And with that, the 2022 high school football season is over.
Congratulations to PIAA state champions Belle Vernon and Pine-Richland on bringing the gold back to Western Pennsylvania, and to Westinghouse, Union and Aliquippa on tremendous runs to title games.
Throughout the season, KDKA Radio has put together a watch list of some of the best players in the region.In the coming weeks, the top performer from each WPIAL classification, and one member of the Pittsburgh City League, will receive the prestigious KDKA Super 7 Award.
Here are the new additions to the KDKA Super 7 Watch List for Week 15:
Ryan Palmieri, Max Heckert and Sam Heckert, Pine-Richland
Palmieri is certainly no stranger to the KDKA Radio Watch List, and will be a contender to take home the Class 5A Super 7 Award in coming weeks.
But his performance Friday earned him another appearance on the Watch List first.
The senior rushed for 184 yards and scored two touchdowns, completed 9 of 10 passes for 127 yards and a score, and returned an interception for a touchdown in the Rams’ 28-14 win over Imhotep Charter in the PIAA 5A Championship.
He also made five tackles and delivered one of the highlight reel plays of the weekend.
Palmieri capped his great season with 1,135 passing yards and ten touchdowns, and 1,982 yards and 25 scores on the ground.
Meanwhile, the Heckert brothers were a force on defense, holding Imhotep to just 64 rushing yards. Max Heckert led the Rams in tackles, with six, and Sam Heckert intercepted a pass in the victory.
Steve Macheska and Aiden Johnson, Belle Vernon
A little love for the defense in Belle Vernon’s 9-8 win over Neumann-Goretti in the Class 3A championship game.
Macheska led the Leopards with nine tackles and had two sacks, and Johnson made seven tackles, including two for loss, and recovered a fumble on a late goal line stand to preserve the win.
The two helped Belle Vernon’s defense hold Neumann-Goretti to just 133 total yards of offense, just 1.9 yards per carry and a 2-12 mark on 3rd downs.
The championship is the first in Belle Vernon history.