Year of the Leopard: Belle Vernon dominates H-S All-Area Football Team
Belle Vernon dominated the local football scene during the 2023 season, completing successful defenses of their WPIAL and PIAA championships, and added a couple more honors recently.
The Pennsylvania Football Writers All-State Team named Belle Vernon head coach Matt Humbert as the Coach of the Year and Quinton Martin as the Player of the Year in Class 3A.
无毛视频淗umbled to be selected for Coach of the Year,无毛视频� Humbert said. 无毛视频淗owever, that award is a byproduct of all the sweat equity the coaches and players put in this year.无毛视频�
That duo also had been chosen as the 无毛视频-Standard All-Area Class AAA/AAAA Coach and Player of the Year, respectively.
Martin, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior who will play football for Penn State next season, was chosen as one of four running backs on the All-State team. Two other Leopards were also selected to the All-State team: Adam LaCarte, a 6-1, 200-pound senior, at defensive back, and Braden Laux, a 6-5, 215-pound senior headed to Eastern Michigan, at defensive end.
Belle Vernon faced a difficult task of trying to duplicate its district and state titles from a year ago and not only achieved that but did it in impressive fashion, again claiming the Interstate Conference crown and then rolling through the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs. The Leopards defeated Avonworth, 26-0, in the district final and Northwestern Lehigh, 38-7, in the state final.
Martin, a two-way threat on offense and one of the state无毛视频檚 best defensive backs, ran for 1,202 yards and actually ranked higher in the WPIAL in receptions (54 for 753 yards) than he did in rushing yards. Martin also won the 无毛视频-Standard Touchdown Club title by topping all area players in scoring with 174 points.
Laux was another two-way threat on offense in addition to excelling on defense. He led all area quarterbacks in passing yardage with 1,733 yards while rushing for 301 yards and eight TDs.
The Class A/AA Co-Players of the Year are California无毛视频檚 dangerous senior duo of running back Spencer Petrucci and quarterback Jake Layhue who both also shined on defense.
The 6-1, 190-pound Petrucci was the area无毛视频檚 leading rusher with 1,544 yards and third-leading scorer with 166 points. The 6-4, 205-pound Layhue ran for 913 yards and was second in scoring with 170 points and on defense led the area in interceptions with eight, returning three for scores.
The Player of the Year runner-up is Waynesburg Central 5-11, 185-pound senior Breydon Woods who ran for 1,316 yards and 16 touchdowns.
The Class A/AA Co-Coaches of the Year are Waynesburg Central无毛视频檚 Aaron Giorgi and California无毛视频檚 Ed Woods. Giorgi took a Raiders team that suffered through a hard-luck winless season in 2022 and led them to a 7-4 record that included a spot in the WPIAL playoffs. Woods guided the Trojans to a 10-2 record, the Class A Tri-County South Conference championship and a playoff victory.
Following is a complete list of the H-S All-Area Football Team
Class AAA/AAAA Player of the Year: Quinton Martin, Belle Vernon
Class AAA/AAAA Coach of the Year: Matt Humbert, Belle Vernon
Class A/AA Co-Players of the Year: Spencer Petrucci, California; Jake Layhue, California.
Class A/AA Co-Coaches of the Year: Aaron Giorgi, Waynesburg Central; Ed Woods, California.
First Team
Belle Vernon: Quinton Martin, Braden Laux, Adam LaCarte, Jake Gedekoh, Aiden Johnson
Beth-Center: Ethan Varesko
California: Spencer Petrucci, Jake Layhue, Fred Sherman, Malachi Peak
Connellsville: Brian Giles
Elizabeth Forward: Charlie Nigut, Chris Climes, Isaiah Turner, Charlie Meehleib
Jefferson-Morgan: Deakyn Dehoet
Laurel Highlands: Antwan Black
Southmoreland: Da无毛视频檚jon Craggette, Ty Keffer, Elliot Premus
Uniontown: Cam Jackson, K无毛视频橝drian McLee
Waynesburg Central: Breydon Woods
West Greene: Colin Brady, Billy Whitlatch
Second Team
Albert Gallatin: Cyrus Potkul, Caleb Dehaven
Belle Vernon: Kole Doppelheuer, Colton Lee, Luke Bryer, Dane Levi,
Bentworth: Vitali Daniels, Lucas Burt
Beth-Center: Jonathon Esmond
California: Caden Monticelli, Nico Georgagis, Lee Qualk
Carmichaels: Bradley Schoenfelt,
Charleroi: Daniel Hudock
Connellsville: Jayden McBride
Elizabeth Forward: Ryan Messina, Jace Brown, Krystian Kennedy
Jefferson-Morgan: Colin Bisceglia, Levi Heath, Jase Bedilion, Houston Guesman
Laurel Highlands: Parker Hoff, Bill Barton, Hunter Kooser
Mapletown: A.J. Vanata, Evan Griffin
Monessen: Tyvaughn Kershaw, Jermere Majors
Mount Pleasant: Jackson Hutter, Jarrett Garn
Southmoreland: Kadin Keefer, Aidan Corvin, Ethan Shawley, Gabe Kubasky
Uniontown: Gary Smitley, Notorious Grooms
Waynesburg Central: Jacob Stephenson, Vince Maley, Jake Ricciuti, Colby Pauley
West Greene: Colin Whyte, Kameron Tedrow, Johnny Lampe, Cooper Chambers, Seth Burns
Honorable Mention
Albert Gallatin: Adam Pegg, Xavier Rice, Josh Jenkins
Belle Vernon: Anthony Crews, Willie Schwerha, Preston Rathway
Bentworth: Ben Hays
Beth-Center: Teagan Veeatch, Jonah Sussan
Brownsville: Kaden Wimmer, Michael Ulery, Harlan Davis
California: Zach Geletei
Carmichaels: A.J. Donaldson, Will Muray
Charleroi: Landon Barcus
Connellsville: Anthony Piasecki, Jake Lee, Tyler Gallis, Capone Mickens
Elizabeth Forward: Will Sinay
Frazier: Andrew Bandish, Chase Fulmer, Derek Diamond, Dailan McManus, Brennen Stewart
Jefferson-Morgan: John Woodward
Laurel Highlands: Tristen Baker, Noah Lion
Mapletown: Brock Evans
Monessen: Dennis Hawkins, Timothy Kershaw, Lorenzo Gardner, Rodney Johnson
Mount Pleasant: Brody Hutter, Cole Chatfield, Dante Giallonardo
Ringgold: Daryl Toliver
Southmoreland: Jake Kaylor
Uniontown: Nick Torbich
West Geene: Lane Allison
Yough: Raidon Kuroda, Shane Swope