Locals among the state's greats
Danville's football team had a great deal of experience coming back — and with that came high expectations.
The Ironmen proved they were up to the task, advancing to the state semifinals for the first time in team history. Four seniors — quarterback Madden Patrick, running back Bo Sheptock, wide receiver Cole Duffy and linebacker Cameron Kiersch — continued the team's success on Friday when they were named to the Pa. Football Writers' Class 3A All-State team.
Mount Carmel had a pair of players — wide receiver Jaylen Delaney and offensive lineman Noah Shimko — also named to the team. Shimko is the fourth player in the Red Tornadoes' illustrious history to be named a three-time all-state player. Jason Malakoski (1996-98), Jon Veach (1998-2000) and Drew Letcavage (2002-04) are also part of the exclusive club.
"It was well earned by all four of them," Danville coach Carl Majer said. "... We've had the luxury of being able to throw or run the ball on any down — in any situation really — because those guys worked their butts off to get where they are."
Press Enterprise MVP Sheptock averaged 8.1 yards per carry, finishing with 2,075 yards and 34 touchdowns. He proved to be a dual threat out of the backfield, hauling in 18 catches for 301 yards and four touchdowns.
"Bo has such a great work ethic and is such a student of the game," Majer said. "He works hard and never takes a break."
Sheptock's production helped keep opposing defenses honest and not key in on Patrick. They paid dearly, especially when he connected with Duffy. The wideout finished with 1,062 yards on 56 receptions and 12 touchdowns.
All told, Patrick went 172 of 302 for 2,554 yards. He also finished with a nearly 5-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio (29-6).
"Madden had the same connection with Cole that he had with Aaron [Johnson] a year ago. He turned a corner with Cole and they did some special things," Majer said. "Pound for pound, Cole was the greatest athlete for us. He always made the catch when we needed it the most — first downs, touchdowns, keep the clock moving, whatever the situation may be."
Majer acknowledges this group of players are special. After all, the Ironmen had 13 seniors on the team last fall, with 11 of them taking on a starting role. Still, he's optimistic the young guys have learned from the likes of Patrick, Sheptock, Duffy and, most importantly, Kiersch.
The linebacker was drawn to the ball, posting 172 tackles. No matter the situation, Kiersch seemingly was always a step ahead of opposing offenses, coming away with 19 tackles for loss, two sacks, 17 hurries, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and three blocked field goals.
"Cam was a great leader. He knew the defense inside and out. If a kid was out of place, he simply helped them along," Majer said. "He helped ensure everybody knew what their role was on every play."
Getting swept up
Mount Carmel didn't get to savor the success Danville did, but still landed a duo on the All-State roster.
"I'm really happy for both of them," Red Tornadoes coach John Darrah said. "They put in a lot of hard work to get this recognition."
Shimko, who helped pave the way for the Red Tornadoes' offense that corralled nearly 4,000 total yards and 45 TDs, is the definition of stability. The Maine commit has only missed one game due to a thumb injury, coming against Shikellamy in 2023. He otherwise started every game since Week 1 his freshman year.
"Noah has great size and is a great kid," Darrah said. "He is everything you'd want in an offensive lineman. You just don't see many kids like him."
Shimko's production in the trenches enabled Delaney to put up solid numbers for the Red Tornadoes — no matter where he lined up.
Starting the campaign at receiver, Delaney reeled in 63 catches for 807 yards and six touchdowns. Mount Carmel's coaching staff wanted to get the ball in the sophomore's hands more, converting him more into a running back by season's end. He rushed for 216 yards on 26 carries, finding the end zone five times.
"Jaylen is a natural athlete. He's good at anything he does. He's the type that if he picked up darts tomorrow, I'm convinced he'd be good at that in no time," Darrah said. "As for the football player, he's got great hands, he's great with routes, great on special teams."
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