< Previous30 • Allegheny West Magazine • Spring 2022 Three years ago, the Cornell Raiders football team made program history when it reached the semi-final game in the WPIAL playoffs. After a year of adjustments and dealing with a multitude of disruptions caused by COVID-19, the team made a reappearance in the semi-final match this past year. The season earned head coach Ed Dawson Coach of the Year honors for the second time in three seasons and three players all-state honors. A handful of players also received all-conference accolades. The team even narrowly pulled off an undefeated season. Its sole loss came at the hands of OLSH by a single point. The team, however, still won its conference. For Dawson, the season was yet another one characterized by a turnaround from the previous year. In the 2018 season, the team went 4-5 before its history-making 2019 run. Similarly, in the season before last, the Raiders finished 1-6 before bouncing back to have a shot at making it to the big match. Other than experience and growth, Dawson says team chemistry played as much into this past year’s success as anything. “Having an off season, you really see the value and importance of it, especially having a co-op and kids from two different schools coming together and learning to develop trust more than anything,” says Dawson. “Once those guys developed the bond to be a successful team, the trust they had in each other - it’s easier to play with someone you care about.” Cornell plays in a co-op with Nazareth Prep, which has proven to be a significant benefit to the team even since the Raiders re- established Cornell’s football program in 2016. Some of this past season’s players were also on that history-making 2019 team. Among them was Coach Dawson’s son, EJ. After starting the season at quarterback, EJ moved over to the tight end position, but it was on defense where he left his biggest impact by recording 134 tackles. That performance earned EJ all-state team honors, a spot on the all-conference defensive team and a defensive player of the year nod. Fellow all-state team member Tim Henderson, meanwhile, rushed for 431 yards on the season and caught 16 passes for 416 yards while recording 11 touchdowns. In addition to all-state team honors, Tim was also named offensive player of the year and a first team offensive all-conference selection. Micah Dickerson, the team’s punter, was named to the all-state team as well for a punting performance that included 33 punts for 1,272 yards. Micah was also named the conference’s first team punter. Sincere Kimbrough, who took over at quarterback early on in the season, had a standout year on both sides of the ball. Sincere passed for 974 yards and completed 11 touchdowns. He also rushed for another 249 yards to score an additional five touchdowns. That performance earned him a second team all- conference offensive selection. On the defensive side, Sincere recorded 97 tackles, which was second only to EJ, and earned first team all-defensive team honors. Offensive lineman Cagney Smith made the first team all- conference team while running back Raequan Troutman received second-team all-conference offensive honors after recording 1,000 yards on 83 carries and nine touchdowns. Raequan led the team in carries, ground yardage and rushing touchdowns. He also caught 11 passes for 164 yards and one touchdown. However, he also recorded 42 tackles on defense and earned a first all- conference defensive team nod. The Raiders rolled over their first two opponents in the post season, defeating Monessan, 33-0, and Leechberg, 46-18. The team, though, lost to Bishop Canevin - the eventual WPIAL champion - in the semi-final match, 24-7. Now that the team has made the semi-final match twice, Dawson says they’ll be looking to reach the championship next. “We’ve figured out the riddle of getting there but we just can’t seem to be able to open the door yet,” he says. Things are looking up for next season, however. Unlike the year following that 2019 season, the team won’t be losing all of its starters to graduation. Instead, the Raiders will have eight seniors returning, among them EJ and Raequan. Football team again reaches semi-final playoff match, multiple players receive honors PHOTOS BY TOM SALVIE PHOTOGRAPHY The Raiders football team once again reached the semi-final match in the WPIAL championship this past season. FROM TOP: Tim Henderson earned offensive player of the year honors while EJ Dawson was named defensive player of the year. Both also earned first team all-conference nods. Sincere Kimbrough and Raequan Troutman also earned first team all-conference honors. Hughey Publications, LLC P.O. Box 220 McDonald, PA 15057 Allegheny West MagazineNext >