Alle-Kiski Valley high school notebook: Area players sweep Allegheny Conference’s top honors

By: Alec Italiano
Monday, November 27, 2017 | 8:48 PM

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The WPIAL's all-conference football teams and awards continue to roll in, and three players with Alle-Kiski Valley ties swept the Allegheny Conference's top honors.

Freeport senior linebacker Austin Kemp shared co-defensive most valuable player honors with Shady Side Academy junior Skyy Moore, a New Kensington native. Moore won offensive MVP, and Apollo-Ridge senior Joe Sodowsky was named the top offensive and defensive lineman.

Kemp recorded a team-high 90 tackles, including 10 for loss. He had three sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked punt for Freeport (7-3), which finished second in the conference and lost to Seton LaSalle in the WPIAL first round.

Moore accounted for 31 offensive touchdowns as Shady Side Academy's quarterback and also led the Indians secondary. Sodowsky, a two-way tackle, anchored Apollo-Ridge's offensive line as left tackle and had 17 tackles and two sacks on defense.

Offensive first-team all-conference players from the A-K Valley included Moore at quarterback; Apollo-Ridge's Logan Harmon at fullback; Deer Lakes' Jared Colton, Valley's Darius Johnson and Freeport's Jake Sarver at wide receiver; Burrell's Alex Bellinotti at tight end; Kemp and Valley's David Schuffert at guard; Freeport's Matt Charlton and Sodowsky at tackle; Sarver at punter and kicker; and Freeport's Austin Romanchak as all-purpose back.

Defensive first-team all-conference picks from the A-K Valley were Apollo-Ridge's Kyle Fitzroy at defensive end; Sodowsky at defensive tackle; Bellinotti and Kemp at inside linebacker; Freeport's Chancelour Jones at outside linebacker; and Johnson, Moore and Romanchak at defensive back.

Runners' high

The Alle-Kiski Area Coaches announced its cross country runners of the year and all-star teams earlier this month.

Riverview senior Ben Barnes was named boys runner of the year after placing second at the WPIAL Class A championship and helping the Raiders finish second as a team. First-team all-stars included Deer Lakes' Josh Klemmensen; Fox Chapel's Ian Brown, Christian Fitch, Jonathan Folkerts and Greg Overbreck; Freeport's Jonathan Asay; Highlands' C.J. Thimons; Riverview's Gideon Deasy and Mike Komaniak; and Shady Side Academy's Leo Liu.

Fox Chapel Caelan Miller, who finished fourth in the WPIAL Class AAA race, was named girls runner of the year. She helped the Foxes take second in the WPIAL and win the PIAA title. First-team all-stars included Fox Chapel's Brooke Krally, Sarena Seeger, Grace Sisson and Annika Urban; Kiski Area's Kierra Shreffler; Knoch's Samantha Barnes; Riverview's Izzy Komaniak and Marina Pietz; and Shady Side Academy's Emmy Lau and Jenna Lauer.

Riverview's Palma Ostrowski and Fox Chapel's Tom Moul were named boys and girls coaches of the year, respectively.

Soccer stars

Five Alle-Kiski Valley players competed in the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association All-Star Game on Saturday.

Springdale's Jared Demore and Matt Taliani teamed with Sean Abraham and Mike Komaniak from rival Riverview for the Class A team. Their opponents, the Class AA All-Stars, included Freeport's Bryce Hanby.

On the trail

Fox Chapel football player Chase Villani recently picked up his first scholarship offer, from Division II Seton Hill.

Villani, a running back/linebacker, had a team-high 96 tackles (11 for loss) and added four sacks after transferring from Shady Side Academy, earning first-team all-conference honors at linebacker. He also rushed for 277 yards and two touchdowns.

Fellow Fox Chapel senior Micah Morris also picked up an offer from Seton Hill earlier this month. Morris, who also holds an offer from Brown, rushed for 1,322 yards and 14 touchdowns and added 38 tackles on defense.

Doug Gulasy is a Tribune-Review staff writer.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Highlands, Kiski School, Riverview, Shady Side Academy, Springdale