2024 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Steel Valley’s Donald Barksdale

A six touchdown game a year ago against Burrell might have been a nine touchdown game for Donald Barksdale. 
 
Nine touchdowns. Outscoring a team 56 points — by one man. 
 
‘Three were called back,’ Barksdale said with a sigh. “Penalties. ” 
 
For this reason , Steel Valley football coach Ray Braszo refers to his feature back as ‘Mr. Touchdowns. ’ 
 
And in three seasons at Barksdale has scored and end zone 52 times as a junior,37 of those were last year. 
 
“He scores in all situations; (including) interceptions, punt and kick returns,” became the impression of Braszo. “He has nice pace, excellent soccer sense and is difficult to tackle. He comes to training in shape and trains hard to remain in good shape. ” 
 
Barksdale emerges originally 5-10, 180, as an “athlete” with nine NCAA Division I scholarship offers, including Duquesne and Robert Morris, and he’s got more than a handle on the football. 
 
“Mr. Touchdowns” was an additional point when asked about achievements. 
 
“Last season, my life changed a lot,” the senior said. “Deserving is the best word to describe my feeling because my mom and dad don’t have to pay for college any more. ” 
 
All in all, Barksdale seems to expand the company’s purchasing of headline acts. Last season, he rushed for 258 yds and the aforementioned 6 TDS against Burrell; he also rushed for 250 yds in the WPIAL 2A quarterfinal game against Western Beaver. 
 
Steel Valley is a WPIAL section AA team that clinched a championship two years ago and was a second this year. 
 
Last year Barksdale ran for 2,061 yards while getting, quite literally, a load of carries (267). 
 
He was also an effective defense man and had four interceptions that he took back for a touchdown twice. Expect him to be utilized as simply an outside linebacker-safety this coming football season. 
 
“I’d like to do better what I did in the previous year,” – Barksdale uttered, – “I think I can do ten times better than I performed last year. Of course, I can progress much more. I have placed a bet on myself. ” 
 
The Ironmen’s featured back is a career 3,000-plus-yard rusher, but he wants his youth counterparts to emerge as well. 
 
“The only thing is (winning),” he said, but added that he looks forward to see the entire team growth so that they can also be able to compete for the championship the following year. “That is a great point. ” 
 
Football is as much as blood to Barksdale, the younger brother of Steel Valley’s all time rusher DeWayne Murray. 
 
His younger brother and teammate Da’Ron Barksdale is district fro and junior defensive back and receiver; He has 8 Division I offers and accepts (Pitt, West Virginia, Temple, UNLV, Syracuse, Akron, Bowling Green). 
 
In that discussion, Donald Barksdale had this to say, “I have the most speed out of all three of us. ” 
 
The Barksdale pair adds so much heat to the Ironmen so they can win another title as fast as any pair. 
 
“It will be the icing on the cake if I will be able to win (championship) with my brother,” Donald Barksdale exclaimed. “I remember when I was a waterboy/ballboy and we went to the WPIAL championship at Robert Morris and we were on the field (during) state final in Hershey My brother, DeWayne, Paris Ford and all those guys It would be amazing to do that as a player now. ” 
 
Donald Barksdale 
 
Steel Valley 
 
Senior 
 
5-foot-10/180 pounds 
 
RB/CB 
 
Committed to: Uncommitted 
 
Division I offers: Morgan State, Duquesne, Bryant, The Howard University, Merrimack, University at Albany, Central State University, Robert Morris, Bowling Green 

2023 statistics: 267 carriages, 2061 yard 37 touchdowns ; 53 tacks 4 interceptions 
 
Bill Beckner Jr. works for TribLive as a reporter for west moreland county local sports. He can be