Clairton Football Attempts to Master the Art of Winning Big with a Small Roster

The Bears have recorded six consecutive shutouts and are hoping to stay healthy enough to add another WPIAL Class 1A football crown

Clairton's Brandon Murphy, left, celebrates with Donte Wright after catching a 37-yard touchdown pass from Jeffrey Thompson Saturday at Riverside Park in Oakmont. Murphy scored twice and the Bears rolled to a 66-0 win. / Josh Rizzo

OAKMONT, Pa. - Clairton football coach Wayne Wade has to implement several strategies every week. Wade needs to brainstorm how Clairton is going to win the game.

Once the Bears get ahead, Wade worries about how to manage his small roster. Clairton collected its seventh consecutive shutout by defeated Riverview, 66-0, Saturday afternoon at Riverside Park in Oakmont.

Since losing to Imani Christian to open the season, the Bears (7-1, 6-0) have outscored their opponents by an average margin of 59-0.

“It’s tough,” Wade said. “It’s tough to be in a game and you’re up 50-something to nothing at halftime and have a 25- or 28-man roster. We try to make sure we’re not putting guys out there that could potentially get injured that are starters. But even some of our second-team guys are plug and play guys who play special teams. We are telling our guys to play hard and avoid injuries.”

Challenging each other

Clairton sophomore wide receiver/linebacker Brandon Murphy said the Bears’ attitude comes from practice. While Clairton has been clobbering the competition, the Bears have been battling with each other in practice.

Murphy, who has offers from Pitt, Maryland and Florida State, among his 13 Division I offers, enjoys competing against Michael Ruffin.

“He’s the best kid,” Murphy said. “He’s fast and he really pushes me to try and win.”

Murphy caught two touchdown passes against Riverview and recorded a number of tackles on defense.

Clairton’s defensive prowess, he said, comes from the Bears’ attitude. Clairton drills things until they understand it.

“It’s just practice,” Murphy said. “Reps and reps going over it. Hard work. All of that.”

A pair of Clairton defenders combine to hit Riverview running back Dom Williams Saturday at Riverside Park in Oakmont. / Josh Rizzo

All Together Now

The Bears have scored 60 or more points three times this season and topped 70 points twice. Clairton didn’t have an opportunity to play in Week 2 after Shady Side Academy chose not to play them due to a lack of healthy players.

The Bears are proud of the pressure they are able to put on opponents.

“We don’t want just one person to be there,” defensive back Rheyjohn Williams said. “We want five or six people to be there.”

Injuries haunted Clairton last season

Bears quarterback Jeff Thompson, who threw for 219 yards and four touchdowns in Saturday’s win over the Raiders, was injured during the WPIAL playoffs last season. It meant Thompson couldn’t throw the ball during the title game against Fort Cherry.

The Bears ended up falling to the Rangers, 21-20, after Fort Cherry scored on a trick play with 2 minutes, 34 seconds remaining.

The WPIAL playoffs will start in two weeks and Clairton and the Rangers will likely be the top two seeds.

“We take it one week at a time,” Wade said. “Once we get into the playoffs, we understand that it’s win or go. We try to bring that atmosphere and intensity. Regular-season wise, we’re setting some records out here. We’re doing some great things, but once the playoffs come, we’re going to try and step it up a notch.”

--Josh Rizzo | rizzo42789@gmail.com | @J_oshrizzo