Avonworth grad shines at W&J
Tri-State Sports & News Service
Washington & Jefferson coach Mike Sirianni believes Jesse Zubik could go down as the most prolific receiver in school history.
Zubik, a graduate of Avonworth High School, already owns four school receiving records: receptions in one game (17), receptions in one season (97), receiving yards in one game (235) and career receiving yardage (3,348).
He also shares the school record with four touchdown receptions in one game.
“I know this is a coaching cliche, but whenever your best player is also your hardest worker, that’s pretty special,” Sirianni said. “Jesse has had a great three years for us. Hopefully, he can play his best his senior year.”
Zubik enters the 2017 season with a chance to break two more school records. His 37 career touchdown receptions is two short of the school record of 39 set by Aaron Krepps in 2005. With 207 career receptions, he is closing in on the record of 269 set by Alex Baroffio in 2013.
Zubik’s performance during the 2016 season earned him second-team honors on three All-America teams. And Lindy’s Sports tabbed him as the preseason offensive player of the year in NCAA Division III.
Two other receivers to watch in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference this season are Carnegie Mellon’s John Prather and Saint Vincent’s Damon Black Jr.
Prather (6-1, 195, Sr.), a PAC second-team selection last season, set school records with 66 receptions and 1,125 yards. He ranks second in school history with 131 receptions and 2,045 yards.
Black Jr. (6-3, 190, Sr.) was voted to the PAC second team last season as an allpurpose player and honorable mention as a sophomore wide reciever. He has caught 89 passes for 1,229 yards and seven touchdowns in two years.
Quarterbacks
Eight of the PAC’s 11 teams have a returning quarterback. Here are three to watch.
• Case Western Reserve’s Rob Cuda (6-1, 195, Sr.) has thrown for 5,053 yards and 48 touchdowns and rushed for 1,622 yards and 20 touchdowns over the past two seasons. Cuda was a first-team selection as a sophomore and an honorable mention pick last year.
• Thomas More’s Brenan Kuntz (6-4, 217, Sr.) has thrown for 4,353 yards and 47 touchdowns over the past three seasons, including 2,467 yards and 26 touchdowns last season.
• Waynesburg’s Jake Dougherty (6-2, 210, Jr.) threw for 565 yards and five touchdowns in three games, then missed the rest of the season with a broken collarbone. As a freshman, he threw for 1,872 yards and 19 touchdowns and was a PAC honorable mention selection.
Running backs
• Carnegie Mellon’s Sam Benger (5-8, 185, Sr.) is a twotime PAC Offensive Player of the Year. He ranks fifth in PAC history with 4,333 career rushing yardage and sixth with 49 career touchdowns. He was also recognized on two All-America teams last year.
• Dominique McKinley (511, 210, Sr.) was voted to the PAC second team last year for Westminster. McKinley has rushed for 2,491 yards and 15 touchdowns in three years.
• Case Western Reserve’s Jacob Burke (6-1, 210, Sr.) is a two-time PAC second-team honoree at two positions, last season as a running back and two years ago as a punter. He ranked fourth in the PAC with 1,065 yards and scored 16 touchdownslast year.
Offensive linemen
• Case Western Reserve has two all-conference linemen returning. Gage Blair (6-1, 260, Sr.) returns for his fourth season at center with 30 consecutive starts. He is a three-time PAC honoree, including first-team selections the past two years. Ryan DeMarinis (6-2, 295, Sr.) is a two-year starter at guard. He was voted to the PAC second team last season and honorable mention as a sophomore.
• Geneva’s Luke Estep (63, 255, Sr.) is another lineman to watch. He has started 18 games at tackle in two seasons and was recognized as a PAC second-team selection last year.
Defensive linemen
• Case Western Reserve’s Cameron Brown (6-0, 237, Sr.) and Bethany’s Khalid Pierce (6-4, 230, Sr.) were voted to the PAC second team last year. Brown recorded 47 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Pierce recorded 36 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks.
• Washington & Jefferson’s Tom Marra (6-1, 225, Sr.), a graduate of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, ranked fifth in the PAC with 7.0 sacks and 15.0 tackles for loss. He recorded 55 tackles, including 22 solo stops.
Linebackers
• Westminster’s C.J. Armstrong (5-10, 225, Sr.) was PAC first team last season after recording 60 tackles and ranking third in the PAC with 8.5 sacks.
• Carnegie Mellon’s Stanley Bikulege (6-0, 220, Sr.), a second-team PAC selection, has started 24 games in three years. He led the Tartans with 105 tackles last season, which ranked second in the PAC.
• Washington & Jefferson’s Nick Murgo (6-1, 235, Sr.), an honorable mention selection last year, ranked fifth in the PAC with 93 tackles.
Defensive backs
• Washington & Jefferson has two defensive backs who were recognized on the PAC all-conference team. O’Shea Anderson (6-1, 180, Sr.), a Rochester graduate, was a first-team pick after tying for first in the PAC with 15 passes defended. He had 37 tackles.
• Luke Merhaut (5-10, 200, Sr.), a Pine-Richland graduate, was a second-team selection after recording 74 tackles, including a team-high 59 solo stops. He also ranked first in the PAC in punt return (296) and kick return (814) yardage.
• Westminster’s Todd Jeter (6-0, 180, Sr.) is a threetime PAC honoree, second team as a freshman and first team the past two years. Jeter, a Gateway graduate, has 12 career interceptions, including four last season.