MANNY WILLIAMS -- CLAIRTON FB-LB

Manny Williams spent a lot of the summer behind a plate, umpiring Little League baseball games. When it comes to football talent, Williams' plate is just about full.

Williams is a bruising blocker and a running threat at fullback. But on defense is where he excels. A 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior, Williams is a hard-hitting, agile linebacker.

"This group of linebackers is very good, but he can do some amazing things athletically," said Clairton coach Tom Nola. "Manny is definitely a player who will be one of the best defensive players in the WPIAL."

Clairton plays a 3-5, a defense patterned after West Virginia's. Three of the Clairton linebackers -- Williams, Kurtis Rassan and Quinton Brody -- have been starters for at least three seasons.

"As a linebacker, it's a good defense," Williams said. "We're not really that big physically, but we've got athletes, and this defense lets you make plays."

The linebackers have given themselves the nickname "Hitmen."

Williams hopes to be a "hit" someday at Pitt as he made a verbal commitment to the Panthers in June.

-- By Mike White

ISAIAH JACKSON -- SERRA RB-LB

Serra senior running back Isaiah Jackson has a lot of friends -- that is, until those lights flick on Friday nights.

"I probably know someone on every team we play just from playing against them or from going to camps or whatever," said the 6-foot, 226-pound running back/linebacker. "But, when we are playing, I turn that friendship off. I mean, I'm a competitor and I'll congratulate you after and shake your hand and hang out, but while we're playing, you are the enemy, and it is nothing personal, just football."

Jackson, who lives in Pittsburgh's Oakland section, ran for over 1,000 yards last season and scored 16 touchdowns for a Serra team that went 8-2 but lost in the first round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs. Expected to be the Eagles' linchpin this year, Jackson doesn't have any Division I offers. But he insists it is just a matter of time.

"Maryland has really been recruiting me hard, but they haven't offered yet," he said. "I know what I have to do, though. I have to have big games in the first couple games so that everybody can see my tape and then there is no doubt what I can do."

-- By Colin Dunlap

SHANE WAIDA -- WESTERN BEAVER RB-SS

Unacceptable.

Last year was entirely unacceptable in the eyes of Shane Waida.

Now a Western Beaver senior running back/strong safety, Waida was one of the players who had to labor through a an uncharacteristic 3-6 season last year.

"We had players who just quit on their teammates, and that is the truth," said Waida. "The guys back for this year remember everything that happened last year, and it wasn't fun. But all those guys who didn't give it everything they had or were just playing for themselves are all gone now."

Luckily, for Western Beaver coach Matt Gray, Waida is back, and, if past precedent holds, he should be one of the top offensive threats in Class A.

Waida rushed for a team-high 1,080 yards last year and scored a team-high nine touchdowns.

"I look around [in preseason camp] and, yes, I guess it has sunk in that I am one of the leaders," Waida said. "I look at the younger players and I know they count on guys like me as a leader and I look at all my teammates and I know they count on me to be a major factor on both sides of the ball."

-- By Colin Dunlap