2022 WPIAL All-Conference Football: Union’s Braylon Thomas leads Big 7 award winners

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, December 24, 2022 | 8:30 AM

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Union quarterback Braylon Thomas and South Side linebacker Ryan Navarra earned the top individual awards in the Class A Big 7 all-conference voting.

Conference champion Laurel led with eight first-team all-conference spots, including two-way honorees Landon Smith, Brady Cooper and Ryan DiMuccio. The Spartans went 6-0 in the conference, finished 9-2 overall and reached the WPIAL Class A quarterfinals.

Laurel’s Brian Cooper was voted conference coach of the year, and senior Coltin Hill was named the top lineman.

However, it was conference foe Union that upset Laurel in the playoffs. The Scotties finished third in the Big 7, but a historic postseason run saw them win the WPIAL title and reach the state finals for the first time.

South Side was second in the conference at 5-1.

First team offense

Player, School, Pos, Ht., Wt., Yr.

Ryan DiMuccio, Laurel, OL, 6-1, 193, sr.

Coltin Hill, Laurel, OL, 6-4, 270, sr.

Chase Knox, South Side, OL, 6-0, 205, jr.

Kyle Lenhart, Shenango, OL, 6-4, 280, sr.

Daunte Welling, Rochester, OL, 6-5, 335, sr.

Lewis Clark, Northgate, WR, 5-10, 155, sr.

Jerome Mullins, Rochester, WR, 6-2, 180, sr.

Brady Cooper, Laurel, TE, 6-1, 193, sr.

Kaden Fisher, Union, TE, 6-4, 200, sr.

Braylon Thomas, Union, QB, 6-2, 180, jr.

Antonio Laure, Rochester, RB, 5-8, 175, so.

Hunter Lively, Shenango, RB, 5-8, 163, sr.

Landon Smith, Laurel, RB, 5-8, 150, sr.

Parker Statler, South Side, ATH, 5-11, 185, sr.

Mateja Pavlovich, South Side, K, 6-1, 185, so.

First team defense

Player, School, Pos., Ht., Wt., Yr.

Ryan DiMuccio, Laurel, DL, 6-2, 202, sr.

Kyle Lenhart, Shenango, DL, 6-4, 280, sr.

J.D. Roy, South Side, DL, 6-2, 220, jr.

Mark Stanley, Union, DL, 6-2, 250, sr.

Ryan Clark, Rochester, LB, 6-1, 190, sr.

Brady Cooper, Laurel, LB, 6-1, 193, sr.

Kaden Fisher, Union, LB, 6-4, 200, sr.

Ryan Navarra, South Side, LB, 5-10, 185, jr.

Lewis Clark, Northgate, DB, 5-10, 155, sr.

Dayne Johnke, Union, DB, 6-1, 170, jr.

C.J. Miller, Shenango, DB, 5-10, 163, sr.

Jerome Mullins, Rochester, DB, 6-2, 180, sr.

Landon Smith, Laurel, DB, 5-8, 150, sr.

Chase Tinstman, Laurel, P, 6-1, 205, sr.

Offensive Player of the Year: Braylon Thomas, Union

Defensive Player of the Year: Ryan Navarra, South Side

Lineman of the Year: Coltin Hill, Laurel

Coach of the Year: Brian Cooper, Laurel

2022 All-Conference Football Teams

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Laurel, Northgate, Rochester, Shenango, South Side, Summit Academy, Union