Air Force Academy football makes recruiting push into Western Pa.
By:
Sunday, May 17, 2020 | 12:50 PM
Two military service academies have successfully recruited Western Pennsylvania football players for years. Combined, Army and Navy had seven former WPIAL athletes on their rosters last fall.
The Air Force Academy wants to join them.
The Falcons have extended offers to a number of WPIAL juniors this spring including at least three more in the past week. Canon-McMillan’s Connor McMahon announced an Air Force offer Wednesday, and Upper St. Clair’s Luke Banbury and Baldwin’s Connor Lavelle revealed offers Friday.
Lavelle, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound safety and wide receiver, now has offers from all three service academies. Banbury (6-2, 220) is a linebacker and running back. McMahon (6-3, 250) plays tight end and defensive end.
Elizabeth Forward defensive end Chase Whatton and North Allegheny linebacker Nathan Hoke also added Air Force to their college options this month. Peters Township’s Donovan McMillon, Central Valley’s Ameer Dudley and some others around the WPIAL already had an offer.
Assistant defensive line coach Del Cowsette, a Cleveland native and former all-conference player at Maryland, has led the Division I FBS program’s efforts in Western Pennsylvania. The academy, in Colorado Springs, Colo., is much farther away than Annapolis, Md., or West Point, N.Y., a distance that likely impacts recruiting.
Air Force landed a WPIAL football recruit in 2018, when Penn-Trafford’s John Gay committed to the Falcons. However, Gay transferred to Lafayette after one year at the academy’s prep school.
Air Force went 11-2 overall last season and 7-1 in the Mountain West in coach Troy Calhoun’s 13th season. The Falcons defeated Washington State, 31-21, at the Cheez-It Bowl in Phoenix.
Against the other service academies, Air Force defeated Army but lost to Navy last season.
Extremely excited to say I’ve received an offer from The United States Air Force Academy!! @CowsetteCoach @AF_FBRecruiting pic.twitter.com/FPLhaDfy6v
— Luke Banbury (@luke_banbury) May 15, 2020
Thankful and humbled by the OFFER to play Division One Football at @AF_Football!!! Thank you to the entire Air Force Coaching staff for seeing something special in me. @CoachCowsette @CoachTCalhoun @CoachLobotzke @COACH_HIMEY @jake8shakes @coachbenmiller @BigMacsFootball pic.twitter.com/W7gHiZWx4k
— Connor McMahon (@ConnorMcMahon94) May 14, 2020
Blessed to have received an offer from The Air Force! @CowsetteCoach @AF_FBRecruiting pic.twitter.com/g1xcOIu2yI
— Connor Lavelle (@lavelle_2002) May 15, 2020
