Talent-Filled Football Team Determined To Bring Northeast High School First State Championship
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Are you looking to root for an underdog this football season? Northeast High School is not your typical Pennsylvania football powerhouse, but this season they've got one goal in mind.
Sophomore Ken Talley expects his team will be state champions this season.
There's a reason why they think they can hang with some of the best teams in the state.
Former Penn State star Deion Barnes is the defensive coordinator, and he has that side of the ball hungry.
Assistant head coach Erick Clark played at Northeast and says this team is perhaps the best he's ever seen at this school.
"The commitment that these kids have put in over these last six, seven months have been different than every other year in Northeast football history," Clark said.
They're led by Tyreek Chappell, Tyrece Mills, Shuayb "Shoes" Brinkley, Elijah Jeudy, and Ken Talley.
And they'll need this group to help push them past the likes of St. Joe's Prep, Archbishop Wood and others to win their first ever state title.
This group of talented football players are also being recruited by high-profile college programs like Syracuse University, Baylor, West Virginia, Temple, Penn State, Wisconsin, LSU, and Michigan State.
Junior defensive end Elijah Jeudy is one of the top players in the entire county at his position.
"I honestly think he's the best player in the state of Pennsylvania," Clark said. "Elijah does all the right things."
Sophomore defensive end Ken Talley received an offer from James Franklin and Penn State at just 14 years old.
"He might be the youngest athlete that got that type of attention probably in our school's history, getting those type of offers as a freshman, which is a big deal for him. We're very proud of him," Clark said.
It'll take a team effort to bring down the best in Pennsylvania, but the Vikings are here for it.
"We're prepared," junior Shuayb "Shoes" Brinkley said. "We're more prepared. A lot of talent out here. Every player on this field can make a play."
"We coming hard," senior Tyrece Mills said. "Offense, defense, we got a lot of weapons this year. Gotta watch out."
Northeast High is off to a good start. They are 2-0 so far this season and have outscored their opponents 70 to 13.