Northern's Cole Bartram has some Mid-Penn company.
For the second year in a row, the bruising running back and linebacker was named a 2023 Pennsylvania Football Writers Association Class 5A All-State selection on Friday. Bartram is joined on the list by Cedar Cliff's Nathan Lusk and Mechanicsburg's Josh Smith, both first-year honorees. Bartram was recognized as a running back while Lusk earned defensive athlete honors and Smith secured a wide receiver selection.
While the Polar Bears underwent a rebuilding season this fall, Bartram bounced back for bigger numbers. In 10 games, the senior amassed 1,848 rushing yards on 313 carries and scored 22 touchdowns. Bartram headlined his nearly 2,000-yard season with a 48-carry, 500-yard, nine-score outing against Gettysburg Week 9. Defensively, he led Northern in tackles, racking up 113 (8.5 for loss) to to go along with 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a forced fumble.
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Lusk doubled as a linebacker and wide receiver for the Colts. The senior paced Cedar Cliff with five interceptions while totaling 55 tackles (seven for loss) and five sacks. At wide receiver, he was quarterback Bennett Secrest's most reliable target, posting team highs in receiving yards (372), receptions (23) and touchdowns (four).
After bursting onto the scene as a sophomore, Smith raised his game in his junior campaign. He set the Mechanicsburg single-season receiving touchdown record (16) while catching 72 passes for 1,022 yards. Smith also saw time in the secondary — where he posted 25 tackles and an interception — and was a feared return man.
Lusk and the Colts advanced to the District 3 semifinals behind a 10-2 record. Meanwhile, the Wildcats finished an eyelash short of a playoff spot with a 5-5 mark and the Polar Bears completed a 3-7 season.
Below is the complete Class 5A All-State team.
2023 Class 5A All-State Team
Player of the Year: Jabree Wallace-Coleman, Imhotep Charter
Coach of the Year: Devon Johnson, Imhotep Charter
OFFENSE
Nolan DiLucia, Peters Township – 6-2, 185 sophomore
Mikal Davis, Imhotep Charter – 6-1, 210 senior
Julian Dagger, Penn Hills – 6-3, 195 senior
Brad Birch, Gateway – 6-1, 185 senior
Jabree Wallace-Coleman, Imhotep Charter – 6-0, 200 junior
Cole Bartram, Northern York – 5-9, 190 senior
Dajoure Hollingsworth, Cathedral Prep – 5-8, 165 senior
Angel Cabrera, Hershey – 6-0, 225 senior
Jayden Zandier, Exeter – 6-1, 165 junior
Luke Denny, Norwin – 6-1, 185 Sr
Scoop Smith, Woodland Hills – 5-6, 135 sophomore
Josh Smith, Mechanicsburg Area – 6-1, 170 junior
Brennan Holmes, New Oxford – 6-1, 180 senior
Aiden Black, Delaware Valley – 6-3, 230 senior
Jivani Cooley, Cathedral Prep – 6-5, 285 senior
Ryan Cory, Pine-Richland – 6-4, 290 senior
Michael Hershey, Spring Grove – 6-4, 250 senior
Zach Tomosovich, Penn-Trafford – 6-5, 305 senior
Tyler Duell, West Chester East – 6-6, 275 sophomore
Danny Aselton, Phoenixville – 6-4, 245 senior
Aaryn Longenecker, Cocalico – 5-10, 175 senior
Kye Harting, Garden Spot – 5-10, 185 senior
Sam McCracken, Ephrata – 6-1, 215 senior
DEFENSE
Jahsear Whittington, Imhotep Charter – 6-2, 280 senior
Ayden Wysocki, South Western – 6-2, 250 senior
Mason Grear, West Chester East – 6-1, 245 senior
Aden Wentz, Cathedral Prep – 6-1, 240 senior
Clancy Orie, Bethel Park – 6-3, 235 junior
Mickey Vaccarello, Peters Township – 6-2, 205 junior
Justin Kalitsnik, Delaware Valley – 6-2, 180 senior
Jerrell Palmer, Chester – 5-10, 215 sophomore
Quintin Pfautz, Ephrata – 6-3, 215 senior
Khalid Bueno, Martin Luther King – 6-2, 215 junior
Ken Woseley, Imhotep Charter – 5-11, 185 junior
Ryder Machado, Delaware Valley – 6-1, 175 senior
Jay Boyd, Roman Catholic – 5-11, 175 Sr
Jackson Pons, Norwin – 6-2, 195 senior
Jeremiah Knowles, Ephrata – 5-9, 160 senior
RJ Roberts, Cathedral Prep – 5-9, 180 Sr
Nathan Lusk, Cedar Cliff – 6-1, 190 senior
Kyle Keefe, West Chester East – 6-0, 170 sophomore
Photos: Mechanicsburg knocks off North in regular season football finale
Mechanicsburg's Henry Notarfrancesco, left, makes a pass in front of Northern's Magarrin Macke, right, during the first quarter of the Mid-Penn Colonial game Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
Northern takes the field before the start of its game against Mechanicsburg in Friday night's Mid-Penn Colonial game at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
Mechanicsburg's Isaac Dollman, front, throws a pass during the first quarter of Mid-Penn Colonial's game against Northern Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
Mechanicsburg's Eli Reider runs a keeper during the first quarter of Mid-Penn Colonial's game against Northern on Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
Mechanicsburg's Isaac Dollman runs the ball for a short gain during the first quarter of Mid-Penn Colonial's game against Northern on Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
North's Cole Bartram, center, looks for an open lane during the first quarter of Mid-Penn Colonial's game against Mechanicsburg Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
North's Jake Bechtel, center, makes a short gain before being brought down by Mechanicsburg's Drew Freeland, right, during the first quarter of the Mid-Penn Colonial game Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
North's Magarrin Macke, center, picks up a few yards before being brought down by multiple Mechanicsburg players during the first quarter of the Mid-Penn Colonial game Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
North's Cole Bartram, center, runs the ball during the first quarter of Mid-Penn Colonial's game against Mechanicsburg Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
Mechanicsburg's Jack DeLuca, left, intercepts a pass intended for Northern's Magarrin Macke, right, during the first quarter of a Mid-Penn Colonial game Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
Mechanicsburg's Eli Reider, right, looks for an open player to pass to during the first quarter of a Mid-Penn Colonial game against Northern Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
North's Jake Kazakawicz, left, and Owen Gilbert, right, break up a pass intended for Mechanicsburg center Josh Smith during the first quarter of the Mid-Penn Colonial game Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field .
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
Northern's Cole Bartram, left, runs the ball during the second quarter of a Mid-Penn Colonial game against Mechanicsburg Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
Mechanicsburg's Henry Notarfrancesco, left, makes a pass in front of North's Jake Kazakawicz during the first quarter of the Mid-Penn Colonial game Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
Northern's Cole Bartram, left, runs the ball during the first quarter of Mid-Penn Colonial's game against Mechanicsburg Friday night at Robert F. Bostic Field.
Jason Malmont, The Sentinel
Christian Eby is a sports reporter for The Sentinel and cumberlink.com. He can be contacted at ceby@cumberlink.com and followed on Twitter at: @eby_sports
