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.)
