Peters Township leads list of Almanac football all-stars

Ryan Petras earned his second straight Player of the Year honor in the conference for his versatility as a wide receiver, slot back, defensive back and punter for the Blackhawks
Peters Township had a historic, not to mention memorable, football season in 2023, and while it took a team effort to produce a 15-1 record that featured a conference championship, WPIAL title and runner-up showing in the state, the Indians benefited from some all-star performances by several individuals.
Guided by coach TJ Plack, the Indians featured a sophomore quarterback that threw for a district-high 3,131 yards in Nolan DiLucia and a stout defense that racked up five shutouts while allowing a league-low 161 points.
So it comes as no surprise that the Indians dominate the 42nd edition of The Almanac’s football all-star team. The 2023 squad was selected with input from the area coaches. Consideration was also given to statistics as well as games viewed by the editorial staff.
While DiLucia leads the list as MVP (see related story), Plack gained Coach of The Year recognition for fashioning the championship club in his eighth season at the helm. Plack piloted the path to the Indians’ inaugural WPIAL title in three attempts since 2019 and to its first PIAA championship appearance.
“Everything fell into place,” Plack said. “It was eight years in the making
“It took a great group,” he added. “We had a bunch of talented athletes that truly cared about each other. They sacrificed and did what was necessary for the team to be successful.”
In addition to DiLucia, the Indians were particularly successful because of the individual achievements of Carter Shanafelt, Franco Muscatello, Mickey Vaccarello, Jake Velgich, Nick Courie, Justin Tornatore, Eliot Schratz and Nick McCullough. In addition to being selected as Almanac all-stars, they all were first-team all-conference performers
Shanafelt was also recognized for his punting and kicking skills. Because of these assets, he emerged as the team’s scoring leader. He kicked 67 extra points and seven field goals to go along with 12 touchdowns. Shanafelt averaged 33.93 yards a punt and 58.33 yards per kickoff. He also rolled up a team-high 814 yards on 44 receptions.
“First and foremost, Carter was an integral component of our offense,” said PT head coach TJ Plack. “We have a couple playmakers on the outside but they are led by him. His speed and confidence make him a weapon. Plus, he has made a huge contribution to our special team units as a place kicker and punter.” Plack said.
Muscatello and Vaccarello made contributions on both sides of the ball. A junior, Muscatello earned first-team all-conference recognition on offense as a guard and on defense as a tackle while Vaccarello duplicated the feat at tight end and linebacker.
Muscatello paved the way for the offense to accumulate 5,906 total yards as well as score 74 touchdowns; 34 through the air and 40 on the ground. Defensively, he recorded 33 tackles over 13 games. He added six sacks, two forced fumbles and 11 TFL
Vaccarello led the team with 13 sacks and 29 TFL. He was credited with a safety and 61 solo tackles as well as 39 quarterback hurries and four pass deflections. On offense, the 6-4, 210-pound H-back had 16 receptions and one touchdown to go along with one rushing score.
A junior, Vaccarello already has five scholarship offers, among them Syracuse, Boston College, Michigan, Wisconsin and Miami (Ohio). Vaccarello, who owns a 4.83 GPA and excels in basketball, has also visited Notre Dame.
“That’s a real good athlete out there,” Plack said of Vaccarello.
With the addition of Velgich, Courie, Tornatore, Schratz and McCullough, the Indians had the best defense in the district as well as conference.
“The whole defense was fantastic. Those guys made plays,” Plack said. “Jake was a great captain. There were no better cornerbacks than Nick (McCullough) and Eliot. Nick (Courie) was the reason why we were so good. Justin was a coach on the field. I don’t know what we would do without those guys. They were some of our best players. The cool thing was how well they got along and worked together.”
Tornatore was the team’s leading tackler with 68 solo putdowns. He had three sacks and two interceptions.
Schratz and Courie followed with 58 and 54 tackles. Schratz led the team with seven interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
McCullough managed 34 tackles with one sack and one TFL. He picked off five passes. Velgich helped anchor the line at tackle. In addition to 13 solo tackles, he had a fumble recovery and three TFL.
Schratz and McCullough made contributions on offense and special teams. McCullough had 26 receptions for 464 yards and six TDs. Schratz had one rushing score to go along with 430 return yards and 218 more on 53 punt returns.
BP keeps pace
While Peters Township collectively had the best team in Class 5A, Bethel Park had perhaps the best individual as Ryan Petras claimed offensive player of the year in the Allegheny Six Conference for the second season in a row. The 5-9, 170-pound multi-position performer played wide receiver and running back on offense and in the secondary on defense. A return specialist as well, Petras also served as the team’s punter.
“Ryan is one of the best players in the WPIAL,” said BP skipper Phil Peckich. “He can play any skill position on the field and he’s an athlete with elite speed.
An all-state performer in football as well as in baseball as a shortstop, Petras ranked sixth in the WPIAL in receiving with 734 yards on 52 receptions and a 14.1-yard average. He added 428 yards rushing on 47 carries.
Defensively, he made 30 solo tackles, picked off three passes and had two tackles for a loss. He scored touchdowns off an interception, punt return and kickoff during the regular season.
His teammate, however, dominated the defense as the Black Hawks gained a playoff spot though they finished 4-7 overall.
A 6-3, 240-pound junior, Clancy Orie gained all-conference laurels at end. Defensively, he recorded 65 tackles, 51 of them solo. He added eight TFL and five sacks. Offensively, he was credited with 18 quarterback hurries. He blocked two passes and had another deflection.
A Division I recruit, having visited UNLV, Delaware, Villanova, Lafayette, Harvard, Pitt and Penn State among others, Orie maintains a 4.4 GPA.
“Clancy is a defensive lineman who can play on the edge or the interior. Exceptional twitch, knee bend, and strength,” said Peckich.
USC foursome
At 8-2 overall, Upper St. Clair sported the fourth-best record in Class 5A yet failed to make the WPIAL playoffs because of a 3-2 record in the Allegheny Six Conference.
That detail did not negate the performances produced by four of the Panthers’ stars. All managed all-conference first-team representation.
For two years in a row, Nate Stohl achieved first-team accolades at offensive guard as well as defensive tackle. The 6-3, 265-pound junior compiled 65 tackles. He also recorded seven sacks.
A three-year starter, Marco Carone led a rushing offense that ran for 1,850 yards during the regular season. The 6-4, 270-pound offensive tackle will play at the University of Pennsylvania in the Ivy League next fall.
A 6-2, 195-pound junior, Hellmann anchored the defensive unit at linebacker. He accumulated 57 tackles. He also picked up three sacks.
Because of his versatility, Julian Dahlem was an at-large all-conference selection. After sharing starting quarterback duties as a sophomore, the 5-10, 175-pound junior converted to wide receiver but continued to play in the defensive secondary and on special teams as a return specialist.
Dahlem hauled in a team-high 30 passes for six touchdowns. He accounted for 750 all-purpose yards for the Panthers and ranked second on the team in rushing and scoring. On defense, he managed three interceptions.
A two-sport standout, Dahlem is the starting point guard on the basketball team.
Lebo scores 3
During an injury-ridden season under first-year head coach Mike Collodi, Mt. Lebanon managed a 5-6 record with a playoff appearance. Three individuals excelled enough to garner all-star recognition both on the Almanac list as well as the Tri-County Five Conference team.
Fred Lasota led the Blue Devils in rushing with 474 yards on 101 carries as well as in scoring with seven touchdowns. He ranked second in receiving with nine receptions for an 8.1-yard average. Lasota garnered second-team all-conference laurels at running back.
Connor Young and Beckham Dee were among the last remnants of Lebo’s state championship club. Both were sophomore contributors when the Blue Devils racked up a 15-0 record in 2021 complete with a conference, WPIAL title and PIAA banner.
Both slogged through the season. They weathered injuries but garnered enough playing time to gain second-team all-conference accolades — Young at defensive tackle and Dee as an at large selection on offense although he will play linebacker in college.
Dee, who during the summer earned an appointment to the United State Air Force Academy, recently accepted a PWO (preferred walk-on) offer from Penn State University. The 6-1, 220-pound senior recorded 10 solo tackles and had one interception as well as a fumble recovery on defense. He also averaged 3.5 yards a carry on offense and scored two touchdowns.
Some 22 universities pursued Young, who is a 6-3, 260-pound lineman. Schools such as Army, Air Force, Holy Cross, Penn, Dartmouth, Columbia and Brown embraced his 4.4 GPA and membership in the National Honor Society but the United State Naval Academy won the battle for his athletic acumen.
“Connor’s a big kid with a great motor for a defensive linemen. He never takes plays off and he has tremendous leadership skills, both vocal and in showing by doing,” Collodi said. “His work ethic is second to none and he’s extremely intelligent. That’s a great combination. His non-stop tenacity and his athletic ability stood out to me as I am sure it did for the college recruiters.”
Duo guides CV
Because of the efforts of Tyler Glover and running back Austin Efthimiades, Chartiers Valley qualified for the WPIAL 4A playoffs in a conference that has produced the state champion as Aliquippa captured both the district banner and a fifth PIAA crown.
A 5-11, 180-pound senior, Efthimiades led the Colts in rushing with 1,080 yards on 197 carries. He also racked up nine touchdowns. He gained all-conference honorable mention recognition at running back.
A 6-2, 215-pound senior, Glover earned first-team all-conference honors at inside linebacker and punter. He was a second-team selection at tight end.
Defensively, he collected 59 tackles, recorded six sacks, picked off one pass and had four tackles for loss of yardage. Offensively, he caught eight passes for 197 yards. He scored two touchdowns.
Glover, who has offers from Hampden-Sydney College and Clarion University among others, is also a standout wrestler for the Colts.
Two top Lions
Nate Deanes dominates both sides of the ball such that he gained first team Allegheny Six Conference laurels at both running back and defensive back. Michael Gimigliano earned first team recognition at wide receiver. Both were bright spots in an otherwise lackluster season for South Fayette as the Lions missed the playoffs for the second straight season after compiling a 4-6 overall record.
A 5-9, 180-pound senior, Deanes rushed for 487 yards on 93 attempts and scored 7 touchdowns. He caught 15 passes for 138 yards and a 9.2-yard average and another score.
Defensively, he had 32 solo and 7 assisted tackles.
A return specialist on kickoffs and punts, he averaged 31.7 yards a return on kicks and 11.5 on punts.
A 6-2, 200-pound two-way starter, Gimigliano led the entire WPIAL with 59 receptions for a team-high 865 yards and nine touchdowns. On defense, he had 33 solo and 19 assisted tackles. 5 TFL, a sack and a deflection.
2023 ALMANAC FOOTBALL ALL-STARS
OFFENSE
Nolan DiLucia Peters Township Quarterback
Nate Deanes South Fayette Running back/DB
Austin Efthimiades Chartiers Valley Running back
Fred Lasota Mt. Lebanon Running back
Carter Shanafelt Peters Township Wide receiver/K/P
Michael Gimigliano South Fayette Wide receiver
Marco Carone Upper St. Clair Offensive/Defensive Line
Nate Stohl Upper St. Clair Offensive/Defensive Line
Franco Muscatello Peters Township Offensive/Defensive Line
Mickey Vaccarello Peters Township Tight end/Linebacker
Ryan Petras Bethel Park Multi-purpose/Defensive Back
DEFENSE
Jake Velgich Peters Township Defensive Line
Clancy Orie Bethel Park Defensive Line
Connor Young Mt. Lebanon Defensive Line
Tyler Glover Chartiers Valley Linebacker
Beckham Dee Mt. Lebanon Linebacker
Nick Courie Peters Township Linebacker
Van Hellmann Upper St. Clair Linebacker
Justin Tornatore Peters Township Defensive back
Eliot Schratz Peters Township Defensive back
Nick McCullough Peters Township Defensive back
Julian Dahlem Upper St. Clair Defensive back/MB
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER – Nolan DiLucia, Peters Township
HONORABLE MENTION: Tanner Pfeuffer, John Bruckner, Ja’Vaughn Moore, Dylan Prindle, Jake Brown, Randy Bergia, Jovian Smith, David Dennison, Santino Lamolinare, Hunter Goelz, Christian Davis, Adi Medar, Mitch Paschl, Kahanu’Ola Kuewa–Bethel Park; Noah Schaerali, Ezra Heidenreich, Maddox Metzger, Ben McAuley–Mt. Lebanon; Rudy Morris, Dylan Czarnecki, Nick Evangelista–Chartiers Valley; Nate Miller, Reston Lehman, Tanner Mindach, Paris Fishell, Zach Stromock, Ethan Wertman, Vinny Sarcone, Thomas Aspinall, Darius McMillon, Dante Recker, Alex Klein–Peters Township; Tim Havilland, Noah Knox, Nico Lamonde, Talan Mizenko, Dom Monz, Tyler Nicholson, Tyler Ring, Matt Boyce–South Fayette; Bennett Henderson, Michael Albert, Mason Geyer, Brock Gillespie, Bobby Fleckenstein, Mason Chambers, Charlie Bywalski, John Banbury, Nico Dorazio, Jacobo Echeverria–Upper St. Clair
COACH OF THE YEAR–TJ Plack, Peters Township