Trib HSSN football player of the week – Chrys Black Jr.
School: Central Catholic
Class: Sophomore
Height/Weight: 5-foot-7, 162 pounds
Position: Running back/defensive back
#Earned: Making big plays in the PIAA semifinals has become Chrys Black Jr.’s thing in his young career. Last year as a freshman, Black picked off a pass in the end zone on the final play of the game to preserve a 38-33 Central Catholic victory over Harrisburg. This past Saturday in the rematch at Mansion Park in Altoona, Black played a huge role again as the District 3 champion Cougars saw their undefeated season go to black while the Vikings are again headed to the state finals. Against Harrisburg, Black matched his season total for carries with 38 rushes for 215 yards, an average of 5.7 yards per carry. He also scored the Vikings’ final three touchdowns on two second-quarter scoring runs of 34 and 8 yards, with the exclamation point on the triumph with a 26-yard run in the fourth quarter as Central Catholic ousted Harrisburg for a second consecutive season in the PIAA final four, 32-14.
Background: Black has missed a majority of the season with a hamstring injury initially suffered in the Week Zero loss to LaSalle College, Central Catholic’s opponent in the PIAA Class 6A title game. He returned for good in the WPIAL championship game victory over North Allegheny. In the two postseason games since his return, he has rushed for a combined 171 yards on 26 carries in wins over NA and State College. Leading up to the Harrisburg game, Black had 38 carries for 239 yards and four touchdowns. Even though he is a sophomore, he would like to play football at the next level and sees himself more as a running back in college rather than a defensive back. He also runs track at Central Catholic and is considering a return to basketball before his high school days are done. Black’s father played football and baseball at Peabody in the City League.
Week 14 honorable mention
Carson Bellinger, Avonworth
Senior Luca Neal had another big day for the Antelopes with 110 yards rushing on 11 carries and two touchdowns, plus three receptions for 115 yards and a score, but fellow senior Carson Bellinger got the ball rolling in the PIAA semifinals. Bellinger takes a back seat when the offense features Neal running out of the wildcat formation, but early on, the Antelopes quarterback connected on 8 of 11 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns as the ‘Lopes rolled past Penn Cambria in the Class 3A semifinals, 31-15.
Deon Lovelace-Pompey, Clairton
Following a nail-biting district championship victory, the Bears were happy a day after Thanksgiving, while feasting on Greenville, to loosen the belt a couple of notches, sit back and have some fun in a state semifinals win over the District 10 champions. Senior running back Deon Lovelace-Pompey led a Clairton ground attack that rushed for more than 275 yards by gaining 109 yards on nine carries and scoring two touchdowns on runs of 1 and 6 yards as the Bears crushed the Trojans, 57-0.
Nolan DiLucia, Peters Township and Kymarr Freeman, Seton LaSalle
It was the end of the line for two WPIAL champions Saturday, one led by an outstanding senior and the other guided by a super sophomore. In his final high school game, Indians quarterback Nolan DiLucia threw for 254 yards and two touchdowns, one of 8 yards to Lucas Rost and the other of 70 yards to Peter Luke as Peters Township fell to Bishop McDevitt on a last-second field goal, 31-28. Meanwhile, Rebels running back Kymarr Freeman reached the halfway point of his scholastic career with 136 yards on the ground and a touchdown run as Seton LaSalle fell to Farrell, 40-19.
2025 Trib HSSN players of the week
Week 13 – Luca Neal, Avonworth
Week 12 – Marques Council Jr., Aliquippa
Week 11 – Khalil Taylor, Pine-Richland
Week 10 – Tyler Smiley, Ellwood City
Week 9 – Bobby Fadden, Mohawk
Week 8 – Tyler Eber, Thomas Jefferson
Week 7 – Matt Sieg, Fort Cherry
Week 6 – Marino Graham, New Castle
Week 5 – Jonah Williamson, Trinity
Week 4 – David Dennison, Bethel Park
Week 3 – Scoop Smith, Woodland Hills
Week 2 – Joey Felitsky and Logan Schade, North Catholic
Week 1 – James ‘BooBoo’ Armstrong, Hopewell
Week Zero – Gabriel Jenkins, Imani Christian