Hazleton Star On 1st Team Receiver Don Patrick Is Joined On All-state Football Team By Dallas Kicker Matt Douglas And Berwick Defensive Back Vaughn Welch.
By RICH EMERT Associated Press
Sunday, December 19, 1999 Page: 1C
The big winners lead the Big School all-state football team.
Central Bucks West, Erie Cathedral Prep, Strath Haven and West Allegheny –
the four finalists in Class AAAA and AAA – dominate the all-state team, as
selected by sports writers and broadcasters.
AAAA champion Central Bucks West, AAAA runner-up Cathedral Prep and AAA
runner-up West Allegheny each placed four players on the all-state team. AAA
champion Strath Haven had three players, all on the first team.
Hazleton Area wide receiver Don Patrick was named first team for the second
year in a row. A Pitt recruit, Patrick had 54 receptions for 807 yards.
Other area athletes making the team are kicker Matt Douglas of Dallas,
second team; and defensive back Vaughn Welch of Berwick, third team. Douglas
made 42 of 43 extra points and four of seven field goals, including kicks from
District 2 Class 3A runner-up Valley View was represented by linebacker
Tony Paciotti on the second team; and Pottsville, which played in the Wyoming
Valley Conference, had linebacker Tom McGeoy on the third team.
The Big School first team is a who’s who of Pennsylvania’s finest, led by
quarterback Jeff Smoker of Manheim Central, a third-team choice last year; and
three standout running backs. Smoker, a Michigan State recruit, completed 123
of 191 passes for 2,150 yards and 21 touchdowns.
There are three first-team repeaters: running back Dustin Picciotti of
Central Bucks West, wide receiver Patrick and defensive back Camen DeFrancesco
III of Danville.
Picciotti, who rushed for nearly 1,500 yards and scored more than 30
touchdowns, led CB West to a record third consecutive Class AAAA title. He is
joined in the backfield by Tony Johnson, who had 1,777 yards and 26 touchdowns
for State College; and Musa Smith, a Georgia recruit who rushed for 2,041
yards and 32 touchdowns. Johnson also caught 19 passes for 314 yards and four
touchdowns.
Patrick is joined at receiver by Jujaun Davis, who had 66 receptions for
The offensive specialist is Mark Jones of Strath Haven, a Tennessee recruit
who did it all for the Class AAA champions, rushing for more than 900 yards
and catching passes for another 700. He is considered by many college
recruiters as the state’s best all-around player.
Eric Gill, the Belle Vernon tight end who is one of five juniors on the
first team, caught 25 passes for 519 yards. Dave Kimball of State College was
a runaway choice as kicker after converting nine field goals and 42 of 43
extra points.
Two of the first-team offensive linemen, Nick Marmo of New Castle and Chris
McKelvy of North Penn, have committed to Penn State. Rob Bowser of Central
Bucks West and Chris Edwards of Strath Haven are being recruited by Division I
schools and Tyler Reed, a Thomas Jefferson junior, already is attracting
Division I attention.
DeFrancesco intercepted 19 passes and made more than 300 tackles as a
four-year starter. He also rushed for more than 3,000 yards. He is joined in
the first-team secondary by B.J. Hogan of Cardinal O’Hara, who had 10
interceptions; Mike Bracken of West Alle gheny, who was in on 94 tackles; and
Demond Sanders of Cathedral Prep.
The defensive specialist is West Allegheny sophomore Tyler Palko, who
intercepted six passes and was in on 60 tackles and passed for 1,400 yards and
in the WPIAL (PIAA District 7).
Penn State recruit Dan Acri of Bishop McDevitt anchors the defensive line
and is joined by Aaron Carter of Strath Haven, Mike Finn of Danville and
junior Charles Rush of Cathedral Prep.
The first-team linebackers are led by Council Rock senior Rich Bedese, a
Maryland recruit who made more than 100 tackles. He is joined by Jon Condo, a
Philipsburg-Osceola senior who is headed for Maryland after making 13 sacks
and three interceptions.
Also on the first team are Mike Gregorek of Bethlehem Catholic, who was in
on 100 tackles; and ju nior Joe Dipre of Cathedral Prep, which led the Class
AAAA final last weekend until CB West blocked a punt for a touchdown late in
the game.
Sophomore Nate Schiccatano of Shamokin is the first-team punter after
averaging 40 yards a kick, rushing for nearly 600 yards and catching 22 passes
for 335 yards.
The second-team offense is led by Wilson quarterback Tony Cipolla, who
completed 117 of 164 passes for 1,701 yards and 20 touchdowns with only one
interception. Hikee Johnson of North Penn, Kevin Jones of Cardinal O’Hara and
Dave Wilson of Bethlehem Catholic are the second-team running backs.
Wilson rushed for more than 2,400 yards this season. Jones finished his
career with 4,527 yards and Johnson rushed for 1,550 yards and caught 16
passes for 222 yards.
Among those on the third team are Connellsville’s Marcus Furman, who rushed
for 2,037 yards and 28 touchdowns; Justin Marshall, who rushed for a
school-record 2,204 yards for DuBois; and Penn State recruit Pete Gilmore, who
rushed for 1,789 yards on 253 carries for Wilson. Kris Fedeli of Altoona, who
averaged 24.1 yards per catch, is one of the third-team receivers.
