JUSTIN PRATT

SCHOOL: Bethel Park

WHO IS HE? A 6-foot, 205-pound senior running back who has rushed for 493 yards the past three weeks in helping the Black Hawks (3-2) to three consecutive wins.

PAST WEEK: Pratt rushed for four touchdowns and 254 yards on 24 carries to help Bethel Park beat WPIAL Great Southern Conference foe Canon-McMillan, 51-21.

SEASON: At 6.7 yards per carry and 601 yards, Pratt is one of the top rushers in Class AAAA this year.

TRACK MAN? Pratt hasn't run track since his freshman year but is contemplating doing it again. He had competed in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

WING NIGHT: On Wednesday nights, Pratt and some teammates regularly meet at Frank's on Route 88 for wings and pizza. "Honestly, it does a lot for keeping us close and together. It helps us have a great relationship on and off the field," he said.

And as for who eats the most? That's an easy one.

"Chris Spegal," Pratt said of his 6-foot-7, 285-pound teammate. "He usually has about 15 wings and four or five pieces of pizza."

THE FUTURE: Pratt, who carries a 4.2 grade-point average, said he's receiving interest from some weighty academic schools such as Brown, Lehigh and Penn. "They have all said they're recruiting me as a tailback," he said. "Those are some good options, those schools."

-- By Colin Dunlap

CORI STARK

SCHOOL: Belle Vernon.

WHO IS SHE? A midfielder and striker on the girls' soccer team, and one of the top goal-scorers in Western Pennsylvania.

PAST WEEK: Stark registered two goals Saturday in a 6-1 victory against Ringgold and three Monday in a 7-0 triumph against Connellsville. She had led the Leopards to ninth in the Post-Gazette's WPIAL rankings.

CAREER: A sophomore, Stark had 32 goals through Tuesday and had scored at least one in every game. She missed the first half of her freshman season because of an ankle sprain, then scored 17.

ALL-AROUND PLAYER: Leopards coach Paul Sasko said Stark, who is 5 feet 3, "is a dynamic player with great skills." Speed and ambidexterity might be her top qualities.

"Cori's biggest asset is her quickness with a shot -- with either foot," said Sasko, who coached Stark in middle school before moving up to the varsity with her last year. "She can finish with her right or left equally well, which gives her an advantage over most players. If you didn't know she was right-footed, you couldn't tell."

TRADEMARK: It's easy to find Stark on the field. She always wears a white headband with an adidas logo. "It's a tradition of mine," she said.

OTHER SPORT: A Rostraver resident, Stark also is a cup player with the prestigious Beadling program. But soccer isn't her only athletic pursuit. She is on the Belle Vernon girls' track team, competing in the 800-meter run and the 800 and 1,600 relays.

FUTURE: Stark, a high honor roll student, wants to play soccer in college. She is interested in athletic training or medical forensics as careers. "I can't imagine her not playing Division I soccer," Sasko said. "She's a step above everyone we've played so far."

-- By Rick Shrum