Wilson’s Cameron Jones, Jon Ramsey pick up Class 6A All-State honors
Nobody’s ever going to kick to Cameron Jones again. Not after this. Not after seeing the Wilson junior named to the Pennsylvania Football Writers Class 6A All-State team, in large part because of his extraordinary ability to return kicks.
Jones took seven kicks — four punts and three kickoffs — back for touchdowns this season. That well could be a Berks record. Amazingly, he had six touchdown returns called back by penalty — that, too, could be a record.
“I feel like all of them are going to the house,” Jones said at midseason after taking back two kicks in a win over Cedar Crest.
Jones, also a standout cornerback, was selected to the 41-member All-State squad as an Athlete. He is joined by teammate Jon Ramsey, who was selected as an offensive lineman.
Bob Palko of PIAA Class 6A champ Mount Lebanon was named Coach of the Year.
Running back Alex Tecza of Mount Lebanon and quarterback Beau Pribula of Central York shared the Player of the Year award.
Mount St. Joseph’s had the most selections, with seven. Mount Lebanon had five. Harrisburg and North Penn each had three.
Other than the Wilson duo the only other Lancaster-Lebanon League player selected was wide receiver Anthony Ivey of Manheim Township, a Penn State recruit.
Ramsey, a 6-2, 220-pound senior, was named both Outstanding Lineman and Offensive Lineman of the Year in Section 1 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. He was also an all-league pick at defensive end.
Ramsey played hurt throughout the season, often with both hands in some kind of cast or protective guard.
He broke a bone in his right wrist before the season began. On his left hand his middle finger through pinkie were taped together because of another injury. No matter.
“He’s blocking with his forearms, because he can’t use his hands,” Bulldogs coach Doug Dahms said at midseason. “That makes it tough on him. Defensively, he doesn’t have the hands for gripping.”
Ramsey and Jones were keys in the Bulldogs’ midseason turnaround that saw them win seven straight games, claim the Section 1 title and reach the District 3 Class 6A championship game.
Along the way they took out unbeaten and top-seeded Central York 14-11, limiting Pribula to one TD pass in the semifinal victory.
Otherwise, Pribula had another amazing year. One season after taking the Panthers to the PIAA championship game he completed 72 percent of his passes for 2,575 yards and 33 TDs, with just six interceptions. The Penn State recruit finished with 73 career touchdown passes.
Tecza rushed for 2,073 yards and scored 31 touchdowns. He also caught 27 passes. In the state championship game he ran for a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns as Mount Lebanon pulled away for a 35-17 win over defending champ St. Joseph’s Prep.
The 5-11, 175-pound Jones was named Defensive Back of the Year in Section 1 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League and was the league’s lone three-way pick: he was picked at Athlete, as a kick returner and at defensive back.
Jones was second on the team with 12 touchdowns. He averaged 8.1 per rush and 16.9 yards on eight receptions. His most impressive numbers came in the kicking game where he averaged 28.6 yards on 17 punt returns and 47.1 on 14 kickoffs.
“Cam is very serious about the game and is mentally ready in all three phases to excel,” said Dahms. “He really sets up his blocks on returns and has the patience to let them develop, and then explodes through the seams.
“He has the extra gear to accelerate. He glides and then bursts. He’s a big part of why we’re winning these games.”
“Every time he touches it, I (think): ‘He’s gonna take this one to the house,’ ” said Bulldogs quarterback Brad Hoffman. “His speed burst is crazy.”
Jones got his first chance to return kicks in the final game of his sophomore season, at Manheim Central. He took a pair of punts back to the house but each was nullified by a penalty. Still, that gave Dahms a glimpse of his potential.
“He had never shown it (before that),” Dahms said. “We didn’t know. We had a pretty decent return guy. We put him Cam in because somebody was dinged and it was like, ‘Whoa.’ We knew coming into this year he was special.”
CO-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Alex Tecza, Mount Lebanon; Beau Pribula, Central York
COACH OF THE YEAR: Bob Palko, Mount Lebanon
Offense
Quarterback
Beau Pribula, Central York — 6-2, 210 Sr.
Ethan Kohler, Perkiomen Valley — 6-2, 215 Sr.
Joey Daniels, Mount Lebanon — 6-1, 185 Sr.
Ryan Zeltt, North Penn — 6-4, 190 Jr.
Running Back
Tahir Mills, Ridley — 6-1, 210 Sr.
Alex Tecza, Mount Lebanon — 6-0, 200 Sr.
Jaheim White, York High — 5-9, 195 Sr.
Khalani Eaton, North Penn — 5-10, 210 Sr.
Sam Brown, La Salle College HS — 6-0, 195 Sr.
Wide Receiver
Eli Heidenreich, Mount Lebanon — 6-0, 180 Sr.
Anthony Ivey, Manheim Township — 6-1, 180 Sr.
Kenny Johnson, Dallastown — 6-2, 190 Jr.
Levi Carroll, North Penn — 6-4, 185 Sr.
Tight End
Aiden Black, Delaware Valley — 6-4, 225 Soph.
Offensive Line
Joden Nelson, York High — 6-4, 280 Sr.
Michael Dincher, State College — 6-3, 295 Jr.
Brad Harris, St. Joseph’s Prep — 6-4, 280 Sr.
Kade Capristo, Mount Lebanon — 6-2, 270 Jr.
Jon Ramsey, Wilson — 6-2, 220 Sr.
Cooper Cousins, McDowell — 6-6, 275 Soph.
Athlete
Samaj Jones, St. Joseph’s Prep — 6-1, 210 Soph.
Kyle Williams Jr., Harrisburg — 6-0, 175 Jr.
Defense
Defensive Line
Braelin Moore, Bethlehem Freedom — 6-3, 295 Sr.
Eric Gardner, Archbishop Wood — 6-2, 225 Jr.
Donovan Hinish, Pittsburgh C.C. — 6-2, 275 Sr.
Terrell Reynolds, Harrisburg — 6-2, 245 Jr.
James Heard, St. Joseph’s Prep — 6-3, 225 Sr.
William Harvey, Mount Lebanon — 6-3, 280 Sr.
Linebacker
Phil Picciotti, Pennridge — 6-3, 225 Jr.
Abdul Carter, La Salle College HS — 6-4, 235 Sr.
Carter Glassmyer, Central York — 6-1, 215 Sr.
Kenneth Talley, Northeast — 6-3, 240 Sr.
Josiah Trotter, St. Joseph’s Prep — 6-1, 230 Jr.
Bryce Wood, McDowell — 6-3, 215 Sr.
Defensive Back
Keenan Nelson, St. Joseph’s Prep — 6-1, 195 Sr.
Justin Cook, Harrisburg — 5-10, 165 Sr.
Anthony Sacca, St. Joseph’s Prep — 6-4, 190 Fr.
Mehki Flowers, CD East — 6-1, 185 Sr.
Specialist
Antonio Chadha, St. Joseph’s Prep — 5-9, 195 Sr.
Athlete
Lebron Bessick, Coatesville — 6-0, 175 Sr.
Cameron Jones, Wilson — 5-11, 180 Jr.