WPIAL Class 2A football finals primer: Washington vs. Avonworth

By: Bill Hartlep
Friday, November 22, 2019 | 3:27 PM

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WPIAL Class 2A championship

No. 1 Washington (13-0) vs. No. 2 Avonworth (13-0)

Noon Saturday at Norwin Knights Stadium

On the air: TribHSSN.triblive.com; 95.3 FM

Coaches: Mike Bosnic, Washington; Duke Johncour, Avonworth

Winner plays: Winner of District 10 champion Wilmington (11-0)/District 9 champion Ridgway-Johnsonburg (11-1) in the PIAA semifinals Nov. 29-30.

WPIAL titles: Washington 7 (1917, ‘20, ‘23, ‘26, ‘93, 2001, ‘17); Avonworth 1 (1959)

Washington

Player to watch

Zack Swartz

Senior, 6-2, 195, QB/S

Swartz has thrown for more than 6,000 career yards and run for more than 2,000. Only Pine-Richland’s Phil Jurkovec and Sto-Rox’s Lenny Williams previously accomplished the feat.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Zack Swartz, 105-161, 1,820 yards, 22 TDs, 4 INTs

Rushing: Swartz, 126-1,031 yards, 26 TDs; Zahmere Robinson, 74-817 yards, 19 TDs

Receiving: Robinson, 39-670 yards, 19 TDs; Caleb Jackson, 30-565 yards, 7 TDs

How they got here

Regular season

48 at Laurel Highlands 21

42 Charleroi 14

58 at Summit Academy 16

44 at Brownsville 7

46 California 20

64 Frazier 7

45 at Carmichaels 0

56 Beth-Center 14

44 at Southmoreland 16

36 at McGuffey 14

WPIAL playoffs

21 Shady Side Academy 7

28 Freedom 0

20 Brentwood 14

Probable starting lineup

Offense

QB, 6, Zach Swartz, 6-2, 195, Sr.

RB, 9, Tayshawn Levy, 5-11, 175, So.

RB, 10, Isaiah Edwards, 6-1, 240, Sr.

FB, 44, Shaliek Cox, 5-9, 175, Jr.

WR, 1, Zahmere Robinson, 6-0, 175, Sr.

WR, 2, Caleb Jackson, 5-11, 160, Sr.

LT, 58, Cameron Carter-Green, 5-11, 270, So.

LG, 72, Steve Patterson, 6-0, 220, Jr.

C, 54, Gerald Comedy, 6-3, 295, Sr.

RG, 77, Zakhi Marshall, 6-0, 295, Sr.

RT, 56, Chase Mitchell, 6-5, 321, Sr.

K, 19, Jorden Rivera, 6-1, 165, Sr.

Defense

DL, 54, Gerald Comedy, 6-3, 295, Sr.

DL, 56, Chase Mitchell, 6-5, 321, Sr.

DL, 77, Zakhi Marshall, 6-0, 295, Sr.

DL, 88, Martez Thomas, 6-2, 210, Sr.

LB, 10, Isaiah Edwards, 6-1, 240, Sr.

LB, 24, Amari Miller, 5-10, 215, Sr.

LB, 25, Michael Allen, 6-1, 210, Sr.

DB, 1, Zahmere Robinson, 6-0, 175, Sr.

S, 26, Brandon Patterson, 6-2, 171, So.

S, 5, Chance Cohen, 6-1, 160, Sr.

DB, 2, Caleb Jackson, 5-11, 160, Sr.

Avonworth

Player to watch

Jax Miller

Senior, 6-1, 183, RB/LB

Miller has run for nearly 2,000 yards and scored 25 touchdowns in leading the Lopes to the WPIAL championship game.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Park Penrod, 122-218, 1,851 yards, 27 TDs, 7 INTs

Rushing: Jax Miller, 232-1,939 yards, 27 TDs; Ian Syam, 74-627 yards, 2 TDs

Receiving: Kyros Thorpe, 23-506 yards, 12 TDs; Theo Newhouse, 22-405 yards, 8 TDs

How they got here

Regular season

21 Neshannock 7

47 Valley 14

38 at Steel Valley 0

24 at New Brighton 13

42 Apollo-Ridge 14

53 Summit Academy 22

35 at Seton LaSalle 7

35 at East Allegheny 7

34 McGuffey 20

35 at Shady Side Academy 7

WPIAL playoffs

41 Southmoreland 0

38 New Brighton 13

41 Riverside 14

Probable starting lineup

Offense

QB, 11, Park Penrod 6-3, 181, Sr.

RB, 4, Jax Miller 6-1, 183, Sr.

FB, 2, Jordan Rapp 6-1, 198, Sr.

WR, 7, Theo Newhouse 6-2, 177, Sr.

WR, 24, Ethan Syam 5-7, 162, Sr.

TE, 16, Trevor Faulkner 6-5, 216, Jr.

C, 72, Ryan Paskiewicz 6-2, 287, Sr.

OT, 74, Kevin Felter 6-3, 305, So.

OT, 54, Joshua Elm 6-5, 268, Sr.

OG, 68, Steve Ezar, 6-0, 195, Jr.

OG, 58, Adam McKinney 6-1, 195, Sr.

K, 67, Tyler Bryan, 5-11, 140, Sr.

Defense

DT, 54, Joshua Elm 6-5, 268, Sr.

DT, 74, Kevin Felter 6-3, 305, So.

DE, 16, Trevor Faulkner 6-5, 216, Jr.

LB, 5, Drew Harper 6-0, 185, Jr.

LB, 4, Jax Miller 6-1, 183, Sr.

LB, 3, Jacob Horigan 6-1, 188, Sr.

LB, 2, Jordan Rapp 6-1, 198, Sr.

CB, 1, Ian Syam, 5-7, 145, So.

CB, 27, Andrew Tedesco 5-8, 156, Sr.

S, 24, Ethan Syam 5-7, 162, Sr.

S, Theo Newhouse 6-2, 177, Sr.

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Avonworth, Washington