Big Seven: Cornell, Rochester lead all-conference team, share top player awards

By: Chris Harlan
Tuesday, December 14, 2021 | 8:29 AM

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The Big Seven was competitive this fall, with every team winning at least two conference games.

That depth is reflected in the all-conference team. Rochester’s Sal Laure was named both the offensive and defensive player of the year in the Class A conference, but the senior shared each award with an opponent from Cornell.

Cornell’s Tim Henderson was voted co-winner for the offensive award, and Raiders teammate E.J. Dawson shared the defensive award with Laure. Cornell’s Ed Dawson was named the conference’s top coach, and Shenango’s Trever Valenti took top lineman honors.

Cornell (9-3, 6-1) won the conference title with Rochester (9-3, 5-2) second and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (9-4, 4-3) third.

Cornell earned six spots on the all-conference first team, and Rochester had five. Fort Cherry also earned six first-team spots with senior Anthony D’Alessandro accounting for three of them at tight end, defensive line and punter.

The team was selected by conference coaches.

First team offense

Tyler Staub, Union, QB, 5-11, 175, sr.

Sal Laure, Rochester, RB, 5-9, 170, sr.

Tim Henderson, Cornell, RB, 5-10, 175, sr.

Jackson Clark, Union, RB, 5-11, 190, sr.

Zion McIntosh, OLSH, WR, 6-3, 185, jr.

Jerome Mullins, Rochester, WR, 6-2, 180, jr.

Dylan Rogers, Fort Cherry, WR, 6-2, 175, sr.

Davonte Christie, Northgate, WR, 6-0, 165, sr.

Anthony D’Alessandro, Fort Cherry, TE, 6-3, 235, sr.

Cagney Smith, Cornell, OL, 6-3, 250, jr.

Trever Valenti, Shenango, OL, 6-2, 280, sr.

Dylan McWilliams, Northgate, OL, 6-4, 240, sr.

Mitchell Cook, Fort Cherry, OL, 6-0, 215, sr.

Gavin Tonery, OLSH, OL, 6-4, 270, sr.

Martin Laso, Burgettstown, K, jr.

First team defense

Trever Valenti, Shenango, DL, 6-2, 280, sr.

E.J. Dawson, Cornell, DL, 6-1, 210, jr.

Anthony D’Alessandro, Fort Cherry, DL, 6-3, 235, sr.

Adam Schurr, Rochester, DL, 5-11, 230, jr.

Sincere Kimbrough, Cornell, LB, 5-10, 190, sr.

Mitchell Cook, Fort Cherry, LB, 6-0, 215, sr.

Sal Laure, Rochester, LB, 5-9, 170, sr.

Aaron Martin, Shenango, LB, 5-8, 200, sr.

Raequan Troutman, Cornell, DB, 6-0, 170, jr.

Jerome Mullins, Rochester, DB, 6-2, 180, jr.

Lewis Clark, Northgate, DB, 5-9, 175, jr.

Dylan Rogers, Fort Cherry, DB, 6-2, 175, sr.

Micah Dickerson, Cornell, P, 6-3, 225, sr.

Anthony D’Alessandro, Fort Cherry, P, 6-3, 235, sr.

Offensive Players of the Year: Sal Laure, Rochester/Tim Henderson, Cornell

Defensive Players of the Year: Sal Laure, Rochester/E.J. Dawson, Cornell

Lineman of the Year: Trever Valenti, Shenango

Coach of the Year: Ed Dawson, Cornell

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2021 WPIAL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

Class 6A Conference

Allegheny Six Conference

Big East Conference

Northeast Conference

Big Eight Conference

Greater Allegheny Conference

Parkway Conference

Allegheny Seven Conference

Interstate Conference

Northwestern Six Conference

Allegheny Conference

Century Conference

Midwestern Conference

Three Rivers Conference

Big Seven Conference

Eastern Conference

Tri-County South Conference

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: Burgettstown, Cornell, Fort Cherry, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Rochester, Shenango