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'06 PA WR Wesley Lyons (West Virginia signee)

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Woodland Hills duo grab lots of attention

Monday, August 15, 2005

By Mike White, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Become a standout football player, attract the attention of college recruiters and earn a scholarship to a Division I school. Dozens of football players at Woodland Hills High School have followed that path over the years.

But for seniors Wesley Lyons and Greg Webster, that path already has run through their houses.

Lyons and Webster have older brothers who traveled the Woodland Hills way to big-time college football. Jahmal Webster, a 1990 graduate, played linebacker at the University of Maryland. Devon Lyons is a sophomore receiver at Ohio State.

Now, the younger siblings are playing follow the brother.

Wesley Lyons is a 6-foot-6, 205-pound receiver who has scholarship offers from Miami, Oklahoma and LSU, among others. Webster is a 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker who already has made a verbal commitment to Pitt. West Virginia and Virginia were his other two finalists.

Lyons and Webster head into their senior seasons, believing they can help Woodland Hills climb to the top of the WPIAL ladder again. But are Lyons and Webster at the top of their family tree?

"People like to compare brothers," Webster said.

And according to Webster ...

"My brother might have me in academics, but I have him athletically," Greg Webster said with a laugh.

And who is the best receiver to come out of the Lyons' den? Wesley won't go there.

"I'm taller," Wesley said of his 6-4 brother. "But he's a little stronger and maybe quicker."

There is a chance Wesley could join his brother at Ohio State next year. Wesley said the school has offered him a scholarship. He has thought about the Buckeyes, but said, "They have a lot of receivers up there now."

Wesley's top choices are Miami and Oklahoma.
Wesley has known Miami running back Andrew Johnson (North Hills graduate) for a long time because Johnson and Devon Lyons were friends. Wesley said he talks with Johnson and Miami linebacker James Bryant on a regular basis.

"I like Miami a lot," he said.

But he also has developed a nice relationship with Oklahoma receivers coach Darrell Wyatt.

While Lyons has offers from some big-time colleges, he does not have an offer from Pitt or Penn State. It's sort of a mutual thing. Lyons let it be known that he had no interest in Pitt, so the Panthers didn't bother to recruit him. Penn State hasn't recruited him much, either.

Webster, though, showed his liking toward Pitt earlier this summer when he committed to the Panthers. He is excited about Pitt's future, but he's also excited about his final season at Woodland Hills. The Wolverines have made it to the WPIAL quarterfinals the past two seasons. That's reason for a celebration at many schools. But Woodland Hills made it to the title game four years in a row before that.

"I really think good things are going to happen this year," Webster said. "As a team, I just think we're more on the same page this year. I don't know if all the players were on the same page last year. This year, a lot of the players hang out together. We go out to eat together. We go to local fairs and carnivals. That closeness should carry over to the field."

But it's not just team chemistry that makes the Wolverines one of the best in Class AAAA again. They have talent, as a number of starters return from last year. Besides Lyons and Webster, receiver/running back/defensive back Darrin Walls is considered one of the best players in Pennsylvania.

"We had been very fortunate with injuries in my first 18 years here," Woodland Hills coach George Novak said. "The last two years, we had 12 guys get hurt during the season and had to go through operations. That made things tough. Plus, we lost some tough games last year. But I think that's what has made these guys work harder this year."

(Mike White can be reached at [email protected] or 412-263-1975.)
 
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Pittsburgh Live

8/15

Lyons grows into starring role


Lyons file

Wes Lyons
School: Woodland Hills

Height, weight: 6-foot-6, 205 pounds

Class: Senior

Position: Receiver

Notable: Lyons has nearly two dozen scholarship offers and counts Miami, Ohio State, Oklahoma and West Virginia among his leaders.


By Kevin Gorman
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, August 15, 2005


The pass, as Woodland Hills coach George Novak remembers it, sailed 12 feet high and into the end zone.
Wes Lyons reached above the crossbar of the goal post and snatched it with one hand before landing.

Jaws dropped at West Virginia University's passing camp, especially the one attached to the face of Mountaineers coach Rich Rodriguez, standing nearby.

"That," Novak said, "was unbelievable."


With that catch, the 6-foot-6, 205-pound Lyons officially stepped out of his brother's shadow and solidified his own reputation as a high-major college prospect. No longer was he living on the borrowed reputation of Devon Lyons, an Ohio State sophomore.

"Coach Rodriguez was right there at that goal post," Lyons said. "It was right in front of him and the other coaches. They already knew I had potential, but that shocked him."

Wes Lyons broke Ryan Mundy's school record for receptions for a junior with 33 for 563 yards and six touchdowns, but many in football circles were shocked to hear that he had received scholarship offers from national powers Miami and Oklahoma.

Novak credits Lyons' bottomless potential - he doesn't turn 17 until September and is just starting to fill out his frame - and work ethic for the increased interest.

Lyons follows an intense workout regimen, which includes jumping onto 36-inch plyometric boxes while wearing two, 10-pound weighted vests to improve his leg strength and explosiveness.

"He's had a phenomenal off-season," Novak said. "He's done a great job lifting and worked real hard on his running. He has outstanding hand-eye coordination. And he's just getting stronger and faster. He's just a pony."

Still, Wes Lyons can't escape comparisons to Devon (6-4, 215), who was shorter, thicker and faster, capable of running reverses and returning punts. Wes is long and lean, and a big threat on deep routes and corner fades.

"They're different personalities," Novak said of the Lyons brothers. "Wes has very deceptive speed. He's smooth and he's a giant target."

One, as Lyons proved at West Virginia, who is capable of going up to great heights to retrieve passes. And one who hopes to put Woodland Hills receiving records out of reach after this season.

"That's one of my goals," Lyons said. "A lot of people were expecting me to have a big junior year. Now I know people are expecting me to have a big senior year."



Kevin Gorman can be reached at [email protected] or (412) 320-7812.
 
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CriticalSteve said:
His brother almost seemed to be talking him out of going to Ohio State when I spoke with Devon on Photo Day.
I really hope this isn't true...

but if it is, hopefully it is related to the depth we have at WR, and not his unhappiness with tOSU. If he's patient he'll get his chance. The best example of this is Will Allen
 
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ShakerBuck said:
I really hope this isn't true...

but if it is, hopefully it is related to the depth we have at WR, and not his unhappiness with tOSU. If he's patient he'll get his chance. The best example of this is Will Allen

Due to depth chart issues. He mentioned that Miami was going to be tough to beat and that their father is moving down to the Miami area next year.
 
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Best of luck to him wherever he ends up. We are loaded beyond belief at WR, and might be smarter to spend our schollies elsewhere, like at DT. Good call grad, Chichester is a very similar recruit, plus we likely have Small as well as other interested speedsters, plus maybe Ausberry.

Miami didn't bring in a WR last year either.
 
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Scout $

8/16/05

From Scout.com...Wesley is focused on West Virginia, Miami, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Minnesota. Everyone has offered except Miami. Miami is also the only school to have hinted at him possibly playing tight end. He mentions the fact that OSU has "a lot of great receivers"...and not necessarily in a good way.

No wonder his top 5 is evolving...he is nervous about the depth chart at one of his two favorites, and the other hasn't offered. I imagine that this thing is a long way from over. Maybe we can convince him that wherever he goes, he is going to face stiff competition for playing time.
 
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bucknuts44820 said:
I am not to high on Lyons, don't get me wrong, he is a very talented and great kid but I think the staff is not as high on him as in the past. He has to know that whatever school he goes to will have competition and a depth chart ahead of him.
I think the Chichester commit, plus where we stand with the likes of Ausberry, Small, Hornsby, Cumberland, Bryan Thomas, Andrey Baskin, Chris Slaughter, Damon McDaniel, etc. has probably made the staff take a look at how serious they are about getting Lyons. He's not getting the vibe he wants from OSU or Miami right now and there may be a reason for that.
 
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