Stohl leads list of Almanac football all-stars
USC lineman earns MVP honors
Nate Stohl harbors a mean streak. The Upper St. Clair High School senior exhibits the trait but only on the gridiron.
“Off the field, Nate is one of the most genuine, kind people you could possibly know,” said USC football coach Mike Junko. “A great teammate and leader.”
A high honors student with a 4.3-plus GPA, Stohl is involved in a plethora of extracurricular activities including student council, natural helpers and mentoring programs. He also belongs to Stand Together. The invitation-only, school-affiliated club deals with mental health and substance abuse issues.
Once the Panthers’ team captain stepped between the white lines though, Stohl turned into a modern-day Jack Lambert or Ray Lewis. He ruled both sides of the line and led USC to a conference championship and an 11-1 record.
“Nate just flipped a switch. Became a violent horse,” said Junko. “His intensity was unrivaled.
“He was just about the most disruptive player I have had the honor to coach on defense,” Junko continued. “On offense, physical violence was his calling card.”
Opposing players and coaches took notice. They couldn’t help but take into account the imposing figure – he stands 6-3 and weighs 270 pounds – playing guard on offense and end on defense.
“You had to know where he was at all times and make sure you used two guys to block him,” Junko said.
“There were a lot of good skill players in the South Hills this season but I don’t think any of those really talented players could change a game the way Nate could,” Junko continued.
Stohl also altered the tradition of selecting a quarterback, tailback or receiver for the prestigious honor of Most Valuable Player. Not only did he earn the distinction of Player of the Year in the Allegheny Six Conference, he garnered the distinction as The Almanac’s Most Valuable Player for the 2024 football season.
“This is a tremendous honor to be selected as Almanac MVP, especially with the amount of talented players within the South Hills,” Stohl said. “I’m very grateful for this achievement. It would not be possible without my coaches, teammates and family and I am thankful for their endless support.”
MVP was not the lone distinction for Stohl this fall. He was an all-conference performer on both sides of the ball, earning first-team laurels five times throughout his career. He also was the 2024 Bill Fralic Award recipient as the best interior two-way lineman in the WPIAL
As an offensive lineman, Stohl paved the way for the Panthers to roll up 4,727 all-purpose yards, including 3,152 yards rushing. USC managed 393.3 yards per game while racking up 32.8 points per game.
As a defensive end, Stohl led the team with 16 tackles for loss and six sacks. He averaged 4.6 tackles per game.
“Nate was instrumental to our success,” Junko stressed. “His ability to alter a football game separated him from everybody else and made him the best player in the area.”
Stohl also blossomed into a leader for the Panthers. He took his role as captain seriously.
“I believe my role was to be a leader,” he said. “I tried to motivate the younger players to step up and to play for the seniors.”
Though the season did not end up with a WPIAL championship, Stohl considered the 2024 campaign a success.
“Finishing the regular season 10-0 and ending with only one overall loss are great accomplishments,” he said. “The team had a very successful season. It did not end the way we wanted, but there is still so much to be proud of.”
Stohl takes his talents to Princeton where he will be utilized on the offensive line. He is anxious to fill in anywhere he is needed. During the offseason, Stohl plans to have a “swift transition” to college football by getting faster and stronger while maintaining his physicality, IQ and motor for the game he loves.
Getting a degree propels Stohl, not necessarily pursuing a NFL career. The 17-year-old son of Matthew and Carrie intends to earn a business degree. His main thought in picking Princeton has been the finality of football.
“It will end at some point so it’s silly not to get an Ivy League degree,” he has said. “So I am set up for after football.”
Junko agreed, particularly with Stohl’s choice of Princeton over several other offers.
“Nate had a lot of opportunities to go to a lot of places for college,” Junko said. “He chose Princeton because he had an eye toward his future after football. He is going to have a huge impact on that program on and off the field over the next four years.”
Stohl’s excellence on the line paved the way for several other Panthers to garner recognition, including his linemates Bobby Fleckenstein, Mason Geyer, Brock Gillespie, Austin Middleton and Michael Albert, who is also a Princeton recruit.
Fleckenstein and Geyer earned first-team all-conference honors at tackle and center on offense while Middleton was a first-team pick at tackle on defense. Fleckenstein and Gillespie were two-year starters for the Panthers, who were 18-3 during that span. “Brock was the best guard in the league beside Nate,” Junko said. “Bobby anchored our right side of the line.
“Austin led the team in tackles in some of our biggest games,” Junko added. “Pretty impressive when you are on the same line as Nate.”
A three-year starter, Albert provided a “strong, physical” presence on the defensive line. He collected 55 tackles and recorded three sacks.
USC ranked as the No. 2 defense in the WPIAL behind Clairton. Van Hellmann, Charlie Bywalski and Julian Dahlem were three reasons why the Panthers allowed just 9.2 points per game. All earned first-team all-conference accolades.
A linebacker, Van Hellmann compiled 154 career tackles, 41 this season. He led USC in fumble recoveries. “Toughest kid I have ever coached,” Junko said of Hellmann, who has been a two-time all-conference performer. He holds several Division I scholarship offers.
A two-year starter, Bywalski shut down some of the league’s top receivers, including Ryan Petras from Bethel Park and Nick McCullough from Peters Township. “They had very little production against Charlie,” Junko said.
Bywalski picked off a team-high three passes at cornerback. He also was a capable receiver, averaging more than 15 yards per catch. He scored two touchdowns.
A three-year starter, Dahlem has been a first-team all-conference selection for all three of those seasons. As a cornerback, he had one Pick-6 and three tackles for loss. He also dominated on special teams and offense. He led USC in rushing with 1,126 yards, an average of 93.8 yards per game. He led the team in scoring as well with 14 touchdowns.
Jacob Echeverria rounds out USC’s list of all-stars. He earned first-team all-conference recognition as a placekicker and a punter. He converted 47 PAT and kicked eight field goals to finish with 71 points. He averaged 40.3 yards per punt.
A junior, Echeverria is receiving Power 4 Division I interest from Penn St., Georgia, Ohio State, and West Virginia.
Junko gained conference as well as Almanac Coach of the Year accolades.
USC won 10 straight games that included a conference banner before falling to rival Peters Township, 7-3, in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals because of several other key players. All were named to the Almanac All-Star roster.