2016 Fabulous 22

The scoop: Ranked the No. 9 player in the country by Rivals.com. Enters WPIAL 1A championship as fourth-leading rusher in WPIAL history with 6,657 yards on 563 attempts. This year, has 1,948 yards and 29 TDs. Averaging 15.7 yards a carry. Four-year starter.

College talk: Had scholarship offers from schools across the country. Will announce decision on Dec. 17. Five finalists are Pitt, Penn State, Tennessee, West Virginia, UCLA. Being recruited as a defensive back. Will enroll in college for spring semester.

Most memorable moment this season? Probably breaking Tyler Boyd’s career rushing record.

Who would play you in a movie? That’s a tough one. I’ll say Bow Wow.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Macaroni and cheese.

Anyone in the world you could invite to Thanksgiving dinner: President Obama.

Favorite class? Sociology.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? A conspiracy theorist. I’m all into conspiracies.

People might be surprised to know that: I used to play baseball and was pretty good.

The scoop: Had the greatest season — statistically — of any running back in WPIAL history. Rushed for a single-season record 2,955 yards on 291 carries and set a regular-season scoring record with 254 points. Finished as WPIAL’s third all-time rusher with 6,977 yards on 713 carries and also scored 102 career TDs. Outstanding on defense also. Has better than a 4.0 grade-point average.

College talk: Ivy and Patriot League schools are recruiting him.

Most memorable moment this season? Definitely McKeesport and the 2-point conversion in overtime.

Thanksgiving food you must have? My grandma’s noodles.

Favorite class? Physics with my favorite teacher, Dr. Snyder. We call her Grandma.

Who would play you in a movie? The Rock.

Anyone in the world you could invite to Thanksgiving dinner: Batman. I love Batman movies.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? I’d like to work on Wall Street.

People might be surprised to know that: I love to golf the day after games.

The scoop: Ford has been Mr. Versatility for Steel Valley this season after transferring from Seton-LaSalle. He has helped the Ironmen to the WPIAL 2A championship game. He has 21 touchdowns five different ways. He has six on receptions, six on runs, four on interception returns, four on punt returns and one on a fumble return. He has five interceptions overall.

College talk: Had many scholarship offers but committed to Pitt as a junior. Considered one of best players in Pitt’s class. Recruited to play DB.

Most memorable moment this season? That no one has scored on our first-team defense this season.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Stuffing and macaroni and cheese.

Anyone in the world you could invite to Thanksgiving dinner? Martin Lawrence or Mike Epps.

Favorite class? History.

People might be surprised to know that: I sit in the house on weekends and play video games all day.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? Something in social service. I love kids.

The scoop: First player in WPIAL history with 4,000 yards rushing, 2,000 passing and 1,000 receiving. Finished with 4,273 yards rushing, 2,029 passing and had 63 catches for 1,074 yards. As a senior, rushed for 1,509 yards and scored 24 TDs. Ran for 403 yards and accounted for seven TDs in a 77-49 win against Keystone Oaks.

College talk: Wise is undecided, but owns offers from FBS schools. He counts Colorado State, BYU, Virginia and Toledo among his offers. Schools like him as a slot receiver.

Most memorable moment this season? Probably when we beat Aliquippa. As a whole team, we played hard and deserved it. We worked really hard. It was the best to end their streak and it made us a serious team.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Mac and cheese.

Favorite class? Speech and Debate.

Who would play you in a movie? Chris Brown

Career, if not an athlete or coach? Physical therapist

People might be surprised to know that: I’m not a very talkative person. I’m pretty calm. I’m in the house a lot more than I’m outside.

The scoop: Rated as one of the top junior QBs in the country. Missed half of season after thumb surgery, but still was 104 of 167 for 1,673 yards and 12 TDs. Also ran for 481 yards on 82 carries. Two-year totals are 280 of 431 for 4,233 yards and 32 TDs. Has rushed 212 times for 1,731 yards.

College talk: Had numerous offers and committed to Notre Dame in spring of his sophomore year.

Most memorable moment this season? Probably the St. Edward’s game. Just because it was the first game, it was on ESPN and everybody was ready for it.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Mashed potatoes, with gravy on everything.

Favorite class? Physics.

Who would play you in a movie? I don’t know. Nobody really looks like me.

Anyone in the world you could invite to Thanksgiving dinner: [Houston Texans lineman] Vince Wilfork, just because I’d like to see how much he eats.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? Paleontologist.

People might be surprised to know that: I have a 6-week-old sister, Leah.

The scoop: A three-year starter who set a school record for career tackles this season. Ranked the No. 4 inside linebacker in the country by Rivals.com. Is excellent against the run. Has continued to excel this season despite playing with a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right arm. Adams sustained the injury in the first game.

College talk: Committed to Notre Dame in March. One of four Notre Dame recruits on Fab 22. Penn State and Stanford were Adams’ other top choices, but Florida, LSU, Michigan and Michigan State were among others that also offered.

Most memorable moment this season? Breaking the all-time tackle record at Central.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Turkey, potatoes, stuffing and corn.

Favorite class? History.

Anyone in the world you could invite to Thanksgiving dinner: Ray Lewis.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? Totally undecided on that.

Who would play you in a movie? Liam Neeson in “Taken.”

People might be surprised to know that: I am terrified of spiders.

The scoop: The latest standout among “Thorpenation” — he has a slew of relatives who have starred in a variety of sports in the WPIAL over the years — Thorpe anchors an offensive line that has helped Central Catholic amass big rushing numbers on its way to averaging 46.8 points per game. His father, Chris, was a Fabulous 22 pick 32 years ago.

College talk: Thorpe will attend Penn State. One of the country’s most highly-recruited offensive guards ultimately chose the Nittany Lions over Auburn, Michigan, UCLA and Stanford.

Most memorable moment this season? Definitely winning down at Heinz with the boys. Having all that opposition and come out on top. It was really great.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Mac and cheese.

Favorite class? Probably U.S. Presidents.

Who would play you in a movie? Terry Crews.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? Lawyer.

People might be surprised to know that: I really enjoy classical music. The symphonies and all that stuff.

The scoop: Zandier has been a problem for defenses as a receiver. As a safety, he is one of the headliners of a defense that has pitched seven shutouts and gives up 4.9 points a game. Zandier has 37 receptions for 786 yards and 17 touchdowns.

College talk: Zandier committed to Virginia earlier this month. He was recruited to play outside linebacker. His other finalists were West Virginia and Michigan State.

Most memorable moment this season? I’d definitely say it was [the WPIAL championship]. We played a really great game.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Stuffing for sure. My grandma makes stuffing that is unreal.

Favorite class? Math has always been strongest suit.

Who would play you in a movie? Adam Sandler. I think he’s absolutely hilarious.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? I’m looking into being a business major, so hopefully I’ll be able to run my own business.

People might be surprised to know that: For all the time I put into football, I also put a lot of time into school. I’m in the gifted program and put a lot of time into it.

The scoop: Smith had one of the greatest seasons by a quarterback in WPIAL history. He became the first ever to throw for 3,000 yards and run for 1,000, finishing with 3,121 yards passing and 1,117 rushing. He finished his career with finished his career with 5,186 yards throwing and 1,940 on the ground. In a 77-49 loss to Beaver, he set a new single-game yardage record in the WPIAL with 653.

College talk: Smith has been committed to Duquesne since September, and while other schools have since taken notice, he still expects to sign with the Dukes in February.

Most memorable moment this season? The Beaver game. It was the craziest game I’ve ever been a part of.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Cheesy potatoes.

Anyone in the world you could invite to Thanksgiving dinner: Jennifer Aniston.

Who would play you in a movie? Brad Pitt.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? I want to be a lawyer.

People might be surprised to know that: I enjoy watching “Titanic” like three times a week.

The scoop: It seemed every week, Antuono was hitting another milestone, joining another exclusive club as a dual-threat quarterback. He became just the 19th WPIAL player to pass for 5,500 yards in his career. He’s only the second to pass for 5,000 and run for 2,000, along with Sto-Rox’s Lenny Williams. His 2,114 passing yards and 855 rushing this season have the Lancers in their first WPIAL final.

College talk: Antuono committed to Robert Morris as a linebacker.

Most memorable moment this season? Definitely winning [Saturday night] in the semifinals.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Turkey and some good old sauce, some Italian sauce.

Favorite class? I’m a teacher’s assistant. I help the special education teachers with their kids and I like being around those kids.

Anyone in the world you could invite to Thanksgiving dinner: Kevin Hart. I’d just laugh the whole time.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? Definitely something where I could impact kids in their future.

Who would play you in a movie? I don’t know many actors who could play me. They’d have to get Tim Tebow to come play me.

The scoop: Moved from receiver to quarterback this year and became a dual-threat standout. Has helped Clairton to WPIAL Class 1A championship game. Heads into the title game with 707 yards rushing on 57 attempts and has scored 19 touchdowns. Has completed 40 of 73 for 972 yards. Caught 35 passes as a junior. Also an excellent defensive back.

College talk: Hamlin is being recruited by Football Bowl Subdivision schools as an “athlete.” Some schools like him as a receiver and others like him as a defensive back. Will visit Toledo and Cincinnati after the season. Pitt also is showing some interest.

Most memorable moment this season? Had to be when we beat Aliquippa.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Yams. My mom’s.

Anyone in the world you could invite to Thanksgiving dinner? Meagan Good.

Favorite class? Sociology

Who would play you in a movie? Brandon T. Jackson.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? A sports agent.

People might be surprised to know that: I watch TV a lot.

The scoop: Hinish’s excellent play is a big reason why Central Catholic has won two consecutive WPIAL championships and is aiming for a second straight PIAA title. Hinish blows opponents off the line on offense and is one of the strongest members of the team’s defense, dubbed the “Chain Gang.” The Vikings allow only 13 points a game.

College talk: Hinish will join teammate David Adams at Notre Dame. Hinish was recruited to play defensive tackle. He also seriously considered Penn State.

Most memorable moment this season? Probably winning the championship on Friday in front of all those people at Heinz Field.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Turkey and gravy and corn and mashed potatoes all mixed together.

Favorite class? Either math or literature.

Who would play you in a movie? Maybe The Rock.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? If I had to pick right now, I’d be a school teacher.

People might be surprised to know that: I was never recruited to go to Central Catholic, if that’s a good one.

The scoop: Rated a four-star defensive lineman by Rivals.com. Moves well for a big player and helped Beaver Falls win WPIAL championship for first time since 1984. Also a three-year starter in basketball.

College talk: Made verbal commitment to Michigan last month. Originally committed to Notre Dame, but changed his mind. Will graduate early and enroll at Michigan in January. Was recruited as a defensive lineman.

Most memorable moment this season? As of right now, winning the WPIAL championship.

Thanksgiving food you must have? My grandma’s sweet potato pie.

Favorite class? Probably English. Ms. Gaul’s class.

Who would play you in a movie? It would have to be me because nobody can be me. No movie stars are like me.

Anyone in the world you could invite to Thanksgiving dinner: Tom Brady.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? FBI agent.

People might be surprised to know that: I still don’t have an answer for that.

The scoop: Considered one of the best junior defensive linemen in the state. Excellent quickness allows him to cause havoc on defense. Was double-teamed a lot. Helped Thomas Jefferson win a second consecutive WPIAL championship. One of few freshmen to ever start for Thomas Jefferson.

College talk: Has scholarship offers from West Virginia, Iowa State and Cincinnati. Expected to have numerous other offers after the season.

Most memorable moment this season? Walking out onto Heinz Field this season. It’s amazing to do it the second time.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Stuffing with gravy.

Favorite class? Probably science.

Who would play you in a movie? My brother for sure. Logan Danielson. He knows me and he’s exactly like me.

Anyone in the world you could invite to Thanksgiving dinner: Mike Tomlin.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? Athletic trainer.

People might be surprised to know that: I play the cello in the school orchestra.

The scoop: A starter since he was a freshman, Murray is the seventh-leading rusher in WPIAL history with 6,046 yards (11.3 yards a carry) and has scored 106 career TDs. This season, Murray has rushed for 1,688 yards (13.2 yards a carry) to go along with 38 TDs. He has helped Steel Valley score 54.9 points a game and reach its first WPIAL final since 1989.

College talk: Murray has about a dozen FBS and FCS offers, a list that includes West Virginia, Western Michigan and Cincinnati. He said he isn’t close to deciding.

Most memorable moment this season? Advancing to the WPIAL finals will have to be the most memorable moment. We haven’t been to the finals since Charlie Batch played.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Ham and baked macaroni.

Favorite class? History.

Who would play you in a movie? Kevin Hart.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? I’m thinking about sports medicine or something in that field.

People might be surprised to know that: I’m very humble and quiet.

The scoop: Maenza was one of many dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks wreaking havoc on WPIAL defenses this season. He hit 1,000 yards through the air and on the ground, finishing with 1,199 passing and 1,258 rushing as he led the Tigers to the Class 6A semifinals. Maenza also ran for 21 touchdowns and threw 12 with just three interceptions.

College talk: A student with a 4.4 grade-point average, Maenza has official visits upcoming to Ivy League schools Cornell, Columbia, Dartmouth and likely Pennsylvania.

Most memorable moment this season? Definitely mercy-ruling Pine-Richland since they beat us the past two years.

Anyone in the world you could invite to Thanksgiving dinner: LeBron James. He’s my favorite athlete and I’d love to talk to him.

Favorite class? Economics.

Who would play you in a movie? Leonardo DiCaprio.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? Something in the business field. Finance or economics, I could see myself doing that.

People might be surprised to know that: I eat probably a pint of ice cream every night.

The scoop: In his second season as a starter, Lugg helped pave the way for a Tigers offense that averaged 34.9 points per game. On defense, he added 18 tackles and four sacks as a defensive tackle in the middle of a unit that held opponents to 17.3 points per game.

College talk: Lugg has been committed to Notre Dame since the summer of 2015.

Most memorable moment this season? Either mercy-ruling Pine-Richland on their senior night or mercy-ruling Seneca Valley on our senior night.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Stuffing.

Favorite class? Economics.

Who would play you in a movie? I’d hope Tom Cruise because he’s pretty good, but maybe Johnny Depp because I’m just crazy. Tom Cruise is pretty small.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? I want to run a business. I’m going to go to business school at Notre Dame, work my butt off and hopefully have a successful career if I don’t make the pros.

People might be surprised to know that: I can swim pretty fast. That’s part of my conditioning in the summer and I’m pretty good.

The scoop: In his first and only season at Imani Christian after transferring from University Prep, Robinson set WPIAL Class 1A on fire. He scored 15 touchdowns and also had some big passing games as he did it all to help the Saints win a playoff game in the program’s first postseason berth. His 448 passing yards in a loss to Frazier were the seventh most in WPIAL history.

College talk: Robinson committed last month to West Virginia, where he’ll likely play safety and possibly some at wide receiver.

Most memorable moment this season? The first-round playoff win, because that’s something new for Imani.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Macaroni and cheese.

Favorite class? English.

Who would play you in a movie? Will Smith.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? It’d have to be something with sports, so probably a physical therapist.

People might be surprised to know that: I’m an honor roll student and I’m good in school. Because I’m a city kid, people think I wouldn’t be.

The scoop: Considered one of the best defensive backs in the WPIAL. Had 10 interceptions and was second on team in tackles. Moved from receiver to quarterback this year and helped the Red Hurricanes to the WPIAL 4A championship game. Big-play artist who rushed for 688 yards on 98 carries and completed 73 of 176 for 1,447 yards. Also scored 19 touchdowns.

College talk: Has visit planned to Kent State next month. Penn State is showing interest and Army, Navy, Villanova and Harvard, among others, are recruiting him.

Most memorable moment this season? Winning the WPIAL semifinal game and being able to hug my mom after that.

Thanksgiving food you must have? Stuffing. No gravy.

Favorite class? Science.

Who would play you in a movie? The Rock.

Anyone in the world you could invite to Thanksgiving dinner: LeBron James.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? Physical therapist.

People might be surprised to know that: I used to watch High School Musical.

The scoop: Firment has been a standout on the offensive and defensive lines for the WPIAL Class 5A champions. He anchors an offensive line that played a big role in the Indians piling up 388 yards in a 38-37 overtime win against McKeesport in the title game. Firment has also made 78 tackles for a defense that has limited seven opponents to single-digit point totals.

College talk: Few local players head west to play in college, but Firment strayed from the norm when he committed to Colorado State. He was recruited to be an offensive guard.

Most memorable moment this season? The overtime win against McKeesport in the WPIAL championship game.

Thanksgiving food you must have? My mom’s homemade stuffing.

Favorite class? Physical Conditioning. All I do is lift.

Who would play you in a movie? Bradley Cooper.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? Criminal justice. I want to be a cop.

People might be surprised to know that: I have seven siblings. I’m the second from the youngest.

The scoop: Houy was a force on the Panthers offensive line for the second year in a row, but also took a big step forward on defense this season. He was excellent at defensive tackle in his first year starting for a defense that allowed just 14.6 points per game and held four opponents without a touchdown.

College talk: He’ll continue to be a Panther at the next level, choosing Pitt in the summer over offers from other Division I schools.

Most memorable moment this season? There have been plenty of great moments. It was a great team and we just loved playing together. So, I think every game was a memorable moment.

Thanksgiving food you must have? My mom’s corn pudding.

Anyone in the world you could invite to Thanksgiving dinner: Someone funny to make us laugh at the dinner table, so maybe Will Ferrell.

Favorite class? American History.

Who would play you in a movie? The Rock.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? I’m not sure. I haven’t even thought about a major yet. I’d have to say something like sports medicine/management or business.

The scoop: To Thomas Jefferson’s opponents, Hill might have appeared to be running downhill. Hill was a workhorse in the WPIAL Class 4A championship win against New Castle, carrying the ball 39 times for 248 yards and three touchdowns. Heading into the PIAA quarterfinals, Hill has rushed for 1,821 yards and 29 touchdowns this season and has 4,313 yards in his career.

College talk: Hill is considering offers from two FCS schools — Saint Francis, Pa., and Howard. Both schools like him as a running back. He’ll likely make a decision in December.

Most memorable moment this season? Obviously winning the WPIAL championship.

Thanksgiving food you must have? I love stuffing.

Favorite class? Probably study hall.

Who would play you in a movie? Will Smith.

Career, if not an athlete or coach? I want to be a real estate agent.

People might be surprised to know that: I do ceramics and I take a wood shop class. I make a lot of things there.