3 quarterbacks among 10 WPIAL players selected to 2023 Class 5A all-state team
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Friday, December 29, 2023 | 12:00 PM
Nolan DiLucia’s first season as a starting quarterback was quite productive … and rewarding. The sophomore signal caller helped Peters Township win the WPIAL Class 5A title and finish as PIAA runner-up.
He threw for a WPIAL-leading 3,036 yards and 30 touchdowns and ran for 392 yards and eight scores, and on Friday was selected to the Pa. Football Writers Class 5A all-state team.
DiLucia (6-2, 190) was joined by Peters Township teammate Mickey Vaccarello (6-3, 210), who was honored as a linebacker. The junior, who has college offers from Boston College, Miami (Ohio) and Syracuse, had 111 tackles, including 29 tackles for a loss and 13 sacks.
DiLucia was one of three WPIAL quarterbacks picked for the all-state team.
Gateway senior Brad Birch became the WPIAL’s fourth all-time leading passer with 8,496 yards after he passed for 2,214 yards and 20 TDs this season. He finished his career with 100 touchdowns.
Penn Hills senior Julian Dugger (6-3, 200), a Pitt recruit and four-year starter, tossed for 1,646 yards and 20 touchdowns to finish his career with nearly 5,000 career yards. He also rushed for 776 yards on 126 carries and scored 11 touchdowns.
Norwin had a pair of players honored — senior wide receiver Luke Denny (6-1, 185), who had 44 catches for 1,046 yards and 11 TDs, and senior defensive back Jackson Pons (6-2, 195), a Miami (Ohio) commit who had 84 tackles, 11 tackles for losses, two interceptions and seven passes defended.
Two area offensive linemen were recognized — Pine-Richland senior Ryan Cory and Penn-Trafford senior Zach Tomosovich.
Cory (6-4, 285), a Wisconsin commit, was a finalist for the Bill Fralic Award for the WPIAL’s top senior interior lineman. He anchored an offensive line that paved the way for a 3,000-yard rushing attack and helped Pine-Richland reach the WPIAL Class 5A finals for the second year in a row.
Tomosovich (6-5, 310), who will play at Army, cleared the way for a rushing attack that gained nearly 2,500 yards. Defensively, he had 21 tackles and one sack.
One of the younger players honored was Woodland Hills sophomore wide receiver Scoop Smith (5-6, 135), who caught 44 passes for 851 yards and had 17 touchdowns.
Bethel Park junior defensive lineman Clancy Orie (6-3, 235), who had 58 tackles and five sacks, rounded out the WPIAL selections.
Imhotep Charter running back Jabree Wallace-Coleman and coach Devon Johnson were named the Class 5A player and coach of the year after leading their team to a PIAA championship.
The all-state team was chosen by a statewide vote of sportswriters. The Class A, 2A and 3A teams were released Thursday. Class 4A, 5A and 6A were revealed Friday.
2023 Pa. Football Writers’ Class 5A all-state team
Player of the Year: Jabree Wallace-Coleman, Imhotep Charter
Coach of the Year: Devon Johnson, Imhotep Charter
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Nolan DiLucia, Peters Township – 6-2, 185 sophomore
Mikal Davis, Imhotep Charter – 6-1, 210 senior
Julian Dugger, Penn Hills – 6-3, 195 senior
Brad Birch, Gateway – 6-1, 185 senior
Running back
Jabree Wallace-Coleman, Imhotep Charter – 6-0, 200 junior
Cole Bartram, Northern York – 5-9, 190 senior
Dajoure Hollingsworth, Cathedral Prep – 5-8, 165 senior
Angel Cabrera, Hershey – 6-0, 225 senior
Jayden Zandier, Exeter – 6-1, 165 junior
Wide receiver
Luke Denny, Norwin – 6-1, 185 senior
Scoop Smith, Woodland Hills – 5-6, 135 sophomore
Josh Smith, Mechanicsburg Area – 6-1, 170 junior
Brennan Holmes, New Oxford – 6-1, 180 senior
Tight end
Aiden Black, Delaware Valley – 6-3, 230 senior
Offensive line
Jivani Cooley, Cathedral Prep – 6-5, 285 senior
Ryan Cory, Pine-Richland – 6-4, 290 senior
Michael Hershey, Spring Grove – 6-4, 250 senior
Zach Tomosovich, Penn-Trafford – 6-5, 305 senior
Tyler Duell, West Chester East – 6-6, 275 sophomore
Danny Aselton, Phoenixville – 6-4, 245 senior
Athlete
Aaryn Longenecker, Cocalico – 5-10, 175 senior
Kye Harting, Garden Spot – 5-10, 185 senior
Sam McCracken, Ephrata – 6-1, 215 senior
DEFENSE
Defensive line
Jahsear Whittington, Imhotep Charter – 6-2, 280 senior
Ayden Wysocki, South Western – 6-2, 250 senior
Mason Grear, West Chester East – 6-1, 245 senior
Aden Wentz, Cathedral Prep – 6-1, 240 senior
Clancy Orie, Bethel Park – 6-3, 235 junior
Linebacker
Mickey Vaccarello, Peters Township – 6-2, 205 junior
Justin Kalitsnik, Delaware Valley – 6-2, 180 senior
Jerrell Palmer, Chester – 5-10, 215 sophomore
Quintin Pfautz, Ephrata – 6-3, 215 senior
Khalid Bueno, Martin Luther King – 6-2, 215 junior
Defensive back
Ken Woseley, Imhotep Charter – 5-11, 185 junior
Ryder Machado, Delaware Valley – 6-1, 175 senior
Jay Boyd, Roman Catholic – 5-11, 175 senior
Jackson Pons, Norwin – 6-2, 195 senior
Jeremiah Knowles, Ephrata – 5-9, 160 senior
Athlete
RJ Roberts, Cathedral Prep – 5-9, 180 senior
Nathan Lusk, Cedar Cliff – 6-1, 190 senior
Kyle Keefe, West Chester East – 6-0, 170 sophomore
Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.
Tags: Bethel Park, Gateway, Norwin, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Woodland Hills
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