State College LB Mike Gaul earns spot on PFW All-State team. Here’s what his coach said
State College linebacker Mike Gaul, a junior, was named Friday to the Pa. Football Writers’ Class 6A All-State team — an honor that didn’t exactly take his coach by surprise.
Gaul finished the 2023 campaign with a team-leading 107 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions.
“Not surprised at all,” coach Matt Lintal said. “Mike is honestly the most competitive kid I’ve ever coached in 20 years — and that includes seven years at Bucknell University and 13 back here at State College. He wants to win at everything.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re playing him in cornhole or playing him in football. He wants to find a way to win, and he usually does, so he’s a very, very competitive kid. That’s his biggest asset.”
Gaul helped the Little Lions finish 7-4 this past year, winning the District 6 Class 6A title for the third straight year before falling to McDowell in the first round of the state playoffs. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound linebacker has started since he was a freshman, making an immediate impact by recording a game-sealing interception against Cumberland Valley in 2021.
“He’s never looked back since,” Lintal added.
Gaul has attracted plenty of colleges’ attention. He is listed as a three-star prospect on Rivals, and he currently boasts scholarship offers from Akron, Connecticut, Temple, Toledo and Virginia Tech.
The linebacker is one of five Centre County football players to earn all-state honors this season. He was joined Thursday by four Bald Eagle Area student-athletes in ATH Kahale Burns, DL Eric Clark, QB Carson Nagle and WR Camron Watkins. (BEA is in Class 2A.)
Since 2009, Pennsylvania sports writers who cover high school athletics have overseen the all-state process, which was started by The Associated Press. Players are nominated in all six classifications; Classes A, 2A and 3A were released Thursday while Classes 4A, 5A and 6A were released Friday.
Class 6A PFW All-State team
Player of the Year: Samaj Jones, St. Joseph’s Prep
Coach of the Year: Art Walker, North Allegheny
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Matt Zollers, Spring-Ford – 6-4, 205 junior
Hayden Johnson, Manheim Township – 6-0, 180 senior
Logan Kushner, North Allegheny – 6-1, 200 senior
Samaj Jones, St. Joseph’s Prep – 6-2, 210 senior
Payton Wehner, Pittsburgh Central Catholic – 6-0, 180 senior
Running Back
Anthony Leonardi, Central Bucks South – 5-11, 180 senior
Juelz Goff, Central York – 5-10, 195 senior
Jared Porter, Central Dauphin East – 5-9, 170 junior
Trey Tremba, Parkland – 5-11, 200 senior
Wide Receiver
Mason Kuehner, Nazareth – 5-11, 170 senior
Pete Gonzalez, Pittsburgh Central Catholic – 6-3, 200 senior
David Washington Jr., St. Joseph’s Prep – 6-0, 185 senior
Landon Kennel, Manheim Township – 6-3, 200 senior
Mason Scott, Spring-Ford – 6-1, 170 senior
Tight End
Jack Donnelly, Central Bucks East – 6-2, 235 senior
Offensive Line
Cooper Cousins, McDowell – 6-6, 310 senior
Michael Carroll, Central Bucks East – 6-6, 298 junior
Kevin Brown, Harrisburg – 6-5, 250 sophomore
Michael McMonigle, York High – 6-6, 290 senior
Adham Abouraya, Downingtown East – 6-5, 280 senior
Jack Yatchenko, North Allegheny – 6-3, 285 junior
Athlete
Jaheim Bennett, George Washington – 6-0, 175 junior
Michael Scott, Dallastown – 5-9, 160 junior
Tommy Hunsicker, Wilson-West Lawn – 6-2, 185 senior
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
Maxwell Roy, St. Joseph’s Prep – 6-4, 285 junior
Ryan Epps, Harrisburg – 6-1, 235 senior
Sean Kinney, Nazareth – 6-3, 290 senior
Sean McNulty, St. Joseph’s Prep – 6-0, 245 senior
Malachi Ramnath, Central York – 6-3, 220 junior
Eli Rodriguez, Manheim Township – 6-0, 220 senior
Linebacker
Anthony Speca, Pittsburgh Central Catholic – 6-3, 215 senior
Anthony Sacca, St. Joseph’s Prep – 6-4, 220 junior
Cole Sullivan, Pittsburgh Central Catholic – 6-3, 205 senior
Michael Gaul, State College – 6-1, 205 junior
Alex Sauve, Cumberland Valley – 6-0, 205 senior
Defensive Back
Saxton Suchanic, Central York – 6-3, 180 junior
Ziyyon Bradell, Abraham Lincoln – 6-0, 180 junior
Omillio Agard, St. Joseph’s Prep – 5-11, 165 senior
Quincy Brannon, Harrisburg – 5-11, 175 junior
Specialist
Matthew Parker, Central York – 6-2, 200 junior
Athlete
Shawn Lee Jr., Harrisburg – 5-11, 180 junior
Tyree Alualu, North Allegheny – 5-11, 220 senior
