Bellwood and Tyrone Put Two each on AP all state teams
Bellwood and Tyrone Put Two each on AP all state teams
( The Tyrone Daily Herald)
Bellwood- The PIAA Class-A All-State list was released to the public this morning. In 2004, a pair of Blue Devils were selected to the Associated Press team to continue the list of excellence at Bellwood.
Bellwood-Antis senior Derrick Hoffer was selected to the First Team Defensive Team as a defensive back and twin brother Dustin Hoffer was named to the Second Team as an offensive lineman.
Derrick Hoffer led all 24 area teams in interceptions with seven and had 14 pass breakups in addition. His assignment for any given game was to guard the team’s leading receiver and he routinely shut the wide receivers down.
“Derrick has been an outstanding defensive back for us for the past two seasons,” said Bellwood-Antis head coach John Hayes who finished his 25th year at B-A three wins short of his 200th win (197-71-2) “He has really stepped it up, the last two years, and particularly this season to become a leader. Twice, this season, we lined him up against one of the leading pass receivers in the area. On both occasions, Derrick shut his man down and in each game, he came up with an interception.
“He has really matured into a great football player and has also taken on the role of leader.”
In addition to his defensive talents, Derrick led the Blue Devils in receptions with 18 catches for 266 yards. With 21 catches for 346 yards in 2003, Hoffer becomes one of just four Blue Devils to have two 200-yard pass receptions seasons. Derrick is fourth on the all-time B-A career list with 612 yards and his 39 receptions."
Dustin Hoffer, big brother at 5-10, 260, to little brother Derrick (5-8, 155) was a two-way tackle for the Blue Devils this year after missing much of 2003 with an injury that left him one armed for all intents and purposes. Dustin anchored a line that blocked for a Bellwood-Antis team that won 11 straight games between a season-opening loss to Tyrone and a season-ending defeat to Camp Hill, as the first District VI representative to play in an Eastern semifinal. That team rushed for 2,500 yards and passed for over 1,000 yards.
“Dustin has his struggles last year, but this season, he progressed into a real fine blocker,” said coach Hayes. “Our forte, as everyone knows is our running attack. Dustin blocked on the line and then was able numerous times to hustle down field to provide more blocks for our running backs.”
Tyrone- The 2004 Tyrone team is no exception to what has become the rule rather than the exception with two First Team selections, one on each side of the football. Brice Mertiff was named to the AP First Team offense as a running back, while Terry Tate moves up from a Second Team selection in 2003 at defensive lineman to the First Team this year as a defensive lineman.
Mertiff ended the 2004 campaign with 2,041 yards rushing, averaging 7.76 yards per carry and scored 28 touchdowns. Brice also caught 11 passes for an additional 201 yards and five more TDs to lead the Eagles with 33 touchdowns overall. During the season, when regular kicker Ben Gummo was injured, Mertiff stepped right in and booted a pair of extra points. The Eagles’ regular punter, Mertiff averaged a respectable 34 yards per kick on 30 punts. His ability to scramble contributed to an important first down when the snap from center skipped back to Mertiff, who saw an opening and picked up eight important yards to move the sticks to keep the drive going late in the game.
“This is awesome,” said Mertiff. “In a way, I expected something like this after running for over 2,000 yards and playing on one of the best teams in the state. Usually these things come to teams that do that well. Bubs (fullback Brit Mingle) and Leonard (quarterback Leonard Wilson) and Terry and the line work hard and this is a team sport. I couldn’t have done it without them. We compliment each other and help out.”
Mertiff became just the third back at Tyrone in the history of the Orange and Black’s long and storied football program to rush for 4,000 career yards and this year became an integral part of the Eagles defensive secondary.
“I am so happy for Brice,” said Tyrone head coach John Franco. “He has worked so hard over the past three years. He is a gamer-he plays best in the biggest games. This honor is something Brice can take with him for the rest of his life. I hope he continues to do better and better in each life choice he makes. This shows Brice what he can do when he puts his whole heart and soul into something.”
Terry Tate was selected to the Second Team a year ago and this year moves up to a well-deserved First Team spot.
Tate, a three-year starter on both sides of the line was the center on offense on a team that rushed for 3,658 yards and passed for another 1,178 yards, a total offense of nearly 5,000 yards.
On defense, Tate anchored a defensive line that limited 14 opponents to just 7.9 points per game, 78.7 yards rushing and 82.5 passing. Only two teams, Bald Eagle Area and Grove City rushed for 100 yards and seven teams were held to 70 yards rushing or less. In the Eagles first 13 games, the opposition was able to score just 90 points.
“It is an honor to be called the best in the state,” said Tate. “It was great to see hard work pay off, to improve from last year. It’s my goal to improve every year and obviously, I’ve done that. It’s neat to have another teammate of mine, who I grew up with-Brice, to also make the First Team.”
Going into the Grove City game, Tate had 20 tackles for losses, 4.5 sacks and two takeaways. The only way Grove City was able to keep Tate out of their backfield was to double and triple team him and even that plan worked only occasionally.
“This is the culmination of a great career for Terry,” said Franco. “This selection shows that Terry is one of the best players in the entire state. I thought he was one of the most dominating players I have ever seen on the football field. His selection was a no-brainer. By the end of the football season, Terry was doing better than even I expected of him.”
Bellwood- The PIAA Class-A All-State list was released to the public this morning. In 2004, a pair of Blue Devils were selected to the Associated Press team to continue the list of excellence at Bellwood.
Bellwood-Antis senior Derrick Hoffer was selected to the First Team Defensive Team as a defensive back and twin brother Dustin Hoffer was named to the Second Team as an offensive lineman.
Derrick Hoffer led all 24 area teams in interceptions with seven and had 14 pass breakups in addition. His assignment for any given game was to guard the team’s leading receiver and he routinely shut the wide receivers down.
“Derrick has been an outstanding defensive back for us for the past two seasons,” said Bellwood-Antis head coach John Hayes who finished his 25th year at B-A three wins short of his 200th win (197-71-2) “He has really stepped it up, the last two years, and particularly this season to become a leader. Twice, this season, we lined him up against one of the leading pass receivers in the area. On both occasions, Derrick shut his man down and in each game, he came up with an interception.
“He has really matured into a great football player and has also taken on the role of leader.”
In addition to his defensive talents, Derrick led the Blue Devils in receptions with 18 catches for 266 yards. With 21 catches for 346 yards in 2003, Hoffer becomes one of just four Blue Devils to have two 200-yard pass receptions seasons. Derrick is fourth on the all-time B-A career list with 612 yards and his 39 receptions."
Dustin Hoffer, big brother at 5-10, 260, to little brother Derrick (5-8, 155) was a two-way tackle for the Blue Devils this year after missing much of 2003 with an injury that left him one armed for all intents and purposes. Dustin anchored a line that blocked for a Bellwood-Antis team that won 11 straight games between a season-opening loss to Tyrone and a season-ending defeat to Camp Hill, as the first District VI representative to play in an Eastern semifinal. That team rushed for 2,500 yards and passed for over 1,000 yards.
“Dustin has his struggles last year, but this season, he progressed into a real fine blocker,” said coach Hayes. “Our forte, as everyone knows is our running attack. Dustin blocked on the line and then was able numerous times to hustle down field to provide more blocks for our running backs.”
Tyrone- The 2004 Tyrone team is no exception to what has become the rule rather than the exception with two First Team selections, one on each side of the football. Brice Mertiff was named to the AP First Team offense as a running back, while Terry Tate moves up from a Second Team selection in 2003 at defensive lineman to the First Team this year as a defensive lineman.
Mertiff ended the 2004 campaign with 2,041 yards rushing, averaging 7.76 yards per carry and scored 28 touchdowns. Brice also caught 11 passes for an additional 201 yards and five more TDs to lead the Eagles with 33 touchdowns overall. During the season, when regular kicker Ben Gummo was injured, Mertiff stepped right in and booted a pair of extra points. The Eagles’ regular punter, Mertiff averaged a respectable 34 yards per kick on 30 punts. His ability to scramble contributed to an important first down when the snap from center skipped back to Mertiff, who saw an opening and picked up eight important yards to move the sticks to keep the drive going late in the game.
“This is awesome,” said Mertiff. “In a way, I expected something like this after running for over 2,000 yards and playing on one of the best teams in the state. Usually these things come to teams that do that well. Bubs (fullback Brit Mingle) and Leonard (quarterback Leonard Wilson) and Terry and the line work hard and this is a team sport. I couldn’t have done it without them. We compliment each other and help out.”
Mertiff became just the third back at Tyrone in the history of the Orange and Black’s long and storied football program to rush for 4,000 career yards and this year became an integral part of the Eagles defensive secondary.
“I am so happy for Brice,” said Tyrone head coach John Franco. “He has worked so hard over the past three years. He is a gamer-he plays best in the biggest games. This honor is something Brice can take with him for the rest of his life. I hope he continues to do better and better in each life choice he makes. This shows Brice what he can do when he puts his whole heart and soul into something.”
Terry Tate was selected to the Second Team a year ago and this year moves up to a well-deserved First Team spot.
Tate, a three-year starter on both sides of the line was the center on offense on a team that rushed for 3,658 yards and passed for another 1,178 yards, a total offense of nearly 5,000 yards.
On defense, Tate anchored a defensive line that limited 14 opponents to just 7.9 points per game, 78.7 yards rushing and 82.5 passing. Only two teams, Bald Eagle Area and Grove City rushed for 100 yards and seven teams were held to 70 yards rushing or less. In the Eagles first 13 games, the opposition was able to score just 90 points.
“It is an honor to be called the best in the state,” said Tate. “It was great to see hard work pay off, to improve from last year. It’s my goal to improve every year and obviously, I’ve done that. It’s neat to have another teammate of mine, who I grew up with-Brice, to also make the First Team.”
Going into the Grove City game, Tate had 20 tackles for losses, 4.5 sacks and two takeaways. The only way Grove City was able to keep Tate out of their backfield was to double and triple team him and even that plan worked only occasionally.
“This is the culmination of a great career for Terry,” said Franco. “This selection shows that Terry is one of the best players in the entire state. I thought he was one of the most dominating players I have ever seen on the football field. His selection was a no-brainer. By the end of the football season, Terry was doing better than even I expected of him.”
Re: Bellwood and Tyrone Put Two each on AP all state teams
Are these kids playing anywhere after high school?
Re: Bellwood and Tyrone Put Two each on AP all state teams
I'm not very familiar with the tyrone kids but as of the two bellwood boys im relatively unsure they are both undecided but would like to play together due to them being brothers
Re: Bellwood and Tyrone Put Two each on AP all state teams
Yup sounds good
