HS Football: 4 Spartans chosen to PFN Coaches Select 3A All-State Team
North Schuylkill's Luke Miller (1) carries the ball during the Aug. 22 win over Mount Carmel at the Silver Bowl (Photo by Justin Reed / Skook News)
Miller, Zilker, Knox, Nelson among 7 local selections
Add another postseason honor to the resumes of North Schuylkill seniors Luke Miller and Aiden Zilker.
The two NCAA Division I signees earned their second All-State honor in as many weeks Tuesday when they were named to the PAFootballNews.com Coaches Select Class 3A All-State Team.
Miller was a first-team selection at running back, while Zilker was a first-team pick at offensive tackle.
The duo is joined by five other Schuylkill League players who were named to the second team: North Schuylkill teammates Kaiden Knox (OT) and Julian Nelson (defensive athlete); wide receiver Gavin Yuricheck and defensive tackle Marco Tessitore of Panther Valley; and Pine Grove kick returner/punter Teagan Schneck-Haines.
The seven local players were part of a 70-player Coaches Select Class 3A All-State squad that was selected through nominations and voting done by 321 coaches state-wide. The Class A, 3A and 5A teams were unveiled Tuesday. The Class AA, 4A and 6A squads will be announced Wednesday.
Miller, a 6-foot, 185-pound running back/safety who signed an NCAA Division I letter of intent last week to run track at Saint Joseph’s University, rushed 229 times for 2,563 yards and a school-record 31 touchdowns this season for the Spartans, who finished 8-4 and reached the District 11 Class 3A semifinals before falling to eventual state runner-up Northwestern Lehigh.
Miller finished with a school-record 34 touchdowns overall, breaking his own school record. He had five games of four or more TDs, five games of 200 or more rushing yards and three games of 300 or more rushing yards. He rushed for a school-record 383 yards in an Oct. 9 win over Blue Mountain.
Miller was named the Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association Big School Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season. He finished as North Schuylkill’s all-time leader in rushing yards (3,856) and rushing touchdowns (59).
Clearing holes for Miller to run through was Zilker, a 6-5, 300-pound road-grading offensive tackle who signed to play football at Temple University.
Zilker was a driving force behind North Schuylkill averaging 287.8 yards rushing per game and 393.8 total yards per game. Zilker was named the Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association Big School Offensive Lineman for the second straight year.
Knox, a 6-5, 300-pounder, signed to play at Division I Stonehill College. Nelson had 49 tackles and three pass break-ups from his cornerback spot while hauling in 19 passes for 268 yards and four TDs as a wide receiver.
Yuricheck led the Schuylkill League in receptions, hauling in 57 passes for 573 yards and five TDs. Tessitore was the Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association Big School Defensive Lineman of the Year after recording 65 tackles and 17 tackles for loss.
Schneck-Haines, a 6-foot, 155-pound junior, averaged 18.3 yards on 20 kickoff returns, with a long of 42 yards. He returned four punts for a 5.0 average. Offensively, he had 11 catches for 206 yards and two TDs for the Cardinals, who finished 1-9. Defensively, he recorded 26 tackles.
Miller (RB), Zilker (OL), Knox (OL) and Tessitore (DL) were named to the inaugural T102 Sports Now Tremendous 33 Team on Dec. 21.
Here’s a complete list of the PAFootballNews.com Coaches Select Class 3A All-State Team:
