The selections for the 2019 Pa. Football News Coaches Select All-State teams were recently unveiled and the Times News area was once again well represented on several squads.

Tamaqua, which had four players named to the Pa. Football Writers’ Class 3A All-State Team, earned three selection, with Matt Kistler, Nate Boyle and Brayden Knoblauch selected.

Kistler was a Frist Team choice at wide receiver and also was also a Second Team pick as a Defensive Ahlete.

The senior finished with 60 catches for 1,037 yards and 12 touchdowns. He led the Raiders with 84 total tackles (six per game), and was second on the team with four interceptions and tied for second with two fumble recoveries. Kistler also was the team’s primary punter, averaging 37.4 yards on 23 attempts. He pinned the ball inside the 20-yard line 12 times and had a long of 50 yards.

Boyle (running back) and Knoblauch (quarterback) were both Second Team selections.

Boyle had an area best 1,877 yards rushing and 32 touchdowns on 241 carries during the Raiders’ march to a District 11 Class 3A title and the PIAA semifinals. He also caught 33 passes for 423 yards and a score.

The senior rushed for 985 yards and 13 touchdowns in five playoff games.

Boyle led the area in scoring with 33 touchdowns as Tamaqua averaged 35.1 points and 362.6 yards per game en route to a 12-3 finish.

Knoblauch completed 138-of-233 pass attempts for an area best 2,134 yards with 18 touchdowns. The senior had only nine interceptions this season.

Jim Thorpe’s Cobe Frycklund was a Class 3A First Team pick at offensive tackle, while Palmerton’s Jordan Nelson was a Class 2A First Team selection as a Defensive Athlete.

Frycklund was a huge part in helping the Olympians average 33.8 points per game. The senior heled pave the way for Jim Thorpe’s 41-26 win over Salisbury in the Eastern Conference Class 3A title game and was a driving force behind CJ Selby’s 1,640 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns.

Nelson, who will continue his football career at Villanova University, led the Blue Bombers with 106 total tackles (68 solo), 13 tackles for a loss, five sacks and had one interception this season. His 427 career tackles are a school record.

In addition to his stellar play on defense, Nelson also finished the season as the team’s top passer with 674 yards and seven touchdowns. He was second on the squad in rushing and receiving, carrying the ball 82 times for 531 yards and four touchdowns, while also hauling in 16 passes for 247 yards and one score.

The Bombers Ethan Recker was a Second Team selection at cornerback.

Recker led the team with four interceptions and had 61 total tackles (36 solo). The junior finished with three tackles for a loss and one forced fumble.

In Class 4A, Northwestern’s Deven Bollinger (quarterback) and Justin Holmes (wide reciever) each earned Second Team honors.

Bollinger, who is headed to the University of Delaware next fall, completed 131 of 221 pass attempts for 2,105 yards and 35 touchdowns while also carrying the ball 181 times for 1,005 yards and eight touchdowns to lead the team to a Colonial League title and the semifinals of the District 11 Class 4A playoffs for the second year in a row.

The two-time Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Football Player of the Year helped the Tigers average 38.6 ppg. and 389.7 ypg. this past season, both tops among area teams.

Holmes led the Tigers with 31 receptions for 810 yards (26.13 avg.) and 12 touchdowns. His breakout performance came in a 49-30 win over Wilson in Week 4. The sophomore caught eight passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Holmes also had eight grabs for 304 yards and four touchdowns in two district playoff games.