Complete Top Performer List
It was a week filled with defensive touchdowns, huge tackle totals and disruptive performances across Pennsylvania high school football.
Elizabethtown produced one of the biggest defensive stories by returning four interceptions for touchdowns to set a new school record. Everett Handran and Rudy Brisbane each recorded two pick-sixes.
Phoenixville’s Jake Gray led all reported defenders with 24 tackles, while Milton Area’s Jackson Wertz put together a dominant performance with 18 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss.
Elizabethtown Sets School Record With Four Pick-Sixes
Elizabethtown’s defense made school history with four interception returns for touchdowns.
Even more impressive, all four touchdowns came from two players.
Everett Handran returned interceptions 25 and 30 yards for touchdowns, while Rudy Brisbane scored on interception returns of 82 and 35 yards.
Handran and Brisbane each finished with two interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.
Together, the pair accumulated 172 yards on their four touchdown returns while helping Elizabethtown establish a new school record.
Gray Records 24 Tackles
Phoenixville’s Jake Gray was all over the field, leading the reported tackle totals with 24.
Annville-Cleona’s Danny Shay followed with 19 tackles, while Milton Area’s Jackson Wertz recorded 18.
Jersey Shore’s Zeke Sechrist finished with 17 tackles.
Holy Redeemer’s Amir Pierce Zaghloul and Minersville’s Derek Derenzo each recorded 16.
Spring Grove’s Ben Bubb, Octorara’s Chase Sutton, Chester’s De’mir Hatchett, Manheim Central’s Jevin Carbonneau, Line Mountain’s Luke Malaria, Williams Valley’s Magnus Monger and Emmaus’ Mason Lenig each finished with 14 tackles.
Eight Defenders Reach 13 Tackles
Schuylkill Valley’s Anthony Batista, Trinity’s Brandon Harris, Octorara’s Brayden Mastrippolito, Panther Valley’s Brody Vermillion, Line Mountain’s Caden Carson, Coventry Christian School’s Christian Brown, Archbishop Wood’s Cole Wiberley, Bethlehem Catholic’s Jonathon Ayache and Bishop Shanahan’s Tom Conte each recorded 13 tackles.
Batista made an impact in several categories, adding two interceptions and returning one 30 yards for a touchdown.
Brandon Harris and Christian Brown each added three tackles for loss, while Conte returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown.
Pequea Valley’s Ben Zellers, Line Mountain’s Caden Feger, Panther Valley’s Carlos Maldanado, East Pennsboro’s Cassius Comp, Delaware Valley’s Dylan Bannon, Cedar Crest’s Garrett Starry, Conwell-Egan’s Joel Joseph, Lansdale Catholic’s John Cobbold and Spring Grove’s Oliver Smith each recorded 12 tackles.
More Defenders Reach Double Figures
Pequea Valley’s Buddy Esh, Jersey Shore’s Chase Ellison, Cedar Crest’s Eli Beard, Mount Carmel Area’s Jason Klokis, Octorara’s Joey Mowday, Line Mountain’s Liam Troutman, Phoenixville’s Max Eagle, Penn Wood’s Richard Vahn, Central Dauphin’s Xavion Allen and Great Valley’s Yousif Albazaz each had 11 tackles.
The 10-tackle group included Conwell-Egan’s AJ Rhym and Dane Austerberry, Academy of the New Church’s Aksel Bau-Madsen, Delaware Valley’s Alex Calvario and Anthony Boo, Central Dauphin’s Anthony Newhard and William Guigma, Great Valley’s Beau Kosmalski and Dean Kosmalski, Milton Area’s Brady O’Rourke and Michael Runkle, Bishop Shanahan’s Dom Minniti, Line Mountain’s Garrett Cockeril, Cedar Crest’s Kasen Dudek, West Perry’s Quinten Palm, Williams Valley’s Trevon Bair and Bloomsburg’s Zane Thomas.
Wertz Dominates Behind the Line
Milton Area’s Jackson Wertz delivered one of the week’s most impressive all-around defensive performances.
Wertz recorded 18 tackles and an eye-catching 7.5 tackles for loss.
Pequea Valley’s Ben Zellers was another disruptive force, finishing with six tackles for loss to go along with his 12 total tackles.
Neumann-Goretti’s Jayon Williams and Overbrook’s Josiah Long also recorded six tackles for loss.
Central York’s Ali “Deuce” Johnson and Philadelphia Central’s Manny Occansey each finished with five.
Milton Area’s Brady O’Rourke recorded 4.5 tackles for loss to go with his 10 tackles.
Archbishop Carroll’s Cesar Richardson, Williams Valley’s Monger, Allentown Central Catholic’s McCoy Miller, Overbrook’s Nathaniel Woodard, Palmerton Area’s Parker Davis and St. Joseph’s Prep’s Traevin Roberts each recorded four tackles for loss.
Pennridge’s Blake Landherr, Trinity’s Harris, Coventry Christian School’s Brown, Malvern Prep’s George Parkinson, Neumann-Goretti’s Isaiah Fields-Keels, Chester’s Jabrae Davis, Archbishop Carroll’s Josh Jewett, Annville-Cleona’s Kaidavin Ginting, Mifflinburg’s Landon Moser, Blue Mountain’s Sonnie Amato and Academy of the New Church’s Tayron Chapman each finished with three tackles for loss.
Roberts Leads Sack Attack
St. Joseph’s Prep’s Traevin Roberts led the reported sack totals with 3.5.
Roberts also recorded four tackles for loss.
Northwestern Lehigh’s Fritz Scheirer, Mifflinburg’s Luke Brubaker and Emmaus’ Mason Lenig each recorded three sacks.
Lenig’s sacks were part of a productive night in which he also finished with 14 total tackles.
Fourteen Players Record Multiple Interceptions
Turnovers came in bunches throughout the week.
Schuylkill Valley’s Alexander Gehret and Anthony Batista, Red Lion’s Ashton Bell, Holy Cross’ Chase Rutkoski, St. Joseph’s Prep’s Dariel Jaquez, Abington Heights’ Evan Keiper, Elizabethtown’s Handran and Brisbane, Palmerton Area’s Gaven Meixsell, Dunmore’s Jacob Costanzo, Wyoming Area’s Luke Kopetchny, Manheim Township’s Nate Fletcher, Trinity’s Nick Sweppenhiser and Bloomsburg’s Shane Frey each recorded two interceptions.
For Handran and Brisbane, every interception they recorded ended in the end zone.
Brown-Murray Goes 95 Yards to the House
Chester’s Sakai Brown-Murray had the longest reported interception return for a touchdown, taking one back 95 yards.
Wyoming Area’s Lavell Brock went 85 yards for a score, followed by Brisbane’s 82-yard pick-six for Elizabethtown.
Schuylkill Valley’s Ervin Ortiz scored on a 76-yard interception return, while Cardinal O’Hara’s Emilio Martinez went 69 yards.
Blue Mountain’s Landon Daubert returned an interception 68 yards for a touchdown, Southern Lehigh’s Adam Fritts went 65 yards and Tri-Valley’s Doyle Flory scored from 59 yards.
Montoursville’s Brayden Burkett had a 53-yard pick-six, while Cardinal O’Hara’s Simon Horta returned one 50 yards.
Wyomissing Area’s Andrew DiFabrizio and Mifflinburg’s Isaiah Kurtz each scored on 45-yard returns.
Penn Manor’s Kellen Kreider went 38 yards, followed by Brisbane’s second pick-six from 35 yards.
Bishop McDevitt’s Zayden Smith had a 32-yard return for a touchdown.
Schuylkill Valley’s Batista, Elizabethtown’s Handran and Marian Catholic’s Rocco Griguoli each scored on 30-yard interception returns.
Mechanicsburg’s Landen Yale and Lakeland’s Luke McFarland each went 29 yards, Garden Spot’s Jeremiah Zimmerman went 28 and Wyoming Valley West’s Lucas Flores scored from 27 yards.
Handran added his second pick-six from 25 yards, while Garden Spot’s Gabe Hoover also had a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Garden Spot’s Jon Kauffman scored from 23 yards, Great Valley’s Cooper Callahan went 22 yards, Bishop Shanahan’s Conte scored from 20 and Montoursville’s Cole Snyder returned an interception 17 yards for a touchdown.
Kaley Takes Fumble 86 Yards
Pequea Valley’s Braeden Kaley produced another huge defensive scoring play with an 86-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
ELCO’s Darryl Legrande returned a fumble 68 yards for a score, while Williamsport’s Eli Weaver went 55 yards.
East Pennsboro’s Cassius Comp turned a fumble into a 36-yard touchdown, Kennett’s Matt Reidenberg went 30 yards and Archbishop Ryan’s Gavin Kpan scored on an 18-yard return.
Schuylkill Haven’s Colton Reber had a seven-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
Old Forge’s Elio Castaldi and Wilson’s Michael Glover also recovered fumbles for touchdowns.
Blocked Punts Turn Into Points
Ridley’s Gene D’Amico scored on a 17-yard blocked-punt return, while Dallas’ Marc Saracinaj scored from 13 yards.
Twin Valley’s Lucas Myers returned a blocked punt 11 yards for a touchdown.
Dover’s Ayden Ford also scored following a blocked punt.
Shikellamy’s Corbin Stahl blocked a punt that Kyler Campbell recovered for a touchdown.
A Week Dominated by Defensive Playmakers
From Elizabethtown’s record-setting four pick-sixes to Gray’s 24 tackles, defenders produced some remarkable numbers across Pennsylvania.
Wertz’s 18 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss made him one of the week’s most disruptive players, while Roberts recorded 3.5 sacks and four tackles for loss. Kaley’s 86-yard fumble return and Brown-Murray’s 95-yard interception return provided two of the longest defensive touchdowns of the week.
But the historic performance belonged to Elizabethtown. Handran and Brisbane each intercepted two passes and returned both for touchdowns, combining for four pick-sixes and a new school record.