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

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, December 11, 2021 | 6:00 AM

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PIAA Class 3A football championship

Central Valley vs. Wyomissing

Noon, Saturday, Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey

On the air: TV: PCN; Radio: WKPL-FM (92.1), WBVP-AM (1230), WBVP-FM (99.3) and WMBA-AM (1460); Streaming audio: tribhssn.triblive.com

PIAA titles: Central Valley 1 (2020), Wyomissing 1 (2012)

Central Valley (14-0)

Player to watch: Sean FitzSimmons

FitzSimmons was arguably the most disruptive defensive lineman in the WPIAL this season. The Pitt recruit has 114 total tackles, including 47 for a loss and 21 sacks. FitzSimmons has topped 100 tackles three years in a row. He made 11 tackles against Wyomissing in the 2020 state finals.

How they got here: WPIAL champion Central Valley defeated North Catholic, 52-15, in the district finals; and Central (Martinsburg), 35-21, in a PIAA semifinal.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Antwon Johnson, 56-104, 1,242 yards, 19 TDs, 6 INTs

Rushing: Landon Alexander, 203-2,166 yards, 28 TDs

Receiving: Jayvin Thompson, 28-750 yards, 9 TDs

Probable starting lineup

Coach: Mark Lyons

Offense

QB, 5, Antwon Johnson, 5-11, 185, jr.

RB, 23, Landon Alexander, 5-11, 195, sr.

WR, 2 Donovan Jones, 6-1, 155, sr.

WR, 7, Jayvin Thompson, 6-2, 185, jr.

WR, 21, Deniro Simpson, 5-8, 140, jr.

TE, 80, Jack Bible, 6-1, 205, sr.

LT, 67, Jordan Karczewski, 6-3, 225, sr.

LG, 50, Sean Fitzsimmons, 6-3, 280, sr.

C, 53, Jackson Tonya, 6-1, 225, jr.

RG, 73, Kaden Colville, 5-10, 218, jr.

RT, 74, Nick McCreary, 6-1, 253, so.

Defense

DE, 50, Sean FitzSimmons, 6-3, 280, sr.

NG, 67, Jordan Karczewski, 6-3, 225, sr.

DE, 53, Jackson Tonya, 6-1, 225, jr.

LB, 6, Matt Merritt, 6-2, 210, sr.

LB, 10, Bret FitzSimmons, 5-10, 170, jr.

LB, 80, Jack Bible, 6-1, 205, sr.

S, 4, Bryce Wilson, 5-9, 168, sr.

S, Bret FitzSimmons, 5-10, 170, jr.

S, Jayvin Thompson, 6-2, 185, jr.

CB, 3, Rylan Jeter, 5-11, 165, jr.

CB, 23, Landon Alexander, 5-11, 195, sr.

Special teams

K, 18, Serafino DeSantis, 6-0, 183, jr.

P, 18, Bryce Wilson, 5-9, 158, sr.

Notable: This is the second year in a row Wyomissing and Central Valley meet in the PIAA Class 3A finals. Central Valley won last year, 35-21. … Central Valley owns the state’s longest active winning streak at 26 games. The Warriors can thank Wyomissing for that honor. Southern Columbia had a 65-game winning streak snapped in a 41-21 loss to Wyomissing on Oct. 1. … Mark Lyons is 126-29 in 12 seasons as CV’s coach, including 39-2 over the past three. … Landon Alexander is the leading rusher in the WPIAL. He topped 200 rushing yards in each of the past three games. A year ago, Alexander rushed for 122 yards and two TDs against Wyomissing. … Albany offered Alexander a scholarship this month. … Central Valley’s offense averages 47.1 points per game. The defense on average allows 8. … This is Central Valley’s fourth appearance in the PIAA finals. The team lost to Wyoming Area, 21-14 in 2019, and Archbishop Wood, 33-14 in 2014.

Wyomissing (15-0)

Player to watch: Jven Williams

Williams is one of the state’s top college recruits in this year’s junior class. The offensive tackle is uncommitted but has nearly two dozen FBS offers. Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia are among them, along with Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi, South Carolina and others. Rivals ranks him as a four-star recruit and Pennsylvania’s third-best prospect in the 2023 class.

How they got there: District 3 champion Wyomissing defeated Boiling Springs, 55-14, in the district finals; District 2 champion Scranton Prep, 35-14, in a PIAA quarterfinal; and District 12 champion Neumann Goretti, 42-6, in a PIAA semifinal.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Ben Zechman, 51-81, 781 yards, 11 TDs, 2 INTs

Rushing: Tommy Grabowski, 184-1,313 yards, 26 TDs

Receiving: Aiden Mack, 10-248 yards, 2 TDs

Probable starting lineup

Coach: Bob Wolfrum

Offense

QB, 2, Ben Zechman, 6-3, 180, jr.

HB, 24, Drew Eisenhower, 5-11, 185, jr.

HB, 10, Amory Thompson, 6-1, 185, sr.

FB, 22, Tommy Grabowski, 6-0, 200, sr.

WR, 3, Nevin Carter, 6-5, 190, sr.

TE, 85, Aiden Mack, 6-4, 220, sr.

OT, 74, Jven Williams, 6-4, 310, jr.

G, 59, Jackson Miller, 5-11, 200, sr.

C, 60, Julian DiMaio, 5-10, 200, sr.

G, 64, Pacen Ziegler, 6-3, 255, jr.

OT, 78, Preson Aikman, 5-10, 230, sr.

Defense

NG, 60, Julian DiMaio, 5-10, 200, sr.

DT, 7, Jamhi Jackson, 6-3, 240, jr.

DT, 85, Aiden Mack, 6-4, 220, sr.

LB, 22, Tommy Grabowski, 6-0, 200, sr.

LB, 59, Jackson Miller, 5-11, 200, sr.

LB, 32, Rory Filoon, 6-3, 185, sr.

LB, 15, Matthew Kramer, 6-1, 210, jr.

CB, 10, Amory Thompson, 6-1, 185, sr.

CB, 3, Nevin Carter, 6-5, 190, sr.

S, 24, Drew Eisenhower, 5-11, 185, jr.

S, 20, Charles McIntyre, 6-0, 185, jr.

Special teams

K, 88, Ian Levering, 5-7, 275, jr.

P, 25, Ryker Jones, 6-0, 180, so.

Notable: Wyomissing is located in Berks County near Reading. … This is Wyomissing’s third appearance in the PIAA finals. The Spartans were runners-up to Central Valley last season, and defeated Aliquippa, 17-14, in the 2012 Class 2A final. … Bob Wolfrum has coached the team since 1987. … The team rushed for 348 yards in last week’s PIAA semifinal win over Neumann-Goretti. Amory Thompson had 115 rushing yards and Tommy Grabowski had 112. … The team has rushed for 4,851 yards this season, an average of 323 per game. … Wyomissing’s offense averages 47.9 ppg. The defense allows 8.5. … Former Pitt quarterback Matt Lytle played football for Wyomissing.

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: Central Valley