Invictus

[Captain Canada]

Bianca gets slammed by Darius, Zane pivots to Rebecca for the get back

our boy ain't diabolical enough to cheat on poor lil' rich girl, but he sure as shit gonna smash thru the tears

#soxstradamous

Introducing Zane's eventual side piece this early in the storyline is more of a Caesar/Soapy archetype than my own, but I see the engine heating up, for sure.

You probably missed the CB convo me and Caes had. But you have the opportunity to do the braziest thing

Bianca is at Michigan

That's CRAZY.

[djp73]

[Captain Canada]

Pennsylvania High School Football Rankings: Top 25 Teams

By Andy Villamarzo
July 1, 2025

St. Joseph's Prep starts the 2025 season in a familiar spot, at the top of the High School Football America Pennsylvania Top 25 high school football rankings, powered by NFL Play Football. The Hawks will be going after their fourth straight state championship and tenth overall.

SJP will get a rest test to start the season when it opens against 4A champion American Heritage (Plantation, Florida) on Friday night on national television. The Hawks are No. 7 in HSFA 300 national rankings while American Heritage sits at No. 21 in America.

The top four teams in our statewide rankings created with our proprietary algorithm are members of the Philadelphia Catholic League's Red Division. . They include No. 2 La Salle High School, who will start their season against No. 7 Pittsburgh Central Catholic. No. 3 Monsignor Bonner will open against Simon Gratz. No. 4 Roman Catholic opens with an out-of-state opponent, playing North Carolina's Providence Day.

Within the state, No, 11 Harrisburg will open their season at home, welcoming upstart No, 22 Upper St. Clair, featuring a new sprung offense under head coach David Shazier and new transfer quarterback Malik Richards, a three-star recruit without strong intangibles and an impressive case to increase his national pedigree.

22. Upper St. Clair
Head Coach: David Shazier (11th season)
Offensive Coordinator: Robert Tory (1st season)
Defensive Coordinator: Archie Stanfield (7th season)
2024 Record: 3-9
Top Seniors: QB Malik Richards, HB Raekwon Williams, WR Zane Jones, OT Brock Xavier, MLB Ashton Beckwith, CB Abdul Hamzah

Synopsis
Last fall was supposed to be a rebuilding year at Upper St. Clair. Instead, it turned into something closer to a reckoning.

The Panthers limped through a bruising schedule and stumbled to a 3-9 record in state play, a season defined by inconsistency, youth, and growing pains, at key positions. But, just when it seemed like a the year would fade quietly into memory, Upper St. Clair delivered one of the most stunning results in Pennsylvania high school football - an emphatic late-season upset of top-ranked St. Joseph's.

At the center of it all was then-junior wide receiver Zane Jones, whose explosive performance and game-winning touchdown flipped the script on the Panthers' season and hinted that something much bigger might be brewing in Pittsburgh's South Hills.

Now, with a new quarterback, an influx of talent, and a growing national spotlight, Upper St. Clair enters the new season as one of the most intriguing underdog programs in the state.

If last season exposed anything, it was the need for stability under center. Graduated quarterback Cedric Hall battled valiantly through a tough year, but the Panthers' offense struggled to stretch the field consistently. That changes dramatically with the arrival of Malik Richards, a transfer from highly regarded La Salle High School.

Richards, a three-star dual-threat quarterback, brings a skill set Upper St. Clair simply did not have a year ago. He's fluid in the pocket, dangerous on designed runs, and owns the arm talent to attack defenses vertically - an immediate upgrade that raises the ceiling of the entire offense.

College programs all over the country have already taken notice. Richards is currently forecasted to be leaning towards staying home and committing to Pittsburgh, while still holding scholarship offers from Tulane, California, and West Virginia. For the Panthers, his arrival signals a philosophical shift: this is no longer an offense content to survive games - its one built to dictate them.

Richards didn't arrive alone.

Standout running back Raekwon Williams, another three-star recruit, transfers from Harriburg with offers from Boise State, Virginia, and South Carolina. A Power 4 running back to be, Williams adds immediate physicality and game-breaking speed to an offense that struggled with consistency last season. His presence gives Upper St. Clair a true tone-setter and reliability in the backfield.

Still, everything begins and ends with Zane Jones.

Once lightly recruited and largely unknown outside local circles, Jones has exploded overnight onto the regional - and now national - scene. Over the summer, he dominated camp settings at both Penn State and Pittsburgh, turning heads with his route precision, burst off the line, and ability to separate against top-tier defensive backs.

At 6-foot-2 with elite body control and an emerging physical edge, Jones has become the Panthers' unquestioned No. 1 option and emotional engine. His breakout performance against St. Joseph's wasn't a fluke - it was a preview.

Jones enters the season with a clear mission: maximize exposure, elevate his teammates, and proven that Upper St. Clair belongs on the same field as Pennsylvania's elite. For a program coming off a 3-9 record, that confidence matters.

Upper St. Clair won't be picked to win the state. The schedule remains unforgiving, and chemistry - especially between a new quarterback and a young supporting cast - will take time to solidify.

But, this team is no longer a doormat.

With Richards raising the offensive floor, Williams bolstering the backfield, and Jones emerging as one of the most compelling playmakers in the state, the Panthers are positioned to make noise. They are experienced in adversity, hungry after last season's failures, and confident after proving they can top giants.

[djp73]

lets play ball

[Captain Canada]

lets play ball

[redsox907]

need to be on some Randy Moss shit this year

[Caesar]

Them boys were 3-9 last year? no wonder Zane wasn’t getting no hoes to be available to fall in love with Poor Little Rich Girl. That brother was starving.

[Captain Canada]

Them boys were 3-9 last year? no wonder Zane wasn’t getting no hoes to be available to fall in love with Poor Little Rich Girl. That brother was starving.

Zane can't even mind his own business without Mr. Horny coming over on here and bringing his girl back up

[Soapy]

Zane can't even mind his own business without Mr. Horny coming over on here and bringing his girl back up

that boy got unresolved childhood trauma i keep trying to tell yall

[Captain Canada]

Season III | Chapter III - Motion

Cam hadn’t meant to scroll that far.

He was supposed to be checking practice times, maybe watching a clip or two from last season, but the headline caught him anyway - bold, clean, impossible to ignore.

PENNSYLVANIA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RANKINGS: TOP 25 TEAMS

He clicked before he could stop himself. Coach Shazier had warned the team not to even give the media a second thought. That they would be garnering more attention than ever before.

The article read like something out of a dream - talk of culture shifts, offseason grit, a team hardened by failure and poised to explode. Cam leaned back in his chair as he read, a slow smile tugging at his mouth.

His eyes continued to scan the page, finding the Players to Watch section.

QB Malik Richards

Came skimmed that section, jaw tightening. He had seen Malik up close. Talented, for sure. But distant. Cold. Not much of a leader. But, he knew with somebody of his profile was going to gather attention regardless of where he was.

RB Raekwon Williams

Cam’s fingers curled slightly against the trackpad. He respected Kwon immensely - couldn’t deny the juice - but the praise still stung.

WR Zane Jones - emerging star, camp standout, one of the fastest-rising prospects in Pennsylvania.

Cam stopped.

Read it again.

The paragraph went on and on, lamenting his routes, hands, leadership, upside. NFL words for a high school kid.

His best friend.

Cam swallowed, a lump slowly developing in his throat. Saliva struggling to flow freely.

Not a single mention of him. Not a word.

He knew why. He wasn’t delusional. He had barely seen the field last year - some special teams reps, late-game snaps where he set up more blocks than ran routes. No real tape. No moments that lived online.

Still.

He closed his laptop with a sharp snap.

“Cam!” Cynthia yelped from the couch. “What the hell?”

She twisted around, controller in hand, eyebrows raised. “What’s your problem?”

“Nothing,” Cam muttered, standing up.

“That didn’t look like nothing.” She crossed her eyes, 20-years-old and already fearless. “You look like you just found out you’re adopted.”

Cam scoffed. “Relax.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Did you read another one of those articles sucking up your teammates again? A little jealous?”

He froze just long enough to give himself away.

“Wow,” Cynthia said. “All this drama about Zane. Again.”

Cam exhaled hard, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s not about him. It’s just-”

“They didn’t mention you,” she finished flatly.

His silence confirmed it.

Cynthia set the controller down and stood. “You know why that pisses you off so much? ‘Cause you know you’re good. You know you worked damn hard. And I think you’re a little nervous people won’t give a shit.”

Cam blinked at the bite. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She stepped closer, chin lifted. “I know one thing - Zane’s been grinding for this for as long as I can remember. He’s fought tooth and nail for everything he has. Can you really say the same?”

Cam winced.

“And what pisses ME off is that, instead of being proud of your best friend,” she continued, voice sharp. “You’re upset that he’s finally getting a little reinforcement. Soft.”

“That’s not fair,” Cam snapped.

“You’re not owed a headline, Cam.”

The words hit harder than he expected.

She softened just a little. “You want the headlines? Go out there, and take it. ‘Ball out’ as you losers say on the field. But being mad at Zane for getting a little bit of love? You’re better than that.”

Cam looked away, jaw tight.

After a moment, Cynthia sighed. “It’s okay to want your moment. Just don’t turn it into something ugly.”

She picked up her controller and walked past him, pausing at the doorway. “You’re a good kid, little brother. Just keep going.”

The room fell quiet.

Cam sat down slowly, staring at the closed laptop like it might reopen itself.

He knew she was right.

Zane deserved every piece of praise. Cam had seen the grind, the pressure, the weight his friend carried. Resenting him wouldn’t get Cam anywhere.

Still.

As Cam leaned back in his chair, eyes on the ceiling, a thought lingered - quiet, persistent, and uncomfortable.

Is it really so wrong to want some light of your own?

He didn’t have the answer yet.

But he knew one thing for sure.

This season, he wasn’t going to be invisible.

He would get his headlines.

***

The field house hummed the way only it could on game day.

Not loud - not yet - but alive. The murmurings of people outside gathering to their seats, linking up with loved ones, prepared to witness a battle.

Lockers rattled softly as players shifted their weight. Cleats scraped against concrete. Somewhere down the row, tape ripped, clean and sharp. The air was thick with sweat, metal, and anticipation.

Zane sat on the bench in front of locker #2, elbows on his knees, head lowered.

The bass in his AirPods thundered through his skull, heavy and relentless, a song chosen not because he necessarily liked it - but because it drowned out everything else.

The doubt.

The noise.

The what-ifs.

He closed his eyes and tried to breathe.

This wasn’t practice. This wasn’t seven-on-seven. Not summer camp. No more friendly drills where routes were clean and outcomes already were written.

This was Harrisburg. #11 team in the state of Pennsylvania.

Fast. Violent. Disciplined.

A team that had ended seasons before they even started.

And for the first time since his rise began, Zane felt something unfamiliar creep into his chest.

A sense of not knowing. Not necessarily doubt. But a lack of foundation.

Dominating his own teammates had been one thing. He knew their tendencies. Their weaknesses. He had earned their trust.

Tonight?

Tonight, the country would be watching.

Scouts. Rankings. Anonymous critics ready to decide whether he was for real or just another summer story that vanished under real pressure.
His hand drifted to the front of his jersey.

Black and silver.

The number 2 stitched firm against his chest. He pressed his fingers into it, grounding himself.

This is mine.

The nerves still twisted low in his stomach, but the fabric felt steady. Familiar.

Across the room, Malik sat three lockers down, posture perfectly still. Headphones on. Eyes closed. Hands resting on his things like he was meditating before battle.

For all the tension between them, Zane couldn’t deny it - Malik looked locked in. Focused in a way that went beyond swagger or attitude. Whatever lived behind those quiet eyes tonight, it was serious.

A few lockers down from him, Cam stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his pads.

Gone was the number 84 that he had been stuck with along with the practice squad identity. The background role. Now stood #14. Sharper. More intentional.

Cam caught Zane looking and gave him a nod. Not flashy, not playful. Just ready.

Something tightened in Zane’s chest - this time, in a good way.

We’re different this year, he thought.

His phone buzzed in his lap. Bianca.

“Good luck tonight, superstar. I’ve got a stream ready to go. No matter what, I’m proud of you. Show them who you are.”

Zane stared at the message longer than he meant to.

The distance was still there. The uncertainty too.

Bit in that moment - knowing she would be watching, somewhere under Michigan lights - something warm settled into him.

He typed a reply back quickly and slid his phone into his locker. He pulled his AirPods out. The music faded and the world rushed back in.

Coach Shazier’s voice echoed from the front of the room, low and commanding. “Five minutes!”

Helmets snapped shut. Straps tightened. Energy shifted.

Zane stood.

For a second, he just stayed there - breathing. Feeling the weight of the pads. The hum of the room. The moment.

First game.

First test.

With one final breath, Zane felt it. Not fear. No doubt.

Readiness. Whatever waited for him under those lights, he was ready to meet.

And to show the country exactly who he was.