District 11’s 2010 Top Returning Athletes

Written by: EasternPAFootball.com Staff on Sunday, August 22nd, 2010. Follow EasternPAFootball.com Staff on Twitter.

Aaron Cook, Junior TE/LB, Palmerton – Cook finished his sophomore season with 63 tackles (33 solo), two sacks and a fumble recovery, averaging 6.3 tackles per game. Cook posted a season-high 11 tackles against Pen Argyl and finished six games with seven or more tackles. Cook also caught eight passes for 72 yards.

Alex Parker, Senior RB, Wilson Area – The Warriors’ leading rusher each of the last two seasons, Parker finished his junior season with 790 yards and 12 touchdowns on 138 carries, averaging 5.73 yards per carry and nearly 66 yards per game. He thrice surpassed 100 yards rushing in a game, posting a season-best 187 yards against Northwestern Lehigh. Parker also caught 12 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown, averaging 14.4 yards per catch. Defensively, he chipped in with 14 tackles and two interceptions.

Andrew Harris, Junior LB, Whitehall – Harris had a solid sophomore season for Whitehall, posting 87 tackles, 2.5 sacks and an interception, averaging 7.3 tackles per game. Offensively, Harris registered 40 carries for 142 yards and a touchdown and caught seven passes for 93 yards and three touchdowns. Harris averaged 3.55 yards per carry and 13.2 yards per catch.

Andrew Muretta, Senior TE/LB, Wilson Area – The top returning tackler to the Warriors’ 2010 defensive unit, Muretta tallied 80 tackles (24 solo) and a sack in his junior season, averaging 7.3 tackles per game. He finished four games with 10+ tackles, posting a season-best 11 tackles in games against Saucon Valley and Allentown Central Catholic.

Anthony Stanitis, Senior RB/LB, Shenandoah Valley – Stanitis finished his junior season with 67 tackles (9 solo), two sacks and two fumble recoveries to aid the Blue Devils. He averaged 5.6 tackles per game.

Brandon Auman, Senior TB, Tri-Valley – Auman will be a nice piece to build around for the 2010 season after the Bulldogs lost nearly its entire starting lineup to graduation. Auman ran for 683 yards and seven touchdowns on 91 carries, averaging more than 7.5 yards per carry and 45 yards per game, surpassing 100 yards once. Defensively, Auman tacked on 103 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries to his stat line, averaging 6.3 tackles per game. He posted a season-high 11 tackles in a 35-32 playoff victory over Southern Columbia.

Brandon Nosovitch, Junior QB, Allentown Central Catholic – One of the most talented sophomores in all of District 11, the sky appears to be the limit for the Vikings’ field general. Nosovitch completed 119-of-206 passes for 2,078 yards and 20 touchdowns and added 178 rushes for 1,163 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground. A surefire Division-1 prospect in the 2012 recruiting class, Nosovitch is believed to be the first ever sophomore quarterback with a 2,000/1,000 season in Pennsylvania history.

Brandon Shuck, Senior RB, Saucon Valley – The Panthers’ leading returning rusher from 2009, Shuck totaled 541 yards and five touchdowns on 93 carries, averaging 5.82 yards per carry and over 54 yards per game. Shuck’s damage was mostly confined to games against Notre Dame-Green Pond (175 yards) and Southern Lehigh (219 yards). Defensively, Shuck added 40 tackles, deflected two passes and recovered two fumbles.

Brett McMullin, Senior DE, Pottsville – McMullin tallied 49 tackles (17 solo), a team-best seven sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He averaged 4.5 tackles per game and had his best game of the year against Muhlenburg – seven tackles and three sacks.

Brian Murphy, Senior QB/DB, Schuylkill Haven – A dual-threat quarterback for the Hurricanes, Murphy amassed 1,049 yards of total offense (674 rushing, 375 passing) and accounted for nine total touchdowns (8 rushing, 1 passing). Murphy completed 27-of-62 passes and averaged more than 8.1 yards per carry. He twice ran for more than 100 yards and had three games with multiple rushing touchdowns. Defensively, Murphy added 29 tackles, four interceptions, six deflected passes and four fumble recoveries.

Chad Fenon, Senior RB, Northampton – The second-leading rusher in the Konkrete Kids’ backfield last season, Fenon ran for 426 yards and four touchdowns on 84 carries, averaging 5.07 yards per carry and more than 42 rushing yards per game. He ran for a season-best 86 yards against Allentown Central Catholic. Fenon also caught a 22-yard pass and returned 11 kickoffs for 222 yards.

Chris Polony, Senior QB, Whitehall – Polony had quite a successful junior season, helping lead the Zephyrs to the Eastern Conference AAAA championship. He threw for 1,420 yards and 14 touchdowns and ran for 307 yards and eight additional touchdowns, completing 50.4 percent of his passes and averaging 4.1 yards per carry. D-1 programs like Boston College, Bowling Green, Northwestern, Pitt and Rutgers have shown interest.

Christian Marcin, Senior WR, Palmerton – Marcin proved to be much more than just a pass-catching threat for the Blue Bombers. He finished the 2009 season with 1,002 all-purpose yards (153 rushing, 374 receiving, 475 returns) and scored seven total touchdowns (1 rushing, 5 receiving, 1 kickoff return). Marcin averaged 2.5 yards per carry, 12.4 yards per reception and 21.4 yards per kickoff return. Defensively, Marcin posted 53 tackles, a half a sack and deflected a pass.

Chuck Dibilio, Senior RB, Nazareth – One of the top statistical leaders returning at running back in the Lehigh Valley Conference, Dibilio rushed for 1,434 yards and 18 touchdowns on 187 carries and caught 17 passes for 229 yards and two additional touchdowns. Dibilio averaged 7.67 yards per carry and 13.4 yards per reception.

Cody Remaley, Senior RB, Northern Lehigh – The featured tailback and the main straw that stirred Northern Lehigh’s drink, Remaley ran for 2,121 yards and 25 touchdowns in his junior season, averaging more than 6.1 yards per carry. He was a 3^rd-team All State selection at running back and has surpassed the 4,000-yard mark in career rushing yardage.

Colin Karahuta, Senior WR/LB, Shenandoah Valley – One of the top tacklers on the Blue Devils’ 2009 defensive unit, Karahuta finished his junior season with 100 tackles (33 solo), 1.5 sacks and four interceptions. He averaged 8.3 tackles per game.

Collin Hegarty, Senior RB, East Stroudsburg South – The top returning rusher for the Cavaliers, Hegarty finished his junior season with 651 yards and 11 touchdowns on 74 carries, averaging 8.8 yards per carry and over 50 yards per game. He surpassed 100 yards rushing against Lehighton and had four games with multiple rushing touchdowns. Hegarty also caught nine passes for 103 yards and one additional touchdown. Defensively, he added 51 tackles, an interception, and two fumble recoveries and scored two defensive touchdowns.

Connor Faust, Senior MLB, Allentown Central Catholic – Even though he’ll miss the 2010 season with an injury, Faust gets an honorary nod as a top returning player. The heart and soul of the Vikings’ defensive unit, Faust amassed 68 tackles and five sacks a season ago.

Daniel Falcone, Senior LB, Bangor Area – Falcone finished his junior season with 88 tackles (69 solo), five deflected passes and a forced fumble. He averaged 8.8 tackles per game and finished six games with 10+ tackles, including a season-high 13 tackles against Pen Argyl and 12 stops against Saucon Valley.

Dylan Evans, Junior RB, Pen Argyl – A real multi-purpose running back, Evans proved a viable threat both offensively and defensively. He ran for 765 yards and 15 touchdowns on 189 carries and caught 23 passes for 396 yards and two additional touchdowns. Evans averaged 4.05 yards per carry and 17.2 yards per reception. He ran for more than 100 yards twice and had more than 100 receiving yards once. Defensively, Evans added 75 tackles and a team-best eight interceptions, finishing three games with 10+ tackles and four games with multiple interceptions.

Ed Pavalko, Senior RB, North Schuylkill – One of the primary keys that helped fuel the Spartans’ punishing ground attack last season, Pavalko finished with 152 carries for 837 yards and 17 touchdowns, averaging 5.51 yards per carry and over 64 yards per game. North Schuylkill averaged more than 190 rushing yards per game last season.

Eddie Helm, Senior RB, Pocono Mountain East – Easily the top statistical leader for the Cardinals last season, Helm returns for his senior season following a 223-carry, 1,121-yard, eight-touchdown junior season in which he averaged 5.03 yards per carry and more than 112 yards per game. Helm also caught five passes for 106 yards, averaging more than 20 yards per catch. Helm finished five games with more than 100 rushing yards – three of which saw him finish with more than 150 yards.

Eric Fiore, Senior RB, Whitehall – The featured tailback in the Zephyrs’ offensive scheme, Fiore ran for 1,032 yards and 11 touchdowns on 215 carries and caught 15 passes for 172 yards and two additional touchdowns. Fiore averaged 4.8 yards per carry and 11.4 yards per reception. Fiore was also a threat on special teams, returning 18 combined kickoffs and punts for 429 yards.

Eric Whalen, Junior RB, Shenandoah Valley – Whalen had quite a heck of a sophomore season for the Blue Devils, easily finishing as the team’s leading rusher. He tallied an impressive 1,494 yards and 15 touchdowns on 235 carries, averaging over 6.3 yards per carry and 124 yards per game. He also caught two passes for 27 yards and added 25 tackles on defense. Whalen is on pace to rush for more than 4,400 yards in his career.

Garth Lakitsky, Senior FB/LB, Tamaqua – Lakitsky lit up the stat sheet defensively for Tamaqua last season, tallying 93 tackles, two sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and a blocked field goal. He averaged 8.5 tackles per game and finished eight games with eight or more tackles, including a season-best 15 stops against Schuylkill Haven and 12 tackles against Panther Valley.

George Dalessandro, Senior WR, Bangor Pius X – A top returning target in the Royals’ aerial assault last season, Dalessandro caught 30 passes for 534 yards and four touchdowns as a junior, averaging 17.8 yards per reception and more than 53 yards per game. He finished four games with five or more catches and six games with more than 55 receiving yards, including a season-high 133 yards against Pocono Mountain East.

Grif Griffiths, Senior RB, Tamaqua – An integral piece of the puzzle on both sides of the ball for the Blue Raiders, Griffiths is easily one of the top returning players to the Tamaqua team. He ran for 1,333 yards and 14 touchdowns on 223 carries and caught six passes for 123 yards and 15 total touchdowns last season, averaging over 5.9 yards per carry and 20 yards per reception. Defensively, Griffiths amassed 71 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. He also averaged 16 yards per kickoff return on four attempts.

Ian Gimbar, Senior LB, Saucon Valley – Gimbar was a force defensively for the Panthers, tallying 95 tackles (86 solo), a sack and four deflected passes, averaging 9.5 tackles per game. He finished six games with 10+ tackles, including a pair of 15-tackle games against Palmerton and Northwestern Lehigh and 14 tackles against Palisades. Gimbar also ran for 208 yards and scored a touchdown and caught a pass for 13 yards.

Jacen Nalesnik, Sophomore TE, Lehighton – Expect to hear more from Nalesnik as his varsity football career progresses. As a freshman, he caught 14 passes for 301 yards and a touchdown, averaging more than 21 yards per catch and 33 yards per game. Defensively, he added 31 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He also handled some special teams duties, converting eight extra points, averaging 27.8 yards per punt and 51.5 yards per kickoff.

Jack Sandherr, Senior WR/OLB, Allentown Central Catholic – One of the targets in the Vikings aerial assault that averaged more than 150 yards per game in 2009, Sandherr entered the PIAA quarterfinals against Selinsgrove with 23 receptions for 364 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 15.82 yards per reception and 26 yards per game.

Jake Kern, Senior ATH, Northern Lehigh – An all-around threat for the Bulldogs, Kern scored nine total touchdowns a combined four different ways (rushing, receiving, kickoff return and punt return). Kern averaged 9.1 yards per carry and 14.1 yards per reception and started as a flanker in his junior season in the Bulldogs’ offense. Defensively, Kern led the Bulldogs in interceptions with eight, posting 62 tackles and a fumble recovery additionally.

James Coscia, Senior DL, East Stroudsburg South – A force on the Cavaliers’ defensive line, Coscia amassed 84 tackles (38 solo), a team-best 14 sacks, a fumble recovery and a safety during his junior season. Coscia averaged 6.5 tackles per game and finished eight games with seven or more tackles, including two 10-tackle games against East Stroudsburg North and Bethlehem Liberty. Coscia finished five games in 2009 with multiple sacks.

Jared Harry, Senior OL/DL, Palmerton – Harry finished his junior season on the Palmerton defensive line with 61 tackles (36 solo), two sacks and two fumble recoveries, averaging 6.1 tackles per game. He finished with a season-high nine tackles against Pen Argyl and had a trio of eight-tackle games against Salisbury Township, Catasaqua and Northern Lehigh.

Jason Sammond, Senior LB, Schuylkill Haven – Sammond was one of the Hurricanes’ better defensive players in 2009, totaling 86 tackles, an interception, four deflected passes, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery as a junior. He averaged 7.8 tackles per game, finishing five games with eight or more tackles and posting a season-high 12 stops twice – against Panther Valley and Jim Thorpe.

Jeff Smillie, Senior WR/CB, Southern Lehigh – The featured wide receiver in the Spartans’ aerial assault last season, Smillie hauled in 55 passes for 684 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging over 12.4 yards per catch and 62 yards per game. Smillie surpassed 100 yards receiving in a game four times and finished five games with six or more catches.

Joe Wagner, Senior WR, Pen Argyl – The leading receiver in the Pen Argyl aerial assault, Wagner played in nine games and caught 17 passes for 428 yards and a pair of touchdowns, averaging 25.1 yards per reception and more than 42 yards per game. Wagner finished two games with four catches and posted a season-high 180 yards and both of his touchdowns against Northern Lehigh in a 48-21 loss.

Jon Fritz, Senior WR, Jim Thorpe – He only played in three games last season for the Olympians, but Fritz proved to be a valuable target in the passing game. He caught 14 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns in those three games, averaging over 18.3 yards per catch and 85 yards per game. He caught 10 passes for 139 yards and a score in the Olympians’ season opener against Tamaqua and had two catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns against Mahanoy Area.

Josh Parris, Senior QB/DB, Palisades – The featured wide receiver in the Pirates’ aerial assault in 2009, Parris snagged 36 passes for 562 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 15.6 yards per reception. He finished two games with seven or more catches and surpassed 100 receiving yards against Northern Lehigh. Parris also averaged 6.6 yards per carry on 16 attempts and scored a rushing touchdown as well.

Josh Wing, Junior WR, Bangor Area – He registered statistics in five games, but Wing put up respectable numbers. He averaged 10.67 yards per carry and scored a touchdown on the ground, caught 13 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns, averaging more than 23.4 yards per catch and returned nine kickoffs for 197 yards. Wing had a five-catch, 152-yard, three-touchdown performance against Catasaqua.

JT Keer, Senior WR, Marian Catholic – Keer did the bulk of his damage in 2009 as a wide receiver, but he wasn’t only limited to catching passes. Keer led the Indians with 21 receptions for 502 yards and seven touchdowns, in seven games, posting a 189-yard, two-touchdown performance against Pocono Mountain East. He averaged 23.9 yards per catch. Keer  posted 42 tackles, two interceptions and 10 deflected passes.

Justin Pacchioli, Senior QB, Easton Area – Pacchioli led Easton Area to a 13-2 record last season, helping the Rovers earn a berth in the PIAA AAAA quarterfinals. He operated the reins of a Rover offense that averaged 28.1 points per game and held a 14-0 lead over eventual PIAA champion LaSalle College.

Justin Todora, Senior QB, Salisbury Township – Todora finished his junior season completing 70-of-182 passes for 1,249 yards and eight touchdowns, completing 38.5 percent of his passes and averaging over 124 yards per game. He also ran for 123 yards and a trio of touchdowns on 51 keepers. Defensively, Todora posted 22 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Kevin Gulyas, Junior WR, Allentown Central Catholic – The featured and favorite target of QB Brendan Nosovitch, Guylas had quite a solid sophomore season. Enterting the PIAA quarterfinals against Selinsgrove, Guylas had caught 41 passes for 837 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 20.4 yards per catch and 64 yards per game.

Kirk Bender, Junior ILB, Northern Lehigh – He started each of Northern Lehigh’s 13 games last season and had a successful sophomore year, posting 81 tackles and two interceptions.

Kody Flail, Senior RB, North Schuylkill – The #3 running back in North Schuylkill’s offense, Flail finished his junior season with 412 yards and six touchdowns on 52 carries, averaging more than 7.9 yards per carry and nearly 32 yards per game. Flail also caught two passes for 33 yards (16.5 avg.) and added three interceptions on defense.

Kowan Scott, Senior WR, Wilson Area – One of the top wide receivers returning in all of District 11, Scott finished as the top receiver in the Warriors’ wide-open spread offense, catching 45 passes for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 23.5 yards per catch and over 88 yards per game. Scott finished eight games with at least four receptions and four games with more than 100 yards. Scott had a season-best 195 yards and three touchdowns against Palisades. He also returned 16 kickoffs for 312 yards (19.5 avg.).

Kyshoen Jarrett, Senior RB, East Stroudsburg South – One of the most sought-after defensive backs in the 2011 recruiting class, Jarrett boasts an impressive 14 Division-1 scholarship offers. He posted 37 tackles and three interceptions last season on defense, and also played a significant role offensively, running foe 596 yards and six touchdowns on 53 carries, averaging 11.25 yards per rush and 45 yards per game, and snagging 15 passes for 260 yards, averaging 17.3 yards per catch.

Lamont Tillery, Senior WR/DB, Pocono Mountain East – The featured receiver in the Cardinals’ aerial assault last season, Tillery led the team in all receiving categories except for yards per catch average, snagging 30 passes for 431 yards and a trio of touchdowns, averaging 14.37 yards per catch and more than 43 yards per game. Tillery didn’t surpass the 100-yard mark at all last year, but he did finish four games with 58+ receiving yards and two games with six or more catches.

Levi Serfass, Senior LB, Palmerton – The leading tackler on the Blue Bomber defensive unit one year ago, Serfass posted 93 tackles (60 solo), two sacks and a deflected pass, averaging 9.3 tackles per game. Serfass finished five games with 10+ tackles, including a season-best 12 tackles against Saucon Valley and a trio of 11-tackle games against Southern Lehigh, Salisbury Township and Bangor Area.

Luke Gotzon, Senior FB/LB, Southern Lehigh – Gotzon had a respectable junior season for the Spartans, rushing for 463 yards and three touchdowns on 103 carries and snagging 13 passes for 252 yards and five additional touchdowns. Gotzon averaged 4.5 yards per carry and 19.39 yards per reception. He ran for 100 yards once and finished three games with more than 60 receiving yards. Defensively, Gotzon added 18 tackles and an interception.

Matt Camiletti, Junior WR, Bangor Pius X – One of the featured targets in the Royals’ passing attack last season, Camiletti caught 36 passes for 472 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 13.11 yards per catch and more than 47 yards per game. He finished three consecutive games (Marian Catholic, Shippensburg Area and Reading Holy Name) with six or more catches, and surpassed the 100-yard mark against Marian Catholic.

Matt Gill, Senior FB, Northern Lehigh – When he wasn’t registering carries on offense, he was flattening the opposition for feature tailback Cody Remaley. Gill finished the 2009 season with 313 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. Defensively, Gill posted a team-best 126 tackles, recovered a fumble and picked off three passes.

Matt Gotzon, Senior HB/DL, Southern Lehigh – Gotzon finished his junior season with 356 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 65 carries, averaging 5.48 yards per carry and over 35 yards per game. He surpassed 100 yards rushing in a game against Bangor Area. Defensively, Gotzon added 11 tackles and a sack.

Matt Shields, Senior QB, Pottsville – Shields returns for his senior season after totaling 847 yards of offense (658 passing, 189 rushing) and accounting for 11 total touchdowns (5 passing, 6 rushing). He completed 46-of-103 passes and averaged 2.28 yards per carry. Shields threw for a season-high 157 yards against Blue Mountain and ran for a season-best 85 yards and three touchdowns against Twin Valley.

Michael Costanza, Senior RB, Stroudsburg – The top returning rusher to the Mountaineers’ 2010 team, Costanza finished his junior season with 423 rushing yards and a trio of touchdowns on 102 carries, averaging 4.15 yards per carry and more than 38 yards per game. Defensively, Costanza added 50 tackles, a sack and two deflected passes, and he also returned 11 kickoffs for 161 yards, averaging 14.64 yards per return.

Mike Buresh, Senior TE, Northern Lehigh – A two-year starter on offense for the Bulldogs, Buresh played an important role helping to pave the way for the Bulldogs’ rushing attack. Buresh is being recruited by Ivy League representative Princeton. Defensively, Buresh added 52 tackles and three sacks.

Mitchell Moyer, Junior RB/LB, Lehighton – Moyer was a force defensively for the Indians, finishing as the team’s leading tackler, amassing 76 stops (40 solo), a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, averaging 8.4 tackles per game. Moyer finished four games with 11+ tackles, including a pair of 12-tackle games against Tamaqua and Panther Valley in consecutive weeks.

Nathan Hood, Senior QB, Pen Argyl – Hood returns to direct the Green Knights’ offense after completing 83-of-203 passes for 1,442 yards and six touchdowns in his junior season. He completed 40.9 percent of his passes and averaged more than 131 yards per game, throwing for more than 100 yards six times and 200 yards three times. He also scored four rushing touchdowns on 84 keepers.

Okezie Alozie, Junior CB/S, Bethlehem Freedom – A surefire Division-1 prospect in the 2012 class, Alozie has already received quite a load of interest from notable Division-1 programs like Iowa, Maryland, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pitt, Vannderbilt and Wisconsin. As a sophomore, Alozie tallied 66 tackles, two interceptions, seven deflected passes and three forced fumbles.

Robert Bennie, Junior QB, Stroudsburg – A dual-threat type of athlete for the Mountaineers, Bennie amassed 827 yards of total offense (517 passing, 310 rushing) and had a hand in seven total touchdowns (6 passing, 1 rushing). He completed 37-of-92 passes and averaged 2.72 yards per carry. Bennie threw for more than 100 yards once – in a loss against Wyoming Valley West – and finished four games with more than 50 rushing yards.

Robert Thompson, Senior WR/LB, Pottsville – A real weapon on the defensive side of the ball for the Crimson Tide, Thompson tallied 85 tackles (38 solo), four sacks, an interception, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He averaged 7.7 tackles per game and finished two games with 10+ tackles, including a season-high 12 tackles against Conrad Weiser. Thompson also totaled 384 all-purpose yards (96 rushing, 78 receiving, 210 returns) and scored a touchdown on a 69-yard punt return against Reading.

Roth Healey, Senior WR, Wilson Area – The #3 receiver in the Warriors’ aerial assault that averaged over 260 yards per game in 2009, Healey caught 25 passes for 449 yards and one touchdown, averaging 17.9 yards per reception and 37 yards per game. He surpassed 100 yards receiving against Palisades. Defensively, Healey added 38 tackles, two interceptions and five deflected passes, and also returned a punt 78 yards.

Ryan Fraunfelter, Senior LB, Bangor Area – A real force defensively for the Slaters, Fraunfelter amassed 120 tackles (88 solo), deflected three passes, forced two fumbles and blocked a field goal. Fraunfelter averaged 12 tackles per game, and finished with a season-best 18 tackles against Palisades and 15 tackles each against Palmerton and Pen Argyl. Fraunfelter also averaged 34.5 yards per punt on 32 attempts, with five punts downed inside the 20, and caught 14 passes for 283 yards and a touchdown, averaging more than 20 yards per catch.

Ryan Kelly, Senior RB/DB, Salisbury Township – One of the leaders returning to the Falcons’ defensive backfield, Kelly posted 45 tackles (35 solo) and picked off a team-leading five passes in his junior season. He also deflected three passes and forced a fumble. Kelly averaged 4.5 tackles per game.

Ryan Palsgrove, Senior QB, Tamaqua – A dual-threat quarterback for the Blue Raiders, Palsgrove amassed 1,184 yards of total offense last season (910 passing, 274 rushing) and had a hand in 15 total touchdowns (9 passing, 6 rushing). Palsgrove completed 54-of-132 passes and averaged more than 4.6 yards per carry. Palsgrove surpassed 100 yards passing in a game three times. Defensively, he added 28 tackles and an interception.

Scott Houser, Senior RB, North Schuylkill – Houser is the top returning rusher from North Schuylkill’s backfield that helped propel the Spartans to a 13-1 record. Houser finished with a team-best 950 rushing yards on 175 carries, averaging 5.43 yards per rush and more than 73 yards per game. He also caught four passes for 59 yards, averaging 14.75 yards per reception. Houser scored 13 total touchdowns (12 rushing, 1 receiving).

Scott LaValva, Senior QB/LB, Bangor Area – A real dual-threat weapon operating the Slaters’ offense, LaValva posted very solid numbers despite a not-so-stellar season overall for Bangor. LaValva amassed 2,472 yards (898 passing, 1,574 rushing) of total offense and had a hand in 27 total touchdowns (8 passing, 19 rushing). He completed 47-of-111 passes and averaged 6.08 yards per carry. He ran for at least 110 yards in nine of the Slaters’ 10 games. Defensively, he added 60 tackles, five deflected passes and a fumble recovery. LaValva has run for 3,685 career yards.

Scott Sherman, Junior FB, Williams Valley – The featured back in the Vikings’ offensive attack last season, Sherman posted 1,213 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on 162 carries, averaging 7.49 yards per carry and 93.3 yards per game. At his current pace, Sherman will run for 3,639 yards.

Shane Edwards, Senior RB, Jim Thorpe – The top returning rusher from the Olympians’ 2009 ground attack that averaged more than 152 yards per game, Edwards ran for 417 yards and eight touchdowns on 117 carries, averaging 3.9 yards per rush and more than 46 yards per game. Edwards ended the season very strong, finishing with a combined 54 carries for 231 yards and six touchdowns against Marian Catholic and Lehighton. Jim Thorpe won both games.

Shane McNeely, Senior TE/DE, Allentown Central Catholic – One of the top returning tight ends (statistically speaking), McNeely posted solid numbers through ACC’s first 13 games of the 2009 season. He caught 28 passes for 461 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 16.4 yards per reception and over 35 yards per game.

Tanner Troutman, Senior WR/DB, Tri-Valley – Another nice piece of the puzzle for the Bulldogs and a proven commodity both as a receiver and in the defensive backfield, Troutman is coming off a very solid junior season. He caught 34 passes for 650 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 19.1 yards per catch and 43 yards per game, finishing seven of Tri-Valley’s 15 games with three or more catches and five games with more than 50 receiving yards. Defensively, Troutman posted 80 tackles, picked off a team-leading seven passes, deflected nine others and recovered two fumbles. He also returned 16 combined kickoffs and punts for 176 yards.

Travis Moyer, Junior DEF, Blue Mountain – Moyer played in eight games last season and made the vast majority of his impacts on the defensive side of the football. He posted 62 tackles (53 solo) and a sack, averaging 7.8 tackles per game. Moyer had a season-high 13 tackles in a 21-12 loss to Governor Mifflin and 10 tackles one week later in a 28-14 victory over Exeter Township.

Tyler Artim, Senior WR, Whitehall – The featured receiver in the Whitehall aerial assault, Artim caught 58 passes for 913 yards and five touchdowns, averaging more than 15.7 yards per reception and 60 yards per game.

Tyler Hartranft, Senior QB, Blue Mountain – Hartranft caught on to Mike Brennan’s Multiple-I offense quickly, posting solid numbers in his junior season. Hartranft completed 52.9 percent of his passes (90-of-170) for 1,344 yards and 10 touchdowns and added 242 rushing yards and five additional scores on the ground. He averaged over 134 passing yards per game and more than three yards per carry, surpassing the 100-yard passing mark six times last season.

Tyler Horn, Senior RB/LB, Pen Argyl – More of a receiving threat than a rushing threat, Horn hauled in 19 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown, averaging more than 13.4 yards per catch and 23 yards per game. He finished three games with four or more catches, and had a season-high 126 yards against Salisbury Township. Defensively, Horn registered 66 tackles and intercepted a pair of passes, averaging six tackles per game.

Tyler Naus, Senior LB, Schuylkill Haven – One of the top defensive forces for the Hurricanes the last few years, Naus continued making his presence known from his linebacker position, totaling 113 tackles, a sack, two deflected passes and two fumble recoveries, averaging 10.3 tackles per game and finishing six games with 10+ stops, including a season-best 17 tackles against Jim Thorpe and 14 tackles the week before against Tamaqua. But Naus also contributed 495 all-purpose yards (199 rushing, 91 receiving, 205 returns) and scored a touchdown on an 81-yard kickoff return against Jim Thorpe.

William Moyer, Junior WR/LB, Shenandoah Valley – A two-way threat for Shenandoah Valley, Moyer registered 47 tackles (20 solo) and led the team with five interceptions. He averaged 3.9 tackles per game. Offensively, Moyer caught 10 passes for 165 yards, averaging 16.5 yards per catch in the seldom-utilized Blue Devil aerial assault.

Zach Cinelli, Senior OL/DL, Bangor Pius X – A beast on the defensive line at 6’3, 235 pounds, Cinelli was a force for the Royals along the defensive front. He finished his junior season with 82 tackles (15 solo), two sacks and a fumble recovery, averaging 8.2 tackles per game and finishing three games with 11+ tackles, including a season-best 19 tackles in a playoff loss to Tri-Valley.

Zach Miller, Junior DE, Pen Argyl – A real force on the Green Knights’ defensive line, Miller put up quite a stat line in his sophomore season, posting 65 tackles, a team-leading 10 sacks, a forced fumble, four fumble recoveries and two blocked punts. Miller averaged 5.9 tackles per game and finished with a season-high 11 tackles against Palisades and had two or more sacks in games against Salisbury Township and Notre Dame-Green Pond.

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