Scouting the State Finals: PIAA Class 6A Championship

Analyzing St. Joseph’s Prep’s Rushing Attack vs. Harrisburg’s Front Seven

This Fall saw a heavy dosage of Khaseim Phillips and Taj Dyches Taj Dyches 5'8" | 180 lbs | RB St. Joseph's Prep | 2024 State PA toting carries for the Hawks. Both backs with great change of direction ability, both backs capable of catching the football, Phillips and Dyches are able to keep each other fresh while providing a similar skillset to the offense. The two haven’t been utilized in the passing game much in the past months, out of sheer non-necessity. Yet the two have racked up 1,100 yards on the ground combined, totaling 14 total touchdowns off of carries alone.

Gameplanning against the two backs wouldn’t be the hardest thing in the world. It becomes daunting when you realize SJP can send Erik Sanchez Erik Sanchez 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB St. Joseph's Prep | 2024 State PA , Isaiah West Isaiah West 6'0" | 215 lbs | RB St. Joseph's Prep | 2025 State PA , and Will Vokolos at you at their leisure. Sanchez and West have missed time this Fall, all that has surmounted is fresh legs in the postseason. Sanchez has eclipsed 50+ rushing yards in the last three games played, coming 4 yards shy of cracking 100 against Parkland. Isaiah West Isaiah West 6'0" | 215 lbs | RB St. Joseph's Prep | 2025 State PA turned in his best outing of the Fall last week against Garnet Valley, where he led all rushers with 75 yards on the ground. Will Vokolos has put forth 130+ yards on the ground as well, coming up with timely reps when called upon. Sanchez, Vokolos, and West have scored 9 times as well, seven coming out of Sanchez.

The rushing attack led by this incredible offensive line is capable of beating any team in the PIAA alone. Now, let’s add Samaj Jones Samaj Jones 6'0" | 215 lbs | QB St. Joseph's Prep | 2024 State PA into the mix. Jones has accounted for 40+ touchdowns on the year, that being through the air and ground. 13 scores have come from Jones making something out of nothing, utilizing his feet and awareness to move the ball down the field. The athlete is capable of scoring from anywhere on the field, he’s got game-breaking play-making ability. Semaj Jones acts as SJP’s second leading rusher with 640+ yards on just under 100 carries.

Harrisburg has Terrell Reynolds Terrell Reynolds 6'2" | 230 lbs | DL Harrisburg | 2023 State PA around the edge, yet I’ve seen this offensive line scheme players like Darold Dengohe Darold Dengohe 6'3" | 280 lbs | DL LaSalle College | 2023 State PA and Jameial Lyons Jameial Lyons 6'4" | 245 lbs | DL Roman Catholic | 2023 State PA out of the game. I expect them to do the same in this one. Harrisburg will have to rely on capable backers like Zakii Lewis Zakii Lewis 6'2" | 190 lbs | QB Harrisburg | 2023 PA and KyMir Williams to plug lanes before they show themselves. Ryan Epps Ryan Epps 6'1" | 235 lbs | DL Harrisburg | 2024 State PA will likely provide special play in this one. I see him being the key prospect to make plays for Harrisburg when he’s needed the most. I expect a heavy dose of runs to key prospects around Eps, leaving him capable of 1-on-1 situations with these backs. His play and his teammate’s ability to shed blocks will be crucial in attempting to slow this potent rushing attack.

Analyzing St. Joseph’s Prep’s Passing Attack vs. Harrisburg’s Secondary

Great, Harrisburg stopped the run. They need to also account for this passing attack that has the firepower to blow any program out of the water in the first half. Luckily, Harrisburg has some special DBs that could throttle the Hawk’s air game.

Samaj Jones Samaj Jones 6'0" | 215 lbs | QB St. Joseph's Prep | 2024 State PA leads the way, here are his stats since the less than ideal start against La Salle.

29-42, 542 yards, 8 touchdowns.

That being through a three-game playoff stretch. The young man is on fire and is clicking with his ridiculous stable of wideouts.

David Washington serves as the primary target in most passing sets run by SJP. Tape shows they have no problem giving this kid the rock and letting him work from anywhere on the field. His game earns him that right. David Washington leads the Hawk attack with 42 receptions on the year, 19 more catches than the second leading man. The second leading man is SEC-courted Brandon Rehmann Brandon Rehmann 6'0" | 180 lbs | WR St. Joseph's Prep | 2024 State PA , who has the speed to take any screen or slant to the house. Rehmann serves as the big-play wideout, surmounting 460+ yards on just 23 catches on the year. Elijah Jones Elijah Jones 6'0" | 190 lbs | WR St. Joseph's Prep | 2024 State PA missed 3-4 games this Fall, yet he is equally as special as the two mentioned above. Elijah Jones Elijah Jones 6'0" | 190 lbs | WR St. Joseph's Prep | 2024 State PA ripped off a 50+ yard touchdown in three of his last five games played.

What’s special is, these three are almost interchangeable. There is no true number one, each prospect can carry their weight and make game-winning plays if need be.

Throw in wideouts like Owen Garwood Owen Garwood 6'2" | 185 lbs | WR St. Joseph's Prep | 2023 State PA and Mike DiTrolio Mike DiTrolio 6'1" | 170 lbs | WR St. Joseph's Prep | 2023 State PA . Two pass-catches who are considered veterans in this offensive system. Both would be “number one’s” elsewhere. You can’t forget about 2025 prospect Alijah Turner Alijah Turner 5'10" | 180 lbs | WR St. Joseph's Prep | 2025 State PA either, he’s special in his own right and is working to earn reps and trust in this offense. I am never surprised when he does something special on the field.

Let’s talk some about the secondary at Harrisburg, an area that I believe is a strength of theirs. Amir Jones Amir Jones 6'2" | 190 lbs | DB Harrisburg | 2023 State PA has been working primarily at DB. His size, 6’2 and 190 pounds will serve him well when aligning against any of SJP’s targets. I don’t doubt that the young man can run with these kids either. I love the season he put forth, also love how the Harrisburg coaching staff has utilized him all over the defense. His play in this one will be crucial. Amir Jones Amir Jones 6'2" | 190 lbs | DB Harrisburg | 2023 State PA is one of the few prospects that rank in the top ten as both a DB and a WR. Not many prospects can say that.

I’m not going to be the one to doubt Raytel Bryant Raytel Bryant 5'9" | 180 lbs | DB Harrisburg | 2024 State PA either. People look at this kid and all they can talk about is his size. Not me. I’ve seen his dog mentality up close and personal. He plays with a real chip on his shoulder. Besides that, Bryant seems to be in the right place at the right time. I can already see the young man coming up with crucial PBUs or INTs in this one. Other programs might take this kid lightly, SJP won’t. Hell of a tackler on run plays coming his way too, considering his build. I’m not doubting this kid’s ability to make plays in this one.

I’m also fond of Ameer Grandberry Ameer Grandberry 5'10" | 155 lbs | WR Harrisburg | 2023 State PA ‘s work at single-high safety. I’ll be interested to see how he’s aligned because he can provide quality work at wideout too. Yet Grandberry might be the glue that holds the secondary together. He diagnosed plays so well against State College, especially runs outside of the tackles. SJP will bring a little of everything as far as the run game is concerned. I like Grandberry to stick his nose in and not run away from contact. We have to give this Harrisburg team credit for beating a stout program like State College. Harrisburg’s secondary play will be huge.

Will Harrisburg’s offense keep up?

There are two sides to this football game. You might not find a guy more fond of a defense than I am of SJPs. Led by Josiah Trotter Josiah Trotter 6'2" | 220 lbs | LB St. Joseph's Prep | 2023 State PA and Cole Nilles Cole Nilles 6'3" | 225 lbs | LB St. Joseph's Prep | 2023 State PA will man the linebacking lines and will be tasked with throttling everything coming to them. They will be faced with quite the tandem, a tandem that should keep them on their toes. Trotter and Nilles are best on their toes however, seeing them stop a Roman, Northeast, and Parkland rushing attack leads me to believe this might not be different. Yet the duo of Kyle Williams Kyle Williams 6'0" | 185 lbs | ATH Harrisburg | 2023 State PA and Mahkai Hopkins Mahkai Hopkins 6'2" | 240 lbs | RB Harrisburg | 2023 State PA might be the best pair this Hawk defense has faced in months. Will Harrisburg be able to open up holes for the two? I do not doubt that Hopkins and Williams are ready to make a splash, will they get the opportunity? Who will neutralize Sean McNulty Sean McNulty 6'2" | 225 lbs | DL St. Joseph's Prep | 2024 State PA or Maxwell Roy? Harrisburg has some young studs in the trenches, as does SJP. Excited to see how the trenches unfold on this side of the football.

Shawn Lee is one of the more electric ball players in this Final, I’m talking all six games. My experience watching SJP leads me to believe they will do what they can to bottle him up. Shamir Johnson Shamir Johnson 6'0" | 180 lbs | DB St. Joseph's Prep | 2024 State PA and Omillio Agard Omillio Agard 5'11" | 160 lbs | DB St. Joseph's Prep | 2024 State PA will bottle any and everything that comes their way. I like the wideouts Harrisburg deploys, whether it be Grandberry or Elias Coke Elias Coke 6'3" | 205 lbs | WR/DB Harrisburg | 2026 State PA . Will they be able to separate? Will Lee take his eyes away and want to tuck and run? Trotter, Sacca, and Nilles have seen this story before.

An incredible effort will be needed for Harrisburg to consistently move the football. Good thing is, they have two FBS quality backs they can deploy how they please. If Harrisburg can ensure that SJP must account for Hopkins and Williams, they could play off of this surprise SJP schematically. Harrisburg will look to encapsulate some of what La Salle did to SJP back in the 6A PCL Final.