6 former WPIAL football players named to President Athletic Conference first-team
The President Athletic Conference released its’ All-PAC team’s on Tuesday and six former WPIAL players received first-team honors, while nine received second-team honors and 18 received honorable mentions.
Just two former WPIAL players were named to the All-PAC first-team offense squad.
Former South Fayette signal-caller and current Case Western Reserve sophomore Drew Saxton got the nod after passing for 2,718 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing 60.1-percent of his passes.
Waynesburg senior Alex Paulina, a former Canon-McMillan Big Mac, was selected after starting in all 10 games. The 6-foot-4, 315-pound, offensive lineman also helped pave the way for 700-yard rusher Justin Flack.
On the defensive side, Woodlands Hills’ Daniel Gibson (Bethany), Plum’s Patrick Crossey (Case Western Reserve) and Burrell’s Max Garda (Washington and Jefferson) were all given first-team honors.
Gibson tallied 62 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and forced three fumbles in his senior season at Bethany.
As a defensive back, Crossey registered 75 total tackles, had two interceptions and one pass breakup. Over the course of his four-year career, he tallied 289 tackles and eight interceptions.
In his third season playing for the President’s, Garda racked up 51 tackles, 5.5 of them went for a loss and the 5-foot-9, 175-pound defensive back also picked off four passes, broke up six more and forced three fumbles.
The final former WPIAL player to receive All-PAC first team honors was former Trinity athlete Joey Koroly. The 6-foot-1 return specialist for Washington & Jefferson took two kickoffs back to the house this season and also returned a punt 54 yards for a touchdown against Bethany.
Grove City senior Wesley Schools, who leads NCAA Division III football in rushing touchdowns (25), was named the Most Valuable Offensive Player and Case Western Reserve senior Cameron Brown, who shares the lead league in sacks (10.5), was named the Most Valuable Defensive Player.
Case Western Reserve coach Greg Debeljak was named the Coach of the Year and Bethany freshman Dadrick Vickers picked off seven passes this year and received the PAC Newcomer of the Year award.
The former WPIAL players to receive All-PAC second team honors were as follows:
Tre Weiler, Geneva/McKeesport, OL, sr.
Cameron Drake, Grove City/Central Valley, WR, jr.
Jordan West, Washington and Jefferson/Washington, RB, sr.
Chas Blango, Bethany/Mt. Lebanon, DL, sr.
Andrew Lease, Case Western Reserve/Seton LaSalle, DL, sr.
Sean Doran, Washington and Jefferson/Neshannock, LB, jr.
Trou Johnson, Thiel/Penn Hills, DB, jr.
Brennan Sefick, Waynesburg/North Catholic, DB, sr.
Nick Morrow, Grove City/Moon, K, so.
Greg Macafee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Greg by email at [email protected] or via Twitter .