CTK 2013 – MSA SPORTS PRESEASON ELITE ELEVEN

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, August 12, 2013 | 1:29 PM

The leading rusher and leading passer in the WPIAL are back this season – and also lead the MSA Sports preseason Elite 11 team. The Elite 11 is a list of the top elite players in the WPIAL heading into the 2013 season. It is picked by the MSA Sports staff and players are selected regardless of position.

The leading rusher returning from last year is Washington’s Shai McKenzie. The leading passer is South Fayette quarterback Brett Brumbaugh. Brumbaugh is the only junior on the preseason Elite 11.

This year’s Elite 11 also includes three players (Mike Grimm, Malik Hooker and Chase Winovich) who already have made commitments to Division I colleges, as well as other players who are being heavily recruited.

Here is a look at the 2013 MSA Sports Preseason Elite 11.

ALEX BOOKSER  OL
6-6, 295  SR.  MOUNT LEBANON

You can bet when Mount Lebanon wants some running yards this season, the Blue Devils will often go behind Bookser. He is big and strong and has the potential for a big senior season.

How good is Bookser? Well this should tell you something. He has a scholarship offer from Alabama. Bookser has not made a college choice yet but reportedly narrowed his choices to Pitt, Penn State, Alabama, Michigan State, Ohio State, Tennessee and Virginia.
With Bookser and Bethel Park’s Mike Grimm (Pitt recruit), the Southeastern Conference of Class AAAA has the two most heavily-recruited offensive linemen in the WPIAL.

BRETT BRUMBAUGH QB
6-4, 190  JR.  SOUTH FAYETTE

Brumbaugh had a big sophomore season, leading the WPIAL in regular-season passing yardage. He finished 154 of 245 for 2,823 yards and 37 touchdowns. With him and the return of a number of other skill-position players, South Fayette is expected to have an explosive offense this season.

Brumbaugh is the third QB from his family. His brother, Christian, is a redshirt sophomore at William & Mary and another brother, Luke, is a freshman at Robert Morris. Brett already has scholarship offers from Akron and Temple and a number of other Division I schools are interested.

JAQUAN DAVIDSON QB-DB
6-2, 175  SR.  ELIZABETH FORWARD

Davidson transferred from McKeesport to EF last year and made a huge difference for the Warriors, who made the Class AAA playoffs and finished 6-4. Davidson is one of the top dual-threat QBs in the WPIAL. He ran for 1,024 yards on 151 carries and completed 24 of 72 for 523.

Davidson has Division I college scholarship offers as an “athlete,” meaning he could play a number of positions. Pitt, West Virginia, Illinois and Connecticut are among the schools that offered.

MIKE GRIMM  OL
6-6, 325  SR.  BETHEL PARK

Grimm is a big offensive linemen who is ranked pretty highly among scouting services. Rivals.com ranks him the No. 25 offensive tackle in the country. Bethel Park is expected to be one of the top teams in the WPIAL Southeastern Conference and Grimm is one of the reasons. He could be a big key to the Black Hawks’ running game.

Grimm had scholarship offers from Arizona, West Virginia, Arizona and Boston College, among others, but he got his decision out of the way and committed to Pitt.

MALIK HOOKER  WR-DB
6-2, 185  SR.  NEW CASTLE

You could call Hooker the best two-sport athlete in the WPIAL. He is an excellent basketball player and he made a quick rise to the top of the WPIAL football talent ladder. Hooker never played high school football until last year, his junior year at New Castle. But he showed so much talent, athletic ability and potential that he earned a couple dozen Division I college scholarship offers. Hooker caught 13 passes for 333 yards last season and also rushed 27 times for 257 yards. He is excellent on defense also.

Hooker got his college decision out of the way a few weeks ago when he verbally committed to Ohio State. Pitt was his other top choice. He was recruited to play defensive back.

DRAVON HENRY  RB-DB
5-11, 190  SR.  ALIQUIPPA

Many are calling him the next stud to come out of Aliquippa. Henry is a verstile player who has been playing for the Quips since his freshman year and helped the team to two consecutive WPIAL Class AA titles.

Henry rushed for 1,919 yards on 197 carries last season. He will team with Terry Swanson for one of the most potent one-two running punches in the state. Swanson gained 1,546 yards last season. As good as Henry is at running back, he is being recruited by major colleges for defensive back. He could play cornerback or safety. Henry has narrowed his college choices to Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia and Ohio State.

SHAI MCKENZIE  RB-LB
6-0, 216  SR.  WASHINGTON

McKenzie is rated among the top running backs in the eastern part of the country and he is one of the most heavily recruited players in Western Pennsyvania.

McKenzie had a gigantic junior season, leading the WPIAL in regular-season rushing and helping Washington reach the WPIAL Class AA title game. McKenzie, whose first name is pronounced “Shy,” finished the 2012 campain with 2,689 yards on 232 carries and scored 41 touchdowns. He was only 51 yards short of the WPIAL single-season rushing record held by Hopewell’s Rushel Shell. McKenzie had numerous scholarship offers from major colleges, but he has narrowed his list to five. They are Pitt, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Georgia Tech and Arkansas. He recently said Virginia Tech was his top choice.

MONTAE NICHOLSON  WR-DB
6-2, 200  SR.  GATEWAY

Nicholson is an excellent athlete. He was one of the top hurdlers in the WPIAL this spring. But football is his No. 1 game and he is ranked among the top 20 defensive backs in the country by some scouting services. Nicholson caught 25 passes for 650 yards last season and also was a standout at defensive back. He is good in pass coverage, but has enough size to also be a force on run support.

Nicholson has scholarship offers from schools across the country. He doesn’t have a top five, but some of the schools he is considering are Pitt, Penn State, Florida State, Michigan and Miami.

JIMMY WHEELER  RB-DB
5-7, 160  SR.  WEST MIFFLIN

Wheeler is on the smallish side, but he gains yardage on the large side. He became West Mifflin’s No. 1 halfback only a year ago and ran roughshod over opponents.

Wheeler rushed for 2,226 yards on 289 attempts and scored 29 touchdowns. He has excellent speed and cuts well and is expecting to have a big senior season.

CHASE WINOVICH  QB-WR-LB
6-4, 220  SR. THOMAS JEFFERSON

Winovich’s best position is certainly linebacker and he was heavily recruited by major colleges to play linebacker in college. It seems a little funny when you consider Winovich isn’t all that experienced at linebacker. As a sophomore and for the first three games last season, he played defensive back before being switched to linebacker. Now he is one of the WPIAL’s best LBs. He has good size and moves extremely well. He will also play offense for TJ also this year and you will likely see Winovich some at quarterback.

Winovich already has made his college decision, making a verbal commitment to Michigan. He had scholarship offers from numerous colleges. His other final two choices were Pitt and Ohio State.

LENNY WILLIAMS  QB-DB
5-10, 190  SR.  STO-ROX

You won’t see many players pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a season but Williams did it last year. He completed 127 of 227 for 2,237 yards and also rushed for 1,189 yards on 151 attempts. Williams already has more than 5,000 yards career passing yards and has a chance to break the WPIAL record.

Williams, who has been a starter since his freshman year, has Division I scholarship offers from Akron, Rutgers, Temple and Bowling Green. He is being recruited as an athlete.

Tags: Aliquippa, Bethel Park, Elizabeth Forward, Gateway, Washington, West Mifflin