PRZPA Team Preview, Woodland Hills

<p>Woodland Hills narrowly missed the postseason last season and will aim to correct that in 2024. The Wolverines finished with an overall record of 6-4 and 3-2 in conference play. Woody High returns their QB1 along with a host of D1 veteran talent. Last year, Pine-Richland and Penn Hills accounted for half of their losses. Additionally, they were defeated by Pittsburgh Central Catholic in their home opener and by Penn-Trafford. Woodland Hills will kick off their season against McDowell on August 23. Expect Head Coach Brian Tarrant and company to be ready to go come fall. </p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/georgehill_18/status/1812925693249925241?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <p>George is a physical player with valuable game experience in both the WPIAL and Georgia high school football. He plays off blocks well, reads his keys quickly, and is an adequate zone dropper with a good motor in run pursuit. Hill's mobility is evident when watching him move laterally, tracking plays from sideline to sideline. He recently announced his commitment to the University of Buffalo in the MAC, choosing the Bulls over offers from Temple, Akron, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, UConn, RMU, Delaware, UMass, Howard, Towson, Arkansas State, New Hampshire, and Albany.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/smithscoop/status/1781698162895335577?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <p>Smith is the most consistent and productive athlete returning for Woody High. He's a three-sport standout who has dominated in every endeavor. As a sophomore, he ran an impressive 10.62 in track. Scoop is an explosive athlete; I witnessed him dunk a basketball, and he's no taller than 5'7. Smith can score in various ways—spot screens, pitches, reverses, kick returns, or receiving TD passes. He's one of the players opposing teams worry about when facing the Wolverines. Scoop is expected to continue his outstanding play for Woodland Hills in '24. Smith has Division 1 basketball offers as well as football opportunities from Nebraska, UNLV, Toledo, Temple, and UMass.</p>    <p>Brown is another playmaker returning to play for head coach Brian Tarrant. A multi-sport standout, he currently holds Division 1 basketball scholarships. Brown excels at both safety and cornerback, bringing valuable game experience. He is a reliable tackler in space and a solid wide receiver with good hands. Amere's speed and capability as a returner make him a constant scoring threat. Brown will need to elevate his game on both sides of the ball to help the Wolverines return to the postseason.</p>    <p>McCoy was a weapon on offense in 2023 for Woody High. He split time in the slot as a flex Y and as an X receiver on the outside. Cymeon's frame and ability to maneuver through the middle of the field made him especially dangerous on crossing routes and flag patterns. McCoy isn't afraid to catch the ball over the middle, even when impending punishment awaits. At 6'2, 180 pounds, he's a physical blocker who can punish defenders on crack backs and stalk blocks. I expect to see more downfield throws to Cymeon in 2024.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/prospectmedia_/status/1807099864691413295?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <p>There's no shortage of D1 prospects at Woody High, and Zykir is proof of that. Moore can hurt opponents in various ways on the gridiron. He's a hard runner who can't be brought down by arm tackles, whether at RB or TE. Defensively, he's an aggressive player and a reliable tackler who redirects well in pursuit. Moore is a playmaker with the ability to force fumbles when he hits people. Currently, Ziggy has scholarship offers from Syracuse, UMass, UConn, and Miami (Ohio), to name a few.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/nikoandrews/status/1804532020036440535?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <p>I'm expecting big things from Andrews in ‘24, and I imagine head coach Brian Tarrant feels the same way. One of the hallmarks of the Wolverine secondary under Coach Tarrant has been sound fundamental DB technique. Andrews has good footwork and excels in both man and zone coverage. He's a smart player who isn't afraid to come up and assist in run support. Niko displays fluid hips, a quick break, and patience in press man. He's received scholarship offers from local programs such as D1 FCS Saint Francis and Robert Morris University.</p>    <p><br>Jayden is a versatile player with the skillset to help Woodland Hills in a variety of ways. Offensively, the Wolverines use Estes as a battering ram, whether he's playing guard or fullback. He's an aggressive lead blocker and pulling guard, consistently putting multiple defenders on their backs. I like him more on defense as a DE, where he does a good job of not overrunning the QB when pass rushing. He's strong and has the ability to engage and disengage in run pursuit. His motor allowed him to be in position for scoop-and-score touchdowns, TFLs, and forced fumbles in 2023. Jayden will be relied upon to continue his production in the trenches on both offense and defense.</p>    <p>I'm expecting big performances from Elijah this season based on the potential he displayed in 2023. He can run between the tackles and has the breakaway speed to cause problems on stretches and outside runs. Nesby has good vision and patience, knowing when to turn on the afterburners. Elijah's effectiveness comes from his elusiveness and different gears of explosion. There is no doubt he will be a key player in Woody High's run game this season.</p>    <p>Lindsey has a lot of potential entering only his second high school season. He worked hard on special teams as a freshman and will be relied upon again to deliver a similar performance. He runs down the field aggressively on kickoff coverage, making tackles and even recovering a fumble last year. Lindsey will have his work cut out for him to crack the DB rotation, but one thing is for sure: he provides quality depth and will make plays on special teams in 2024.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/prince_22__/status/1695502224644792687?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <p>Prince made significant progress last year after transferring from East Allegheny following his freshman season. The coach's son is a highly technical DB who competes fiercely. I was particularly impressed with his ball skills when he snagged an interception in the 2023 season opener against Pittsburgh Central Catholic. He excels at flipping his hips in zone coverage and transitioning to run with WRs on five-step routes. Tarrant is also a physical DB who is not afraid to make hits in the open field. The Wolverine secondary is poised to be one of the best in the WPIAL this fall.</p>    <p>QB1 Cam Walters will once again lead the Wolverines this season. His experience under center will be a valuable asset for Woodland Hills this fall. Walters has a strong arm, excellent pocket presence, and the athletic ability to extend plays. He throws an accurate deep ball and maintains good placement on his passes. Cam excels at distributing the ball to his targets. As a fierce competitor, Walters will need to spearhead the Wolverines' efforts to return to the postseason this year.</p>    <p>Neal, standing 6'3 and weighing 310 lbs, is an imposing presence with surprisingly agile footwork. He demonstrated his one-on-one skills effectively at the Top 150 camp held at Shadyside Academy. I expect Neal to be the Wolverines' top enforcer in the trenches this season. As a solid pass protector, he is difficult to move and seldom gives ground. His agility can be attributed to his background as a three-sport athlete. On defense, it will require a strong offensive line to make any headway against Neal in the run game.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/lenairbutler_/status/1811535468703699173?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <p>Butler's performance continues to improve each time I see him. As a rush end, he combines violent hands, explosive speed, and the ability to disrupt plays in the backfield. Woodland Hills benefits not only from Butler's presence but also from the contributions of Lenair, [player_tooltip player_id='855477' first='Zykir' last='Moore'], and Jayden Estes on the defensive line. Currently, Butler holds an offer from Maine and is drawing interest from other Division I programs. He is set to be one of Woody High's key defensive leaders in 2024.</p>

Woodland Hills narrowly missed the postseason last season and will aim to correct that in 2024. The Wolverines finished with an overall record of 6-4 and 3-2 in conference play. Woody High returns their QB1 along with a host of D1 veteran talent. Last year, Pine-Richland and Penn Hills accounted for half of their losses. Additionally, they were defeated by Pittsburgh Central Catholic in their home opener and by Penn-Trafford. Woodland Hills will kick off their season against McDowell on August 23. Expect Head Coach Brian Tarrant and company to be ready to go come fall.