Father-son Jones duo helps Avonworth football dominate

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, November 23, 2025 | 5:39 PM

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Vertus Jones used to dominate his opponents as a standout wrestler at Greensburg Salem, where he won two WPIAL titles and a PIAA championship in the mid-1990s.

He went on to wrestle at West Virginia, where he was a three-time All-American.

Now he is an assistant coach for an Avonworth football team that is taking down opponents with regularity. And his son is a key contributor.

On Saturday night on the North Shore, he and Jaden Jones were yelling, “Twooo!”

Keeping up with the Joneses these days means winning WPIAL football titles. The father-son pair captured their second straight Class 3A championship together as the top-seeded Antelopes (13-0) won decidedly over No. 2 Imani Christian, 30-6, at Acrisure Stadium.

“We’re very blessed to be able to do this together,” Vertus Jones said. “We’re thankful to have the opportunity. It all goes by quickly, so you have to stop and enjoy it.”

Jaden Jones, a sophomore receiver and defensive back, also went back-to-back in the title game, finding the end zone twice in a row in the third quarter to put Avonworth well in front.

His 40-yard interception return for a score made it 24-0, and his 37-yard touchdown reception made it a 30-point game with about two minutes to play in the third. He was KDKA’s player of the game.

The goal quickly shifted to the PIAA semifinals for Jaden Jones, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound sophomore who could play quarterback for the Antelopes in the future.

“It’s great to be able to do this,” Jaden Jones said. “I knew I could (make an impact), but I had to work for it in practice. Our coaching staff lines us up, they are amazing. Now, we have to get back to work.”

Jaden Jones missed much of last season with a back injury but came back for the WPIAL title game (Avonworth shut out Central Valley, 17-0).

“He’s just a terrific athlete,” Avonworth head coach Duke Johncour said. “He saw his first action on this stage last year and was hungry to get back and make something happen.”

The Joneses’ wife and mother also was a Division I athlete. Rachel (Stewart) Jones also attended Greensburg Salem and was an athlete at West Virginia. She is a former PIAA cross country champion and the daughter of late Greensburg Salem baseball coach Jim Stewart.

“Jaden comes from good stock,” Johncour said.

Vertus Jones also is the wrestling coach at North Hills. He said Jaden tried wrestling at a young age but liked football better.

“We went to a youth camp, and (former Mt. Pleasant and Greensburg Salem) coach (Rob) Waller was there,” Vertus Jones said. “He told Jaden, you’re going to be great in something. Maybe it isn’t wrestling, but it will be something.

“Here we are.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Avonworth, Greensburg Salem