Wyomissing’s Ryker Jones finally gets his idol’s number with All-State selection
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When he first started playing football, Ryker Jones wanted to wear No. 24, the same number worn by Alex Anzalone, Wyomissing’s only two-time All-State linebacker.
Jones had to settle for No. 25; a lot other kids wanted to wear Anzalone’s number too, it turned out.
A decade later Jones has earned Anzalone’s number: Two, as in the number of times selected All-State.
Jones equaled his idol Thursday when he was named to the Pennsylvania Football Writers’ Class 3A All-State team for the second straight year.
Jones is joined by teammate Caleb Brewer, picked as a defensive lineman, and Hamburg tight end Mason Semmel.
The All-State teams for Class 4A, 5A and 6A will be announced Friday.
Wyomissing has had numerous All-State picks in recent years but Semmel is just the second from Hamburg to be named first-team. He follows running back Diohnny Ruiz, who was selected in 2021.
Jones, a 6-foot, 190-pound senior committed to play at Princeton, was Linebacker of the Year in Berks County and in Section 4 of Lancaster-Lebanon League and MikeDragoSports.com Berks County Defensive Player of the Year.
He returned from a torn ACL suffered in the 2022 state semifinals a bigger and better player, leading the Spartans to a fifth straight District 3 championship, back to the state semifinals and to a 12-2 record.
He missed the first three games of the season recovering from his injury but returned to record 44 solo tackles and six sacks in 11 games. He averaged 10.6 yards per carry and scored six touchdowns on just 40 carries but was such a devastating blocker he was utilized more in that capacity than with the ball in his hands.
Brewer, a 6-5, 275-pound senior committed to Penn State, was named Offensive Lineman, Defensive Lineman, and Outstanding Lineman in Section 4 of Lancaster-Lebanon League.
He hadn’t played as much defense as offense before this season but emerged as a true run-stuffer and pocket-crusher and was Berks County Lineman of the Year by MikeDragoSports.com. He served as a major disruptor in the middle of league’s No. 1 defense.
Semmel, a 6-3, 220-pound senior, was an offensive lineman until his junior year season when new head coach Matt Hoffert recognized his ability to catch the ball.
He was moved to tight end and became one of the focal points of a high-scoring Hawks offense that helped Tyler Shuey set all kinds of passing records this season and lead the league in passing yards during the regular season.
Semmel, an all-league pick in Section 5, led Hamburg with 43 receptions, 884 receiving yards and 12 TD receptions. He was also the team’s No. 1 player on defense from spot his spot at middle linebacker. He led the team with 55 solos and 84 tackles overall in 11 games, with six tackles for loss, four sacks and three blocked kicks.
This is the first time in four years that Wyomissing has had fewer than four All-State picks. The Spartans had seven in 2020, when they reached the PIAA championship game, and six in 2021 when they returned to the state title game.
They had four picks last season, including offensive lineman Jven Williams, one of only a handful of two-time first-team picks from the program. The only other two-time picks from Wyomissing are defensive back DeShaun Wilson, in 2016-17, and Anzalone in 2011-12.
Quinton Martin of PIAA champ Belle Vernon was named Class 3A Player of the Year. Matt Humbert of Belle Vernon was named Coach of the Year.
PIAA finalist Northwestern Lehigh, which defeated Wyomissing in the state semifinals, had five picks: Running back Dalton Clymer, offensive lineman Ben Walters, defensive lineman Bryer Reichard, linebacker Shane Hulmes and defensive back Eli Zimmerman.
Danville, which lost to Wyomissing in the state quarterfinals, was the only other team with five picks. Selected from Danville: Quarterback Madden Patrick, wide receiver Aaron Johnson, offensive lineman Justin Kutcher, linebacker Cameron Kiersch and Bo Sheptock, selected at Athlete.
Lancaster Catholic running back Elijah Cunningham is the only other player selected from the Lancaster-Lebanon League.
West Perry, which lost to Wyomissing in the district title game, had two selections: Quarterback Marcus Quaker and Ian Goodling, selected as an Athlete.
Players are nominated for All-State honors by sportswriters across the state.
Class 3A All-State Team
Player of the Year: Quinton Martin, Belle Vernon
Coach of the Year: Matt Humbert, Belle Vernon
Offense
Quarterback
Tyler Gee, Loyalsock – 6-0, 180 senior
Matt Machalik, Palmerton – 6-1, 195 senior
Madden Patrick, Danville – 6-0, 175 junior
Marcus Quaker, West Perry – 5-11, 170 senior
Hunter Hohman, Grove City – 5-10, 175 senior
Running Back
Dalton Clymer, Northwestern Lehigh – 6-0, 190 senior
Quinton Martin, Belle Vernon – 6-2, 195 senior
Ethen Knox, Oil City – 6-1, 190 senior
Elijah Cunningham, Lancaster Catholic – 5-10, 200 senior
Wide Receiver
Jaylen Andrews, Loyalsock – 6-3, 180 senior
Aaron Johnson, Danville – 5-10, 170 senior
Jack Dunn, Central Martinsburg – 6-3, 171 senior
Joey Wilkinson, Hanover – 5-11, 175 senior
Troy Dressler, Mifflinburg – 6-4, 200 senior
Tight End
Mason Semmel, Hamburg – 6-3, 220 senior
Offensive Line
Justin Kutcher, Danville – 6-1, 265 senior
Ben Walters, Northwestern Lehigh – 6-0, 230 senior
Braden Ewing, Tyrone – 6-1, 265 senior
Henry Milford, Oil City – 6-1, 310 senior
Rico Steele, West Mifflin – 6-4, 300 senior
Athlete
Andrew Kuban, Avonworth – 5-11, 185 senior
Jamari Curlett, North East – 5-8, 155 senior
Joey Flail, North Schuylkill – 6-0, 190 senior
Defense
Defensive Line
Braden Laux, Belle Vernon – 6-5, 215 senior
Noah Rosahac, Jim Thorpe – 6-6, 275 senior
Bryer Reichard, Northwestern Lehigh – 6-5, 261 junior
Brodie Miller, Sharon – 6-2, 225 junior
Luke Lewis, Hickory – 6-0, 325 sophomore
Caleb Brewer, Wyomissing – 6-5, 275 senior
Linebacker
Ryker Jones, Wyomissing – 6-0, 190 senior
Logan Bastian, Loyalsock – 6-0, 185 senior
Cameron Kiersch, Danville – 6-1, 208 junior
Shane Hulmes, Northwestern Lehigh – 5-10, 194 sophomore
Andrew Summa, Scranton Prep – 5-10, 175 senior
Hunter Smith, Central Martinsburg – 6-2, 210 senior
Defensive Back
Eli Zimmerman, Northwestern Lehigh – 5-7, 140 junior
Adam LaCarte, Belle Vernon – 6-1, 200 senior
Jadon Phillips, Hickory – 5-10, 165 freshman
Khari Reid, Neumann-Goretti – 6-0, 220 senior
Specialist
Lukas Jones, Hickory – 5-11, 180 senior
Athlete
Ian Goodling, West Perry – 6-1, 175 senior
Bo Sheptock, Danville – 5-10, 170 junior
Gavin Harrold, Penn Cambria – 5-11, 180 junior
