Brandon Real (3) paced West York's rushing attack this season, surpassing 2,500 yards before a broken collarbone during the district semifinals ended his year. His efforts earned him a spot on the all-state first team. (Daily Record/Sunday News - file)

West York senior running back Brandon Real, who had perhaps the greatest offensive season in YAIAA history this fall, has been named to the first team of The Associated Press Class AAA all-state football team.

The team is selected following statewide voting by sportswriters and broadcasters.

Real scored 51 touchdowns in 13 games this season before breaking his collarbone in the second half of the Bulldogs' District 3 Class AAA semifinal victory over Garden Spot.

He had 41 rushing touchdown and surpassed 2,500 yards on the ground. He also scored 10 touchdowns on kickoffs -- mostly in the first half of the season, before opponents stopped kicking to him.

In West York's District 3 playoff win over Conrad Weiser, Real rushed for 406 yards and six touchdowns.

Real was joined by two other running backs on the all-state first team -- Owen J. Roberts sophomore Ryan Brumfield and Thomas Jefferson senior Brian Baldrige

Baldrige's team defeated West York, ending the Bulldogs' dream season, in the PIAA semifinals.

Thomas Jefferson went on to win the state title, and Baldrige was a huge reason why. He rushed for a school-record 2,312 yards and 34 touchdowns, including 120 yards in a 34-7 win over Archbishop Wood in the title game.

The earned Baldrige the Class AAA Player of the Year accolade.

"It's a great honor," Baldrige said. "It was very satisfying to come back from the injury, play well and have the team win another state championship. I couldn't ask for

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anything more."

The AAA coach of the year is Selinsgrove's Dave Hess, who was promoted to replace the retiring Bill Scott after 25 years as an assistant coach. Hess led Selinsgrove to a 13-2 record and a spot in the state semifinals despite having only three returning offensive starters. Scott won the coach of the year award last season.

Meanwhile, James Capello of Lebanon was chosen as first-team quarterback after throwing for 2,880 yards and 31 touchdowns.

Two prolific pass catchers, Jordan Clentimack of Lebanon and Zach Keeley of Daniel Boone, are the first team wide receivers. Clentimack had 84 receptions for 1,412 yards and Keeley made 87 catches for 1,262 yards.

Tight end Brock DeCicco is one of four Thomas Jefferson players on the all-state team. He caught 24 passes for 537 yards and 11 touchdowns.

DeCicco has made a verbal commitment to play at Pitt, while Baldrige is getting looks from schools such as Villanova and Robert Morris.

West Virginia recruit Pat Eger of Thomas Jefferson leads an offensive line that includes three other major-college recruits in Archbishop Wood's Adam Citko (Temple), Johnstown's Dave Istanich (Florida International) and West Scranton's Eric Shive (Penn State) along with Clearfield's Nick Redden. Shive is the lone offensive player who was also a first-team pick last season.

Nine juniors made the first-team defense, including a defensive line that is made up of only underclassmen in the Erie Strong Vincent duo of Sean Herron and Emmanuel Wells, Manheim Central's Dakota Royer and Washington Trinity's Ken Wilkins. Royer had 11 sacks while also making 56 catches for 1,099 yards as a wide receiver.

Juniors Preston Hamlette of Pottsgrove, who was credited with 198 tackles, and Sean Sadosky of St. Marys were chosen at linebacker with Strath Haven's David Alayankian and Berwick's Ryan Cordingly, who had 13 sacks and 24 tackles for losses.