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Observer-Reporter Fabulous 15

8 min read
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Versatile junior quarterback did a little of everything in his first varsity season with the Rangers after transferring from South Fayette prior to the start of the season. Culberson was the second-leading scorer in the area with 122 points and 22 touchdowns. A rare triple-threat player, Culberson led FC in rushing with 1,128 yards. He also passed for 763 yards and 13 touchdowns, and he could be used as a receiver. He caught four passes for another 142 yards. Culberson averaged 8.8 yards per carry and 35.5 yards per reception as the Rangers advanced to the second round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs.

With so many of his teammates suffering season-ending injuries, Czulewicz might have found it necessary to introduce himself to the Highlanders’ new starters each week. But in McGuffey’s ever-changing lineup, Czulewicz was the one constant, the player who almost led the Highlanders to the postseason. A dual-threat senior quarterback, Czulewicz was the hub of the Highlanders’ offense. He was the team’s leading rusher with 1,122 yards and passed for 469 yards. He scored eight touchdowns as McGuffey finished the season with a 5-5 record. In a season-opening 38-28 win against Frazier, Czulewicz accounted for 358 yards total offense and five touchdowns.

Ivory has the height (6-4) and weight (295) to be as dominant in college as he was in high school. Unusually quick for a lineman his size, Ivory has played left guard, right guard and right tackle. He also played defensive tackle. Ivory’s has the strength to be a “road grader” in the run game and is nimble enough to be a pulling guard. One of four senior linemen for the Rams, Ivory has received interest from Division II schools.

The junior running back was the third-leading rusher in Class AAAA with 1,264 yards despite playing in only eight games. He averaged 158 yards per game. When the Hillers won, Koroly usually had a huge game. In the Hillers’ three victories, all over opponents from Fayette County, Koroly rushed for 741 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. In a 40-7 win over Laurel Highlands in September, Koroly rushed for 333 yards on 27 carries and scored six touchdowns. His 104 points scored was tied for sixth among all Class AAAA players.

No defensive player had a better season than the Blue Devils’ senior linebacker. Krynak was a one-man wrecking crew in the Century Conference. Krynak helped Burgettstown to its first home playoff game by being a pass-rush specialist, registering an incredible 15 quarterback sacks. He also had a team-high 74 tackles, including 60 primary stops. His best game was in a 35-7 win over Bentworth when he had 5 1/2 sacks and forced two fumbles, one of which he returned for a touchdown. It was one of two fumble returns that Krynak returned for scores on the season.

A two-way lineman was the anchor of the lines for Chartiers-Houston. As a defensive tackle, Lober led a unit that held six of its 11 opponents to 10 points or fewer. In the Bucs’ seven wins their stout defense led allowed only five touchdowns and an average of just 97 rushing yards. Lober was the most experienced blocker on the Bucs’ offensive line, which allowed quarterback T.J. Johnston to attempt 193 passes and running back Spencer Terling to rush for 863 yards.

Playing in what has traditionally been a pass-happy offense, Love, a senior running back, became the Offensive Player of the Year in the Class AAAA Northwest Nine Conference. Love rushed for 1,117 yards and scored 16 touchdowns as the Lions won the conference championship, finished undefeated in the regular season for the fifth consecutive year, a streak that includes 47 consecutive victories. Love, who also caught eight passes, had six multi-touchdown games. His best performance came at home against playoff qualifier New Castle in the regular season when he rushed for 303 yards and scored four touchdowns on a rainy night.

Senior quarterback was the second-leading passer in the area and ranked fifth in the WPIAL with 2,317 yards and 22 touchdowns. Completed 145 of 253 passes, a percentage of 57.3. Martin directed Ringgold to a five-game winning streak that extended into the playoffs. He had five 200-yard passing games and a season-high 328 yards, the latter coming when Ringgold pulled off an improbable victory at West Mifflin as Martin threw two touchdown passes in the final eight seconds of a 29-26 come-from-behind win.

The 6-4, 250-pound two-way senior lineman was the anchor of the Mikes’ large offensive line that cleared the way for five different runners average at least five yards per carry, including four with more than 400 rushing yards. Helped Carmichaels to the Tri-County South championship and a 7-3 record. In a rainy and muddy 16-7 victory over TCS runner-up Fort Cherry, Meadows’ play in the trenches helped the Mikes run for 217 yards and hold the Rangers to only three first downs (one via penalty). In Carmichaels’ playoff game against Springdale, Meadows was a key to the Mikes rushing for six touchdowns.

The only thing that could stop the Big Macs’ senior running back was an injury. Milligan, who led Class AAAA players in rushing in 2015, put up more impressive numbers in Class 6-A. After suffering an injury in the Big Macs’ season opener and carrying only two times, Milligan missed two games and had only 109 rushing yards at the season’s halfway point. In the second half, however, Milligan was unstoppable. He rushed for 1,051 yards and 11 touchdowns as C-M went 4-1 to finish with its first nonlosing season since 2008. Milligan finished the season with 1,160 yards and was the third-leading rusher in the Southeastern Conference.

One of the best all-around athletes in the area, Myers was an all-district basketball player last winter and proved to be just as difficult to guard on the football field. He caught 37 passes for 779 yards and scored nine touchdowns. Of the 43 players with the most receptions in the WPIAL, Myers was the only one who averaged at least 21 yards per catch. In Chartiers-Houston’s 14-7 win at Frazier in the regular-season’s final week – a victory that gave the Bucs a first-round home playoff game – Myers caught an 87-yard touchdown pass and intercepted two passes, including one in the end zone. Against Century Conference champion Washington, Myers caught eight passes for 119 yards.

On a team loaded with skill-position talent, Robinson was the most dangerous of the Little Prexies. A talented wide receiver and kick returner, Robinson was a threat to score a touchdown each time he touched the football. He led Wash High with 33 receptions for 533 yards and eight touchdowns. A game-breaker on kick returns, Robinson ran back four punts for scores and also had an interception return for a touchdown. A true multi-threat player, Robinson ran the ball only nine times but gained 288 yards and scored two TDs. In a game against Burgettstown, Robinson touched the football only six times on offense but accounted for 273 yards and three touchdowns.

Speedy junior running back was the leading rusher and scorer in the area. Despite being bothered by an ankle injury that caused him to miss one full game and the majority of another late in the regular season, Rush lived up to his name by running for 1,852 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also scored five two-point conversions and kicked two extra points for 144 points. A workhorse running back, Rush carried 300 times in 10 games and was the WPIAL’s leading rusher among Class A players during the regular season. In Mapletown’s 39-33 win over Avella, Rush ran for 388 yards and five touchdowns on 42 carries. He has 4,298 career rushing yards with another season of eligibility remaining.

Saxton continued the tradition of talented passing quarterbacks at South Fayette. He was the third-leading passer in the WPIAL with 2,638 yards, completing 64 percent of his 233 attempts. He threw for 30 scores in his second season as the Lions’ starter. Saxton completed 17 of 22 passes for 391 yards and six touchdowns in a 49-14 victory over Knoch in September. He became only the second player in WPIAL history to pass for 400 yards in multiple games. He passed for 402 yards and four scores in a 48-14 win at Highlands in October.

Schoonmaker is a multi-talented player who helped Washington to a third straight conference title and another postseason run. Schoonmaker was used at wide receiver and running back on offense and outside linebacker on defense. He was a standout as a return man on special teams. He rushed for 307 yards and scored three touchdowns and caught two touchdowns. On defense, Schoonmaker had 65 tackles, including 40 solo. He had 12 tackles for losses, four interceptions, forced three fumbles, blocked two punts and recorded a safety.

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