2022 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the specialists

By: Chris Harlan
Wednesday, August 24, 2022 | 6:24 PM

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A remarkable WPIAL record is about to turn 20.

It was two decades ago — Oct. 4, 2002 — when East Allegheny’s Josh Miller kicked a 55-yard field goal, a feat that still stands as the longest known in WPIAL history.

Miller, a 6-foot, 170-pound soccer star who later played goalkeeper at Duquesne, had joined the football team just that season. He also kicked a 50-yarder in the same game as East Allegheny defeated Steel Valley, 19-0.

The WPIAL has seen a number of talented kickers since, but Miller’s mark remains.

TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here’s a look at the top kickers and punters for the 2022 season.

1. Bennett Henderson

Upper St. Clair

Junior, 5-10, 165

Henderson went 11 for 12 on field goal attempts last season with two kicks longer than 40 yards. He also converted 28 of 29 extra-point attempts (one was blocked) and averaged 56 yards on his deep kickoffs. He was a consistent weapon for USC’s offense and made at least one FG in eight of the team’s 11 games. His kicks covered 22, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 37, 41 and 42 yards. He earned first-team all-conference honors in Class 5A.

Watch Bennett Henderson highlights

2. Joey Castle

Norwin

Senior, 6-3, 195

Castle is a nationally ranked punter with college offers from Akron and Buffalo. He handles both kicking and punting duties for the Knights. As a junior, Castle went 6 for 9 on field goals with makes from 21, 23, 26, 32, 36 and 36 yards, earning him second-team all-conference honors in Class 6A. He averaged 55 yards on kickoffs and 39 yards on punts. He’s ranked 20th among senior punters who attended Kohl’s kicking camps.

Watch Joey Castle highlights

3. Serafino DeSantis

Central Valley

Senior, 6-0, 195

DeSantis was kept busy last season as kicker for a high-scoring team that won the Class 3A state title. He made 86 of 87 extra points and 7 of 9 field goal tries. His two longest FGs covered 43 yards. His five others covered 26, 31, 33, 36 and 39 yards. He also averaged 49 yards on his 111 kickoffs, and he twice handled 10 or more kickoffs in a game. He was name first-team all-conference.

Watch Serafino DeSantis highlights

4. Brayden Lambert

West Allegheny

Senior, 5-5, 160

Lambert showed off one of the strongest legs in the WPIAL by making four field goals from beyond 40 yards last season. He went 6 for 6 on FG attempts with kicks from 23, 31, 41, 42, 43 and 44 yards. He also went 9 for 9 on extra points, earning all-conference honorable mention honors in Class 5A.

Watch Brayden Lambert highlights

5. Kevin Thompson

West Greene

Senior, 5-8, 145

Thompson faces a challenge few big-school kickers deal with nowadays: grass. Yet, with Tri-County South teams playing largely on natural surfaces, Thompson made 41 extra points and kicked three field goals last season, including two that were 40 yards or longer. His best was a 44-yarder.

Watch Kevin Thompson highlights

One to watch

Angelo Baleno

Plum

Sophomore, 5-9, 135

Baleno went 4 for 4 on field goals as a freshman including a tie-breaking 29-yarder with about 5 minutes left in the regular-season finale to clinch a playoff spot. His other FGs were from 21, 26 and 38 yards, earning him first-team all-conference honors in Class 4A.

Watch Angelo Baleno highlights

• • • • •

Position breakdowns

QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | CB | S | K

Top five coaching changes for 2022

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.