KDKA Radio’s Super 7 is back! At the end of the high school football season, we will honor seven local players who stood out the most during 2021.
The awards will go to the top player in each WPIAL classification, as well as the best performer in the Pittsburgh City League.
Leading up to that, each week, we will highlight players who are in the running for the prestigious postseason award.
Let’s begin in Week 1. Four players — from schools in four different counties in Western PA — all shined on offense, while some mixed in some special teams prowess to propel their squads to 2-0 starts this season.
Cadin Olsen, Armstrong
For the second straight week, Armstrong quarterback Cadin Olsen found himself near the top of the WPIAL’s passing leaders list.
Olsen, a junior, tossed for 273 yards and five touchdowns as the Riverhawks beat up on Deer Lakes, 49-6, Friday night.
A week ago, the signal caller passed for 267 yards and three scores in a 48-14 win over Freeport.
Despite being 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, and passing for 2,035 yards and 23 touchdowns last season, Olsen has not picked up a Division I offer yet. That is likely to change in the near future, especially if he continues his run of strong play to begin the 2021 season.
Take a look at Olsen’s highlights from the first two weeks of the regular season here:
Landon Alexander, Central Valley
In the middle of the week, Central Valley and Blackhawk were left looking for new opponents due to cancelations over covid-19 concerns in their opponents’ programs. So the Warriors and Cougars decided to play one another.
Landon Alexander took advantage of the opportunity. Big time.
Alexander, Central Valley’s standout senior running back, rushed for 201 yards and three touchdowns, and returned a punt 66 yards for another score, as the Warriors topped the Cougars 58-35 for a 14th straight victory for the defending WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A champions. In all, Alexander piled up 408 all-purpose yards in the win.
The 6-foot, 190-pound tailback and defensive back has an offer from UMass, which played Pitt this weekend at Heinz Field.
Rodney Gallagher, Laurel Highlands
One of the best multi-sport athletes in the country, Rodney Gallagher is becoming a big problem for opposing defenses on the football field.
Gallagher, a four-star recruit in the class of 2023, has been nearly unstoppable through the first two weeks of the season for Laurel Highlands.
He had another massive night Friday. Gallagher found the end zone three times on the ground, and racked up 157 rushing yards on just 16 carries, leading the Mustangs to a 28-21 win over Southmoreland.
Gallagher has also passed for 175 yards and two scores this season, and rushed for 269 yards and five touchdowns overall. He intercepted two passes on defense in a Week 0 win over Connellsville.
The junior has Division I offers in both football and basketball, in which he was first team all-state last season.
Robert Dickerson, North Hills
Dickerson may just be the most explosive wide receiver in the WPIAL, and the North Hills senior showed why Friday night, despite touching the ball only twice on offense.
Dickerson returned a punt 54 yards for a touchdown, and returned kick 72 yards to set up the Indians’ first touchdown of the night in their 49-17 win over Plum. He also completed a 24-yard pass on a trick play.
The punt return score was his second in as many weeks, taking back a 55-yarder against Mars in Week 0. Last season, he returned a pair of kicks for touchdowns.
The 6-foot, 190-pounder has offers from Fordham, Holy Cross, Colgate, New Hampshire, Slippery Rock and Lafeyette, which has also extended a baseball offer to him. Pitt has offered Dickerson a role as a preferred walk-on.
KDKA Radio’s coverage of WPIAL football continues this week with the Quest for the Best Show at 6 p.m. on Thursday night. On Friday, Dan Zangrilli, Johnny Lee, Robert Mangino, Dorin Dickerson and Cale Berger bring you live coverage of Pittsburgh Central Catholic at Pine-Richland. You can hear the show, and the game, on 100.1 FM and 1020 AM News Radio KDKA.