Locals earn county honors for gridiron play
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Shenandoah Valley Quarterback Ethan Bench holds his helmet during pregame ceremonies prior to the Blue Devils' game against Columbia Montour Vo-Tech on August 22, 2025.
SHENANDOAH – Several local football players received postseason honors from the Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association.
The coaches named a first team, second team, and honorable mention for the county’s large and small schools, as well as coaches and players of the year.
For big schools, those latter honors are mostly up north, with outgoing North Schuylkill head Coach Wally Hall earning coach of the year for big schools. North Schuylkill senior lineman Aiden Zilker earned offensive lineman of the year while Luke Miller, North Schuylkill’s senior running back, was named offensive player of the year.
Those two were members of the first team for big schools.
They were joined by the following Spartan teammates:
- Gavin Wall, senior guard;
- Landen Smith, senior wide receiver.
On the second team offense, senior quarterback Caden Mengel, senior tackle Kaiden Knox,, and senior wideout Julian Nelson earned honors.
Honorable mentions went to senior fullback Cadyn McGraw, sophomore center William Wysoski, and senior guard Cameron Hutnick.
On the defensive side of the ball, Miller was honored again for his play at defensive back as a member of the first team big school defense.
He’s joined by teammates Julian Nelson, a senior defensive back; David Martinez, a senior tackle; and Seth Hubler, a junior linebacker.
On the second team, Zilker earned the honors for his play at defensive end alongside Nelson Berger, a sophomore noseguard.
Notable, a Shenandoah Junior Blue Devils alum, James “Sonny” Amato, earned second team honors as a freshman linebacker for Blue Mountain.
On the honorable mentions defense, McGraw earned honors for his play at defensive end.
For small schools, Mahanoy Area standout senior Kyler Quick earned first team small school defense honors for his play at linebacker.
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL – Mahanoy Area’s Kyler Quick reaches out for the endzone during a high school football game against Shenandoah Valley at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Shenandoah on Oct. 24, 2025. 
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL – Shenandoah Valley’s Mikey Elchisak attempts to elude Vo-Tech defender #28 Gage Cragle during Friday’s game at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Shenandoah. 
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL – Shenandoah Valley’s Mikey Elchisak wears pink strips with the name “Hall” to support Leanne Hall in her battle against cancer.
Fellow Golden Bears William Stoyer, a junior noseguard, and Stanley Borris a sophomore defensive tackle, a earned second team honors.
The following local players earned honorable mentions:
- Quinton Rucker, Mahanoy Area, a freshman defensive back;
- David Burrous, Shenandoah Valley, a junior linebacker;
- Mikey Elchisak, Shenandoah Valley, a junior linebacker.
On offense, no locals made the first team for small schools. Quick earned second team honors for his play at fullback.
Shenandoah Valley sophomore quarterback Ethan Bench earned honorable mention honors along with Elchisak for his play at running back.
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