Three from YAIAA named AP first-team All-state
Nine YAIAA football players have been named to the Associated Press Pennsylvania Sports Writers All-state Football Team. Three of those players -- Central York linebacker Kyle Baublitz, LIttlestown wide receiver Matt Koontz and Delone Catholic running back Dusty Reed -- were given first-team honors by the AP, which released the squads on Wednesday.
Baublitz earned Class AAAA first-team honors at defensive end -- the position he will play at Penn State -- by piling up a team-best 123 tackles this year. He helped captain a Panthers team that finished 8-4 and won a share of the YAIAA Division I title for the second straight year. Baublitz's combination of size (6-foot-5, 258 pounds) and athleticism made him one of the area's most recruited athletes in recent memory. He drew around 20 scholarship offers -- several from Division I powers -- before settling on the Nittany Lions this summer. Baublitz has enrolled early at Penn State and began classes there this week.
Koontz put up monster numbers at receiver en route to making the Class AA first team. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior snagged 51 catches for an astounding 1,040 yards and 13 touchdowns in the Bolts' pass-happy attack. Koontz averaged 20.4 yards per catch and topped 100 yards receiving in six games. He was a major factor for a Littlestown team that finished 9-3 and earned a share of the YAIAA Division II title.
Reed was named the Class AA first-team fullback, after a stellar senior season in which he rushed for 1,452 yards and 25 touchdowns on just 176 carries (8.3 yards per carry). He was the biggest threat for a Squires squad that piled up 3,739 rushing yards this season, the most in the YAIAA. Delone finished the season 11-2, earning a YAIAA Division III title and making it all the way to the District 3 final (where they lost to Lancaster Catholic).
Six others were named to the AP second-team: Spring Grove punter Keith Stambaugh (AAAA), Kennard-Dale fullback Ethan Hornbarger (AAA), West York wide receiver Dan Gay (AAA), West York linebacker Darion Bundy (AAA), Delone Catholic defensive end Wes Smith (AA) and York Catholic wide receiver Gary Laucks (A).
Stambaugh, a junior, averaged 41.1 yards per punt in 36 attempts for the Spring Grove, which finished 6-5 and earned a District 3 playoff berth. His longest boot of 73 yards came in a Oct. 9 loss to South Western.
Hornbarger earned Division II player of the year honors after running for 1,334 yards and 15 touchdowns on 209 carries for the Rams. The senior was the workhorse for a Kennard-Dale squad that finished 6-5 and narrowly missed upsetting Hershey in the first-round of districts.
Gay, a senior, reeled in 47 catches for 633 yards and six scores for a Bulldogs squad that made it to the District 3 semifinals. He was part of West York's celebrated senior class which won 34 games the past three seasons.
Bundy, a senior, also had a stellar year for West York. His 66 tackles were tied for third-best on the team, but more impressive were his four sacks, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He was part of a defense that forced 35 turnovers on the season.
Smith racked up an eye-popping 15 sacks for the Squires. The senior also finished with 60 tackles.
Laucks was part of a nucleus of juniors that helped propel the Irish to a 7-5 record a spot in the district semifinals. He had 56 catches this season for 668 yards and nine touchdowns