TribLive HSSN ranks the top 7 running backs in WPIAL history — No. 6

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, August 18, 2018 | 7:27 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.

Beginning today with running backs, 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 running backs:

No. 6 — Mike Vernillo, Fort Cherry

Vernillo finished his career at Fort Cherry as the WPIAL’s all-time leading rusher with 7,646 yards, a status that lasted 12 years until Rushel Shell came along. He is still No. 2.

In his scholastic career, Vernillo’s 7,646 yards came on 927 carries. He scored 102 touchdowns.

As a sophomore starter, he rushed for over 1,600 yards as the Rangers made the WPIAL Class A finals at Three Rivers Stadium, losing to Riverview, 19-14.

In 1998, Vernillo reached 4,000 career rushing yards, becoming the fastest player to reach that milestone.

Fort Cherry made the WPIAL playoffs all four seasons with Vernillo on the team.

He finished his high school career with an appearance in the Big 33 Classic, scoring a touchdown for the Pennsylvania team that beat an Ohio team that included Findlay quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Vernillo was recruited by West Virginia but later transferred to Slippery Rock.

No. 7 – Tyler Boyd, Clairton

One of the most productive performers in WPIAL history, he set a then-WPIAL record with 117 career touchdowns and finished as the third-leading rusher in WPIAL annals with 5,755 yards.

He is currently ranked eighth. Clairton went 48-0 in his three years as a starter and 63-1 when his freshman year is included. Boyd owns a record that might never be broken – 21-0 in playoff games which he started and 28-0 as a varsity member – what with the reduction in playoff rounds.

He was part of four consecutive WPIAL and PIAA titles. As a senior in 2012 , Boyd rushed for 2,584 yards and 43 touchdowns, had 295 yards receiving on just 13 catches and led the WPIAL in scoring with 51 total touchdowns and 345 points.

Boyd was selected to play in the Big 33 Football Classic (Pennsylvania vs. Maryland) and was named the game’s MVP after accounting for five touchdowns (91-yard kick return, 68-yard halfback option pass, 4-yard run and scoring catches of 16 and 5 yards).

Boyd played three seasons at Pitt and was a second-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2016.

George Guido is a freelance writer.