13 players from WPIAL, City League selected for 2025 Class A all-state football team

By: Chris Harlan
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 | 8:00 AM

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Three weeks after winning a state title, Clairton has six more reasons to celebrate.

Bears coach Wayne Wade and five of his players earned statewide recognition Tuesday when the Class A all-state football team was revealed. Wade was named the classification’s co-coach of the year after Clairton defeated Bishop Guilfoyle, 35-3, in the PIAA finals, earning the Bears their fifth state title overall and their first since 2012.

Joining Wade were Clairton players Jeff Thompson (quarterback), Deon Lovelace-Pompey (running back), Avaughn Pompey (offensive line), D’Kota Harris (defensive line) and Brandon Murphy (linebacker). They were among 13 WPIAL and City League athletes selected.

The team was chosen by a statewide vote of sportswriters.

Also honored were Laurel’s Kolton Carlson (offensive athlete), Alex Medved (defensive line), Jack Miles (linebacker) and Tony Geiwitz (defensive back); Fort Cherry’s Matt Sieg (quarterback); Bentworth’s Ben Hays (running back); Jeannette’s Jayce Powell (wide receiver); and Westinghouse’s Josiah Collins (defensive line).

Thompson led Clairton to WPIAL and PIAA titles by completing 133 of 180 passes for 2,392 yards and 35 touchdowns. He was joined in the Bears backfield by Lovelace-Pompey, who rushed 1,005 yards and 17 touchdowns on 106 carries.

Harris and Pompey were two-way starters on the line, and Murphy led the Clairton defense with a team-high 104 tackles and three interceptions.

WPIAL runner-up Laurel was also well represented with four players.

Carlson led the Spartans with 1,762 all-purpose yards as the team leader in both rushing yards (863) and receiving yards (695). He scored 18 touchdowns.

Miles made a team-best 119 tackles, Medved led with 11 sacks and Geiwitz had eight interceptions.

• Sieg rushed for 1,774 yards and scored 28 TDs for WPIAL semifinalist Fort Cherry, while breaking WPIAL career records for offensive yards (12,592) and touchdowns (139). The West Virginia recruit finished his high school career as the league’s second-leading rusher with 7,958 yards.

• Hays’ 38 touchdowns led all WPIAL scorers this season regardless of classification. He rushed for 1,757 yards on 159 carries.

• Powell ranked among the WPIAL receiving leaders with 45 catches for 950 yards and 15 touchdowns.

• Collins, an all-City defensive lineman, helped Westinghouse reach the City League finals and the PIAA quarterfinals.

• Lackawanna Trail running back Isaac Ryon earned player of the year after rushing for 2,880 yards and 49 touchdowns on 200 carries, helping the PIAA District 2 champions reach the state quarterfinals.

• Wade shared coach of the year with Greenville’s Michael Menold, whose team went 12-2 and lost to Clairton in the state semifinals.

The Class A, 3A and 5A teams will be revealed Tuesday with the three other classifications scheduled to be announced Wednesday.

2025 Pa. Class A All-State Football Team

Player of the Year: Isaac Ryon, Lackawanna Trail

Co-Coach of the Year: Wayne Wade, Clairton; Michael Menold, Greenville

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Jeff Thompson, Clairton, 6-1, 170, sr.

Matt Sieg, Fort Cherry, 6-0, 190, sr.

Kaiden Maurer, Line Mountain, 6-3, 190, sr.

Braylon Wagner, Redbank Valley, 6-2, 180, sr.

Running back

Aiden Bliss, Port Allegany, 6-0, 215, sr.

Isaac Ryon, Lackawanna Trail, 5-10, 185, sr.

Rudy Gentile, Greenville, 5-8, 160, sr.

Chase Mitcheltree, Wilmington, 5-10, 175, jr.

Andrew Clark, Juniata Valley, 5-11, 195, jr.

Deon Lovelace-Pompey, Clairton, 5-9, 170, sr.

Ben Hays, Bentworth, 6-0, 190, sr.

Wide receiver

Justin Schell, Greenville, 5-10, 160, jr.

Jaxon Huffman, Redbank Valley, 6-0, 181, sr.

Jayce Powell, Jeannette, 5-10, 170, jr.

Dalton Schadel, Line Mountain, 6-0, 180, sr.

Tight end

Bryce Smeltz, Line Mountain, 6-5, 225, sr.

Offensive line

Lucas Evans, Lackawanna Trail, 6-3, 265, sr.

Avaughn Pompey, Clairton, 6-3, 325, sr.

Jacob Coulter, Wilmington, 6-3, 285, sr.

Layne Gingery, Montgomery, 5-8, 230, sr.

Horatio Calvin, Greenville 5-9, 220, sr.

Athlete

Mason Campagna, Claysburg-Kimmel, 6-1, 195, sr.

Dom Corcetti, Keystone, 6-0, 170, jr.

Kolton Carlson, Laurel, 6-2, 200, sr.

DEFENSE

Defensive line

Rocco Cacciotti, Bishop Guilfoyle, 5-11, 211, jr.

Alex Medved, Laurel, 6-0, 195, jr.

D’Kota Harris, Clairton, 6-2, 285, jr.

Josiah Collins, Westinghouse, 6-2, 226, sr.

Logan Harpster, Juniata Valley, 5-9, 195, sr.

Trey Bolyard, Meyersdale, 5-10, 177, sr.

Linebacker

Brandon Murphy, Clairton, 6-1, 185, so.

Zak Kirsch, Northern Cambria, 6-1, 195, jr.

Jack Miles, Laurel, 6-3, 205, sr.

Cole Gemberling, Tri-Valley, 5-11, 215, sr.

Gavin Lovell, Moshannon Valley, 6-0, 195, jr.

Defensive back

Tyson Lestochi, Bishop Guilfoyle, 6-0, 190, sr.

Trace Furman, Montgomery, 5-7, 150, jr

Tony Geiwitz Laurel, 5-10, 159, so.

Rory Dixon, Marian Catholic, 5-10, 178, jr.

Specialist

Carter Boland, Bishop Guilfoyle, 5-8, 135, jr.

Athlete

Jake Kissell, Bishop Guilfoyle, 6-3, 219, sr.

Brandon Hoover, Cambridge Springs, 6-0, 185, sr.

Lance Jones, Meyersdale, 6-3, 178, sr.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Bentworth, Clairton, Fort Cherry, Jeannette, Laurel, Westinghouse