The three major award winners of the T102SportsNow Tremendous 33 Team include, from left: Schuylkill Haven's Niko Castillo, Defensive Player of the Year; Minersville's Dante Carr, Player of the Year; Schuylkill Haven's Chase Williams, Lineman of the Year (Photo by Leroy Boyer).

T102 Sports Now’s first football all-star squad full of talent

When we decided to put together our first-ever football all-star team here at T102SportsNow.com, we knew it would be a challenge.

Schuylkill County has traditionally produced exceptional football players on an annual basis … and this year was no different.

We started with the annual Player of the Year awards presented by the sports broadcasting crew at T-102 FM and selected three major award-winners — a Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and a Lineman of the Year. Then we chose 15 offensive players and 15 defensive players.

We also selected a Coach of the Year and a Team of the Year.

Thus, the T102 Sports Now Tremendous 33 Team was born.

Below is the first-ever edition of the Tremendous 33. Twelve of our 14 area schools are represented, with the Schuylkill Technology Center Team of the Year — District 11 Class AA champion Williams Valley — leading the way with seven selections.

Schuylkill County high school football is a time-honored tradition that has produced excellent players every season. These are the best from 2025:

American Remodeling Player of the Year

Dante Carr, QB, Minersville

The University of Central Florida commit has been called the best football player to have ever played at Minersville, putting together a four-year career that re-wrote the Miners’ record books.

This season, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior completed 116-of-181 passes for 1,822 yards and a single-season-record 29 touchdowns. He also rushed 135 times for 1,396 yards and 19 touchdowns.

A four-year starter, Carr broke every single-season passing mark and finished as the school’s all-time leader in pass completions (340), passing attempts (645), passing yards (5,891) and passing touchdowns (79).

Aaron’s Sales & Lease Defensive Player of the Year

Niko Castillo, LB/DE, Schuylkill Haven

Castillo was a force from wherever Schuylkill Haven put him on defense, whether it was rushing off the edge, blitzing from the middle, stuffing the run or dropping in coverage.

A 6-2, 220-pounder, Castillo collected 67 tackles, an area-best 11 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. He also shined on offense, rushing 73 times for 865 yards and 13 TDs while catching 17 passes for 423 yards and nine TDs.

The Schuylkill County Football Coaches’ Association Small School Defensive Player of the Year, Castillo’s play on both sides of the ball drew interest from several NCAA Division I colleges. He became Schuylkill Haven’s first Division I signee since 2008 when he committed to play in the Big Ten at the University of Minnesota.

Biros Septic & Drain Lineman of the Year

Chase Williams, Schuylkill Haven

A 6-3, 342-pound senior, Williams was a two-way standout up front, playing right tackle in Schuylkill Haven’s run-oriented attack and defensive tackle on the other side of the ball. In great physical shape, he rarely came off the field.

Offensively, Williams helped the District 11 Class AA runner-up Hurricanes average 386.3 yards rushing, 475.5 total yards and 53.4 points per game. Defensively, he compiled 64 tackles and an area-best 27 tackles for loss.

The SCFCA Small School Offensive Lineman of the Year, Williams is undecided on his future plans.

Schuylkill Technology Center Coach of the Year

Ben Ancheff, Williams Valley

Schuylkill Technology Center Team of the Year

Williams Valley

Williams Valley entered the season as the top team in the T102 Sports Now Super 7 Poll and ended it that way, going 12-2 and winning a third straight District 11 Class AA championship. The Vikings saw their season end with a loss to District 12 champion Lansdale Catholic in the PIAA Class AA quarterfinals.

In between, however, the Vikings experienced a roller coaster ride not often seen at the high school level.

A Week 6 loss to Schuylkill Haven and some actions during and after that game caused some tension and resulted in a pair of player suspensions. Following a win the next week over Panther Valley, head coach Stephen Sedesse and defensive coordinator Mike Sedesse resigned, creating a mess of a situation that drew national attention.

Ancheff, the Williams Valley athletic director and an assistant coach to start the season, assumed the role of head coach. He was able to calm everything down, get everyone focused on the situation at hand and guided the Vikings to six straight wins, a third straight District 11 crown and a third straight trip to the PIAA playoffs.

Instead of the in-season turmoil blowing up their season, the Vikings overcame it and were able to produce another championship season. Ancheff and his staff were a big reason why.

Tremendous 33 Team

The members of this year’s Tremendous 33 Team put up some incredible numbers, especially offensively.

Quarterback Brady Shomper of Williams Valley (2,008 yards, 30 TDs passing; 159-954, 16 TDs rushing) threw for more than 2,000 yards for the second straight season.

Running backs Colton Reber of Schuylkill Haven and Luke Miller of North Schuylkill racked up record-breaking performances on a weekly basis, finishing with 2,875 yards and 2,563 yards, respectively. Reber scored a whopping 47 total touchdowns, while Miller had 34 TDs.

All three were considered for Player of the Year honors.

Two sophomores — Williams Valley’s Fletcher Thompson (1,839, 22 TDs) and Tamaqua’s Terrence McDowell (1,740, 19 TDs) — each had monster seasons running the football. Minersville’s Paiten LaPoint became the school’s all-time leading receiver after hauling in 47 passes for 733 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Blue Mountain junior Chase Guers (35-535, 6 TDs) is drawing Division I attention.

Williams Valley wide receiver Evan Achenbach (39-708, 9 TDs) and Minersville tight end Ty Atkinson (24-416, 8 TDs).

Up front, North Schuylkill’s Aiden Zilker and Kaiden Knox are Division I commits, heading to Temple and Stonehill, respectively. They’re joined by Schuylkill Haven’s Wyatt Keefer and Williams Valley’s Robbie Hoffman and Koen Zilinski.

Tri-Valley’s Nathan Hillard, who booted a game-winning, 50-yard field goal to give the Dawgs a second straight District 11 Class A title, is the placekicker.

Defensively, Williams Valley’s Camron Green, Panther Valley’s Marco Tessitore, the Blue Mountain tandem of William Shaner and Dylan Foose, and Nativity’s George Shimko form an imposing group up front.

SCFCA Big School Defensive Player of the Year Reese Miller of Blue Mountain headlines a linebacker group that collectively made 639 tackles. He’s joined by Williams Valley defensive leader Trevon Bair, Tri-Valley’s Cole Gemberling (area-best 178 tackles), Mahanoy Area do-everything star Kyler Quick and Marian’s Jah Bushati.

Two of Bushati’s teammates, Rory Dixon and Tyler Price, and Tamaqua’s Brady McCabe man the secondary. Pottsville’s Max Clews, who played everywhere on defense, and Crimson Tide punter Andrew Allen round out the squad.

Congratulations to this year’s Tremendous 33. Thank you to the sponsors for the major awards:

T102 Sports Now Tremendous 33 Team

Player of the Year — Dante Carr, QB, Minersville

Defensive Player of the Year — Niko Castillo, LB/DE, Schuylkill Haven

Lineman of the Year — Chase Williams, Schuylkill Haven

Coach of the Year — Ben Ancheff, Williams Valley

Team of the Year — Williams Valley