[Buckskin86]

Tradition continues at Gateway
By Tricia Lafferty
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Buzz up!


Gateway has produced some of the top football recruits in the U.S. in recent years.
This season will be no different.

Trying to fill the shoes of All-American linebacker Shayne Hale and running back Cameron Saddler, both Pitt recruits, linebacker Dorian Bell and wide receiver Corey Brown hope to keep Gateway, the WPIAL Class AAAA runner-up in 2007, on the rise this year.

They shouldn't have many problems, considering the duo each reached All-American status after being named to the U.S. Army All-American game that will be played Jan. 3, 2009, in San Antonio. Bell also is considered the No. 14 player in the country and the second-best linebacker, according to rivals.com. The only other WPIAL product on the top 100 list is Montour quarterback E.J. Banks, who is 95th.

Gateway coach Terry Smith said Bell could end up being more highly recruited than Gateway graduate and former Penn State defensive back Justin King, who was considered the nation's No. 1 high school cornerback and will be one of the first cornerbacks drafted into the NFL on April 26.
"It's gonna be close," Smith said. "Justin ended up with 53 offers, and it'll be close. It all depends on how Dorian's recruitment goes. What I mean by that is sometimes a kid finds a school that he likes and shuts down other schools and shuts down other offers."

Bell holds more than 40 offers, and Brown's scholarship count has reached the high 30s. Bell and Brown have visited North Carolina, Ohio State, Maryland, West Virginia, Pitt and Penn State. Visits to Notre Dame and Illinois are planned for next weekend.

Tradition continues at Gateway - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review