Ligonier Valley sending 11 players into college football
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Wednesday, May 27, 2020 | 8:34 PM
Ligonier Valley quarterback Sam Sheeder (16) leaps over the Richland defense for a 1-yard touchdown during the third quarter of the PIAA District 6 Class 2A championship game on Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, at Mansion Park Stadium in Altoona.
Ligonier Valley’s Cage Dowden (81) runs behind the blocking of Ayden Kelley (25) for a first down against Richland in the PIAA District 6 Class 2A championship game Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, at Mansion Park Stadium in Altoona.
Ligonier Valley’s Ethan Boring makes a one-handed catch during practice Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019, in Ligonier.
There is a reason the Ligonier Valley football team has been outstanding the past four seasons.
The graduating senior class — which went 51-4 with four Heritage Conference titles, four Appalachian Bowl titles, two PIAA District 6 Class AA titles and four consecutive trips to the District 6 championship game — has 11 players moving on to play football in college.
Three linemen — Mike Petrof, Christian Jablonski and Wylie Spiker — signed to play Division I football. Petrof is headed the United States Naval Academy, Jablonski is going to Lehigh and Spiker to St. Francis.
Eight others will also continue their football careers at the next level.
Quarterback Sam Sheeder is headed to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, an NCAA Division III program in Terre Haute, Ind. Rose-Hulman is one of the top engineering schools in the country.
Three players are headed to Saint Vincent: athlete Kyle Silk, linebacker Ayden Kelley and lineman Dunavin Graham. Two are off to Washington & Jefferson: linebacker Ethan Boring and wide receiver John Beard III.
Running back Kyrie Miller is headed to Allegheny College and lineman Alex Torrance will play at Waynesburg for former Laurel Valley grad Chris Smithley.
“This was a special group,” Ligonier Valley coach Roger Beitel said. “They grew up together playing Little League, at the YMCA, flag football and youth football. They’re all friends and loved football and football provided them the opportunity to continue in college.”
In the 16 years that Beitel has coached at Ligonier Valley, 44 players have gone on to play college football.
Now the Rams will switch gears as the district moves back to the WPIAL. Ligonier Valley will face some challenging new opponents in Shady Side Academy, Apollo-Ridge, Serra Catholic, Steel Valley and Summit Academy.
Ligonier Valley set a Heritage Conference record with 37 consecutive victories.
“They were a very competitive group,” Beitel said. “They were a great group to coach.”
Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.
Tags: Ligonier Valley
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