Butler’s Ethan Morton named Player of the Year in Class 6A all-state voting

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, May 2, 2020 | 12:00 AM

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Butler’s Ethan Morton’s quest for a PIAA basketball title was cut short, but the senior earned statewide recognition Saturday as the state’s Class 6A Player of the Year in a vote of Pennsylvania sports writers.

The Purdue recruit was the first WPIAL athlete to win the award in the PIAA’s largest classification since 2014. This also was the third year in a row that Morton earned first-team all-state honors.

The 6-foot-6 point guard averaged 23.4 points, 13 rebounds and 8.3 assists this season for Butler (22-4), which won the WPIAL title and had reached the state quarterfinals before the covid-19 outbreak shut down the PIAA tournament.

Two other WPIAL players joined Morton on the Class 6A all-state team. Penn-Trafford’s Zach Rocco and Mt. Lebanon’s Jake Hoffman were both named to the third team.

Rocco averaged 23.7 points and Hoffman 21.2.

Erie McDowell senior William Jeffress, who committed to Pitt, also earned first-team honors.

Hampton’s Ryan Luther earned the player of the year award in 2014.

Class 6A

First team

Ethan Morton, 6-6, Sr., G, Butler

William Jeffress, 6-7, Sr., F, Erie McDowell

Jalen Duren, 6-9 So., F, Roman Catholic

Jhamir Brickus, 5-11, Sr., G, Coatesville

Stevie Mitchell, 6-1, Jr., G, Wilson

Jeff Woodward, 6-10, Sr., F, Methacton

Second team

Lynn Greer, 6-1, Sr., G, Roman Catholic

Ike Herster, 6-6, Sr., F, Kennedy Catholic

Karell Watkins, 6-4, Jr., F, Chester

Justice Williams, 6-3, So., G, Roman Catholic

Erik Timko, 6-3, Sr., G, Methacton

Yasir Stover, 6-0, Sr., G, Simon Gratz

Third team

Jaelen McGlone, 6-4, Sr., G, Cheltenham

Shaquil Bender, 6-2, Sr., G, Abraham Lincoln

Zach Rocco, 6-2, Sr., G, Penn-Trafford

Jake Hoffman, 6-3, Sr., F, Mt. Lebanon

Akeem Taylor, 6-4, Sr., G, Chester

Caleb Mims, 6-0, Sr., G, Bethlehem Freedom

Player of the Year: Ethan Morton, Butler

Coach of the Year: Matt Coldren, Wilson

_ _ _

Pa. Sportswriters All-State Boys Basketball

Class A — Monday

Class 2A — Tuesday

Class 3A — Wednesday

Class 4A — Thursday

Class 5A — Friday

Class 6A — Saturday

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: Butler, Mt. lebanon, Penn-Trafford