Versatility as quarterback lands Wilson’s Tommy Hunsicker on All-State team
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
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Tommy Hunsicker was listed as Wilson’ quarterback but he often ended up as the Bulldogs’ running back – even if the plays weren’t designed that way.
The 6-2 senior was so elusive in the pocket and so instinctual running with the football that he became a true dual threat for the Bulldogs, leading them in rushing and passing.
It’s appropriate that he’s listed on the Pennsylvania Football Writers Class 6A All-State team at Athlete because he’s too versatile to be listed at just one position.
Over 11 games Hunsicker passed for 2,180 yards, just 56 shy of the program record set by Zach Zweizig in 2009, in 13 games. He completed 64.3 percent of his passes and was intercepted just four times in 241 attempts. His passing efficiency of 170.3 is third-best in program history.
His 156 completions tied for second-most with Chad Henne, who worked closely with him this season as a Bulldogs quarterbacks coach.
“He’s everything you want (in a football player),” Henne said after Hunsicker was named the MikeDragoSports.com Offensive Player of the Year. “As a player, as a quarterback, he’ll do anything you ask him to do. In practice he set the example with how hard he worked, how well he knew the plays, how he got the guys going.”
Hunsicker is one of four Lancaster-Lebanon League players selected for the team and the lone Berks representative. The others played for Section 1 champ Manheim Township: Quarterback Hayden Johnson, wide receiver Landon Kennel and defensive lineman Eli Rodriguez.
Art Walker, whose North Allegheny team reached the PIAA championship game, was named Coach of the Year.
Samaj Jones, who quarterbacked St. Joseph’s Prep to the state championship, is the Player of the Year and one of six All-State picks for the Hawks.
Jones passed for 1,929 yards and 20 touchdowns and ran for 446 yards and 14 TDs in leading St. Joseph’s to its third state championship in his four seasons. He is committed to play at Cincinnati.
Johnson, a Lehigh recruit, had an incredible season, completing 76 percent of his passes for 2,896 yards with 49 touchdown passes and zero interceptions. His 7,536 career passing yards are fourth-most in league history.
Kennel, a senior committed to Monmouth University, helped Johnson pile up those big stats. He had 64 receptions for 1,119 yards and a program-record 25 TD catches.
Harrisburg, Central York and Pittsburgh Central Catholic each had four All-State selections.
Hunsicker instinctively found running lanes on the read-option and was a danger in the open field. He led the Bulldogs in rushing yards and rushing TDs.
It was even more fun to watch him run around when his pass protection broke down. He looked like a modern version of Fran Tarkenton, zipping around the pocket as he dodged defensive linemen to buy time for his receivers or set up a run of his own.
He made an unforgettable play early in the season against Central Dauphin when he ducked out of a couple sacks, then rolled left and fired a deep ball to Jackson Wagner, who was 20 yards beyond any defenders and went for a touchdown.
“Tommy’s Tommy,” said his head coach Doug Dahms after that play. “He’s running well, he’s scrambling, he’s smart. We’re gonna ride him for quite a while.”
Hunsicker’s All-State position, Athlete, is appropriate: He’s also a starter on Wilson’s basketball and baseball teams.
“Any sprint we did, any competition, Tommy was always in the front,” Henne said. “He cares about it, he wants to win, he wants to show the guys he’s the guy they can look to whether times are good or times are bad.”
CLASS 6A ALL-STATE TEAM
Player of the Year: Samaj Jones, St. Joseph’s Prep
Coach of the Year: Art Walker, North Allegheny
Offense
Quarterback
Matt Zollers, Spring-Ford – 6-4, 205 junior
Hayden Johnson, Manheim Township – 6-0, 180 senior
Logan Kushner, North Allegheny – 6-1, 200 senior
Samaj Jones, St. Joseph’s Prep – 6-2, 210 senior
Payton Wehner, Pittsburgh Central Catholic – 6-0, 180 senior
Running Back
Anthony Leonardi, Central Bucks South – 5-11, 180 senior
Juelz Goff, Central York – 5-10, 195 senior
Jared Porter, Central Dauphin East – 5-9, 170 junior
Trey Tremba, Parkland – 5-11, 200 senior
Wide Receiver
Mason Kuehner, Nazareth – 5-11, 170 senior
Pete Gonzalez, Pittsburgh Central Catholic – 6-3, 200 senior
David Washington Jr., St. Joseph’s Prep – 6-0, 185 senior
Landon Kennel, Manheim Township – 6-3, 200 senior
Mason Scott, Spring-Ford – 6-1, 170 senior
Tight End
Jack Donnelly, Central Bucks East – 6-2, 235 senior
Offensive Line
Cooper Cousins, McDowell – 6-6, 310 senior
Michael Carroll, Central Bucks East – 6-6, 298 junior
Kevin Brown, Harrisburg – 6-5, 250 sophomore
Michael McMonigle, York High – 6-6, 290 senior
Adham Abouraya, Downingtown East – 6-5, 280 senior
Jack Yatchenko, North Allegheny – 6-3, 285 junior
Athlete
Jaheim Bennett, George Washington – 6-0, 175 junior
Michael Scott, Dallastown – 5-9, 160 junior
Tommy Hunsicker, Wilson – 6-2, 185 senior
Defense
Defensive Line
Maxwell Roy, St. Joseph’s Prep – 6-4, 285 junior
Ryan Epps, Harrisburg – 6-1, 235 senior
Sean Kinney, Nazareth – 6-3, 290 senior
Sean McNulty, St. Joseph’s Prep – 6-0, 245 senior
Malachi Ramnath, Central York – 6-3, 220 junior
Eli Rodriguez, Manheim Township – 6-0, 220 senior
Linebacker
Anthony Speca, Pittsburgh Central Catholic – 6-3, 215 senior
Anthony Sacca, St. Joseph’s Prep – 6-4, 220 junior
Cole Sullivan, Pittsburgh Central Catholic – 6-3, 205 senior
Michael Gaul, State College – 6-1, 205 junior
Alex Sauve, Cumberland Valley – 6-0, 205 senior
Defensive Back
Saxton Suchanic, Central York – 6-3, 180 junior
Ziyyon Bradell, Abraham Lincoln – 6-0, 180 junior
Omillio Agard, St. Joseph’s Prep – 5-11, 165 senior
Quincy Brannon, Harrisburg – 5-11, 175 junior
Specialist
Matthew Parker, Central York – 6-2, 200 junior
Athlete
Shawn Lee Jr., Harrisburg – 5-11, 180 junior
Tyree Alualu, North Allegheny – 5-11, 220 senior
