With 3rd straight WPIAL title secured, Central Valley’s goals don’t change

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, August 13, 2022 | 1:22 PM

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The Heinz Field clock was ticking down last fall on Central Valley’s third consecutive WPIAL title when coach Mark Lyons was approached by longtime assistant Shawn McCreary.

Lyons says he prefers to live in the moment, but his friend urged him to reflect on the past.

“He said, ‘Listen, you need to appreciate what’s going on here,’” Lyons recalled. “’Remember way back 20-some years ago when you lost your third straight WPIAL championship at Monaca and you never thought you would get to this moment?’

“That kind of hit me.”

Central Valley added its second straight state championship a couple of weeks later, establishing a legacy as a WPIAL dynasty and cementing Lyons’ reputation as one of the league’s top coaches. The Warriors went 40-2 over the past three seasons and own an active 27-game winning streak.

“I’m not a guy who kind of reflects,” Lyons said, “but he made sure I did.”

Lyons has been Central Valley’s only head coach since the program started in 2010. His teams have won 81% of their games and five WPIAL titles. But with last year’s celebration now behind them, Lyons and his Warriors say they won’t live in the past.

“We always talk about ‘in the moment,’” Lyons said. “I know it’s a cliché, but we really, really try to live it and talk it. Let’s not worry about records. Let’s not worry about accomplishments. Let’s worry about how we can get better today.”

Central Valley returns around six starters on each side of the ball from last year’s team that went 15-0, averaged 44.5 points per game and held 11 opponents to a touchdown or less. The team moves up to Class 4A this season, joining the Parkway Conference with rival Aliquippa, another defending state champion.

Gone from the roster is the WPIAL’s leading rusher and a two-way lineman who terrorized opponents. But the Warriors do bring back 1,200-yard passer Antwon Johnson, leading receiver Jayvin Thompson and a number of others seeking a fourth consecutive WPIAL title for the Warriors.

“The expectations are always the same, to get to the state championship and win it,” said Thompson, who had 28 catches, 750 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. “That’s the goal.”

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound wide receiver and safety has Division I offers from Army, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Holy Cross and Sacred Heart. Now a senior, Thompson should become an even bigger part of the offense this season.

“We lost our leading rusher Landon Alexander, so I’ll probably get a couple of more touches on offense,” Thompson said. “On defense, I think I’m going to have to make a couple of more tackles in the box since we lost Sean FitzSimmons. We’re going to need guys to step up this year.”

Alexander, now a freshman at Albany, rushed for a WPIAL-best 2,397 yards and 29 touchdowns. FitzSimmons, the 2021 TribLive HSSN Player of the Year, is now a freshman at Pitt.

The team’s top running back will be FitzSimmon’s younger brother Bret FitzSimmons, a 5-11, 185-pound senior. FitzSimmons rushed for 445 yards and 11 touchdowns on 52 carries. He also made 105 tackles from his starting linebacker spot.

“Bret FitzSimmons probably would have started (at running back) for 80% of the programs, but unfortunately he played behind Landon Alexander,” Lyons said. “But he got enough reps for us to know we’re going to be fine.”

Another player stepping into the spotlight is Jackson Tonya (6-2, 225), a senior lineman who was overshadowed by Sean FitzSimmons. Tonya was credited with 120 tackles last season, only three less than FitzSimmons, and made 13 sacks.

“I don’t think enough people are paying attention to this young man,” Lyons said. “He plays offensive and defensive line and he plays it better than any 6-foot-4, 290-pound player we’ve played against.”

The Warriors return three starters on the offensive line — Tonya, senior Kaden Colville (5-10, 215) and junior Nick McCreary (6-1, 250).

They’ll block for Johnson, a senior who became a full-time starter at quarterback a year ago. He completed 60 of 112 passes for 1,259 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. He returns two of his top targets in Thompson and senior receiver Deniro Simpson, who had 10 catches, 266 yards and four TDs.

“There are guys who have played a lot of football for us,” Lyons said. “And there are other guys who their roles have got to be bigger.”

Central Valley

Coach: Mark Lyons

2021 record: 15-0, 5-0 in Class 3A Northwestern Six Conference

All-time record: 125-29-0

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.26 Trinity, 7

9.2 Avonworth, 7

9.9 at Hampton, 7

9.16 Chartiers Valley*, 7

9.23 at New Castle*, 7

9.30 Blackhawk*, 7

10.7 at Montour*, 7

10.14 at Ambridge*, 7

10.21 West Allegheny*, 7

10.28 at Aliquippa*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Antwon Johnson

60-112, 1,259 yards, 19 TDs

Rushing: Landon Alexander*

238-2,397, 29 TDs

Receiving: Jayvin Thompson

28-750, 9 TDs

FAST FACTS

• Mark Lyons is 127-29 in 12 seasons at Central Valley with 11 playoff appearances.

• Returning players Jayvin Thompson (wide receiver/defensive back), Jackson Tonya (offensive line), Antwon Johnson (quarterback), Dinero Simpson (athlete) and Serafino DeSantis (kicker) earned first-team all-conference honors in the Northwestern Six.

• Central Valley was formed in 2010 by merging Monaca and Center.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.