Trib HSSN football player of the week for Nov. 25, 2024

By: Don Rebel
Monday, November 25, 2024 | 10:12 PM

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Trib HSSN football player of the week – Elijah Faulkner

School: Central Catholic

Class: Senior

Height/Weight: 5-foot-9, 185 pounds

Position: Running back, linebacker

What coach says – “I think what really stood out about the performance from last week was that he just kept getting stronger as the game went on” Central Catholic head coach Ryan Lehmeier said of his star running back. “I thought he ran violent, he did a great job running behind his pads and was a one cut runner in the rain. He carried us.”

“Elijah’s had a great year. A word we use in our program a ton is consistency. I’m not sure we’ve had anyone that’s has been more consistent than he has. The workload doesn’t bother Elijah. He shows up every day.”

“I wouldn’t say that we ramped up his workload because it’s the playoffs, but I would say that earlier in the year we were able to get out ahead of people quickly and the carries weren’t there. I think we’ve been able to be pretty explosive in the pass game as well and there’s been some times where we’ve been more pass heavy this year going into games. Elijah is a great teammate; he’s a phenomenal tailback without the ball. I think one of the best parts of his game is his ability to pass protect. He’s a team guy. I think the other night the elements of the weather had a lot to do with our approach.”

“It’s hard for me to put into words what it was like to see those kids raise that trophy a couple weeks ago. Our program worked 365 to get back to that game. That being said, the job isn’t done. And our players are aware of that. Expectations here are high. There’s still another trophy to be had. If we win Saturday, we’ll get an opportunity to play for the biggest trophy PA has.”

#Earned: In the WPIAL Class 6A championship game and PIAA quarterfinals, Central Catholic has found the perfect recipe for success on offense. Have senior quarterback Jy’Aire Walls hit senior wide receiver Bradley Gompers on a long touchdown pass very early in the game, then just hand the pigskin off to Elijah Faulkner the rest of the night and watch him run while the scoreboard lights up. Against District 6 champion State College, Faulkner carried the ball 38 times and averaged 6.18 yards per tote as he gained 235 yards and scored four touchdowns on three 1-yard runs and then a 33-yard jaunt right before halftime. His efforts helped the Vikings advance to the state semifinals with a victory over the Little Lions, 41-19.

Background: For his final high school football season through 12 games, Faulkner has 244 carries for 1,334 yards with 19 touchdowns. He led the Vikings in rushing his sophomore season with 521 yards and was tops again on the team a year ago as a junior with 1,426 yards and also led Central Catholic in scoring with 19 touchdowns. Faulkner and his fellow Central Catholic seniors will graduate with three district runners-up silver and one district gold medal around their neck. They hope to add a PIAA title, which would only be the third 6A state championship by a WPIAL team following Pine-Richland in 2017 and Mt. Lebanon in 2021. Central Catholic plays District 3 champion Harrisburg on Saturday in Altoona.

Week 13 honorable mention

Tyler Eber, Thomas Jefferson

It was another clutch game for Jaguars senior wide receiver Brayden While, who only caught two passes but both went for touchdowns of 57 and 51 yards. However, the running of Tyler Eber once again made a difference in another impressive postseason victory for Thomas Jefferson. The sophomore running back rushed for 131 yards on 31 carries and scored twice, once on a 2-yard run and another on a 19-yard pass from senior quarterback Luke Kosko as TJ blanked District 9 champion Clearfield in a PIAA Class 4A quarterfinals playoff game, 35-0.

Matt Sieg, Fort Cherry

In a WPIAL Class A instant classic championship game, every time Clairton looked like it was going to take control, Matt Sieg and Fort Cherry had an answer. The junior quarterback grinded out 87 yards on the ground on 28 carries while scoring short touchdown runs of 4 and 1 yard, but it is his arm that will be remembered in this win. He was 8 of 15 for 161 yards and a touchdown, which came late in the game on a fourth-down play at the Bears’ 13-yard line. Sieg faked a reverse on what was a designed play as he ran left. With nowhere to go, he tried to reverse his field to the right, but as he was about to be stopped short, he pushed a pass to a wide-open Ryan Huey for the winning score in the Rangers’ repeat, 21-20.

2024 HSSN Players of the Week:

Week 12 – Maclane Miller, Pine-Richland

Week 11 – Kemon Spell, McKeesport

Week 10 – Eric Kasperowicz, Mars

Week 9 – DevonTe Dean, Carlynton

Week 8 – Brady Brinkley, North Allegheny

Week 7 – Kymon’e Brown, Jeannette

Week 6 – Tasso Whipple, Penn-Trafford

Week 5 – Julian Dahlem, Upper St. Clair

Week 4 – Matt Sieg, Fort Cherry

Week 3 – Trey Hopper, Montour

Week 2 – Tyler Eber, Thomas Jefferson

Week 1 – Donald Barksdale, Steel Valley

Week Zero – Drew Welhorsky, South Fayette