All-State Teams – Pennsylvania Football History

From the December 11, 1963 issue of the Warren Times Mirror:

First AP All-State Team

We often think of all-state teams as being meticulously thought-out and analyzed, but from Scott’s own admission, this wasn’t the case for the inaugural edition in 1939. Scott’s recollection depicts him being told – during the season’s final game – that he should pick his own team for the AP. Following discussions with football people at that Clearfield vs. Blythe Township game, Scott published a team that he acknowledges missed on one player: Pittston’s Charlie Trippi. Give Scott credit for selecting players from across the commonwealth, though; virtually all corners of the state are represented. Of course, Scott’s greatest accomplishment was beginning the AP All-State team in the first place. The team was selected every year through 2008.

As an aside: Blythe Township won the game 12-0. The school fielded a team until the end of the 1958 season and its high school students now attend Pottsville.

One more thing – the birthplace of the AP All-State team still stands, but it hasn’t hosted a high school football game since the mid-1970s. It now serves as the grandstand for the Clearfield County Fair:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — The birthplace of the AP Pennsylvania All-State football team.

USA Today released its All-USA Pennsylvania Football Team today, naming two offensive and two defensive teams. The full team can be seen here. Imhotep Charter’s Albie Crosby was named state coach of the year, while Council Rock North’s Brandon McIlwain and Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s Damar Hamlin earned Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively. PCC led all teams with 6 players honored, while Imhotep landed 5 players on the list.

The USA Today All-America teams were also announced, with Imhotep’s Naseir Upshur the only honoree from Pennsylvania; he was named a second-team tight end. Those teams can be found here: