Schenley Coaches, Players Reflect On Final Football Season

None — By Dan Stefano, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Schenley assistant football coach Lester Campbell surveyed the Spartans' practice field as players strolled in for a rare morning practice.

A light fog slightly blurred the top of the U.S. Steel Building west of the inner-city field in the Hill District's Sugartop area, and the Cathedral of Learning was just visible through the trees to the south.

Campbell watched as his red-clad players prepared for a full-contact workout in front of the quiet scene, the day before Schenley met Brashear in its City League opener.

The emotions washed over.

"It's nostalgic, and it's kind of melancholy," said Campbell, a 1980 Schenley grad. "You know it's the end of an era."

The Spartan football players — all of the school's athletes, in fact — are the last group to compete for the nearly century-old Schenley.

This is the third school year that Schenley's original Oakland building has been closed, a much-criticized move that was made due to the high renovation costs of the historic facility. Part of the school's population and the building's name have moved to the former Reizenstein Middle School located between the Shadyside and East Liberty neighborhoods.

Following this school year, when the final batch of students who attended Schenley at its old location graduate, the current Schenley will be closed, and the Obama Academy will be moved into the building.

The football program, meanwhile, will take the name of either Obama, University Prep or Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy — three of the four city schools from which Schenley draws players. Whichever school has the largest enrollment and highest participation numbers next year will be the one with the football program.

"We have an idea of what we want to do," Pittsburgh Public Schools athletic director Mike Gavlik said. "But we want to wait until our numbers are accurate before we go ahead with that."

No matter what school adopts the football program, it's going to be difficult for many to forget Schenley.

"It will be different, that's for sure," Gavlik said. "I think it's similar to what it was like when South Vo-Tech was closed (in 2004). It changes the whole climate of the league. (Sept. 10) was the last Schenley-Brashear City League game. That'll happen every last time Schenley plays someone."

Football pride

When people think of Schenley athletics, they think basketball. How couldn't they?

The Spartans' boys basketball program has won a record 18 City League championships, along with five state titles, and it's produced such talent as former NBA players Maurice Lucas and the late Kenny Durrett as well as recent Pitt star and current San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair.

Schenley football, on the other hand, has had a spotty history. The school has earned eight City League football titles but just three since 1950.

The most recent championship — the one the Spartans earned last fall in a 34-32, double-overtime thriller over Oliver — was something special.

"It's been difficult, having to come from different schools and all that," senior running back/linebacker Shaun Davis said. "It felt good. We got to prove a lot of people wrong who thought we couldn't do it."

Third-year Spartans head coach Jason Bell has had a job like no other throughout the region, maybe even the country, by having to unite students from four different schools under a single team name, one that is soon to be gone.

"I think I'm the only coach in the United States that has to ask their players, 'All right, what school do you go to?' " Bell said. "Now, you laugh it off, but it's tough."

The Spartans' coaches have succeeded, though. Through all of the transportation and logistical nightmares that came with being a four-team co-op program, they managed to give the Schenley faithful a reason to cheer last year.

"We've got a group of kids that bought into what we believed in and knew that we could be successful in football," said Bell, who was a Spartans assistant before becoming head coach. "In (junior varsity), we started winning, started gaining some momentum; kids were starting to buy into the program. And when I took over as head coach, those kids were juniors and really had an opportunity to flourish."

Eric Smith, the Spartans' offensive line coach and an 1984 Schenley graduate, watched with pride as his players hoisted last year's trophy.

"It was something that in my four years at Schenley that I never got. We tried and tried, and we never got it," Smith said. "Under the leadership of coach Bell and everyone, we finally got there."

One last fall

Schenley's farewell football season is off to a somewhat shaky start.

Following an offseason in which the team lost some key lineman and skill players, the Spartans are 1-2 following Saturday's victory over Oliver.

Yet, whether the season ends in a another title or a disappointing playoff miss, every player intends to enjoy this final fall wearing red and black.

"I take it all in because I'm the last Schenley quarterback, we're the last Schenley team ever," senior Calvin Beck said. "We rep Schenley to the fullest. Even if it's gone, we're still gonna be Schenley."

Of course, while there is time for reflection, a time to remember what it's meant to be a Spartan, there still much left to accomplish.

"Hopefully, we can win another championship," senior wideout DeAndre Black said, "and that'll be our last."

For more high school football headlines, visit the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

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