McKeesport hopes to end championship drought this season

MCKEESPORT, Pennsylvania - McKeesport has not won a WPIAL and PIAA football title since 2005, but the Tigers hope this is the year that changes.

Over the years since the Tigers last won a title, they have generated good teams that have made deep playoff runs with a handful of Division I recruits but haven’t been able to hoist a championship like they did 17 years ago.

McKeesport is currently 8-0 and the team could not have asked for a better position to be at in this point of the season as they have already clinched a playoff berth.

“Week-by-week, there is new energy flowing and new teams to compete with,” senior quarterback Jahmil Perryman said. “I feel we are where we are because we all play 100 percent each time that we’re on the field.”

Perryman’s backfield mate – senior running back Bobbie Boyd, Jr. – agrees that the hard work and dedication are why the Tigers are in the position they are through eight weeks.

“Dedication is the reason why we’re undefeated,” Boyd Jr. said. “We worked so hard in the offseason, and we’ve been ready to play. Every team we played we watched film on them and went out and had great practices. Losing isn’t an option for us.”

McKeesport is only one of seven teams in the WPIAL that is still undefeated and that has made the whole school excited to see how long they can extend their streak of being undefeated and how deep they can go in the postseason.

“The school has been motivating our players to keep the streak that we have,” kicker Milton Campos said. “The school atmosphere is one of the main reasons we have want to improve and show the skills that we have. The motivation from them is amazing and we want to continue to strive to the best that they can be.”

The Tigers have had some impressive wins over teams with star Division I recruits such as Quinton Martin of Belle Vernon and West Virginia commit Rodney Gallagher of Laurel Highlands, while also beating good teams such as Gateway and the defending WPIAL/PIAA 5A champions Penn-Trafford.

“Playing against these hard teams with big players, we take everybody head on,” junior lineman Brady Boyle said. “No matter who you are, we have one goal in mind and that is to win.”

McKeesport has outscored its opponents 272-36 as its defense has simply been remarkable allowing only 4.5 points per game and posting four shutouts. Offensively, the Tigers have been explosive, averaging 34 points per game and they have scored 40 or more points in four games this season.

It’s no secret that McKeesport likes to run the ball. Boyd Jr. and Perryman have both rushed for over 700 yards this season and the duo could each be over 1,000 yards once the regular season concludes. Senior running back Larry Gibson also has added nearly 400 yards on the ground.

“We all run differently, but we run strong, and it compliments each other,” Perryman said. “Teams can’t scheme us because the pace we run changes. We have been working on that since the wintertime.”

Credit also goes to the offensive lineman as they have made sure space is created for the offensive players to run the ball.

“The best thing is that we learn things fast,” junior lineman Jaydan Keys said. “We’re very good listeners with great leaders. (The coaches) do a great job to push us every single day to keep us playing physical.”

Perryman and Boyd, Jr. are the senior leaders that other players look up to for the Tigers.

“As a senior, my teammates and I just want to make sure everyone can be themselves and then go out and play hard and physical for four quarters,” Perryman said. “I just want everyone to feel the love and succeed.”

Matt Miller has been the head coach for the Tigers since 2016, and he has helped the team reach the playoffs in each season since he was appointed as the head coach. The players love his coaching methods and his staff and that’s another big part of why the team has had the success it has had so far.

“Overall, (Coach Miller) is a great coach, he wants the best out of everyone on the team because he knows how much potential we all have,” Campos said.

Getting that potential out of his team sometimes means working them hard at practice so that when the time comes, the Tigers will be ready for the postseason.

“Practices at McKeesport are like no other - they are long, hard, and most definitely physical,” Boyle said. “We never take a day of, when we don’t hit, we do 1-on-1’s. Team practices are almost as if we’re playing a state playoff game.”

Last season, McKeesport was one win away from reaching the WPIAL championship game, but a loss to the defending WPIAL/PIAA 4A champions Aliquippa in the semifinals ended the Tigers’ postseason run.

McKeesport has been using that loss to the Quips as motivation to remind them that they have to play every minute and give everything that they have to be on top. The Tigers have two regular season games left against Latrobe and Thomas Jefferson.

“Everyone must be on the same page to get to where we want to be,” McGraw said. “We need to keep pushing and play every game like it’s our last.”

But the team also knows they can’t get caught looking ahead and they need to keep focused on the game in front of them.

“As a team, we know when to lock in,” Boyd Jr. said. “Winning WPIAL and state (championships) would feel great, but we’re taking it one game at a time and not thinking too far ahead.”