For WPIAL, Vikings boast rare quartet
Class of 2024 features four with Power Five offers
It’s to the point where you need barely more than one hand to count the number of Power Five football recruits in the WPIAL every year. But you might need almost all of one hand to count the Power Five recruits at one WPIAL school next year.
Central Catholic has four players in the class of 2024 who now have scholarship offers from colleges in the Power Five conferences. They are linebackers Anthony Speca and Cole Sullivan, receiver Pete Gonzalez and defensive lineman Ty Yuhas. Speca, Sullivan and Gonzalez have held Power Five offers for a while. Yuhas received his first from Pitt this past Saturday.
It is now unusual for a WPIAL team to have four players from the same class go to Power Five schools. Since 2010, it has happened only twice. The most recent was 2011 when Woodland Hills had Lafayette Pitts and Jevonte Pitts sign with Pitt, Quinton Jefferson with Maryland and Ejuan Price with Ohio State.
Penn Hills had four Power Five conference recruits in the class of 2010. Aaron Donald and Brandon Ifill signed with Pitt, Cullen Christian with Michigan and Myles Davis with Syracuse.
The recruiting of Speca, Sullivan, Gonzalez and Yuhas shows new coach Ryan Lehmeier will have a team bursting with talent next season. Central Catholic also has a few non-seniors who will likely be FBS recruits and nine returning starters on both offense and defense. The Vikings undoubtedly will be the team to beat in Class 6A.
Of the four from the class of 2024 that have Power Five offers, Speca already has made his college decision, making a verbal commitment to Penn State a few weeks ago. Speca (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) has been a starter since his freshman season and was heavily recruited. Pitt, Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State and Florida State were among the other schools that offered scholarships.
Gonzalez (6-3, 200) has close to a dozen Power Five offers, including ones from Pitt, Penn State, Miami, Wisconsin and Virginia Tech.
Pitt is the only Power Five offer so far for Yuhas (6-4, 255).
But Sullivan is the Central Catholic player whose recruiting has taken off lately more than any other player in the WPIAL class of 2024. Sullivan ( 6- 3, 200) opened eyes with an excellent junior season and made the Post-Gazette Fabulous 22, as well as Class 6A allstate.
“It’s been crazy,” Sullivan said. “It can be a little overwhelming at times. But it’s also the best thing possible.”
Sullivan made an unofficial visit to Notre Dame two weekends ago and got a scholarship offer. After that, Virginia Tech, Penn State and Duke offered. This past Saturday, Pitt, Oklahoma and Indiana offered. He also has offers from West Virginia, Cincinnati, Boston College, Syracuse and Iowa State.
“I wouldn’t say I’m surprised,” Sullivan said. “I would say that — how should I put it — it’s like a dream come true. I’m so happy and thankful. I’m just humbled.”
Sullivan will play near Speca at linebacker next season, and there is a chance now that the two could end up together at Penn State. But Sullivan said Speca’s college choice will have no bearing on his.
“I’m going to make a decision for what’s best for me,” Sullivan said. “It might be Penn State, but it might not. His decision is not going to have any effect on my decision, in a positive or negative way.”
Tops in 2024
Looking ahead to the class of 2024 in the WPIAL-City League, the top prospects — recruiting-wise — would be: 1. Belle Vernon RB-DB Quinton Martin; 2. Central Catholic’s Speca; 3. Central Catholic’s Sullivan; 4. Pine-Richland offensive lineman Ryan Cory; 5. Aliquippa LB Cameron Lindsey; 6. Central Catholic’s Gonzalez.
All have offers from Power Five colleges.
Top classes
Feb. 1 was the second signing day for high school players in the class of 2023, so recruiting classes for colleges are complete. As for which colleges had the best classes, it’s a case of the rich getting richer. Both Rivals.com and 247sports.com had Alabama, Georgia and Texas with the top three classes.
Rivals had Penn State 15th and Pitt 54th, while 247 had Penn State 13th and Pitt 51st.
Valentine interest
Steel Valley senior basketball player Makhai Valentine has had a terrific season, averaging 36.8 points a game and scoring 63 in one game. His play has attracted some Division I colleges.
Before the season, Valentine, a 6-2 guard, had offers from only South Alabama and Sam Houston State. But over the past two weeks, Robert Morris, Kent State, Boise State and North Carolina Asheville have shown interest. If Valentine does well in the playoffs, more colleges might become interested.
La Roche gets Epps
La Roche men’s basketball coach Hermie Carmichael had a nice “get” recently when South Allegheny guard Bryce Epps committed to the Red Hawks. Epps is one of the better guards in the WPIAL, averaging 23.2 points a game. Entering Tuesday’s game, he had scored 1,796 career points. If South Allegheny makes a long run in the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs, Epps might have a chance at 2,000 career points.
He will join a La Roche team that was 14-7 overall this season and tied for first in the NCAA Division III Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference with a 9-1 record heading into Wednesday’s game against Mt. Aloysius.