The coaches have spoken, and take a bow Sean McTaggart.
Lampeter-Strasburg’s senior quarterback has been named the Pennsylvania Football News Coaches Select Class 4A Player of the Year for the 2020 season.
McTaggart, who came all the way back from a devastating knee injury that cost him his junior year, threw for 1,865 yards with 27 touchdown passes this past season, helping L-S go 9-1 with Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 3 and District 3 Class 4A championships on the way to the state semifinals for the second year in a row.
More than 200 coaches from across the state nominated and then vote for the teams in all six classifications. Saturday, Annville-Cleona’s Mac Plummer and Lancaster Catholic teammates Devin Atkinson and Daniel Mueller were named to the Class 3A team. The big-school teams were released Sunday, and McTaggart highlighted those lists.
McTaggart, who also earned first-team PFN QB honors, has plenty of company on the Class 4A list:
L-S had four other first-team selections, including junior TE Beau Heyser, senior OT Zac Shelley, senior DE Parker Owens and senior DB Austin Stoltzfus, and junior LB Nick Del Grande picked up a second-team nod.
Meanwhile, Elco senior QB/DB wiz Braden Bohannon was a first-team pick as a defensive specialist, and Octorara junior Mike Trainor earned a second-team nod at fullback, as eight L-L League players in all secured PFN all-state spots.
Bohannon is a PFN repeat selection.
McTaggart paced all L-L League signal-callers in passing yardage and TD tosses this past season, and he was named Offensive Back of the Year and Outstanding Back of the Year in Section 3, and he was tabbed Lions Club Section 3 Player of the Year. McTaggart was also named to the Pennsylvania Football Writers All-State Class 4A team.
McTaggart is the second L-L League player to pocket PFN Player of the Year kudos in as many years; former Cocalico dual-threat standout Noah Palm was the PFN Class 5A Player of the Year in 2019.
Two memorable moments from McTaggart this past season: He tossed a District 3 single-game record seven TD passes in a win over Conrad Weiser in the semifinals. And he threw for 476 yards against Jersey Shore in the PIAA semifinals, for the third-best single-game passing performance in L-L League history.
Heyser (26 catches for 531 yards, 20.4 avg., 8 TD; PFW All-State), Shelley (Section 3 Offensive Lineman of the Year and Outstanding Lineman of the Year; PFW All-State), Owens (66 tackles, 25 for losses, 12 sacks, 3 forced fumbles; Section 3 Defensive Lineman of the Year; PFW All-State; Carnegie Melon recruit), Stoltzfus (23 tackles, 1 INT, 5 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery) and Del Grande (69 tackles, 6 for losses, 3 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries; Section Three Linebacker of the Year; PFW All-State) were all key cogs for L-S.
Bohannon (league-best 990 rushing yards, 17 TD runs at QB; 6 INT on defense; Section 4 Offensive Back of the Year, Outstanding Back of the Year, Defensive Back of the Year; Lions Club Player of the Year; PFW All-State) finished his career in Myerstown with 3,700-plus rushing yards and 2,000-plus passing yards.
Trainor (122 carries for 817 yards, 6.7 avg., 11 TD) was a Section 4 all-star performer, and he helped Octorara win a program single-season record six games this past fall.
Here is the complete PFN Class 4A All-State list …
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sean McTaggart - Lampeter-Strasburg
COACH OF THE YEAR: Tom Gravish - Jersey Shore
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback:
Branden Wheary - Jersey Shore, Senior
Sean McTaggart - Lampeter-Strasburg, Senior
Running back:
Vernon Redd - Aliquippa, Senior
Cam Russell - Oil City, Senior
Fullback:
T.J. Noto - Valley View, Senior
Slot/H-back:
Christian Cacchione - Berks Catholic, Junior
Wide receiver:
Cayden Hess - Jersey Shore, Junior
Ian Hansen - Thomas Jefferson, Senior
Preston Zandier - Thomas Jefferson, Senior
Tight end:
Beau Heyser - Lampeter-Strasburg, Junior
Offensive guard:
Colin Lyons - McKeesport, Senior
Trevor Mauk - Bellefonte, Senior
Offensive tackle:
Nick Bryan - Thomas Jefferson, Junior
Zac Shelley - Lampeter-Strasburg, Senior
Center:
James McBride - Aliquippa, Sophomore
Long snapper:
Jacob Condo - Juniata, Junior
Punter:
Clayton Rosensteel - Ringgold, Senior
Kicker:
Mason Yohn - Northern York, Sophomore
Offensive athlete:
Owen Anderson - Jersey Shore, Senior
PFN Pick - Devin Whitlock - Belle Vernon, Junior
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DEFENSE
Defensive tackle:
Lavon Johnson - Allentown Central Catholic, Junior
Mario Fantanazza - Oil City, Senior
Defensive end:
Parker Owens - Lampeter-Strasburg, Senior
Gabe Hulslander - Kennard-Dale, Senior
Nose guard:
Colin Samar - Jersey Shore, Senior
Outside linebacker:
Logan Arnold - Crestwood, Senior
Brandon Hile - Selinsgrove, Junior
Middle/inside Linebacker:
Duncan Weir - Shikellamy, Senior
Ryan Aument - Selinsgrove, Senior
Cornerback:
Austin Stoltzfus - Lampeter-Strasburg, Senior
Cyair Clark - Aliquippa, Junior
Safety:
Anthony Collura - Chartiers Valley, Senior
Ayden Garnes - Bonner & Prendergast, Senior
Kick/punt returner:
Owen Anderson - Jersey Shore, Senior
Defensive athlete:
Braden Bohannon - Elco, senior
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback:
Jake Pugh - Thomas Jefferson, Senior
Lek Powell - Bishop McDevitt, Senior
Running back:
Jayden Williams - Allentown Central Catholic, Senior
Cam Allison - Jersey Shore, Senior
Fullback:
Mike Trainor - Octorara, Junior
Slot/H-back:
Gus Ross - Bishop Shanahan, Junior
Wide receiver:
Zach Hunsicker - Lehighton, Senior
Jahzeel Watson - Pottstown, Senior
Aanjay Feliciano - Conrad Weiser, Junior
Tight end:
James Weide - Bonner & Prendie, Senior
Gavin Bartholemew - Blue Mountain, Senior
Offensive guard:
Lee Springman - Jersey Shore, Senior
Michael Yeakel - Lehighton, Senior
Offensive tackle:
Tyrese Jones - Aliquippa, Junior
J.D. Besch - Bellefonte, Senior
Justin Kanyuk - Bethlehem Catholic, Senior
Center:
Mark McFadden - Berks Catholic, Senior
Long snapper:
Connor Gundersen - Berks Catholic, Senior
Punter:
Mason Yohn - Northern York, Sophomore
Kicker:
Roman Levant - Wallenpaupack, Sophomore
Offensive athlete:
Jack McGorry - Allentown Central Catholic, Senior
Ben Fife - Dallas, Senior
Micah Finley - Trinity (District 7) Senior
DEFENSE
Defensive tackle:
Neco Eberhardt - Aliquippa, Sophomore
Sam Deron - Honesdale, Senior
Defensive end:
Jordan Mayer - Thomas Jefferson, Soph
Dalton Dugan - Jersey Shore, Senior
Owen Ordonez - Lewisburg, Junior
Nose guard:
Trent Martin - Juniata, Junior
Outside linebacker:
Gabe Packer - Jersey Shore, Senior
Bobby Walchak - Pottsville, Senior
Middle/inside Linebacker:
Brandon Choi - Bishop Shanahan, Junior
Nick Del Grande - Lampeter-Strasburg, Junior
Cornerback:
Kamil Foster - Bishop McDevitt, Junior
Tyler Ziggas - Beaver Area, Senior
Safety:
R.J. Wren - Dallas, Senior
Teague Hoover - Selinsgrove, Junior
Kick/punt returner:
Reed Martin - Plum, Senior
Defensive athlete:
Micah Passmore - Warren, Senior
T.J. Schamlze - Junior, Wallenpaupack
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