2010s TribLive HSSN All-Decade Football Team: Offense
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Thursday, January 2, 2020 | 9:48 PM
Clairton’s Tyler Boyd scores against Southern Columbia during the fourth quarter of the PIAA Class A state championship game Friday December 16, 2011 at Hersheypark Stadium.
Hopewell’s Rushel Shell stiff-arms Blackhawk’s Brett Alberti during the third quarter Friday October 1, 2010 at Tony Dorsett Stadium.
Central Valley’s Robert Foster eludes Montour’s Darren Massey en route to a touchdown during the third quarter Friday October 7, 2011 in Robinson.
Belle Vernon lineman Dorian Johnson
South Fayette’s Justin Watson catches a touchdown pass in front of Imhotep Charter’s Nyeem Thrones during the second quarter of the PIAA Class AA state championship game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, at Hersheypark Stadium.
Shaler Area’s J.P. Holtz
Montour’s Devin Wilson fends off New Castle’s Raysean Glenn after a reception during the second quarter Friday October 1, 2010 at Birko Stadium in Robinson.
Mt. Lebanon lineman Alex Bookser works out Monday, Aug. 12, 2013, in Mt. Lebanon.
Pine-Richland quarterback Phil Jurkovec carries for a touchdown past Manheim Township’s Sam Emge during the third quarter of their PIAA Class 6A state semifinal Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, at Mansion Park in Altoona.
Central Catholic lineman C.J. Thorpe
North Allegheny’s Josh Lugg works out at practice at Newman Stadium in McCandless.
North Allegheny lineman Patrick Kugler looks to block Erie McDowell’s Joel Mascharka during PIAA quarterfinal game at Seneca Valley Nov. 30, 2012.
West Allegheny kicker D.J. Opsatnik celebrates his tying field goal with Nick Ross, as McKeesport’s Jayvaun Shears watches as time expires in the WPIAL Class 5A championship game Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Heinz Field. West Allegheny won, 38-37, in overtime.
The 2010s were a record-setting decade for WPIAL football teams, with career, single-season and single-game record books rewritten more than once.
When the decade dawned, no WPIAL passer had broken the career 7,000-yard barrier. None had thrown for 3,000 yards in a season. Nobody had touched 500 yards in a game.
And now?
As the decade came to a close, there are nine passers with more than 7,000 career yards — and 3,000-yard seasons are almost the norm. Four times this decade a WPIAL or City League quarterback topped 500 yards in a game.
The rushing and receiving records weren’t safe either, but the 2010s weren’t all about gaudy stats.
Combined, WPIAL teams won 17 state titles, including multiple championships for Clairton, North Allegheny and South Fayette. The decade featured some remarkable teams and many incredible players.
Here’s a look back at the All-Decade Team as chosen by TribLive HSSN.
Quarterback
Phil Jurkovec
Pine-Richland, 2017 (senior season)
Jurkovec joined former Jeannette star Terrell Pryor as the second player in WPIAL history to throw for more than 3,000 yards and rush for more 1,000 in the same season. He accomplished the rare feat as a senior in 2017 while leading the Rams to WPIAL and PIAA Class 6A titles. In his three years, he compiled 11,144 total yards, 8,202 passing yards and 71 touchdown passes. He recently completed his sophomore season at Notre Dame.
Watch Phil Jurkovec highlights
The decade’s next best
Mack Leftwich, North Allegheny, 2012
Brett Brumbaugh, South Fayette, 2014
Ben DiNucci, Pine-Richland, 2014
Brady Walker, Gateway, 2017
Hollis Mathis, Penn Hills, 2018
•••
Running back
Rushel Shell
Hopewell, 2011
Shell was a record-setting workhorse for Hopewell and remains the all-time leading rusher in WPIAL history with 9,078 career yards. His string of 39 consecutive 100-yard games was one better than Billy Sims’ national record from 1975. But Shell also topped 200 yards 25 times in his high school career. He went on to play one season at Pitt and three for West Virginia.
Tyler Boyd
Clairton, 2012
Boyd was a wide receiver at Pitt, a position he now plays for the Cincinnati Bengals, but was a standout running back in high school. His Bears went 48-0 combined in 2010, ’11 and ’12, winning WPIAL and PIAA titles each year. As a senior in 2012, Boyd rushed for 2,584 yards and scored 51 times, giving him 117 career TDs and 5,755 career yards.
The decade’s next best
Luke Hagy, Mt. Lebanon, 2011
Dravon Henry, Aliquippa, 2013
Shai McKenzie, Washington, 2013
Miles Sanders, Woodland Hills, 2015
Zane Dudek, Armstrong, 2016
Lamont Wade, Clairton, 2016
•••
Wide receiver
Robert Foster
Central Valley, 2012
Foster, a wide receiver at Alabama and now for the Buffalo Bills, showed his superstar potential as a sophomore when he scored twice at Heinz Field and led Central Valley to a WPIAL title in the school’s first season after Center and Monaca merged. Foster had 119 career catches for 2,003 receiving yards and another 1,332 yards rushing.
Watch Robert Foster highlights
Devin Wilson
Montour, 2012
Wilson established WPIAL career records for receptions (230) and receiving yards (3,192) as a multi-sport star for the Spartans. He had 38 catches as a freshman, 55 as a sophomore, 72 as a junior and 65 as a senior. Wilson was also a standout basketball player and played four seasons at Virginia Tech.
Justin Watson
South Fayette, 2013
Watson set a WPIAL single-season record with 22 touchdown catches as a senior, helping the Lions win WPIAL and PIAA titles. At the time, his 1,568 receiving yards that season also were a WPIAL record. Watson, who now plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, set career records at Penn for receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and all-purpose yards.
Watch Justin Watson highlights
The decade’s next best
Zach Challingsworth, South Fayette, 2012
Troy Apke, Mt. Lebanon, 2013
Aaron Mathews, Clairton, 2014
Tre Tipton, Apollo-Ridge, 2014
Courtney Jackson, Gateway, 2018
•••
Tight end
J.P. Holtz
Shaler, 2011
Along with playing tight end, the versatile Holtz also took snaps at running back, wide receiver, linebacker and punter in high school. As a senior, he scored 14 touchdowns. Holtz went on to make 81 receptions at Pitt — catching 11 TDs — and now plays tight end for the Chicago Bears.
The decade’s next best
Paul Lang, Mt. Lebanon, 2010
Jesse James, South Allegheny, 2011
Scott Orndoff, Seton LaSalle, 2012
Mateo Vandamia, West Allegheny, 2018
•••
Offensive line
Dorian Johnson
Belle Vernon, 2012
Johnson was a five-star prospect and ranked as the second-best offensive tackle nationally, according to Rivals.com, which rated him No. 31 overall in his recruiting class. He had nearly two dozen Division I offers including Alabama, Notre Dame and Ohio State. He became a four-year starter and All-American for Pitt. A fourth-round draft pick by the Arizona Cardinals, Johnson is on the XFL roster for the D.C. Defenders.
Watch Dorian Johnson highlights
Patrick Kugler
North Allegheny, 2012
Kugler helped North Allegheny win three consecutive WPIAL Class 4A titles along with state championships in 2010 and 2012. The four-star Rivals recruit chose Michigan from among two dozen offers including Florida, Miami, Notre Dame, Stanford and others. He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors as a senior in 2017. He’s currently the offensive line coach at Howard.
Watch Patrick Kugler highlights
Alex Bookser
Mt. Lebanon, 2013
Bookser was a three-year starter on the Blue Devils’ offensive line and a two-way starter as a junior and senior. The four-star Rivals recruit was ranked as the 22nd-best offensive tackle prospect in his class. He had more than 20 scholarship offers and chose Pitt from a list that included Penn State, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Southern Cal, among others. Bookser made 39 starts for the Panthers.
Josh Lugg
North Allegheny, 2016
Lugg helped North Allegheny rush for more than 3,000 yards in his senior season. The four-star Rivals recruit was ranked 22nd nationally among offensive tackle prospects in his class. He chose Notre Dame from a list of offers that also included Alabama, Michigan State, Wisconsin and others. Lugg, a junior, appeared in 13 games this season and started the final five for the Fighting Irish.
C.J. Thorpe
Central Catholic, 2016
Thorpe anchored the line for a Central Catholic team that reached the state finals in his junior and senior seasons. The Vikings went 15-1 and won the PIAA title in 2015. He was a four-star Rivals recruit and ranked as the fifth-best guard prospect nationally. He chose Penn State from an offers list that included LSU, Michigan, Georgia, Auburn and others. He just completed his sophomore season for the Nittany Lions.
The decade’s next best
Adam Bisnowaty, Fox Chapel, 2011
Ian Park, Upper St. Clair, 2011
James Gmiter, Bethel Park, 2017
Andrew Kristofic, Pine-Richland, 2018
Michael Carmody, Mars, 2019
•••
Kicker
D.J. Opsatnik
West Allegheny, 2016
Opsatnik was West A’s rock-solid kicker for four years and set a state record with 36 career field goals. Indians coach Bob Palko turned to him often, and Opsatnik once had a 10-point night against Woodland Hills with a game-winning extra point in overtime included. His career long was a 47-yarder as a senior. He kicked eight field goals in one season for Alderson Broaddus before transferring to Cal (Pa.).
Watch D.J. Opsatnik highlights
The decade’s next best
Adam Mitcheson, Kiski Area, 2013
Jake Chapla, Plum, 2015
Ryan Coe, South Fayette, 2018
Johnathan Opalko, Central Catholic, 2019
Cameron Guess, Belle Vernon, 2019
•••
TribLive HSSN All-Decade Team
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: Aliquippa, Apollo-Ridge, Belle Vernon, Bethel Park, Central Catholic, Clairton, Fox Chapel, Gateway, Hopewell, Kiski Area, Mars, Mt. lebanon, North Allegheny, Penn Hills, Pine-Richland, Plum, Seton La Salle, Shaler, South Allegheny, South Fayette, Upper St. Clair, West Allegheny
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