By The Daily Item

Thanks to a dominating performance in the PIAA playoffs, Selinsgrove senior Spencer Myers was named the Pennsylvania Football News' Class AAA Defensive Player of the Year, one of 10 Valley players to earn all-state honors.

Myers, a defensive end who was an Associated Press All-State selection as a junior, was one of seven members of the state champion Seals to earn honors from the Pa. Football News, which released its all-state team Saturday evening.

Selinsgrove teammates joining Myers on the Class AAA squad were seniors Jon Trego, Ryan Keiser, Cory Briggs, Kyle Schuck and Bryant Trautman, as well as junior Seth Lauver.

No Valley players were on any the three AA teams, but three locals were named to the Class A team, including Southern Columbia kicker Bryan Snyder and Line Mountain's Jordan Welker and Tyler Klinger.

Selinsgrove, which was the only team in the state to finish unbeaten this year, was the only local team to put players on the first team and the Seals had three such selections.

Leading the way was Myers, who anchored a Selinsgrove defense that allowed just 96 points in 16 games. He finished with 68 tackles and seven sacks.

Selinsgrove's other two all-state first-team picks were Trego and Keiser, both AP all-staters a year ago. Keiser, a first-team defensive back in 2008 was tabbed as a receiver this year after hauling in 61 passes for more than 1,100 yards and 16 TDs. Trego, a senior center, led an offensive line that paved the way for the Seals to score a record 690 points, the sixth-best total in state history.

Briggs was the second-team selection at quarterback after throwing for 30 TDs, while Schuck was the third-team tight end thanks to his 31 catches, including seven scores.

In addition to Myers' pick to the first-team defense, two Seal linebackers were also honored. Trautman turned his stellar performance in the title game against Manheim Central into a second-team nod while Lauver, who scored the game-winning TD in the final, was a third-teamer.

In Class A, second-team honors went to Snyder and Klinger with Welker named to the third-team.

Snyder booted 49 PATs and a dozen field goals for the Tigers, who won the District 4 A title for a record 18th time.

Klinger, a senior, and Welker, a junior, were both named as athletes. Klinger returned three kickoffs for touchdowns and had more than 500 return yards while Welker caught four TDs and also returned two interceptions for scores.

A number of area players earned honorable from the Pa. Football News. In Class AAA, East Juniata defensive back Sam Wray, who intercepted a Valley-best seven passes, was tabbed, while Lewisburg defensive lineman Cody Fisher and linebacker Cody Raup were honored along with Mount Carmel tailback Justin Pellowski and defensive lineman Trevor Demko.

In Class A, Southern offensive lineman John Lamb was an honorable mention pick, as were Upper Dauphin offensive stars Tyler Grosser, Tyler Koppenhaver and Ty Raubenstine.