TribLive HSSN ranks the top 7 defensive backs in WPIAL history — No. 1

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, September 14, 2018 | 5:12 PM

Did you ever wonder how you would rank the top high school football players in WPIAL history?

So did the staff at the TribLive High School Sports Network.

Trib HSSN will rank the top 7 high school football players in WPIAL history by position based on their performance during their scholastic careers.

We will announce the players in reverse order each day, starting Saturday. The top player will be released each Friday morning.

We encourage you to tell us through social media if you agree, or if we have missed the mark with our rankings.

There are no perfect rankings, but it’s something to discuss and debate each week.

Have fun with them and hopefully your — or your father’s — favorite player made the lists.

Here’s a look at the Trib 7 all-time great defensive backs:

No. 1 — Darrelle Revis, Aliquippa

One of the few athletes to have an island named after him, Revis earned the moniker “Revis Island” because of his ability to guard the opposition’s No. 1 receiver.

Before he trademarked his island fame, Revis earned considerable honors with Aliquippa, culminating with the 2003 WPIAL and PIAA championships.

In the 2003 WPIAL Class AA playoffs, the Quips outscored the opposition 136-7 by defeating Union, 54-0, Ford City 26-7, Freedom, 36-0, and Jeannette, 18-4, for WPIAL honors at Heinz Field. In that game, Revis caught a 54-yard touchdown pass from Sjavante Gilliam. On defense, Revis made three tackles and had a fumble recovery and an interception.

In the PIAA Class AA championship game, he led Aliquippa to a come-from-behind 32–27 win over Northern Lehigh. Revis scored five touchdowns, including three rushing touchdowns, a punt return, and the return of a blocked Northern Lehigh field goal attempt.

He added to his legend by completing a 39-yard pass, had a reception and an interception in the game.

After the season, he was named Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 2003 Player of the Year.

In his junior and senior seasons, he led the Quips to back-to-back WPIAL basketball titles, leading the team in scoring both years.

In track, Revis ran on the Quips’ WPIAL Class AA champion 400 relay team that placed third at the PIAA meet.

Revis then went on to star at Pitt for three seasons before being chosen in the first round by the Jets in the 2007 NFL draft. He went on to play 145 NFL games with the Jets, Buccaneers, Chiefs and Patriots, where he was part of the Super Bowl XLIX winners over the Seahawks.

On July 24, he announced his retirement from the NFL.

No. 2 — Ty Law, Aliquippa

A 1992 Aliquippa grad, the versatile Law played cornerback, safety, wide receiver and running back for the Quips.

In his 1991 senior season, Aliquippa won WPIAL and PIAA football titles. The Quips defeated Riverside, 13-7, for the WPIAL crown at Three Rivers Stadium. Later, Aliquippa knocked off Hanover, 27-0, for the state title at Pittsburgh’s South Stadium, now known as Cupples Stadium.

The Quips were eliminated by Washington in the WPIAL Class AA semifinals in 1990. In 1989, Aliquippa defeated Seneca Valley, 27-9, for the Class AAA title, making Law one of the few players to win WPIAL football titles in two different classifications.

After the ’91 campaign, Law was named Associated Press Small School first-team all-state and a Parade All-American. He played in the 1992 Big 33 classic against the Maryland team.

Law then quickly made his mark at Michigan, where he started as a true freshman in 1992 and was a Walter Camp All-American selection.

Leaving Michigan after three seasons, Law was a first-round pick by the Patriots in 1995. He earned three Super Bowl rings with New England.

Law played in 203 NFL games from 1995-2010 with the Pats, Jets, Chiefs and Broncos. His 53 career interceptions are 24th on the all-time NFL list, tied with Deion Sanders.

No. 3 — Ryan Mundy, Woodland Hills

Considered the No. 1 senior in Western Pennsylvania in 2002, Mundy was an Associated Press first-team all-state defensive back.

He played both as a wide receiver and defensive back during his three seasons at Woodland Hills. Mundy played as a freshman in 1999 at Central Catholic before transferring and playing in three consecutive WPIAL championship games.

In 2000, the Wolverines lost the WPIAL final to Mt. Lebanon, 14-13, in the last high school game played at Three Rivers Stadium.

In 2001, Woodland Hills routed Central Catholic, 41-6. Mundy caught a 10-yard scoring pass from Dennis Sellman before 38,000-plus at Heinz Field, the largest WPIAL crowd to date. The Wolverines finished 24th in the USA Today national poll.

In 2002, Woodland Hills defeated North Hills, 15-6, for WPIAL honors, and Mundy then played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Mundy then moved on to Michigan, where he was a three-year letterman before transferring to West Virginia for his senior season.

Mundy played in 96 NFL games from 2007-14 with the Steelers, Giants and Bears.

No. 4 — Tom Flynn, Penn Hills

An integral part of the Penn Hills dynasty of the late 1970s, Flynn played on three WPIAL title-winners. The Indians lost just two games and tied one during that memorable stretch.

After defeating Butler in 1976, Penn Hills had to settle for a 7-7 tie against the Golden Tornado in a game that took two nights to play because of a power outage at Mt. Lebanon Stadium.

In the first round of the 1978 playoffs, Flynn intercepted Central Catholic’s Dan Marino and was part of a Penn Hills defense that held Central to just 15 net rushing yards.

The Indians rolled on, beating Butler, 10-3, and Blackhawk in the finals at Pitt Stadium, 7-0. The Indians yielded just three points in three playoff games.

In 1979 as a quarterback, Flynn passed for more than 1,100 yards, ran for more than 700 yards and accounted for 16 touchdowns. Penn Hills was found to have an ineligible player, though the courts allowed the Indians to participate in the WPIAL playoffs. Penn Hills outscored three more teams, 44-7, but the title was vacated after a final court case.

Flynn played four seasons at Pitt as a defensive back and was drafted by the Packers in the fifth round of the 1984 NFL draft. He was cut by Green Bay and picked up by the Giants, and Flynn was part of the Super Bowl XXI winners.

He played in 68 NFL games over five seasons.

No. 5 — Doug Plank, Norwin

A 1970 Associated Press first-team all-state player as a defensive back, Plank was 1970 Foothills Conference MVP.

He played in the 1971 Big 33 game after he finished an outstanding baseball career at Norwin, batting .526 for his Knights career.

After being bypassed by Penn State, who deemed Plank too small at 6-foot, 190 pounds, he signed with Ohio State. Plank played in three Rose Bowl games under legendary Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes.

He was drafted by the Bears in the 12th round of the 1975 draft where he quickly established himself as a hard–hitting defender. Plank became the first Bears rookie to lead the team in tackles.

Plank played 101 games in eight seasons with the Bears. Assistant coach Buddy Ryan took a liking to his ferocious hitting style and named the famous Bears defense the “46 defense,” Plank’s uniform number.

His post-football career has included coaching, broadcasting in Arizona and entrepreneurship, running 30 Burger King franchises at one point.

No. 6 — Sean Lee, Upper St. Clair

Lee was a multi-sport star at Upper St. Clair High School.

In football, Lee rushed for 1,240 yards and 21 touchdowns in his 2004 senior season while accumulating 95 tackles and four interceptions for a Panthers team that went 11-1, losing in the WPIAL semifinals to Central Catholic.

In 2003,Upper St. Clair made the WPIAL finals, losing to Central Catholic. Lee and the Panthers were bounced in the 2002 first round by Franklin Regional.

Lee was a 2004 Class 4A first-team all-state as a defensive back and played in the 2005 Big 33 Classic against Ohio.

In basketball, he started at point guard for USC, averaging 21.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists as a senior when the Panthers won a WPIAL title in a 57-55 upset over Mt. Lebanon.

Lee was moved to linebacker at Penn State and was a 2010 second-round pick by the Cowboys in the NFL draft.

He has played 76 NFL games and recorded 372 solo tackles and 399 assisted tackles.

No. 7 — Joe Lafko, Frazier

Better known as Hampton’s highly-successful basketball coach, Lafko still holds the state record for career interceptions.

He set the mark at 37 during his days at Frazier (1981-83).

The Commodores made the WPIAL playoffs during his junior and senior seasons. In 1982, Frazier defeated Neshannock in a quarterfinal contest before losing to Clairton in the semis; in ’83, the Commodores made it to the WPIAL title game, losing to Western Beaver.

Lafko caught 119 passes during the 1983 championship game run.

In basketball, he led Fayette County schools in scoring three straight seasons and holds the school record of 1,779 career points. Lafko held the single-game scoring mark of 54 points, which has since been broken.

He moved his pilferage from the football field to the basketball floor in college, leading Westminister in steals for a season with 85 in 1987-88 and for a career at 231.

Currently the Hampton head basketball coach for nearly 25 years, Lafko has more than 400 wins and a WPIAL basketball title to his credit.

George Guido is a freelance writer.