It appears Bangor Pius X freshman A.J. Long is all alone when it comes to passing yardage and touchdown passes in a freshman season.
The Pius X field general has thrown for 2,633 yards and 27 touchdowns this season, putting him on a collision course for wicked good career passing totals should he continue producing at his current pace. How do possible career totals of 10,532 yards and 108 touchdowns sound? That’s the pace Long is at, assuming his season had ended last Friday. But the Royals (8-3) have at least 1 more game, as they face Schuylkill Haven (9-2) for the District 11 Class A championship.
While Long takes the cake in both passing yards and touchdown passes as a ninth grader, he’s not the only field general to have a successful freshman passing season. Through some research, here are some of the other top freshman passers Pennsylvania has seen (NOTE: This list is unofficial, as Pennsylvania has no compiled record or documentation of top freshman passing seasons):
1. AJ Long, Bangor Pius X, 2010: 2,633 yards, 27 touchdowns
2. Marcus Wasilewski, Mount Carmel Area, 2005: 1,832 yards, 22 touchdowns
3. Mice Rice, Pequea Valley, 2007: 1,571 yards, 11 touchdowns
4. Blake Rankin, Bloomsburg Area, 2008: 1,521 yards, 19 touchdowns
5. Lenny Williams, Sto-Rox, 2010: 1,370 yards, 13 touchdowns
6. Dylan Bongiorni, Burgettstown, 2008: 1,281 yards, 14 touchdowns
7. Matt Bodamer, Port Allegany, 2009: 1,239 yards, 14 touchdowns
8. Shane Raupers, Athens Area, 2005: 1,184 yards, 15 touchdowns
9. Logan Weaver, Punxsutawney, 2008: 1,184 yards, 9 touchdowns
10. Martin Long, Pittsburgh North Catholic, 2007: 1,077 yards, 7 touchdowns
