The title of the WPIAL receiving champion has a dual component where two different players could claim the crown in the same season. This happened in 2019 when Yough’s CJ Waldier had the most receptions (72) while Upper St Clair’s David Pantelis had the most yardage (1135 yards). Waldier repeated the feat in 2020, leading the WPIAL with 46 receptions in 7 regular season games. At the end of the regular season, South Fayette’s Charley Rossi (711 yards) was the WPIAL’s yardage leader. Last season, Greensburg Salem’s Cody Rubrecht was the only player to top 1000 yards in the regular season (48 receptions for 1010 yards) but is moving to quarterback this season. South Fayette’s Logan Yater led the WPIAL in receptions with 57. Interestingly, unlike the WPIAL Rushing Crown where the winners typically had big seasons the year prior, the receiving champions have often flown under the radar the previous season.
Here’s a look at the top contenders for the WPIAL receiving titles this season. Of note, their receiving stats from last year are full season statistics, which include both regular season and playoff outings. I am not going to try to guess between receptions and yardage, as all of these players have the talent to be right in the mix for both.
Top Contenders
Terry Booth (Sto-Rox)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 30 receptions, 563 yards, 2 TDs
Over the last decade, Sto-Rox has routinely had one of the best passing games in the WPIAL. This year should be no exception with a talented quarterback in Josh Jenkins and a slew of good receivers. Booth had the most receptions of any Vikings receiver last season.
Isaiah Brown (Armstrong)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 56 receptions, 906 yards, 9 TDs
Armstrong’s Cadin Olsen is one of the top quarterbacks in the WPIAL. Two years ago he won the WPIAL passing title and last year he came in second behind Gateway’s Brad Birch. Brown was his leading receiver last season and finished just one catch behind South Fayette’s Logan Yater for the WPIAL lead in receptions. Brown figures to see the ball early and often this season, continuing the connection with Olsen.
Zay Davis (Sto-Rox)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 29 receptions, 645 yards, 11 TDs
Davis started his Sto-Rox career at running back but has blossomed the last few seasons in the “slot back” role. He is incredibly dangerous in space with the ball in his hands. Out of the Vikings talented receiving corps, he had the most yards (645) last season. Sto-Rox has done a good job over the years getting him touches any way they can, and Davis is a threat to score every time he gets the ball.
Keondre DeShields (Laurel Highlands)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 23 receptions, 374 yards, 2 TDs
DeShields might not be a well-known name yet on the football field but he is a stellar basketball player, part of a group that has seen a ton of success at Laurel Highlands. At 6’3″ he can out-leap just about anyone on the field for jump balls and is a downfield threat. Laurel Highlands has retooled their offense this year with star Rodney Gallagher moving from QB to receiver, which should shift the coverages away from DeShields and give him plenty of opportunities.
Peyton Faulkner (Avonworth)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 32 receptions, 356 yards, 5 TDs
With Central Valley and North Catholic moving up to 4A, Avonworth is now one of the favorites in 3A after a semifinal run last season. Faulker was the leading receiver from that team and comes into this season with a slew of collegiate offers. He has offers from all over the east coast from UAB and Coastal Carolina in the south to Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, and Navy. Quarterback Nate Harper also returns for the Lopes and the Harper-Faulker connection should be key for their offense this season.
Rodney Gallagher (Laurel Highlands)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 1 reception, 22 yards, 1365 passing yards, 1130 rushing yards
Gallagher started his high school career at wide receiver but switched to quarterback due to an injury to the starter during the 2020 season. Last year he joined the elite 1000/1000 club of players who passed and rushed for 1000 yards during a WPIAL regular season. This year, the plan is to move him back to his natural position of wide receiver. Gallagher has committed to West Virginia and is the most exciting player in the WPIAL with the ball in his hands.
Peter Gonzalez (Central Catholic)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 18 receptions, 322 yards, 2 TDs
Gonzalez is the son of former Central Catholic, Pitt, and Steelers QB Pete Gonzalez. He is only a junior and has already racked up a number of D1 offers including Penn State, Pitt, Miami, Syracuse, Wisconsin, and Virginia Tech. Central Catholic has a returning starter at quarterback in Payton Wehner and leading receiver Brandon Jackson graduated. All of this creates a perfect environment for the talented Gonzalez to flourish in the Vikings offense.
Jaymont Green-Miller (Sto-Rox)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 22 receptions, 536 yards, 7 TDs
In 2020, Green-Miller was Sto-Rox’s leading receiver and the top returning receiver in the WPIAL in 2021. Unfortunately, last season he had to battle through some injuries so did not put up the overall numbers we saw in prior seasons. Nevertheless, he is a big play waiting to happen and had the highest yards per catch (24.4) of any receiver on the Vikings talented roster. Heading into this season, he is absolutely a threat to regain his sophomore year form and challenge for the receiving title.
Dallas Harper (Gateway)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 27 receptions, 386 yards, 6 TDs
Gateway’s passing attack is led by QB Brad Birch who led the WPIAL in passing as a sophomore last season. The Gators top two receivers – Patrick Body and Brett Birch – both graduated. Next in line was RB Jaquon Reynolds who will still see some targets out of the backfield but won’t be the primary target in the passing game. This leaves Harper to assume the role of Birch’s go-to receiver in Gateway’s pass-heavy offense.
Lesae Lacks (Bishop Canevin)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 50 receptions, 930 yards, 14 TDs
Bishop Canevin has a pair of talented senior receivers in Lesae Lacks and Xavier Nelson. Both had over 40 catches and 900 yards last season. The Crusaders will use both Jason Cross and Kole Olszewski at quarterback this year (just as they did last year). Both are capable passers and Lacks is an explosive receiver who can take it the distance at any time. He led the Canevin team in receptions last year and was only 7 shy of the WPIAL leader.
Ziggy McIntosh (OLSH)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 53 receptions, 668 yards, 6 TDs
OLSH returns a loaded lineup from a team that reached the WPIAL finals last season. Offensively, QB Nehemiah Azeem and leading receiver Ziggy McIntosh both return. McIntosh was within 5 receptions of the WPIAL lead last season and had more than twice as many catches as the next highest receiver on the team. The Chargers look primed for another deep run this season and McIntosh will be a huge part of their offensive attack.
Andrew Mellis (Pine-Richland)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 35 receptions, 502 yards, 3 TDs
Mellis was Pine-Richland’s second leading receiver last season. However, he is the only one of their top 3 that return this season. Mellis figures to take on the role of go-to receiver in the Rams offense. QB Ryan Palmieri started for about half the season after an injury to Cole Boyd last year which gives Mellis experience and consistency with his quarterback in a Pine-Richland offense that has always been pass-heavy.
Dre Miller-Ross (Sto-Rox)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 18 receptions, 380 yards, 8 TDs
Out of Sto-Rox’s talented group of receivers, Dre Miller-Ross is the only one who has received major college offers to date. He has offers from MAC schools including Kent State, Akron, and Central Michigan. Miller-Ross is a talented defensive back who also plays receiver as part of the potent Vikings offensive attack.
Xavier Nelson
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 42 receptions, 945 yards, 15 total TDs
Nelson was the 1A Player of the Year after his incredible performance in the WPIAL Championship Game. He scored 3 times in under 2 minutes in the second quarter – two on long passes and one on an interception return. While teammate Lasae Lacks had the most receptions, Nelson led Bishop Canevin in yards and yards per catch (22.5). His touchdown receptions in the WPIAL Championship came from both quarterbacks (one from Jason Cross and the other from Kole Olszewski).
Lamont Payne (Chartiers Valley)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 31 receptions, 395 yards, 7 TDs
Payne is a Penn State commit at cornerback. The Colts lost their staring quarterback and leading receiver to graduation, but rising senior Gavin Owens did start a few games under center last year. Payne is the top returning receiver for a Char Valley team that will be battling it out every week in the tough Parkway Conference. He figures to see plenty of targets and has the athleticism to make big plays happen all over the field.
Jackson Pons (Norwin)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 33 receptions, 457 yards
Pons was the leading receiver for the Knights last year and the only returning receiver who had more than 8 catches. He already has D1 offers from Mississippi State and Bowling Green and figures to accumulate more as the season goes on. Pons will likely be the focal point of Norwin’s offense as the Knights move down to 5A this season.
Trey Singleton (Beaver Falls)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 40 receptions, 876 yards, 12 TDs
Singleton was the leading receiver and leading scorer overall for the Tigers in their run to the WPIAL title game last season. Beaver Falls had four receivers with at least 350 yards, but Singleton is the only one of that group who returns this year. The good news is that QB Jaren Brickner is back after finishing second in the WPIAL in passing and should maintain a strong connection with his favorite target – Singleton.
Raion Strader (Penn Hills)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 19 receptions, 344 yards, 4 TDs
Penn Hills has become the cradle of defensive backs in recent years. The Indians have routinely had one of the best secondaries in the WPIAL and produced a number of D1 players. Strader and Cam Thomas are the next of that group, and they will also play wide receiver for an Indians offense that has an experienced QB in Julian Dugger. With Julian’s older brother Jaden graduating, Strader is the top returning receiver for the Indians and will likely be the primary target in the passing game. Strader has an offer from Toledo and is likely to get more as his all-around athleticism is on display this season.
Jayvin Thompson (Central Valley)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 31 receptions, 767 yards, 9 total TDs
On a Central Valley team loaded with playmakers and talent, Thompson stole the show in the WPIAL Championship Game. He had four interceptions and two long touchdown receptions in the first half alone, carrying the Warriors to their third straight WPIAL title. His game as a receiver blossomed last year after Antwon Johnson took over at quarterback, and Johnson will be the full-time starter this season. Central Valley is moving up in classification, but Thompson is a star who already has a number of D1 offers including Army, Bowling Green, and Eastern Michigan.
Donovan Walker (Aliquippa)
Highlights: Hudl
2021 Stats: 15 receptions, 203 yards, 7 TDs
Walker is part of an outstanding Aliquippa squad that is the defending 4A State Champions. They return most of their starters this season, including quarterback Quentin Goode. Walker, who has a number of D1 offers on defense, will step into a bigger role in the receiving corps on offense after Cyair Clark and Tajier Thornton graduated. Walker is one of the best cornerbacks in the WPIAL and his athleticism will get to shine even more offensively in the “Air Warfield” offense this season.
Header image courtesy of DreamShots Media
