Laurel Highlands star hits trifecta
Gallagher first-teamer for a third year
When it comes to making first-team all-state in basketball, Rodney Gallagher is batting a perfect 1.000 in his career at Laurel Highlands High School.
Gallagher is once, twice, three times a first-teamer. He made the Pennsylvania Sports Writers All- State Team for Class 5A in 2020 as a freshman. He made it as a sophomore. And now he has made it as a junior. It is highly unusual for a player to make first-team all-state for four years, but Gallagher has a chance.
This season, Gallagher helped Laurel Highlands to its second WPIAL title in three years. Before Gallagher came on the scene, Laurel Highlands hadn’t won a basketball title since 1968.
And Gallagher was clutch in both championship games. Two years ago, he made two free throws with 4.8 seconds left to give Laurel Highlands a 52-51 victory against Mars. This season, he made two free throws with 0.3 seconds left in double overtime to give the Mustangs a 60-58 victory against New Castle.
Gallagher, a 6-foot point guard, has 1,444 career points. This season, he averaged 18.6 points, 4 assists and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 80% from the free throw line and 47% from the field. He also made the Post-Gazette Fabulous 5 for the third time. Two years ago, he was the first freshman to make the Fab 5.
Gallagher also is an excellent football player. He had Division I scholarship offers in both sports, but decided last fall that he will play football in college. He recently narrowed his list of colleges to eight — Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Oregon, Texas and Oklahoma State. Gallagher was also a first-team allstate selection in football in 2021. He plays quarterback and defensive back but is projected to be a receiver in college.
As for basketball, Gallagher was one of two Laurel Highlands players to make allstate. Junior guard Keondre DeShields was selected to the second team. DeShields averaged 20.7 points a game this season.
New Castle’s Mike Wells was the only other WPIAL player to make the Class 5A all-state this year and he was a first-team selection. Wells was a primary reason why New Castle made it to the WPIAL and PIAA title games. He averaged 21.1 points and he finished his career with 1,932 career points.
Wells was a third-team allstate selection a year ago. He has signed to play football at Youngstown State.
Class 5A
First team
Justin Edwards, 6-7, Jr., Imhotep Charter
Rodney Gallagher, 6-0, Jr., Laurel Highlands
Thomas Sorber, 6- 9, Soph., Archbishop Ryan
Mike Wells, 6-4, Sr., New Castle
Ty Burton, 5-10, Soph., Lampeter-Strasburg
Rahmir Barno, 6-0, Jr., Imhotep Charter
Second team
Jalen Franklin, 6-1, Sr., Susquehannock
Ahmad Nowell, 6-0, Soph., Imhotep Charter
Keondre DeShields, 6-3, Jr., Laurel Highlands
Jackson Hicke, 6-4, Jr., Radnor
Anthony Smith, 6-7, Sr., Shippensburg Area
Elijah Hamilton, 6-4, Jr., Octorara
Third team
Trey Grube, 6-0, Jr., Manheim Central
Larenzo Jerkins, 6- 4, Soph., Chester
Jeremy Thomas, 6-4, Sr., Shippensburg Area
Colin Payne, 6-3, Sr., Exeter Township
Luke Boyd, 6-7, Sr. Archbishop Ryan
Darren Williams, 6- 4, Soph., Archbishop Ryan
Player of the year: Justin Edwards, Imhotep Charter
Coach of the year: Andre Noble, Imhotep Charter