Josh Trautman to Dayton.
• University Prep senior football player Dorian Jackson to Saint Francis, Pa.
• Brentwood senior football player Tanner Wells to Edinboro.
• Mars senior soccer player Maggie Williams to Grove City.