Washington living up to standards
Every high school football program has its own set of standards to live up to, but the reality is, the bar is set higher at some schools than others.
As longtime coach Mike Bosnic can attest, what some schools would consider a historic season sometimes qualifies as a down year at Wash High. Take last year as a perfect example.
After a rare first-round playoff exit and 5-3 overall record during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Washington breezed through the 2021 regular season with a 9-0 record with dreams of a WPIAL championship. Instead, the Little Prexies again exited the playoffs in the first round, this time courtesy of a stunning 21-20 upset vs. No. 13 seed New Brighton.
With Rutgers recruit Davoun Fuse lighting up scoreboards and a bevy of playmakers for him to spread the ball around to, this Class 2A No. 5 Washington team is laser-focused on living up to the lofty expectations set before them.
“We went through a run there where we just reloaded year after year,” Bosnic said. “So for our standards, we’ve kind of struggled the last couple years, but I’m really optimistic that this could be the group to do something special.”
Few players in the area have been as dynamic and versatile as Fuse this year. The 6-4 senior spends most of his time at quarterback on offense, but he also occasionally lines up at wide receiver, where he is a matchup nightmare for defenses. Fuse was a silver medalist in both the long jump and triple jump at last year’s WPIAL track and field championships.
Through four games in 2022, the multi- talented Fuse has completed 15 of 20 passes for 316 yards with six touchdowns and one interception. On the ground, he has 17 carries for 215 yards and a pair of TDs, and he also has five receptions for 138 yards and a score. But that’s not all — on defense, Fuse has 12 tackles, 1 sack and 1 interception, and he also has a punt return touchdown.
“I don’t think there’s been anyone [I’ve coached] that’s had more potential,” said Bosnic, now in his 14th year at Washington. “He’s 64, over 200 pounds. Speed, athleticism. He has a chance to really be something special at the next level.”
Fuse’s younger brother, Semaj, is a 6-2, 245-pound sophomore lineman who has three sacks on the season and already holds his own scholarship offer from Rutgers. On defense, the Fuse brothers make for a dynamite duo when it comes to rushing the passer. With Davoun rushing off the edge and Semaj bursting through the middle, the Little Prexies are fortunate to have two of the most talented brothers in the WPIAL.
“Semaj does a great job there. He’s explosive and strong,” Bosnic said. “We’ve even moved him around to different positions. He’s played fullback and tight end for us as well. He plays defensive tackle, but we also can use him on the edge at defensive end because of his athleticism and speed.”
Washington sure could have used the Fuse brothers on Sept. 9, when the Little Prexies took their only loss of the season in a 35-34 thriller vs. Class 2A No. 3 Serra Catholic, the defending WPIAL champion. Both brothers missed the game with minor injuries, and although the rest of Washington’s players gained valuable experience, it was almost like torture for them having to watch from the sidelines without being able to help.
“I was honestly surprised,” Davoun Fuse said. “I thought they were going to fall down and not play as hard, but they were playing hard the whole game.”
Luckily for the Little Prexies, they have plenty of talent across the board aside from just the Fuse brothers. Sophomore Logan Carlisle looks like a star in the making at quarterback, completing 23 of 38 passes for 337 yards and six TDs with no interceptions in limited action this year. Running backs Eddie Lewis and Zach Welsh are both off to strong starts while splitting most of the carries in the backfield, with Lewis already up to eight touchdowns on the year.
“I think there are going to be times during the season where we’re going to be able to use both guys,” Bosnic said about his quarterback situation. “I don’t know if I’d call it two-QB or what, but they’re both great players and we can use them both in different ways.”
At receiver, 6-2 junior Ruben Gordon is up to 13 catches for 226 yards with nine touchdowns already this season. The high-flying Gordon is actually the one who edged out his quarterback for the gold medal in the long jump at the WPIAL championships last spring.
“We have so many athletes and so many weapons,” Bosnic said. “Ruben is another tremendous athlete. We get the ball to him and he can make things happen.”
Clearly, this is one of Washington’s most talented teams in years, with all the potential to make a deep run in the playoffs after the disappointments of the past two years. But all their success won’t mean much for the Little Prexies without a WPIAL championship to show for it at the end of the season.
“We’ve had a lot of success in the playoffs, and that’s something we’re anxious to get back to — winning playoff games,” Bosnic said. “When we talk to the kids about it, to be able to continue playing when other people are done and play until — we’ve been fortunate enough to practice on Thanksgiving. There’s nothing else like it.
“I’d love to see these kids have that opportunity, and I think they could. It’s just a matter of us being able to keep getting better and stay focused.”