Invictus

[Captain Canada]

Upper St. Clair slips past upset attempt against Woodland Hills to advance

By Andy Villamarzo
November 14, 2025

The Upper St. Clair Panthers started their run for the WPIAL Class 5A Championship in the quarterfinals, taking on a strong Woodland Hills team that is fresh off a tight finish against Plum in the first round, in which they won 28-25 victory. The Wolverines feature a team features a strong a sense of athleticism and speed. One of the more dangerous lower seeds in the tournament, they posed a great "don't overlook them" threat against the Panthers.

A shootout in one of the more sloppier games of the quarterfinals, Woodland Hills gave Upper St. Clair a rare run for their money, but the high octane offense prevailed, leading them to a 48-38 victory to move onto the semifinals.

Quarterback Malik Richards, the typical steward of an efficient and relentless offense for Upper St. Clair, ultimately struggled with turnovers, throwing two interceptions and almost losing a fumble that running back Raekwon Williams was able to punch out of bounds before it was gathered up by a Wolverines defender. More like the quarterback that had punished his way to becoming a top five quarterback in the state, he threw for 348 passing yards and four touchdowns to lead Upper St. Clair over the hump.

Speaking of Williams, he again gashed Woodland Hills on the ground, turning it up with 118 rushing yards on the ground and a score, along with 83 yards through the air and another touchdown. He was regularly depended on to convert on third down for the Panthers once Richards was able to clean things up through the air.

Wide receiver-turned-athlete Zane Jones continued to play both sides of the ball, playing opposite number one cornerback Abdul Al-Rahim, continued to be the motor and go-to option for the Panthers, picking up eight catches for 158 receiving yards and a touchdown to continue of season of dominance. Fellow wide receivers Cam Wilson and Antonio Rizzo scored touchdowns for the Panthers' offense.

The Wolverines' offense lived and died through running back LaQuon Allen, who ran right through tackle attempts to the tune of 130 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries for Woodland Hills. But being shutdown through the air in the second half was to a detriment and they were unable to maintain pace against Upper St. Clair.

With their narrow offensive victory, Upper St. Clair will move on to take on the Penn-Trafford Warriors at Norwin High School (neutral site game). The weather is forecasted to drop gravely in temperature in the next week, so expect a defensive grind out game between the two teams.

[Caesar]

WCW gonna break up with Zane before he commits somewhere.

[Captain Canada]

WCW gonna break up with Zane before he commits somewhere.

Y'all don't believe in young love huh

[Captain Canada]

Panthers run to WPIAL Championship game behind Williams' tough running

By Andy Villamarzo
November 21, 2025

On a cold November night, Upper St. Clair High School leaned on power, versatility, and timely defense to defeat Penn-Trafford High School 28-17, punching their ticket to the WPIAL Championship.

The story of the night was Raekwon Williams. The senior running back delivered a statement performance, carrying the ball 18 times for a staggering 210 yards and two touchdowns, consistently breaking through the Warriors' front with a mix of patience and explosiveness. Whether it was bouncing outside or powering through contact, Williams controlled the tempo and wore down the defense as the game progressed.

With injuries forcing him into a two-way role, Zane Jones turned in one of the most complete performances of the season. The senior athlete had eight catches for 98 yards and the lone touchdown through the air and his third interception on the season, which proved to be the game-sealing pick the Panthers needed to shut the door on Penn-Trafford.

Star linebacker Luke Russell, a Penn State Nittany Lions commit, anchored the defense with his standout performance that saw him lead the game in tackles with 12. He also had a sack and an interception. His interception halted a promising Penn-Trafford drive in the second half, while his presence in the backfield disrupted the Warriors' rhythm all night.

It was an uncharacteristically quiet outing for wide receiver Cameron Wilson, who was limited to only two catches and 20 yards. Penn-Trafford's defensive focus clearly shifted toward limiting Wilson, opening opportunities for Jones and the run game to take over.

With the win, Upper St. Clair advances to the WPIAL Class 5A Championship, where they will face powerhouse Pine-Richland High School. Behind a dominant rushing attack, clutch two-way play from Zane Jones, and a defense led by Luke Russell, the Panthers are now one win away from a WPIAL title.

[djp73]

on to the state championship
you know I love the teambuilder use!

[Captain Canada]

on to the state championship
you know I love the teambuilder use!

Appreciate it bro. I'm definitely trying to marry the in-game action with the story aspect more.

[Captain Canada]

Season IV | Chapter III - Homecoming

The locker room felt like it was shaking.

Music blasted from someone’s speaker in the corner, bass rattling lockers and echoing off the tile walls. Shoulder pads clattered to the floor, tape got ripped off wrists and ankles, and the air was thick with sweat, deodorant, and victory.

“We goin’ to the mothafuckin’ chip!” Kwon shouted from the middle of the room, standing on top of a bench like he owned it.

The team roared back at him.

“I promise y’all boys - I’m drinkin’ everything tonight,” he kept going, waving a towel over his head. “Every bottle, I’m emptyin’ that shit - and don’t even get me started on the hoes!”

“Say that, Kwon!” the room erupted, guys jumping, pushing each other, helmets getting smacked against lockers.

“I got two tuddies tonight - I need at least two hoes!” Kwon finished, pounding his chest.

Zane sat on the edge of his locker, chest rising and falling, jersey half off his shoulder pads. His legs were stretched out in front of him, cleats still on, laces loose. His fingers flexed slowly, like he was checking they still worked.

He smiled, shaking his head at the chaos.

They did it.

His shoulders ached. His back was tight. His thighs felt like they had been filled with cement after playing both sides of the ball. But, they were going to the championship.

He leaned forward, reaching down to untie his cleats before he paused.

Out of the corner of his eye.

Cam.

Sitting two lockers down, hunched forward, elbows on his knees. His helmet sat untouched by his feet, gloves still on his hands. He wasn’t moving. Wasn’t talking. Just staring at the floor while the room exploded around him.

Zane frowned. He pushed himself up slowly, walking over, stepping around discarded gear and bumping shoulders with teammates still celebrating.

He stopped in front of Cam. “Yo,” Zane said, nodding down at him. “What’s up with you?”

Cam didn’t look up right away. He had a look on his face that Zane couldn’t quite piece together.

When he did, his face was tight. “What you mean?” he said flatly.

Zane gestured around the room. “We just punched a ticket to the championship,” he said. “And you over here lookin’ like somebody kicked your dog.”

Cam let out a short scoff, shaking his head.

“I played like shit.”

Zane waved it off immediately. “Man, stop,” he said. “Game flow was all run. You know what. We barely threw that bitch.”

Cam’s jaw tightened. “You got your looks,” he shot back.

Zane paused. For a second, he didn’t have a clean answer. He did get his looks. He’s the best player on the field - he better get his looks.

He shrugged slightly. “It is what it is,” he said. “We won.”

Cam shook his head again, sharper this time. “Yeah. We did.”

Zane exhaled through his nose, stepping a little closer. “Come on, bro-”

He reached out, patting Cam on the shoulder.

Cam snapped. “Man, fuck off,” he muttered, shrugging his hand off.

Zane’s brows pulled together immediately. The noise in the locker room kept going - loud, wild - but right there, between them, everything tightened.

Zane bent down slightly, getting closer to Cam’s level.

“Yo,” he said, voice lower now. “Get your fucking shit together.”

Cam didn’t respond.

Zane’s eyes hardened just a touch. “We just won the biggest game of our lives, so far,” he continued. “Nobody bigger than this fucking team, especially not your baby-ass stats.”

Cam sucked his teeth, pushing himself up abruptly.

He grabbed his duffel bag off the bench, yanking it over his shoulder. Zane straightened, watching him.

Cam didn’t look back. He pushed through the locker room, weaving past teammates, ignoring the celebrations, and headed straight for the exit.

The door swung open then slammed shut behind him.

Zane stood there for a second, jaw tight. Behind him, Kwon let out another shout, jumping into a pile of guys near the showers.

The music kept blasting. The celebration kept rolling. But Zane didn’t move right away.

His eyes stayed on that door for just a moment longer.

***

The room was dark except for the glow of the TV.

Zane lay stretched across his bed, one arm tucked behind head, the other resting on his chest. The screen flickered across his face as the final moments of Training Day played out - Denzel Washington pacing, voice sharp, commanding the scene.

Zane mouthed along quietly, barely audible. “King Kong ain’t got shit on me…” A faint smirk pulled at his hips.

He had seen it too many times to count. Knew every beat, every pause, every look. It was comfort at this point. Something familiar after a day that had taken just about everything out of him.

His legs were still sore. His shoulders arched every time he shifted. A strip of athletic tape still clung to his wrist, half peeled.

On the nightstand, his phone buzzed once. Zane didn’t look at it. The movie held him there, locked in.

Another buzz. This time he glanced over, expecting Bianca’s name to light up the screen.

It didn’t.

Unknown number. West coast area code.

Zane frowned slightly, pushing himself up onto one elbow. The TV kept playing in the background, Denzel’s voice rising as the scene built.

His phone buzzed again. Zane grabbed it, swiping to answer.

“Hello?” he said, voice a little rough. “This Zane.”

A brief pause.

Then a voice came through - calm, confident, unmistakably in control.

“Zane, how you doin’, man? This is Lincoln Riley.”

Zane blinked. Sat up straighter.

“Coach Riley?” he said, just to make sure he heard that right.

“That’s right,” the voice replied, a slight smile in the tone. “I’m the head football coach at USC.”

Zane swung his legs off the bed, planting his feet on the floor. The movie kept playing behind him, but he reached over and grabbed the remote, muting it without looking.

“Yes sir,” Zane said quickly. “I - uh - I’m doing good. I appreciate you calling.”

“Had to reach out,” Riley continued. Been watching your film the last few weeks. You’ve been putting together some serious tape.”

Zane rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, pacing a couple steps across his room now. “Yes sir, just trying to do my best.”

Coach Riley chuckled lightly. “Well, you’re doing a hell of a job,” he said. “That game tonight - playing both sides like that? Not a lot of guys at your level can handle that kind of workload. Legs feeling it tonight?”

Zane stopped pacing, standing near his desk, eyes drifting over the scattered scholarship letters. “Thank you, sir. That means a lot. Yeah, I’m feeling a little rough around the edges tonight, but I’ll bounce back.”

There was a brief pause on the other end. “Listen Zane, we’re very interested in you out here,” Coach Riley said plainly. “USC’s building something special, and we think you could be a big part of it.”

Zane swallowed, steadying himself. “Yes sir.”

“I know you’ve got options,” Coach Riley continued. “We know you got offers from Michigan and Penn State, a few others in the mix. But I wanted to personally reach out and let you know - we’re gonna be offering you a full scholarship.”

Zane’s grip tightened slightly on the phone.

His eyes flicked back to the TV for a split second - frozen frame of Denzel mid-speed - before returning to the floor.

“Wow,” he breathed. “Thank you, Coach. I really appreciate that.”

“We’d love to get you out to Los Angeles for a visit,” Coach Riley added. “See the campus, meet the guys, get a feel for what we’re building.”

Zane nodded, even though Coach Riley couldn’t see him. “Yes sir, I’d definitely be interested in that.”

“Good,” Coach Riley said. “We’ll have my staff reach out, get something scheduled that works for you and your family.”

“Sounds good, Coach. Thank you for reaching out.”

Another short pause. “And Zane?” Coach added.

“Sir?”

“Keep stacking days like today,” he said. “You’re trending the right way.”

Zane let out a small breath. “Yes sir. I will. I want to win a championship bad.”

“Alright, man, I know you will. We want winners over here at USC. I’ll let you get some rest. Big win tonight.”

“Thank you, Coach. I appreciate the call.”

The line clicked. Zane slowly lowered the phone from his ear. The room felt quieter now. The muted TV still played in the background - Denzel moving, shouting silently on screen, bullets littering the car he was driving in.

Zane stood there for a second, then looked down at his phone again.

Another offer. Another big one.

He exhaled, running both hands over his face before letting out a quiet, almost disbelieving laugh. Then he reached for his phone again. Thumb hovering.

Not over Bianca’s name this time.

Cam’s. He stared at it for a moment, then didn’t press it.

Zane set the phone down on his desk, turning back toward the TV, unmuting it.

The sound rushed back into the room as the scene finished out.

***

Bianca zipped up her duffel bag with a sharp pull, the sound cutting through the quiet of her dorm room. Clothes were folded tight, toiletries packed neatly into a side pouch, her Michigan hoodie draped over the top like a final checkmark. The late afternoon light filtered in through the window, casting long shadows across the floor.

Darius leaned back in her office chair, hands propping him up as he watched her move around with purpose.

“You’re moving like you’re never coming back,” he said, smirking.

Bianca shot him a look over her shoulder. “It’s like a week, relax.”

“Seven days is a long time when you’re stuck here with nobody,” he replied, dragging the last word out dramatically.

She shook her head, slinging the strap of her bag over her shoulder before setting it back down again to double-check her charger. “You’ll survive. You always do.”

Darius shrugged. “Yeah, but it’s quiet when everyone dips. Campus turns into a ghost town.”

Bianca paused for a second, glancing around her zoom. The walls that had felt overwhelming just a couple months ago now felt neutral. Lived in. Hers, but not permanent.

“You could always come to Pittsburgh,” she said casually, zipping the smaller pocket.

Darius raised an eyebrow. “Crash at your rich-people mansion? Though I’m the President of the ‘Zane Jones fanclub’, that feels like a trap.”

Bianca laughed, shaking her head. “What do you mean?”

“You been talking about spending time with Zane for a while now,” he said, unconvinced. “I’d be the random dude on the couch while you disappear with Zane all week.”

She didn’t deny it, just gave him a small smile. “Yeah, probably.”

Darius laughed under his breath, then nodded toward her bag. “You excited?”

Bianca didn’t answer right away. She adjusted the strap again, making sure it sat right on her shoulder.

“Yeah,” she said finally. “I am.”

“That’s what’s up. Y’all deserve some drama-free time together, for real.”

She nodded, taking in how good things had been the past few weeks.

He sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees. So, what’s the plan? You get there, watch him win a championship, then what?”

Bianca’s expression softened just slightly. “Then I just hang out, I guess. No drama. My parents are out in Spain on some work shit, so it’ll just be us for the most part.”

Darius studied her for a second, then nodded. “That sounds simple.”

“We’re kids, it should be.” she said.

There was a brief pause before Darius spoke again, more serious this time. “Katie’s been asking about you.”

Bianca exhaled quietly, her eyes drifting to the floor for a moment. “Figured that as soon as she stopped blowing up my phone, she would start talking to you.”

“She’s been going hard,” he added. “Like, out of the ordinary hard.”

Bianca looked back up at him. “I can’t say I’m surprised.”

Darous scratched the back of his neck. “I love her, but she’s playing a dangerous game. Somebody hands her the wrong thing one night, or she trusts the wrong dude. Now, she’s on the 5 o’clock news and shit.”

The sentence landed, perhaps a bit harsher than he intended it to.

Bianca nodded slowly. “I’ve been thinking about it. I feel like she was using me as a pacer to slow her down. Whether it was intentional or not is beyond me.”

“She probably needs you to tell her she needs to chill the fuck out. Lord knows she don’t listen to me.” Darius said.

Bianca let that sit for a moment. “You think so?”

“Or she’ll tell you to shut up and mind your business,” he added with a small grin.

“That too,” Bianca admitted, smiling faintly.

Darius stood up, stretching his arms above his head. “Either way, you’re not wrong for pulling back a little.”

Bianca grabbed her bag again, this time committing to it. “I just need to get my head straight first.”

“Fair,” he said.

They moved toward the door together, Bianca doing one last quick scan of the room before flicking the light off. The hallway outside buzzed faintly with movement - doors opening and closing, voices echoing as other students packed up for the break.

Darius held the door open for her. “Alright, Pittsburgh. Don’t forget about us when you’re living your best life.”

Bianca stepped through, adjusting the strap on her shoulder. “I’ll try not to.”

They walked down the hallway side by side, her pace steady, purposeful.

[redsox907]

Cam on some hating shit. feel like he's going to go to a rival school just for the spite.

Zane don't want to play for Riley's bitch ass, cmon now

[djp73]

Cam the real diva wr huh?

[Soapy]

Appreciate it bro. I'm definitely trying to marry the in-game action with the story aspect more.

this is the way.