The York-Adams Football Coaches Association has selected its Players of the Week from Week 7 of the local high school football season.
Five players from four programs were recognized by York-Adams League coaches, who nominated and voted on top skill players and linemen in each division. The league’s two leading rushers are repeat and three-peat selections, while three others are first-time honorees.
Here are the Week 7 Players of the Week.
DIVISION I
Skill Player: Mason Platts, QB, Red Lion
Platts had the best performance of his nascent varsity career in the Lions’ 35-34 loss at Spring Grove on Friday, completing 25 of 34 passes for 327 yards and three touchdowns while throwing one interception. He led two long scoring drives that culminated with TD passes to senior Zyaire Selby, and he connected with junior Octavius Thompson on an 80-yard score in the first quarter. Platts also brought Red Lion to the edge of the red zone in the final minute before Spring Grove’s defense came up with a clutch stop.
The Lions dropped to 2-5 (0-3) with the loss, their second straight by 10 points or fewer. Platts has energized Red Lion’s passing attack as his role has expanded this season; he began the year as a backup to senior Mason Hollingshead, who still brings explosive rushing ability to the backfield. Red Lion visits division leader Central York on Friday.
There was plenty of competition in the division, including a breakout performance from Spring Grove’s Malik Cain against the Lions. The sophomore had 215 offensive yards (124 rushing, 91 receiving) and two long touchdowns, plus an interception, in the Rockets’ home win. Central York quarterback Brooklyn Nace threw three first-half touchdowns at Northeastern and South Western linebacker Ian Wysocki had 13 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery against West York.
There were no linemen nominated in Division I this week.
DIVISION II
Skill Player: Clayton Nieves, RB, New Oxford
Nieves continued his star turn of a senior season with 236 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 18 carries in the Colonials’ 43-6 home victory over Kennard-Dale. The league’s leading rusher also added a 13-yard reception. After New Oxford (7-0, 4-0) entered the second quarter trailing 6-0, Nieves unleashed scoring runs of 54 and 6 yards to propel the hosts to a 22-6 halftime lead. He added touchdowns of 53 and 8 yards in the third period before being shut down for the fourth.
Nieves is now up to 1,017 yards on the ground this season, first in the league (ahead of Biglerville’s Aidan Hoffman, who has 957) and most by a New Oxford player since Wesley Beans in 2013. The senior has already matched Beans’ 18 touchdowns from that season, though, and he leads the YAIAA in that category by a whopping six scores. This is Nieves’ second weekly honor of the year; he was previously recognized after tallying 258 yards and four scores against South Western in Week 3.
Lineman: Blake Shelley, DE, New Oxford
The senior registered five tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack in the Colonials’ win over Kennard-Dale. Shelley is one of several first-year starters on what’s been a stout Colonial defense. New Oxford has allowed 11.4 points per game, and even that number has been inflated by a handful of fourth-quarter scores against the backups.
First place in Division II will be on the line Friday when the Colonials host West York (6-1, 3-0). The Bulldogs suffered their first loss of the season last week at South Western, falling 27-7 after going into halftime tied. New Oxford beat that same South Western team 48-20 on Sept. 6, so the Colonials will certainly expect to pick up their 18th straight divisional win.
DIVISION III
Skill Player: Aidan Hoffman, RB/LB, Biglerville
Hoffman is officially a three-time weekly honoree after previously earning recognition in Weeks 1 and 3. The junior ran 22 times for 149 yards and a touchdown while completing an 18-yard touchdown pass in the Canners’ 17-14 overtime win at York Catholic. He also had six total tackles (five solo, one assist) and two tackles for loss on defense. Biglerville (5-2, 2-2) won the road game without quarterback Bo Forney; Hoffman and senior Tavian McAuliffe ran a run-heavy offense in his absebce.
In six games this season, Hoffman has run for 957 yards and six touchdowns while catching 21 passes for 281 yards and two more scores. He’s surpassed 130 yards five times and reached 200 twice. While Nieves has one extra game under his belt, Hoffman still has a chance to catch the New Oxford senior for the league lead by season’s end. His next test comes at home against winless Hanover this Friday.
Lineman: JD Sieg, OT/DT, Delone Catholic
Sieg made an impact on both sides of the ball in the Squires’ 40-7 win at Hanover. The senior helped pave the way for an offense that gained 233 total yards (149 rushing, 84 passing) and punted just once. On the other side of the ball, the Nighthawks managed just 106 yards, including 56 on 28 rush attempts.
Delone Catholic (5-2, 3-1) will host Littlestown (5-2, 4-0) in a key Division III showdown Friday. The Thunderbolts have won five straight games but still have each of the division’s other three winning teams — Delone, Biglerville and first-place Bermudian Springs — on the schedule to close the season.
