2022 WPIAL All-Conference Football: Steel Valley leads 1st team with 9 spots in Allegheny
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Friday, December 23, 2022 | 6:57 PM
Steel Valley head coach Ray Braszo talks with quarterback Cruce Brookins during the second quarter against Sto-Rox on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in McKees Rocks.
Steel Valley’s Cruce Brookins was a two-way standout for the Ironmen, but he wasn’t the only player on the roster making an impact on both sides of the ball.
Three Steel Valley players were voted first-team all-conference in the Class 2A Allegheny for both offense and defense. The conference champions earned nine first-team spots, including six claimed by Brookins, Greg Smith and JeSean Wright.
Steel Valley went 7-0 in the conference, finished 12-1 overall and won the WPIAL Class 2A title. The team also won four individual conference awards, with Brookins, a Pitt recruit, named MVP for both offense and defense.
Ironmen coach Ray Braszo was named conference coach of the year, and Smith, a Miami (Ohio) recruit, was voted the top offensive lineman.
Ligonier Valley and Serra Catholic tied for second in the conference at 5-2. Serra’s Michael Schanck was named the defensive lineman of the year.
First team offense
Player, School, Pos., Ht., Wt., Yr.
Greg Smith, Steel Valley, OT, 6-5, 315, sr.
Colin Smith, Ligonier Valley, OT, 6-0, 245, sr.
Spencer Sell, Apollo-Ridge, G, 5-7, 270, jr.
Ian Quinn, Burrell, G, 6-1, 255, sr.
Cameron Martin, Burrell, C, 5-8, 195, sr.
Jake Mull, Apollo-Ridge, WR, 5-11, 157, sr.
Che Allen, Imani Christian, WR, 5-8, 170, jr.
Amire Spencer, Serra Catholic, WR, 5-11, 175, sr.
JeSean Wright, Steel Valley, WR, 5-8, 180, sr.
James Pleskovich, Ligonier Valley, TE, 6-3, 231, sr.
Cruce Brookins, Steel Valley, QB, 6-2, 180, sr.
Nick Curci, Apollo-Ridge, RB, 6-2, 230, sr.
Haden Sierocky, Ligonier Valley, RB, 6-0, 176, sr.
Donald Barksdale, Steel Valley, RB, 5-8, 160, so.
David Davis, Imani Christian, RB, 6-0, 170, fr.
Nate Gray, Derry, K, 5-10, 210, sr.
Haden Sierocky, Ligonier Valley, KR, 6-0, 176, sr.
First team defense
Player, School, Pos., Ht., Wt., Yr.
Logan Mulheren, Ligonier Valley, DT, 5-9, 285, sr.
Greg Smith, Steel Valley, DT, 6-5, 315, sr.
Jaison Houser, Steel Valley, DT, 6-3, 290, sr.
Landon Harmon, Apollo-Ridge, DE, 5-10, 220, sr.
Michael Schanck, Serra Catholic, DE, 5-11, 208, sr.
Brendan Snyder, Steel Valley, DE, 6-0, 200, sr.
Nick Curci, Apollo-Ridge, ILB, 6-2, 230, sr.
McKinley Shearer, Ligonier Valley, ILB, 5-11, 166, sr.
Antonio Cook, Burrell, OLB, 5-10, 170, sr.
JeSean Wright, Steel Valley, OLB, 5-8, 180, sr.
Jake Mull, Apollo-Ridge, DB, 5-11, 157, sr.
Isaiah Arrington, Imani Christian, DB, 5-11, 175, jr.
Haden Sierocky, Ligonier Valley, DB, 6-0, 176, sr.
Elijah Ward, Serra Catholic, DB, 5-10, 150, sr.
Cruce Brookins, Steel Valley, DB, 6-2, 180, sr.
Ian Sarver, Yough, P, 6-1, 185, sr.
Offensive Player of the Year: Cruce Brookins, Steel Valley
Defensive Player of the Year: Cruce Brookins, Steel Valley
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Greg Smith, Steel Valley
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Michael Schanck, Serra Catholic
Coach of the Year: Ray Braszo, Steel Valley
2022 All-Conference Football Teams
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: Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Derry Area, Imani Christian, Ligonier Valley, Serra Catholic, Steel Valley, Yough
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