5 Aliquippa players among 12 WPIAL athletes picked for Class 4A all-state football team

By: Bill Hartlep
Friday, December 30, 2022 | 10:00 AM

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The Aliquippa football team made its annual trip to the WPIAL championship game this fall and proceeded to roll all the way to the PIAA final, again.

After finishing 13-1 and adding another WPIAL championship to the school’s trophy case, Aliquippa garnered some individual honors Friday, as five players were selected to the Pa. Football Writers Class 4A all-state team.

Senior offensive linemen Neco Eberhardt and Naquan Crowder, senior defensive back D.J. Walker, junior linebacker Cameron Lindsey and sophomore running back Tiqwai Hayes were honored.

The Quips, playing three classifications higher than their enrollment, reached the WPIAL championship game for a 15th straight season. They defeated rival Central Valley, 34-7, in the district title game and, after beating Allentown Central Catholic in the PIAA semifinals, lost to Bishop McDevitt, 41-18, in the state final to end a 25-game winning streak.

Hayes was named the Trib HSSN Class 4A player of the year after he followed up an amazing freshman season by rushing for 1,982 yards and scored 30 touchdowns this fall. In the WPIAL title game, he rushed for 112 yards and three touchdowns. In his two-year career, he has 496 carries for 3,728 yards and 53 touchdowns.

Lindsey, a four-star linebacker recruit, led the Quips with more than 100 tackles and three forced fumbles and also scored five TDs. He has scholarship offers from Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Kent State, Maryland, Syracuse, UConn and UMass and is ranked the No. 17 linebacker in the country by Rivals.

Walker had seven interceptions this fall and also was a big-play threat on offense with 33 receptions for 586 yards and six touchdowns. He has more than a dozen Division I college offers.

Also recognized on the Class 4A all-state team were Armstrong senior quarterback Cadin Olsen, Trinity senior offensive lineman Ty Banco, Laurel Highlands senior athlete Rodney Gallagher, Central Valley senior defensive lineman Jackson Tonya, Thomas Jefferson senior defensive lineman Jordan Mayer, Central Valley senior defensive back Jayvin Thompson and McKeesport senior defensive back Bobbie Boyd.

Olsen, a Penn recruit, led the WPIAL in passing with 3,210 yards and 43 touchdowns and finished his career with 7,819 yards, which ranks seventh in WPIAL history.

Gallagher started the season at wide receiver and caught four touchdowns before moving back to quarterback. He then passed for 1,272 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 690 yards and 11 more scores. Gallagher signed with West Virginia to play wide receiver.

Mayer, a Wisconsin commit, had 47 tackles, five sacks and one forced fumble for the Jaguars.

Thompson, who signed with Georgetown, scored 16 touchdowns for the WPIAL Class 4A runners-up and had 37 catches for 683 yards. Defensively, he added 69 tackles and five interceptions for a team that had a 36-game winning streak.

Boyd was a two-way standout for the Tigers, who ran for 1,164 yards, scored 15 touchdowns and added seven interceptions.

Bishop McDevitt quarterback Stone Saunders and Jeff Weachter were named the player and coach of the year, respectively, after leading their team to the PIAA Class 4A title.

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 are being revealed Friday.

2022 Pa. Football Writers’ Class 4A All-State Team

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Stone Saunders, Bishop McDevitt – 6-2, 200, sophomore

Cadin Olsen, Armstrong – 6-5, 225, senior

Brady Jordan, Jersey Shore – 5-8, 170, senior

Running back

Tiqwai Hayes, Aliquippa – 6-1, 194, sophomore

Marquese Williams, Bishop McDevitt – 5-11, 190, senior

Mikey Bentivegna, York Suburban – 5-8, 190, senior

Noah Schultz, Crestwood – 6-1, 170, senior

Abu Kamara, Interboro – 6-1, 205, senior

Parker Bolesta, Dallas – 6-0, 205, senior

Wide receiver

Tyshawn Russell, Bishop McDevitt – 6-2, 185, senior

Rico Scott, Bishop McDevitt – 6-1, 190, junior

Jareel Calhoun, Allentown Central Catholic – 5-9, 150, sophomore

Offensive line

Gabriel Arena, Bishop McDevitt – 6-5, 295, senior

Neco Eberhardt, Aliquippa – 6-2, 285, senior

John Jones, Crestwood – 6-1, 275, senior

Luke Springman, Jersey Shore – 6-0, 225, senior

Ty Banco, Trinity – 6-1, 274, senior

Naquan Crowder, Aliquippa – 6-3, 331, senior

Athlete

Rodney Gallagher, Laurel Highlands – 5-11, 175, senior

Khalon Simmons, Meadville – 5-9, 175, senior

Brycen Armold, Manheim Central – 5-8, 185, junior

DEFENSE

Defensive line

Riley Robell, Bishop McDevitt – 6-3, 300, senior

Zach Rooney, Jersey Shore – 6-2, 250, senior

Jackson Tonya, Central Valley – 6-2, 231, senior

Magnus Bibla, Crestwood – 6-2, 219, senior

Jordan Mayer, Thomas Jefferson – 6-5, 210, senior

Linebacker

Hadyn Packer, Jersey Shore – 6-2, 225, senior

Kade Werner, Bishop McDevitt – 5-11, 200, senior

Ethan Hosak, Allentown Central Catholic – 6-2, 215, senior

Rocco Daugherty, Manheim Central – 5-10, 195, senior

Cameron Lindsey, Aliquippa – 6-2, 200, junior

Griffin Patridge, Allentown Central Catholic – 6-2, 190, senior

Defensive back

D.J. Walker, Aliquippa – 6-1, 175, senior

Jayvin Thompson, Central Valley – 6-2, 185, senior

Nick Miscavage, Crestwood – 5-8, 140, senior

Bobbie Boyd, McKeesport – 5-9, 175, senior

Specialist

Breck Miller, Jersey Shore – 6-1, 180, senior

Carter Young, Selinsgrove – 5-10, 173, junior

Athlete

Isaiah Session, Bonner Prendergast – 5-10, 185, junior

Kooper Peacock, Jersey Shore – 6-1, 195, senior

Caiden Shaffer, Allentown Central Catholic – 5-10, 205, senior

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Stone Saunders, Bishop McDevitt

COACH OF THE YEAR: Jeff Weachter, Bishop McDevitt

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: Aliquippa, Armstrong, Central Valley, Laurel Highlands, McKeesport, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity