Frank Gray won't "quit." He says the word isn't part of his vocabulary.

But he hopes his Avella football team won't have to quit.

Avella, located in Washington County, has only 17 players (grades 9-12) on its team, although Gray said, "it's more like 13 or 14 because we have a few who I can't play because they'll get hurt."

The Eagles started the season with 19 players, but two got hurt. A few more were injured and came back to the team. But just a few more injuries and Gray worries the Eagles might have to forfeit games.

"I only have five running backs," Gray said. "We're probably about three injuries away from not being able to field a team."

Avella is an example of what can happen to a football program at a school with low enrollment. According to the most recent PIAA figures, Avella is the third-smallest school in the WPIAL with 95 boys in grades 10-12. Only Mapletown (71 boys) and Geibel (68) are smaller.

It is a sad story for Avella, which has three WPIAL championships (1941, '57 and '61) in its history. The school also produced three NFL players, including Ralph Cindrich, who played at Pitt.

Gray, 59, has been a teacher at Avella for 25 years and took over the team this season at the urging of some players. He sometimes wonders why he took the job. Avella is 0-2 and has been outscored, 72-21.

"It's close to impossible for us to win a game this year," Gray said. "I was pleased with the effort our last game [against Jefferson-Morgan]. The kids played hard because some of them wanted to give up after the first game [against Geibel]. The program didn't get this low overnight and it's going to take some time to get back.

"I didn't think it would be like this when I took the job. The parents here just baby their kids and the parents want to run things here. But I laid it out after that first game and the kids have responded. I'm not going to give up no matter how bad it gets. Hopefully the kids see that and won't give up, either."

Bruce Patterson and Henri Chatman were City League basketball stars years ago -- and now their sons have stepped into the City League spotlight in football.

Bruce Patterson Jr. has rushed for 206 yards on 32 attempts in two games for Brashear. Henri Chatman Jr. is Brashear's quarterback and has completed 14 of 25 for 215 yards in two games.

Both fathers played in the preliminary game of the prestigious Dapper Dan Roundball Classic at the Civic Arena. Patterson is a 1991 graduate of Langley who averaged 25 points as a senior. Chatman, a 1986 Carrick graduate, averaged 22 as a senior.

It's only a non-conference matchup, but tonight's Shaler at Hampton football game is one of the more interesting in the WPIAL -- because of the coaches.

Hampton's coach is Jacque DeMatteo, who was Shaler's coach before leaving in May. Shaler's coach is Neil Gordon, who was hired by DeMatteo earlier in the spring to be Shaler's offensive coordinator.

Butler meets Penn Hills tonight and Butler is trying for the 500th win in school history. Only 14 other schools in the WPIAL have won 500.

Seneca Valley's offense has been filling up at the B.P. station -- as in Brown and Plautz.

Seneca Valley quarterback C.J. Brown leads the WPIAL in passing yardage with 608 yards and receiver Matt Plautz is the top receiver with 18 catches.

Brown already has made a verbal commitment to the University of Maryland. Some Division I schools are showing interest in Plautz. He visited Pitt a few weeks ago and believes there is a chance the Panthers might offer a scholarship. If they do, he likely will accept.

Tom Droney, a standout junior basketball player at Sewickley Academy, has added Notre Dame to his list of finalists, to go along with Pitt and Wake Forest.

Droney visited Notre Dame a few weeks ago and attended a Fighting Irish football game.

"I got to go on the field and walked out with the team," Droney said. "The atmosphere is unbelievable."

Notre Dame has not offered Droney a scholarship, but Droney said that could happen when Fighting Irish coach Mike Bray comes to Sewickley next week to watch him work out.

Droney also visited Pitt a few weeks ago and plans to go to Wake Forest later this month. Although he's only a junior, he plans on making a college decision this fall. Pitt and Wake Forest have offered scholarships.

"Pitt was the best visit," Droney said. "They're definitely my favorite at this point."