MECHANICSBURG — A system and a coaching staff are two top priorities in high school football.

The state’s most successful PIAA teams have them, including Friday’s Class 2A state champion and perennial powerhouse Southern Columbia.

But, athleticism and skill goes a long way, too.

Avonworth’s Luca Neal and Jaden Jones were the two best players on the field during Saturday afternoon’s PIAA 3A final against defending state champion Northwestern Lehigh.

Jones scored on the Antelopes’ first offensive play and Luca Neal ran for three touchdowns as the Antelopes avenged last year’s overtime loss with a 31-7 victory at Cumberland Valley’s Chapman Field.

The loss ended Northwestern Lehigh’s 31-game winning streak. The Tigers seniors finished their careers with a 57-5 record, best of any District 11 program in any class, and three consecutive state finals appearances.

Avonworth scored the first four times it had the ball, with Neal scoring twice on runs of 8 and 9 yards.

Northwestern Lehigh’s offense was out of rhythm in the first half and was forced to punt three times. Avonworth’s big, athletic, physical defense put pressure on quarterback Shane Leh and limited the big gainers in the run game.

The Antelopes did not have running back Dimitri Velisaris, who had 1,512 yards and 24 touchdowns, for a second game in a row with a leg injury. It didn’t matter.

Neal, who filled in during last year’s final for his brother Nico and ran for 253 yards, punished the Tigers’ defense with a mix of athleticism and physicality.

After Jones’ 53-yard TD catch on Avonworth’s first offensive play, Northwestern Lehigh responded with an 11-play drive capped by Braxton Lakatosh’s 2-yard touchdown run. The Tigers converted twice on third down on the series.

But the Antelopes responded with Neal’s first TD run capping a six-play, 74 yard drive. A 47-yard pass from Carson Bellinger to Neal was the key play on the drive. A 16-yard pass from Bellinger to Jones on third down also extended the series.

After a Tigers three-and-out, the Antelopes scored again on Neal’s second TD run. A 36-yard pass from Bellinger to Jones was the big play on third down.

Another Northwestern Lehigh three-and-out followed.

Neal looked like he scored again to cap another Avonworth drive, but a penalty negated the 2-yard TD run. The Antelopes settled for a field goal and a 24-7 halftime lead.

After a sloppy third quarter by both teams with turnovers and penalties, Neal got his third TD run of the game, an 8-yarder with 9:01 left to seal the Antelopes’ first state title.

Neal then added insult to injury on the ensuing Northwestern Lehigh drive when he stripped Michael Lagowy and Avonworth teammate Marco Arlia recovered.

Avonworth’s defense was just as much of a factor, forcing Northwestern Lehigh into playing behind the sticks and putting tremendous pressure on quarterback Shane Leh. The disruption of the Tigers’ timing negated the turnovers they were getting from the Antelopes.

Northwestern Lehigh entered the game averaging 45.7 points per game. It scored at least 34 points in every game this season before Saturday. The Tigers managed only 185 yards total offense.

Devin Rex and Ethan Steigerwalt each had fumble recoveries for the Tigers. Leh and Kemurry Morgan had interceptions. But Northwestern Lehigh got zero points from those turnovers.

Braxton Lakatosh and Fritz Scheirer added sacks for coach Josh Snyder’s club.

Senior writer Tom Housenick can be reached at thousenick@mcall.com

AVONWORTH 31, NORTHWESTERN LEHIGH 7

Avonworth; 14; 10; 0; 7 — 31

Northwestern Lehigh; 7; 0; 0; 0 — 7

ORDER OF SCORING

First quarter

A: Carson Bellinger 53 pass to Jaden Jones (Calder Mahon kick), 10:19

NWL: Braxton Lakatosh 2 run (Chase Sukanick kick), 5:11

A: Luca Neal 8 run (Mahon kick), 1:52

Second quarter

A: Neal 9 run (Mahon kick), 9:41

A: Mahon 21 FG, 3:09

Fourth quarter

A: Neal 8 run (Mahon kick), 9:01

TEAM STATISTICSNWL; AvonFirst downs; 14; 14Rushes-yards; 28-47; 35-135Passing yards; 139; 248Comp-Att-INTs; 12-28-1; 9-11-2Punts-avg.; 3-23.3; 0-0Fumbles-lost; 3-2; 2-2Penalties-yards; 5-25; 13-105

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICSRushing: (Northwestern Lehigh) Braxton Lakatosh 12-46; Chase Sukanick 4-10; Mason Bollinger 1-(-2); Brady Zimmerman 2-0; Shane Leh 8-(-3); team 1-(-4); (Avonworth) Luca Neal 22-118, 3 TDs; Carson Bellinger 6-(-6); Logan Krol 1-5; Gavin McDowell 3-26; Jaden Jones 1-0.

Passing: (Northwestern Lehigh) Leh 12-28-1, 139 yards; (Avonworth) Carson Bellinger 9-11-2, 248 yards, TD.

Receiving: (Northwestern Lehigh) Bollinger 3-43; Zimmerman 3-28; Michael Lagowy 2-20; Hulmes 3-44; (Avonworth) Neal 2-61; Jones 7-187, TD.

https://www.mcall.com/2025/12/06/avonworths-athleticism-too-much-for-northwestern-lehigh/