PIAA Class 3A football championship breakdown: Central Valley vs. Wyomissing

By: Don Rebel
Thursday, November 26, 2020 | 1:45 PM

---

Central Valley vs. Wyomissing

3:30 p.m. Friday, Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey

On the air: TV: PCN; 1020 AM, 100.1 FM, 1460 AM, 1230 AM, 99.3 FM, 92.1 FM; audio streamed on TribHSSN.triblive.com

PIAA titles: Central Valley 0 (third appearance), Wyomissing 1 (2012)

Central Valley (11-0)

Player to watch

Landon Alexander, Junior, 5-11, 181, RB

Alexander is capping off an excellent junior season with a dominant postseason. The Warriors’ leading rusher led Central Valley on the ground in a semifinal victory over District 5 champion Bedford, rushing for 159 yards and scoring three touchdowns. For the season, Alexander has 1,327 yards with 20 touchdowns. He has more than 500 yards on the ground and 12 touchdowns in the Warriors’ four postseason victories.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Ameer Dudley, 71-111, 1,209 yards, 15 TDs, 4 INTs

Rushing: Landon Alexander, 110-1,327 yards, 18 TDs

Receiving: Myles Walker, 23-359 yards, 17 TDs

How they got here

Defeated Elizabeth Forward, 35-0, in quarterfinals and Bedford, 49-20, in semifinals

Probable starting lineup

Coach: Mark Lyons

Offense

LT, 66, Hunter Mitchell, 5-11, 258, sr.

LG, 50, Sean Fitzsimmons, 6-3, 277, jr.

C, 52, Josh Campbell, 5-11, 228, sr.

RG, 58, Hunter Viscuso, 6-0, 205, sr.

RT, 53, Jackson Tonya, 6-2, 215, so.

QB, 3, Ameer Dudley, 6-2, 196, sr.

WR, 1, Myles Walker, 5-10, 158, sr.

WR, 5, Brandon Graham, 6-0, 194, sr.

WR, 6 Matt Merritt, 6-2, 204, jr.

TE, 44, Justin Pyle-Thompson, 6-4, 245, sr.

RB, 23, Landon Alexander, 5-11, 181, jr.

Defense

DE, 50, Sean Fitzsimmons, 6-3, 277, jr.

DE, 44, Justin Pyle-Thompson, 6-4, 245, sr.

NG, 56, Cody Presto, 5-10, 260, sr.

OLB, 11, Amarian Saunders, 5-11, 177, sr.

LB, 52, Josh Campbell, 5-11, 228, sr.

LB, 80, Jack Bible, 6-1, 193, jr.

CB, 1, Myles Walker, 5-10, 158, sr.

CB, 7, Jayvin Thompson, 6-2, 185, so.

Rover, 32, Ryan Boring, 5-9, 150, sr.

SS, 6, Matt Merrit, 6-2, 204, jr.

FS, 5, Bradon Graham, 6-0, 194, sr.

Special teams

LS, 10, Brett Fitzimmons, 5-10, 165, so.

P, 7, Jayvin Thompson, 6-2, 185, soph.

PK, 18, Serafino DeSantis, 6-0, 180, so.

Holder, 32, Ryan Boring, 5-9, 150, sr.

Returner, 1, Myles Walker, 5-10, 150, jr.

Notables: Central Valley is 0-2 in PIAA championship games, losing to District 12 Archbishop Wood in the 2014 Class AAA title game, 33-14, and falling last year in the Class 3A finals, 21-14, to District 2 Wyoming Area. … Since expansion to six classifications in 2016, WPIAL champions are 3-1 in the PIAA 3A championship game with victories by Beaver Falls in 2016, Quaker Valley in 2017 and Aliquippa in 2018 before the CV loss last year. … The Warriors have the current longest winning streak in District 7 with 11 wins in a row. … This is only the 11th year of Central Valley football following the merger of Center and Monaca, however the Warriors already have won four WPIAL football titles. … Central Valley is trying to become the second WPIAL school to go undefeated and invoke the mercy rule in every victory. Steel Valley pulled it off in 2016.

Wyomissing (9-0)

Player to watch

Zach Zechman, Senior, 6-0, 175, QB/DB

It’s been a bounce back year for Zechman. He tore his ACL in the second quarter of the 2019 season opener and missed the rest of the season. Zachman is an excellent runner and is a good play-action passer, which works well in the Spartans’ Wing-T offense. As a sophomore, he was voted second team league safety.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Zach Zechman, 10-12, 179 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT vs. Danville

Rushing: Jordan Auman, 11-59 yards, 2 TDs vs. Danville

Receiving: Amory Thompson, 4-41 yards, 1 TD vs. Danville

How they got here

Defeated Lakeland, 47-0, in the quarterfinals and Danville, 44-14, in semifinals.

Probable starting lineup

Coach: Bob Wolfrum

Offense

QB, 9, Zach Zechman, 6-0, 175, sr.

RB, 15, Jordan Auman, 5-11, 170, sr.

RB, 44, Evan Niedrowski, 6-2, 240, sr.

RB, 10, Amory Thompson, 6-0, 175, jr.

TE, 85, Aidan Mack, 6-4, 215, jr.

SE, 11, Darren Brunner, 6-1, 195, sr.

OT, 70, Seamus Filoon, 6-4, 310, sr.

OT, 74, Rushard Williams, 6-5, 315, sr.

OG, 55, Jack Feightner, 6-2, 200, sr.

OG, 50, Maher Salha, 6-1, 175, sr.

C, 52, Owen Scargle, 6-0, 190, sr.

Defense

DL, 72, Steven Olexy, 6-0, 240, sr.

DL, 67, Isiah Fernandez, 5-9, 200, sr.

DL, 60, Julian DiMaio, 5-9, 185, jr.

OLB, 11, Darren Brunner, 6-0, 195, sr.

OLB, 55, Jack Feightner, 6-2, 200, sr.

ILB, 44, Evan Niedrowski, 6-2, 240, sr.

ILB, 22, Tommy Grabowski, 5-11, 185, jr.

CB, 10, Amory Thompson, 6-0, 175, jr.

CB, 3, Nevin Carter, 6-3, 190, jr.

FS, 9, Zach Zechman, 6-0, 175, sr.

S, 15, Jordan Auman, 5-11, 170, sr.

Special teams

K/P, 12, Aidan Cirulli, 5-11, 175, sr.

Notables: Wyomissing is appearing in its second PIAA football championship. The Spartans edged Aliquippa to win the 2012 Class AA state crown, 17-14. … On its way to the 2012 state championship, Wyomissing defeated Danville. The Spartans knocked off the District 4 champion Ironmen again last week. … Wyomissing was the No. 2 seed in the District 3 playoffs and knocked off top-seeded Middletown in the championship game, 38-16. … The 2012 Wyomissing championship was the last time a District 3 team won a PIAA football title in any classification.

Tags: Central Valley