Avonworth’s Luca Neal, Duke Johncour top 2025 Class 3A all-state football honors

By: Chris Harlan
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 | 10:00 AM

Classifying Avonworth’s Luca Neal into a single position is difficult since he might play wide receiver, running back, wildcat quarterback and linebacker all in the same game.

With that in mind, all-state voters aptly recognized the senior as an “athlete” and chose him as the state Class 3A player of the year after Neal led Avonworth to its first state title earlier this month. The Antelopes’ Duke Johncour was named as the coach of the year, and four of Neal’s teammates also earned all-state honors when the team was revealed Tuesday.

Avonworth’s Dimitri Velisaris (running back), Jaden Jones (wide receiver), Peter Bonnet (offensive line) and Bryce Metz (linebacker) joined Neal as all-state players. They were among 12 WPIAL athletes selected in all.

The team was chosen by a statewide vote of sportswriters.

Also honored were Imani Christian’s Gabe Jenkins (quarterback), Will Gorman (defensive line) and David Davis (defensive back); Central Valley’s Brendan Alexander (defensive line) and Domenic Pratt (specialist); North Catholic’s Joe Felitsky (quarterback); and Derry’s Dylan Pitzer (defensive line).

Neal led Avonworth with 1,891 all-purpose yards, including a team-best 1,028 yards receiving on 48 catches. He scored 25 touchdowns with three coming in the PIAA finals when Avonworth defeated Northwestern Lehigh, 31-7.

Johncour was voted the top coach after Avonworth finished the season 15-0 as the only undefeated team in the state. The Antelopes also avenged their overtime loss to Northwestern Lehigh in last year’s state finals.

Velisaris was Avonworth’s leading rusher this season with 1,492 yards and 24 touchdowns on 200 carries. The blocks of Bonnet, a Navy recruit, helped the Antelopes rush for 3,345 yards and 43 touchdowns.

Jones finished closely behind Neal with 1,023 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 33 catches. Metz led Avonworth with 97 tackles while Neal added 30 tackles and two interceptions.

• Jenkins led Imani Christian to the WPIAL finals by passing for 1,763 yards and rushing for 1,411. He tossed 29 touchdowns and rushed for 15 scores.

• Davis, a North Carolina recruit, intercepted four passes and made 30 tackles. He also caught 20 passes for 569 yards and added 700 rushing yards.

• Gorman, a Youngstown State recruit, bolstered a Saints defense that held opponents to nine points per game.

• Alexander, a two-way lineman, had 103 tackles and five sacks for WPIAL semifinalist Central Valley.

• Spratt, as Central Valley’s kicker, made 13 of his 14 field goal attempts with a season long of 51 yards.

• Felitsky finished as the WPIAL’s leading passer for the second season in a row. He completed 192 of 257 passes for 3,388 yards and 46 touchdowns for WPIAL semifinalist North Catholic.

• Pitzer, a two-way standout on the line, was named all-conference in the Interstate on both sides of the ball.

Pa. Class 3A All-State Football Team

Player of the Year: Luca Neal, Avonworth

Coach of the Year: Duke Johncour, Avonworth

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Shane Leh, Northwestern Lehigh, 6-1, 187, sr.

Joe Felitsky, North Catholic, 6-1, 185, sr.

Matt Bodnar, Notre Dame-Green Pond, 6-1, 200, sr.

Gabe Jenkins, Imani Christian, 6-2, 182, jr.

Chad Martin, Mifflinburg, 6-3, 230, sr.

Running back

Ty’meere Wilkerson, Berwick, 6-2, 205, sr.

Dimitri Velisaris, Avonworth, 5-7, 175, jr.

Kelvin Morrison, Hickory, 5-11, 185, jr.

Braxton Lakatosh, Northwestern Lehigh, 5-9, 176, sr.

Terrian White, Sharon, 6-0, 175, sr.

Wide receiver

Brady Zimmerman, Northwestern Lehigh, 5-7, 147, jr.

Jaden Jones, Avonworth, 6-3, 185, so.

Landen Murray, Mifflinburg, 6-2, 195, sr.

Maddox Jarzynski, Trinity Camp Hill, 6-2, 210, sr.

Tight end

Marcus Yeager, Trinity Camp Hill, 6-4, 225, sr.

Offensive line

Peter Bonnet, Avonworth, 6-5, 285, sr.

Luke Lewis, Hickory, 6-2, 310, sr.

Colton Popp, Northwestern Lehigh, 6-0, 234, sr.

Logan Anthony, Palmerton, 6-4, 315, sr.

Aiden Zilker, North Schuylkill, 6-5, 300, sr.

Matt Gordner, Berwick, 6-0, 275, sr.

Athlete

Brady Jones, Penn Cambria, 5-11, 196, sr.

Luke Miller, North Schuylkill, 6-0, 185, sr.

Will McPartland, Scranton Prep, 6-0, 190, sr.

DEFENSE

Defensive line

Brendan Alexander, Central Valley, 6-4, 250, sr.

Hudson Sellers, Annville-Cleona, 6-0, 200, sr.

Will Gorman, Imani Christian, 6-3, 240, sr.

Samuel Mulbah, Trinity Camp Hill, 6-3, 265, sr.

Max Karycki, Mount Carmel, 6-1, 240, jr.

Dylan Pitzer, Derry, 6-6, 272, sr.

Faith Zudie, Berks Catholic, 6-0, 190, jr.

Linebacker

Shane Hulmes, Northwestern Lehigh, 6-0, 213, sr.

Bryce Metz, Avonworth, 6-1, 205, jr.

Corbin Vinglish, Penn Cambria, 5-11, 210, jr.

Logan Cammauf, Schuylkill Valley, 6-2, 180, sr.

Defensive back

David Davis, Imani Christian, 5-10, 180, sr.

Michael Lagowy, Northwestern Lehigh, 6-0, 162, jr.

Jackson Griffith, Mifflinburg, 6-2, 180, sr.

Specialist

Domenic Pratt, Central Valley, 5-11, 175, jr.

Athlete

Luca Neal, Avonworth, 5-10, 185, sr.

Xander Richardson, Forest Hills, 5-11, 187, sr.

Blake Lilly, Penn Cambria, 5-10, 160, sr.

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: Avonworth, Central Valley, Derry Area, Imani Christian, North Catholic