Duquesne coach Pat Monroe said at the beginning of the season that Elijah Fields was the best wide receiver in the state.
Fields spent his senior season living up to his coach’s high praise as he made numerous big plays in leading Duquesne to a 14-1 record and the PIAA Class A championship game, where the Dukes lost to Southern Columbia 50-19.
In recognition of his exceptional season, Fields was chosen as The Associated Press’ Pennsylvania Class A player of the year in voting by writers and broadcasters. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Fields averaged 18.5 yards each time he touched the ball, catching 42 passes for 1,167 yards and rushing for 704 yards on 59 carries — mostly on direct snaps and reverses. He also scored 30 touchdowns.
“I know what he said, but I like to have pressure put on me,” Fields said. “I want to be the guy that people expect to make the big play. I knew we had the chance to have a very good team and I wanted to make as many big plays as possible to help out.”
Even though Fields played in the smallest classification, Monroe believes he was good as any player in the state.
“He could play for anyone and I’m sure McKeesport would have loved to have had him,” Monroe said, referring to the Class AAAA champion.
Fields has yet to decide on a college but has narrowed his choices to Ohio State, Penn State, Pitt and West Virginia.
The only disappointment for Fields was the loss to Southern Columbia. Fields scored three touchdowns as Duquesne trailed 20-19 at halftime, but the Dukes were blown out in the second half.
Southern Columbia’s big second half enabled it to win its fourth consecutive state title and finish 13-2 under Class A coach of the year Jim Roth, who won his third statewide honor in four seasons. Roth has led the Tigers to eight consecutive championship game appearances and 10 in 11 years, winning five times.
Roth was chosen in close voting over Schuylkill Haven coach Mike Farr, who took over when former coach John Davis died in August and led his team to an 11-2 record under trying circumstances.
Southern Columbia began the season 3-2 with losses to two Class AA team, Shamokin and Warrior Run, before winning 10 in a row.
“There were a lot of people questioning us when we lost a couple of games early,” said Roth, who has a 262-44-2 record during his 22-season career. “Our kids really rose to the challenge, though. By the end of the season, we were playing as well as any team I’ve ever had. We were executing so well that we could just run simple running plays and overpower people.”
Southern Columbia placed four players on the all-state first team: junior running back Henry Hynoski and lineman Ian Fullmer on offense and lineman Josh Marks and back Kyle Connaghan on defense. Marks, a junior, is the only repeat member from last year’s first team.
Hynoski, also a junior, rushed for 2,184 yards and 34 touchdowns, including 271 yards and four scores in the title game win over Duquesne.
Joining Hynoski at running back are Duquesne’s Layton Dunn and Bellwood-Antis’ Josh Kleinfelter. Dunn rushed for 2,169 yards and 22 touchdowns while Kleinfelter had 2,023 yards and 30 total touchdowns.
Blairsville’s Adam Highberger was chosen as the quarterback after throwing for 2,383 yards and 24 touchdowns. His teammate, Andy Ostach, joins Fields at wide receiver after catching 58 passes for 913 yards and eight touchdowns.
The tight end is Bishop Carroll’s Jeff Minemyer, a Rutgers recruit who had 20 receptions for 301 yards and three touchdowns.
Fullmer, who also kicked four field goals, leads an offensive line that includes Rick Biem of Portage, Mike Rollman of Schuylkill Haven, Zach Sarginger of Muncy and J.D. Skebo of Curwensville.
Coudersport’s David Babcock, who rushed for 1,665 yards and 26 touchdowns, is the offensive all-purpose player. Loyalsock Township kicker Dan Hutchins converted 4-of-5 field-goal attempts and put 25 of 49 kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks.
Marks is part of a defensive line that includes Steelton-Highspire’s Gary Johnstone, Bloomsburg’s Corey Miller and Kennedy Christian’s Eric Rodemoyer, a Pitt recruit.
Bellwood-Antis’ Tony DelGrosso and Bishop Carroll’s Paul Forcellini are the linebackers along with Juniata Valley’s Johnny Boyd and Beth-Center’s Matt Stay. DelGrosso had 129 tackles while Forcellini made 94 stops to go with six interceptions, four sacks and 1,739 rushing yards.
The secondary is led by Bishop Canevin’s Casey Quinn, who intercepted 11 passes while also catching 48 passes for 798 yards and 13 touchdowns. The other defensive backs are Connaghan, Juniata Valley’s Corey Lightner, who had seven interceptions, and Wyalusing’s Zach Reinhart.
Rochester’s Derek Moye is the defensive all-purpose player and Sharpsville’s Jarryd Summers is the punter. Moye intercepted five passes while also rushing for 1,128 yards and catching 24 passes for 534 yards. Summers averaged 35.5 yards a punt.
Among those on the second team is quarterback Jerel Lewis, who threw for 2,066 yards and 23 touchdowns on a Steelton-Highspire team that finished 11-2.
