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Athletes of the Week: JaQuan Davidson of Elizabeth Forward, Mikayla Mance of Yough
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Last week: Davidson rushed for 161 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown run, and threw an 80-yard touchdown pass in Elizabeth Forward's 35-6 win at Belle Vernon.
Check this out: Davidson, a 6-foot-4 junior quarterback, is one of the most dynamic football players to wear an Elizabeth Forward uniform in quite some time. He has helped the Warriors begin the season 2-2, a solid start for a program that has finished with a winning record just once in the past 11 seasons. Davidson is in his first year at Elizabeth Forward. He attended McKeesport his sophomore year and West Mifflin as a freshman. In addition to his passing and rushing talents, Davidson has three touchdown receptions. He's also a standout basketball player.
• Why did you leave McKees-port? I just think it was a better opportunity. I get to live with the family of my best friend (Austin Matta) and don't have to put up with all the stuff going on [in McKeesport].
• Did you expect to make the impact you have made? No, I didn't at all. I came over because it was the right choice. I came to play ball and win. That's it.
• Do you wish McKeesport was on your schedule? Absolutely.
• Who would win? We'd beat them. They're not doing too well. Trust me, we'd beat them.
• Best player in the WPIAL? Well, I'm going to have to say myself. I like to go out there and compete.
• What helps you more: Your size or speed? Speed, because size doesn't matter. Speed does. I'm able to outrun people.
• What music do you guys listen to in the locker room? Basically all kinds. Anything to get us hyped.
• When you have a craving for fast food, where do you go and what do you get? McDonald's or Subway. I usually get a McChicken and fries. I like Italian hoagies.
Last week: Mance scored three goals last Thursday against Greensburg Salem and three more in a victory Monday against Southmoreland.
Check this out: Mance, a 5-foot-4 freshman forward, has made a gigantic impact in her first season of high school soccer. She is the leading scorer in the WPIAL with 28 goals and is one of the reasons Yough is having one of its best seasons in a long time. The Cougars were 9-1 after beating Southmoreland. They have finished above .500 only once in the past eight seasons.
• Have you always been a big goal scorer? Yes. I've played forward since I was, like, 6 years old.
• What is the most goals you have ever scored in a game? I had 11 once in a middle-school game.
• Wow. Were there any goalkeepers in that game? Yeah [laugh] -- just not very good ones.
• Being only a freshman did you have any expectations coming into the year? I knew this would be the best chance for Yough's high school team to get anywhere, so I want to try and help get us as far as we can. But no, I didn't expect to score this much. I thought I'd be kind of an average scorer.
• How did the older players take to a freshman coming in and leading the team in scoring? Some of them weren't too nice about it. Others liked it.
• Do you have a favorite soccer player? Alex Morgan (member of the gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic team who plays for the Seattle Sounders). I love her.
• Is there something that bothers you about soccer? When girls just kick the ball. I like the passing game.
• Cartoon you watched as a kid? SpongeBob.
• Any cartoon you watch now? Yeah, I still watch SpongeBob. I come home every day from school and watch SpongeBob.
First Published September 28, 2012 12:00 am
