31st Tribune-Democrat All-Area Football Team wraps up memorable season
Dec. 24 (Reuters) – For the past four seasons of football, Penn Cambria’s Garrett Harrold and Windber’s John Shuster have pulled off one big performance after another while building their respective teams to great heights.
Cody Kimmel has developed into an often dominant part of Berlin Brothersvalley’s strong defense this season.
Coach Sam Shutty took a team that won 8-2 a year ago to the Northern Cambria football program’s first District 6 championship.
All four have been part of a memorable football season and captain the 31st edition of the Tribune-Democrat All-Area Football Team.
A four-year starter at quarterback and linebacker, Harrold was named Tribune-Democrat Player of the Year after leading the Panthers to a 9-2 record and second place in the District 6 Class 3A.
Offensive Player of the Year Shuster, a four-year running back, rushed for more than 2,000 yards this season — and surpassed 6,000 in his career — as the Ramblers won 11-2 and won their first District 5 title since 2008 in Class 1A won.
Defensive Player of the Year Kimmel, a game-changing junior linebacker, faced a Mountaineers defense that didn’t concede a point in its first seven games to finish as a District 5-8 Class 2A runner-up with 11-1 and eight shutouts.
Coach of the Year Shutty’s 10-4 Colts were selected to finish seventh out of 10 Heritage Conference teams in the preseason poll of conference coaches.
Despite a 4-0 start that included a big win over rivals Cambria Heights in the season opener, Northern Cambria appeared to be reeling after back-to-back defeats and three defeats in five weeks.
But Shutty’s team stormed to four straight wins, beating Penns Manor with the top spot in District 6’s Class 1A title game before losing to District 4, Power Canton in the PIAA Quarterfinals.
The All-Area Football Team builds on a tradition that began in 1992.
As in the past 30 seasons, the team aims to spotlight some of the region’s best school players and performances.
All coaches in the 21-team coverage area contributed during the selection process by providing the names of the best players from their own teams as well as those who stood out from the competition over the 10-14 weeks of football.
Some basic standards were applied in the selection process, including the fact that players could not be selected for both offense and defense.
In addition to the four overall award winners, a first and second team and a commendable mention list were selected based on the coaches’ nominations.
The consideration was based on individual and team statistical data as well as subjective input.
Tribune-Democrat sports staffers involved in the process included Mike Mastovich, Shawn Curtis and Jake Oswalt.
High schools with football teams in The Tribune-Democrat coverage area include Bedford, Berlin Brothersvalley, Cambria Heights, Central Cambria, Chestnut Ridge, Conemaugh Township Area, Conemaugh Valley, Forest Hills, Greater Johnstown, Ligonier Valley, Meyersdale Area, McCort-Carroll Catholic, North Star, Northern Cambria, Penn Cambria, Portage Area, Richland, Somerset Area, United Valley, Westmont Hilltop and Windber Area.
Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.
