With the new school year underway, students are growing accustomed to the early mornings and long days of academics. However, by the end of a long week, the North Allegheny community looks forward to the big game.
Last Friday night, under the lights of Newman Stadium, the NA community came together to cheer on the Tigers. Last year, the North Allegheny Tigers lifted the WPIAL trophy, defeating the Central Catholic Vikings for their fifth WPIAL victory. This year, the team is hoping for a similar outcome.
“I felt good during the Allderdice game. I felt that the offense and defense both did well,” said quarterback Logan Kushner, a senior on the team. “We beat them, and dropped 42 points in the first quarter, so yeah it was a good game.”
Kushner opened the game with a 51-yard run to the end zone. The team started their season strong, dominating the Dragons in a 61-0 blowout. But Kushner believes this is only the beginning of another strong season for the team and for himself.
“My personal goal for this season is to win WPIALs and then hopefully go on to win a state championship,” he added.
Last season, Kushner played alongside his brother, Brayden, who now attends Penn State University. During their last season together, they both achieved their goal of winning a WPIAL title, a great end to his junior, and his brother’s senior, season.
Now that he himself is a senior, Kushner believes there were certain lessons he was taught by his brother and past senior teammates that will make him a better role model.
“They taught us how to be leaders and how to mentor the younger kids and how to get them into a varsity role,” Kushner recalled.
Kushner’s friend and teammate Daniel Sellers, a senior tight end and defensive lineman, explained how he can make a difference as both a senior and leader on the team.
“My job is to just show young kids how to be leaders, how to play and get to the next level, and how to be a good football player to begin with,” he explained. “Just teach them everything I know, the best I can, and just be me”.
Sellers’ leadership and teamwork on and off the field has been clear not only to the fans but also to college football programs. Over the summer, her announced that he would further his athletic and academic career at Richmond University starting in the fall of 2024.
Sellers reflected on how he feels about his recent commitment decision and how it will affect him on the field.
“I feel about the same amount of pressure to be honest. It’s the same team, same mentality. I just committed to a school now,” he said.
At Richmond, Sellers will be playing for a program that went 9-4 last season and reached the second round of NCAA FCS playoffs. In addition to the great athletics at Richmond University, Sellers explained why this school was the right choice for him.
“Richmond was just a fit for me, so I went there for family, and family I got there,” he said.
Through all that football has given to him and his teammates, offensive and defensive lineman Colin Moore, a junior on the team, expressed how football has affected his life.
“Football has given me a chance to hang out with my friends more and become best friends and brothers with them because I’m teammates with them,” he explained.
Last season, the Tigers squared off against Pine-Richland at Pine-Richland High School. North Allegheny put up a good fight, but in the end, the Tigers lost 28-17. This game would stand to be the only regular season game the Tigers lost in their 2022-23 season. This year, they have their sights set on revenge.
“I’m looking forward to playing Central Catholic and Pine Richland,” said Moore. “They are big rivals, and Pine beat us last year, so it will be especially good to play them this year and beat them.”
The Tigers take on Pine-Richland on September 30th in a home match on Homecoming weekend. But it is always one game at time with championship-caliber teams, and next up is Canon-McMillan tomorrow night at home.
