2009 District 4 Top Players

Aaron Moss, Senior LB, Wellsboro Area – Moss is one of the top returning linebackers in all of District 4. The 5’10, 200-pound ball-hawking defender led the Hornets in tackles last season, racking up 144 tackles (97 solo), two sacks, an interception, and three fumble recoveries. Moss had nine games of 10+ tackles, including a 20-tackle game against North Penn. He also had 18-tackle game and two 16-tackle performances. Moss finished four games with a double-digit solo tackle count, and averaged 13.1 tackles per game.

Alec Eggerton, Senior DB, Loyalsock Township – Eggerton will be one of the key returners to the Lancer defensive backfield, along with Frankie Pagana. Eggerton finished the season with 47 tackles (41 solo), intercepted four passes, and blocked a field goal. He had a season-high 11 tackles against Southern Columbia, and intercepted two passes each in games against Warrior Run and Carbondale.

Andy Laychur, Senior RB, Hughesville – Laychur finished as the leading rusher for a Hughesville team which finished a surprising 8-3. Laychur totaled 208 carries for 1,341 yards and 20 touchdowns. He averaged 6.45 yards per carry and he caught 20 passes for 330 yards and 2 touchdowns. On defense he led his team with 70 tackles (50 solo) and 4 interceptions.

Blake Rankin, Sophomore QB, Bloomsburg Area – He’s one of District 4’s top returning quarterbacks, and finished the 2008 season as one of the better freshmen athletes in the state. Rankin completed 74-of-150 passes for 1,521 yards and 19 touchdowns. If Rankin keeps this pace up for the next three seasons, he’ll finish his career with over 6,000 passing yards and 76 touchdowns. Rankin averaged 138 passing yards per game last year.

Brandon Spiak, Senior WR/KR, Troy – Spiak didn’t put up gaudy numbers, but he made the most of his touches. He caught seven passes for 175 yards, and returned 17 kicks/punts for 357 yards. Spiak averaged 25 yards per reception and 21 yards per kick return.

Bryan Snyder, Senior K, Southern Columbia – Snyder handled the kicking duties for Southern Columbia last season, converting 52 extra points and booting five field goals. All told, he scored 57 of the Tigers’ 425 points. Snyder scored 13 points in the District 4 championship game against Line Mountain – he kicked four extra points and three field goals.

Charles Franklin, Senior WR, Bloomsburg Area – Devin McLaughlin may have been the feature target in the Panther passing attack last season, but Franklin may be one of Coach Sones’ best-kept secrets. He only caught eight passes a year ago, but totaled 302 yards and four touchdowns. Franklin averaged close to 38 yards per reception and caught a touchdown every second reception.

Chris Moore, Senior RB/LB, Line Mountain – Moore helped the two-time District 4 “A” runners-up both offensively and defensively last season. As a running back, he led the team in rushing yards, tallying 153 carries for 792 yards and nine touchdowns. He averaged over five yards per carry and surpassed 100 yards rushing in a game three times. Defensively, he added 39 tackles and a sack.

Cody Haupt, Senior RB, Montoursville Area – Haupt had a fantastic junior season, and he made a variety of impacts for the Warriors both offensively and defensively. He completed an 82-yard pass against Southern Columbia, and added two catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver. Haupt did the majority of his damage running the ball, totaling 176 carries for 1,570 yards and 20 touchdowns. He ran for 200 or more yards in a game five times, including a 260-yard, five touchdown performance against Towanda. Defensively, Haupt registered 70 tackles (37 solo), a sack, and three interceptions.

Cody Miller, Junior DB, Towanda – Miller saw limited action as a sophomore, but he made the most of it. He tallied 20 tackles and intercepted three passes on defense. As a member of the special teams unit, he averaged an impressive 45.5 yards per punt return.

Cody Raup, Senior LB, Lewisburg – This 6’4, 200-pound senior-to-be helped made a significant impact defensively for the Green Dragons last season. Raup finished the season with 68 tackles (56 solo), five interceptions, and three fumble recoveries. Raup had two games with 10 tackles (Central Columbia & Hughesville) and intercepted two passes against Montgomery.

Cody Thomson, Senior LB, Towanda – Thomson made impacts on both sides of the ball, running for 337 yards and four touchdowns on offense, and tallying 79 tackles (57 solo), two sacks, an interception, and two fumble recoveries. Thomson had two 13-tackle games, against Athens and Wyalusing Valley.

Corey Briggs, Senior QB, Selinsgrove – Briggs stepped right up in his first season as a varsity starter and kept the Selinsgrove machine rolling along. He completed 171-of-297 passes for 2,248 yards and 30 touchdowns. He directed a Seals offense that averaged 29.8 points per game and made its first ever appearance in the Eastern Finals.

Dakota Roof, Senior QB, Towanda – Roof might be one of the better returning dual-threat quarterbacks in all of District 4. He threw for 1,135 yards and ran for 965 yards, totaling 19 touchdowns (14 rushing). He averaged nearly 190 yards of offense per game, throwing for 100 yards or more seven times, and running for 100 yards or more five times.

Dexter Herman, Senior WR/DE, East Juniata – Herman finished the season as the Tigers’ leading receiver after hauling in 38 passes for 573 yards and eight touchdowns. He averaged 15.1 yards per reception and 52 yards per game. Herman’s best game came in the District 4 “AAA” playoffs against Jersey Shore. Despite it being a losing effort, he hauled in seven passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns.

Don Kinney, Senior LB, Loyalsock Township – At 6’3, 240 pounds, Kinney might be one of the biggest linebackers returning to District 4 this upcoming season. He finished 2008 with 86 tackles (62 solo) and a pair of sacks. He only had one game with 10 tackles – it came in the Eastern Conference championship game against Tamaqua.

Drae Lewis, Senior KR, Williamsport – Lewis ran for 289 yards and scored five total touchdowns on offense. He did most of his damage on special teams. He returned 16 kicks/punts for 351 yards, with a long of 94 yards coming in a game against Tunkhannock.

Dylan Forry, Junior DL, Line Mountain – Forry accounted for 20 tackles and four sacks last year. He had a five-tackle, two-sack game against Upper Dauphin Area.

Frankie Pagana, Senior WR, Loyalsock Township – Pagana finished as the Lancers’ second-leading receiver after grabbing 34 passes for 650 yards and seven touchdowns. He averaged over 19 yards per reception. Pagana opened the year with a four-catch, 101-yard performance against Central Columbia, and had a six-catch, 93-yard, three touchdown performance against Carbondale. Defensively, Pagana totaled 42 tackles, intercepted six passes, and recovered two fumbles.

Graeme Zaparzynski, Senior WR, North Penn-Blossburg – He finished as the Panthers’ leading receiver last season, hauling in 30 passes for 418 yards and three touchdowns. Zaparzynski had consecutive 100-yard receiving games against Wyalusing Valley and Hughesville. He had six catches for 108 yards against Wyalusing and six catches for 123 yards against Hughesville.

Jackson Person, Junior PK, Loyalsock Township – Person handled the place-kicking and kickoff duties for the Lancers last season, converting 21 extra points and two field goals. As a kickoff specialist, he finished with 46 boots for 1,935 yards (42.1 yard average) and two touchbacks.

Jake MacHinski, Senior RB, Central Columbia – MacHinski finished the 2008 season as Central’s leading rusher, racking up 121 carries for 740 yards. He averaged 6.1 yards per carry and 74 rushing yards per game. MacHinski surpassed 100 yards rushing in a game three times, including a season-high 136 yards against Shamokin Area.

Jake Potter, Senior RB, Jersey Shore – Potter helped Jersey Shore reach its second consecutive District 4 “AAA” championship game, finishing as the leading rusher for the Bulldogs. He toted the rock 118 times for 549 yards and six touchdowns. Potter averaged 4.7 yards per carry and topped 100 yards rushing once – it came in a loss to Athens.

Jarred Gambrell, Junior WR, Athens Area – Just a sophomore, this 6’3 target struck fear in the hearts of defensive backfields across the Northern Tier. Gambrell caught 33 passes for 605 yards and nine touchdowns. He averaged 18.3 yards per reception, and twice went over 100 yards receiving in a game. Gambrell finished three games with multiple touchdown receptions.

Jay Mathias, Senior LB, Lewisburg – Mathias did a little bit of everything for the District 4 “AA” semifinalists, throwing for 43 yards, running for another 140, and adding eight receptions for 121 yards. He scored three total touchdowns offensively. On the defensive side of things, the 6’0, 175-pound athlete totaled 44 tackles, four interceptions, and a blocked punt. Mathias also averaged 19.5 yards on his kickoff returns.

Jordan Welker, Junior KR, Line Mountain – Welker caught 11 passes for 221 yards and four touchdowns offensively, averaging 21.1 yards per catch. On special teams, he returned 20 kicks/punts for 360 yards, averaging 18 yards per return.

Justin Pellowski, Senior RB, Mount Carmel Area – The Red Tornadoes were a model of balance between the run and the pass last season, as Pellowski finished in the position of second-leading rusher. He registered 109 carries for 872 yards and eight touchdowns, adding 23 catches for 422 yards and six touchdowns as a receiver. Pellowski ran for more than 100 yards in a game three times, and once surpassed the century mark in receiving yards.

Kolby Fedder, Senior LB, Central Columbia – He only played in nine games last season, but Fedder finished as the Bluejays’ second-leading tackler. Fedder totaled 101 tackles (83 solo) and picked off a pass. He averaged 11.2 tackles per game, finishing six games with 10 or more tackles, including three games with 14 tackles or more.

Kyle Reinhard, Senior TB, Selinsgrove – Reinhard finished the ’08 season as the Seals’ leading rusher, racking up 1,130 yards and six touchdowns on 171 carries. He averaged 6.6 yards per carry and 75.3 rushing yards per game.

Matt Groshek, Senior WR, Central Columbia – Groshek finished as the Bluejays’ second-leading receiver after hauling in 34 passes for 502 yards. He averaged 14.7 yards per reception and 55 yards per game. Groshek had an impressive eight catches for 108 yards against Mifflinburg.

Matt Lewis, Senior DL, Williamsport – Lewis finished the season with 26 tackles and six sacks. The six sacks was a team high. Lewis posted two sacks each in games against Dallas and Hazleton Area.

Michael Kinney, Sophomore LB, Loyalsock Township – Kinney made significant contributions as a freshman to the Loyalsock defensive effort last season. He finished as one of the Lancers’ leaders in tackles, with 99 (79 solo), three sacks, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery. Kinney posted 14 tackles against Towanda, and had an 11-tackle, two sack performance against Bloomsburg. Expect this 6’2, 190-pounder to become a top player in District 4 as time progresses.

Nahshon Braggs, Junior RB, Williamsport – Braggs put up decent numbers for Williamsport in his sophomore season. The 5’11, 165-pounder is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He finished the season with 145 carries for 727 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging five yards per carry and 72 rushing yards per game.

Nate Bennett, Senior WR, Towanda – Bennett finished the season as the Knights’ leading receiver, racking up 29 receptions for 608 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged nearly 21 yards per reception and 55 yards per game. Bennett had a five-catch, 135-yard performance against Canton.

Rob Rought, Senior RB, Sayre – Rought finished the season as the Redskins’ leading rusher, totaling 93 carries for 714 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 7.7 yards per carry and 102 rushing yards per game. He also took some snaps at quarterback, completing eight passes for 115 yards.

Ryan Keiser, Senior WR, Selinsgrove – Keiser was the favorite target of Corey Briggs last season, as he caught 75 passes for 1,281 yards and 19 touchdowns. Keiser averaged 17.1 yards per reception and 85 yards per game.

Shawn McCollum, Senior LB, Mount Carmel Area – McCollum was the leading tackler on the Mt. Carmel defense, totaling 112 tackles (40 solo), two sacks, and an interception. He averaged eight tackles per game, and had four games with 10+ tackles.

Stephen Stopper, Senior RB, Loyalsock Township – Stopper was one of the keys to Loyalsock’s Eastern Conference “AA” championship run last season. He threw for 38 yards, racked up 870 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 181 carries, and added 10 receptions for 79 yards. Stopper was a “show stopper” in the EC playoffs. Against Carbondale and Tamaqua, he totaled a combined 40 carries for 303 yards and four touchdowns. Stopper also returned 27 kicks/punts for 428 yards.

Taylor English, Senior QB, Jersey Shore – English put up decent numbers in his first season as a starting varsity quarterback, finishing the season 116-of-243 for 1,436 yards and 11 touchdowns. He averaged 119.7 passing yards per game, and finished with 100 yards passing or more in seven games. His season high 237 yards passing came in the Bulldogs’ season-opener against Central Mountain.

Travis Chesla, Senior RB/LB Towanda – Looking at Chesla’s stats, it’s hard to determine which side of the ball he excels on. Offensively, Chesla totaled 190 carries for 1,272 yards and 20 touchdowns, along with 21 catches for 175 yards and another touchdown. He averaged 6.7 yards per carry and 8.3 yards per reception. Defensively, Chesla registered 154 tackles (108 solo), three sacks, and six interceptions. He averaged 14 tackles per game, and most impressively, he tallied 38 tackles against Canton. Thirty-six of those tackles were solos.

Travis Singer, Junior QB, Montoursville Area – Singer had an excellent ground game to fall back on last season, so he didn’t need to pass the ball all that much. When he did air it out, he was effective, throwing for 549 yards and four touchdowns. Twice did Singer surpass 100 passing yards in a game – he went 8-of-11 for 143 yards against Shikellamy, and 6-of-7 for 152 yards against Towanda in the District 4 “AA” playoffs.

Trevor Demko, Senior DE, Mount Carmel Area – Demko is a 6’6, 215-pound end, and he’s also very touch to contain. He finished the 2008 season with 70 tackles (32 solo), a team-best nine sacks, and two fumble recoveries. As a team, the Red Tornadoes tallied 54 sacks last season – Demko accounted for one-sixth of that output.

Wade Truitt, Senior RB, East Juniata – He only played in five games last season before missing the rest of the season with an injury, but Truitt was on pace to put up huge numbers. In those five games, Truitt totaled 96 carries for 727 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 145 yards per game and 7.6 yards per carry. Had he not gotten injured, he’d have finished the season with 1,599 yards and 16 touchdowns.