Trib HSSN Football Player of the Week for 2022 Week 11

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, November 13, 2022 | 8:47 PM

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With steady to heavy rain predicted all day Friday for the second night of WPIAL playoff football, some teams did some unique things in order to prepare for the elements.

Local fire companies coming to practice to hose down the players in game situations while others simply soaked footballs in water so the center and skilled players on offense could get used to handling a wet rock.

For Union, it was business as usual as they prepared for a second shot at Big 7 Conference rival Laurel in the Class A quarterfinals.

“The one day we did a wet ball practice, but we only did it running the ball,” Union junior quarterback Braylon Thomas said. “Coming into the game, I had a few doubts myself as to how I would do throwing the football. It wasn’t until pregame when I told them not to dry the balls off so I get a little used to it. It was just, trying to get better at it in the game since I hadn’t done it all week.”

Call Thomas a quick study and a real mailman, delivering no matter how bad the weather is.

Thomas had one of the best nights throwing the football in the district on the worse weather night in years.

“He knew what the conditions were going to be and he didn’t complain and embraced the situation,” Union first year coach Kim Niedbala said. “I think right now, the team knows for us to have success, it starts with Braylon.”

He completed 10 of 18 passes for 211 yards and a 33-yard touchdown toss in the second quarter to Mike Gunn.

“The whole year I’ve been telling our skilled players there are going to be plays where I just put it up there to give you a chance and I’m going to have faith you guys are going to come down with it,” Thomas said. “It was one of those plays where I saw he had a step on the corner, so I just put it up there to give him a chance.”

Thomas not only hurt the Spartans with his soggy arm, but also with his legs.

The Scotties signal-caller rushed for 88 yards on 21 carries and scored twice on touchdown runs of 36 and 3 yards.

This is now rare air for the dogs of blue as they are headed to the WPIAL Class A semifinals in football for the first time since 1979.

After beating Big 7 champ Laurel in the quarterfinals, Union (9-3) will now face the fourth-place team from the Big 7, Rochester (7-4), in the final four at Freedom on Friday.

In the first meeting of the year between the two in Week 6, the Scotties blanked the Rams, 6-0.

“Great conference opponent and great tradition,” Niedbala said of Rochester. “We were lucky to win the first game. So we know what we’re up against. Seeding doesn’t mean anything. They are playing really well.”

WPIAL Week 11 Honorable Mentions

Ryan Palmieri, Pine-Richland

Some high school football seasons are like a puzzle. It takes you a while to figure it out and even in the end, there may be some pieces missing. But if they all fit together, you have something special, like Pine-Richland this fall.

Following a 1-3 start with the puzzle in shambles, the move was made by first-year coach Jon LeDonne to switch senior running back Ryan Palmieri to quarterback. The Rams went on to win the Class 5A Northeast Conference crown and have won eight straight after Palmieri rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns as Pine-Richland advanced to the 5A championship game with a win over Woodland Hills, 23-12.

Ben Lane, Freeport

All season long, the Freeport offense hasn’t had to worry about traffic jams slowing them down on the gridiron and keeping them out of the end zone. Part of the reason for the Yellowjackets’ success in winning 10 of 11 games is they have stayed in the right lane.

Senior running back Ben Lane carried the ball 15 times for 171 yards and found the end zone four times on scoring runs of 9, 32, 14 and 61 yards as Freeport shook off a slow start in its postseason debut to roll past West Mifflin, 42-6. The Yellowjackets fly into the 3A final four to face top-seeded Belle Vernon in the semifinals.

Cruce Brookins, Steel Valley

Week 11 in 2021 turned out to be a good news-bad news situation for Steel Valley. The undefeated and top-seeded Ironmen defeated South Side, 28-12, to improve to 11-0 and earn a spot in the 2A final four. However, they lost the WPIAL’s leading rusher at that point when star running back Nijhay Burt was injured and done for the season.

That’s why it was a refreshing for the maroon and gold that Week 11 in 2022 was a good news-great news situation. Senior quarterback Cruce Brookins rushed for 332 yards and scored six touchdowns on runs of 63, 2, 27, 3, 17 and 44 yards and was healthy after the 46-13 win over McGuffey. The Ironmen now will battle Neshannock in the 2A semifinals.

2022 HSSN Players of the Week

Week 10 – Matt Sieg, Fort Cherry

Week 9 – Jonny Huff, Neshannock

Week 8 – Cadin Olsen, Armstrong

Week 7 – Roman Sarnic, Franklin Regional

Week 6 – Landan Stevenson, Mapletown

Week 5 – Jake Wolfe, Montour

Week 4 – Jaren Brickner, Beaver Falls

Week 3 – Jake Phillips, Hempfield

Week 2 – Luke Cignetti, Shaler

Week 1 – Cruce Brookins, Steel Valley

Week Zero – Conlan Greene, Penn-Trafford

Tags: Union