EPC has seven selections
Northwestern Lehigh QB Holmes and Lehighton’s receiver Hunsicker also earn spots
The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference looked very different this season, with the 18 teams slotted into three divisions arranged by county.
With teams playing schedules of varying length, the league ended up with three division champs — Emmaus, Nazareth and East Stroudsburg — and three District 11 champs in Nazareth, Whitehall and Central Catholic.
The EPC also ended up with seven all-state selections, announced by the Pennsylvania Football Writers on Wednesday.
In 6A, Nazareth quarterback Matt Bugbee, Freedom lineman Braelin Moore, and Easton linebacker Tamir Jackson were honored.
In 5A, Whitehall quarterback Quinn Wentling and East Stroudsburg South’s Christian Sapp earned spots.
In 4A, Central Catholic running back Jayden Williams and lineman Lavon Johnson were selected, along with Northwestern Lehigh’s Justin Holmes and Lehighton’s Zach Hunsicker.
Adding in Palmerton’s Cole Serfass, Notre Dame’s Matt Frauen and Salisbury’s Chad Parton, whowere honored in either 2A or 3A on Tuesday, the Lehigh Valley had 12 all-state selections spread among the six teams representing the six classifications.
Bugbee, a senior who had never played quarterback before this season, led the Blue Eagles to an 8-0 season and a repeat district title in 6A. He completed 109 of 169 passes for 1,482 yards and 10 touchdowns with just one interception. Headded 229 yards rushing on 55 carries, an average of 4.2 yards per carry, and 10 touchdowns. He also kicked 32 extra points and four field goals to lead the EPC with 104 points. He ended his career with 22 field goals, 161 PATs and 227 points, all school records.
Moore, a junior Division I recruit, was voted the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference’s defensive player of the year. He had 21 tackles, including 4.5 quarterback sacks, and he recovered three fumbles.
Jackson was first-team all-state last year as a linebacker and was first-team all-conference this season, with 58 tackles in seven games and five sacks.
Also earning 6A spots from The Morning Call coverage area were Quakertown’s Tyler Merwarth as an offensive athlete, and Pennridge’s Shane Hartzell as a defensive athlete.
In Class 5A, Wentling, the junior
quarterback who led the Zephys from a winless season in 2019 to the District 11 5A championship, was second in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference in rushing with 741 yards, averaging 8.7 yards per carry, and he scored seven touchdowns. He also passed for 1,365 yards and 12 TDs. He had a season-high 322 yards passing and three touchdowns in a 38-28 loss at Emmaus, which was unbeaten at that time.
Sapp caught 15 passes for 338 yards and five TDs in just four games. A Villanova recruit, Sapp finished career with 105 receptions for 1,933 yards and 26 TDs. The catches and yardage are school records. He also had the second-highest total for career touchdowns, behind only Dan Cason, who had 30 (2008-09). Sapp scored in four other ways this season: rushing for a score, returning a kickoff for a TD and he also took an interception and a fumble recovery to the end zone. Hefinished with 38 career TDs.
Among the 4A selections, Williams led the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference in rushing with 1,039 yards on 138 attempts and 12 touchdowns in leading the Vikings to a 6-2 record and the 4A gold, which was clinched with a 35-6 rout of Northwestern. He rushed for over 1,000 yards for the second straight year and finished his career with 2,255 yards on 364 carries with 20 touchdowns.
The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Johnson, who has already received several Division I scholarship offers, was a force on both sides of the ball for CC HS. He was selected on defense, where he made 59 tackles in eight games, including 21 for loss and four sacks. He also had an interception and a fumble recovery.
Holmes was a dual threat in leading Northwestern Lehigh to a 7-2 record and a berth in the District 11 Class 4A championship game. The junior quarterback accounted for over 1,000 yards, both rushing and passing. He carried the ball 140 times for 1,070 yards (7.6 yards per attempt) and 13 TDs. He also was 66- for -148 passing for 1,425 yards and 18 TDs.
Hunsicker caught 49 passes for 765 yards and five TDs, despite being one of the few Indians offensive threats. He finished as Lehighton’s all-time leader in reception s (114) and receiving yards (1,732).
Here is the complete list of 4A, 5A and 6A selections:
CLASS 4A
OFFENSE
Quarterback Braden Wheary, Jersey Shore (6-0, 185senior) Jake Pugh, Thomas Jefferson (5-10, 165senior) Lek Powell, Bishop McDevitt (6-0, 180senior) Cadin Olsen, Armstrong (6-4, 200sophomore) Sean McTaggart, Lampeter-Strasburg (6-2, 205 senior)
Running Back
Vernon Redd, Aliquippa (5-10, 165senior) Cam Russell, Oil City (5-11, 190senior) Jayden Williams, Allentown Central Catholic (6-0, 215senior)
Teddy Ruffner, Mars (5-9, 195senior)
Wide Receiver
Cayden Hess, Jersey Shore (6-0, 170junior)
Ian Hansen, Thomas Jefferson (5-8, 170senior) Zach Hunsicker, Lehighton (6-1, 180senior) Preston Zandier, Thomas Jefferson (6-2, 195 senior)
Tight End
Beau Heyser, Lampeter-Strasburg (6-2, 230
junior)
Offensive Line
Ryan Brubaker, Cocalico (6-6, 280junior) Joe Lorson, Jersey Shore (6-0, 215senior) Colin Lyons, McKeesport (6-3, 265senior) Max Pacheco, Conrad Weiser (6-0, 270senior) Zac Shelley, Lampeter-Strasburg (6-2, 270 senior)
Athlete
Owen Anderson, Jersey Shore (5-11, 195senior) Justin Holmes, Northwestern Lehigh (6-3, 205 junior) Reed Martin, Plum (5-9, 175senior)
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
Parker Owens, Lampeter-Strasburg (6-4, 210 senior) Justin Fagley, Oil City (6-1, 220senior) Lavon Johnson, Allentown Central Catholic (6-4, 320junior) Owen Ordonez, Lewisburg (6-3, 220junior) Mario Fontanazza, Oil City (6-1, 290senior) Dalton Dugan, Jersey Shore (6-0, 180senior)
Linebacker
Hayden Packer, Jersey Shore (5-10, 190sophomore) Cole Weightman, Belle Vernon (6-4, 215junior) Duncan Weir, Shikellamy (5-11, 185senior) Ryan Aument, Selinsgrove (6-0, 218senior ) Nick Del Grande, Lampeter-Strasburg (6-5, 250 junior) Luke Williams, ELCO (6-2, 205junior)
Defensive Back
Dakota Cole, Oil City (6-0, 175senior) Ayden Garnes, Mons. Bonner-Prendergast (6-1, 175senior) Jesse Martin, Garden Spot (6-2, 195senior) Teague Hoover, Selinsgrove (5-10, 165senior)
Specialist
Jack Landis, Lewisburg (5-9, 165senior)
Athlete
Braden Bohannon, ELCO (5-11, 175senior) Devin Whitlock, Belle Vernon (5-8, 165junior) Jersey
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Owen Anderson,
Shore
COACH OF THE YEAR: Tom Gravish, Jersey
Shore
CLASS 5A
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Joey McCracken, Warwick (6-4, 195senior) Micah Brubaker, Mechanicsburg (6-1, 185 senior) Ethan Dahlem, Upper St. Clair (5-10, 175senior) Quinn Wentling, Whitehall (5-11, 195junior) Cole Spencer, Pine-,Richland (5-10, 175senior)
Running Back
Colton Miller, Warwick (6-4, 215senior) Derrick Davis, Gateway (6-1, 185senior) Nick Singleton, Governor Mifflin (6-0, 205junior)
Wide Receiver
Owen Sensenig, Manheim Central (5-10, 185 junior) Alex Rufe, Lebanon (5-11, 185senior) Charley Rossi, South Fayette (5-8, 175senior) Christian Sapp, East Stroudsburg South (6-0, 190senior) Eli Jochem, Pine-Richland (6-0, 180senior)
Tight End
Thatcher Miller, Warwick (6-4, 225senior)
Offensive Line
Harrison Hayes, Pine-Richland (6-5, 285senior) Nolan Rucci, Warwick (6-8, 300senior) Jaheim Bassham, Erie Cathedral Prep (6-3, 277 senior) Ryan Lain, Marple-Newtown (6-3, 260senior) Dominic Sheidy, Governor Mifflin (6-2, 290 senior)
Athlete
Ethan Carr, Penn-Trafford (6-3, 205senior) Randy Fizer, Red Lion (6-0, 170senior)
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
Miguel Jackson, Pine-Richland (6-2, 265senior) Anthony Smith, Shippensburg (6-7, 265junior) Jett Kelly, Elizabethtown (6-1, 220senior) Jaydon Smith, Erie Cathedral Prep (6-4, 235 senior) Tyree Morris, Mechanicsburg (6-6, 230senior) Cam’Ron Stewart, Governor Mifflin (6-5, 240 senior)
Linebacker
Brandon Strausser, Governor Mifflin (6-0, 210 senior) J.R. Strauss, Exeter (6-3, 215junior) Bobby Walters, Elizabethtown (6-1, 175senior) Corban Hondru, Peters Township (6-1, 225 senior) Luke Miller, Pine-Richland (6-2, 205senior)
Defensive Back
Caleb Schmitz, Warwick (6-4, 210senior) James Anderson, Mechanicsburg (5-10, 150 senior) Micah Bootman, Upper Dublin (5-10, 175senior) Donovan McMillon, Peters Township (6-2, 190 senior)
Specialist
Billy McNitt, Elizabethtown (6-3, 265senior) Justin Caputo, South Fayette (5-10, 175junior)
Athlete
Charlie Box, Marple Newtown (5-8, 175junior) Pine-Rich
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Cole Spencer,
land
COACH OF THE YEAR: Eric Kasperowicz,
Pine-Richland
CLASS 6A
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Beau Pribula, Central York (6-3, 205junior)
Evan Clark, Manheim Township (6-3, 210senior) Matt Bugbee, Nazareth (6-4, 155senior)
Kyle McCord, St. Joseph’s Prep (6-3, 215senior) Running Back
Eddy Tillman, Pittsburgh Central Catholic (5-8, 165senior) Jahiem White, York High (5-9, 185sophomore) Timmy Smith, Central Dauphin (6-0, 195senior) Jalen White, Souderton (6-1, 175senior) Khalani Eaton, North Penn (5-11, 210junior)
Wide Receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr., St. Joseph’s Prep (6-4, 200 senior) Anthony Ivey, Manheim Township (6-1, 180 junior) Sahmir Hagans, St. Joseph’s Prep (5-10, 180 senior) Judah Tomb, Central York (6-1, 190senior)
Tight End
Khalil Dinkins, North Allegheny (6-4, 220senior)
Offensive Line
Drew Shelton, Downingtown West (6-5, 255 junior) Brad Harris, St. Joseph’s Prep (6-4, 275junior) Nate Bruce, Harrisburg (6-5, 305senior) Dorien Ford, Baldwin (6-4, 295senior) Josh Gaffney, Central York (6-4, 315senior)
Athlete
Tanner Hess, Hempfield (6-0, 185senior) Tyler Merwarth, Quakertown (6-0, 185senior) Malik Cooper, St. Joseph’s Prep (5-9, 170senior)
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
Josh Miller, Seneca Valley (6-2, 230senior) Braelin Moore, Freedom (6-3, 285junior) Nick Yagodich, St. Joseph’s Prep (6-4, 240senior) Seth Griffiths, Central York (5-9, 190senior) Bralen Henderson, Pittsburgh Central Catholic (6-3, 255senior) Nassir Jones, Williamsport (6-2, 220senior)
Linebacker
Jeremiah Trotter Jr., St. Joseph’s Prep (6-2, 220 senior) Jack Smith, Central York (6-0, 210senior) Nathan Hoke, North Allegheny (6-3, 225senior) Tamir Jackson, Easton Area (5-9, 215senior) Jason Henderson, Delaware Valley (6-0, 210 senior)
Defensive Back
Sammy Knipe, State College (6-1, 215senior) Troy Corson, Wilson-West Lawn (5-10, 180 senior) Malachi Bowman, Central Dauphin (5-10, 165 senior) Abdul Sabur Stewart, Coatesville (6-1, 190 senior) Keenan Nelson, St. Joseph’s Prep (6-2, 190 junior)
Specialist
Spencer Biscoe, Hempfield (6-4, 185senior)
Athlete
Shane Hartzell, Pennridge (6-0, 220senior) Matthew Cusatis, Hazleton Area (5-11, 160 sophomore)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kyle McCord, St. Joseph’s Prep
COACH OF THE YEAR: Gerry Yonchiuk, Central York