A-K Valley football players to watch in 2022 Week 7

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, October 12, 2022 | 5:12 PM

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Tyler Bender

Highlands, sr., OL/DL

The veteran lineman helped create defensive havoc for the Golden Rams against Woodland Hills last week. He made five tackles, recorded one of Highlands’ 11 sacks and intercepted a pass in a 38-23 victory. For the season, Bender is second on the team in tackles with 43, and he owns nine sacks for the undefeated Golden Rams, who hope to keep rolling Friday at Kiski Area.

Brandin Gilmer

Leechburg, jr., HB/RB/LB

A lot of the focus for the Blue Devils offense is centered around the running and pass catching abilities of Pitt commit Braylan Lovelace, but Gilmer is not one to be ignored. The powerful ball-carrier scored on an 18-yard run in the fourth quarter of Friday’s 58-21 win against Jeannette to help 5-2 Leechburg put the game on ice. He also has served as a difference maker at the heart of a Blue Devils defense that has allowed just 10.7 points a game.

Isaiah Gonzalez

Kiski Area, jr., WR/DB

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound pass-catching threat has developed into a dependable main target for sophomore quarterback Carson Heinle. In last week’s loss to Mars, Gonzalez caught 15 passes, the most in a single game in the Alle-Kiski Valley this year, for 197 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He hopes to be a difference maker this week as the Cavaliers host undefeated Highlands in Greater Allegheny Conference play.

Jake Mull

Apollo-Ridge, sr., WR/DB

Mull did his part in last week’s four-point loss to Imani Christian as he hauled in eight passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns. It was his second 100-plus yardage game of the season — he had 127 yards and two scores in the opener against Leechburg — and he owns 437 yards and six touchdowns on 19 receptions this season. Mull also made five tackles, punted, returned a kick, kicked off and booted extra points against the Saints.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Highlands, Kiski Area, Leechburg