As the 2024 WPIAL high school football season approaches, the Beaver County Times is kicking off its preseason coverage with a list of top players in the area. From Division I prospects, to all-state talents, there are an abundance of stars that will take the field on Friday nights in the Beaver Valley. Throughout this next week, The Times will be ranking the top 40 players in our coverage area. We conclude our top 40 rankings with our top five players in the Beaver Valley.
More: The Times' Top 40 Players in the Beaver Valley
No. 5. Vann Kavals, OLSH
Position: QB/DE
Graduation Year: 2025
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 240 lbs.
About: Kavals has battled injuries throughout his high school career but when he has been on the field, he has been hard to stop. The 6-foot-5 dual-threat player recently committed to the University of Akron in early July after fielding offers from several Division I FBS and FCS schools. In just three games before a season-ending injury derailed his junior season, Kavals was electric every time he touched the ball as he threw for over 600 yards and six touchdowns. Along with his efforts offensively, Kavals also provided a major spark on the defensive side of the ball forcing two fumbles and corralled a fumble during the early parts of the year last season.
No. 4. AC Corfield, South Side Beaver
Position: RB/DB
Graduation Year: 2026
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 175 lbs.
About: Corfield was one of the Rams’ top rushers during the 2023 season as he ranked second on the team in rushing and was a 1,000-yard rusher just a season ago. Corfield was dominant during his sophomore season rushing for 1,289 yards and averaging just over 10 yards per carry. Corfield finished the season with 11 touchdowns, averaging over 90 yards per game during his 14 games played. Corfield was also stout defensively as a defensive back leading the team in interceptions with four, recording 40 total tackles with seven tackles going for a loss. Corfield was named to the Class 1A Big 7 All-Conference team for his work on the offensive side of the ball this past season.
No. 3. Brock Cornell, West Allegheny
Position: RB/S
Graduation Year: 2025
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 185 lbs.
More: West Allegheny football standout Brock Cornell commits to Bucknell University
About: Cornell was a force on the defensive side of the ball last year for the Indians as he compiled 109 total tackles including four pass breakups and two interceptions. Along with his impressive work on the defensive side of the ball, Cornell recorded over 1,600 all-purpose yards and 21 touchdowns last season on the offensive side of the ball 1,040 of those yards coming on the ground. The senior was given all-conference first-team plaudits as an athlete on the offensive side of the ball while also earning first-team all-conference honors as a defensive back. Along with the all-conference honors, Cornell was also named the Co-Defensive Most Valuable Player alongside Aliquippa’s Cameron Lindsey.
No. 2. Jance Henry, Central Valley
Position: RB
Graduation Year: 2027
Height: 5-foot-8
Weight: 195 lbs.
About: Henry burst onto the scene during his freshman campaign solidifying himself as the WPIAL’s top running back prospects in the class of 2027. Just one season ago, Henry rushed for over 1,000 yards on 144 carries averaging just over seven yards per carry and found the end zone 13 times while averaging seven yards per carry and 85 yards per game. Henry holds a slew of Division I offers from Power Four schools that include North Carolina, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan State, the University of Pittsburgh, Ole Miss, and NC State. Henry was named to the Parkway Conference’s first-team all-conference for the 2023 season alongside Tiqwai Hayes.
No. 1. Tiqwai Hayes, Aliquippa
Position: RB/DB
Graduation Year: 2024
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 198 lbs.
About: Hayes slots in as The Times’ top player for the 2024 season after yet another dominant season last year for the Aliquippa senior. Last year, Hayes had a year to remember as he finished just behind Fort Cherry’s Matt Sieg for the WPIAL’s leading rusher as he ran for 2,168 yards on 212 carries finding the end zone 26 times on the ground. Hayes also hauled in four receptions offensively for 165 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Hayes was also effective tallying 30 tackles, five pass breakups, and four interceptions. The Penn State commit was named to the Parkway Conference’s first-team all-conference for his efforts on the offensive side of the ball. Hayes was named The Times’ Male Athlete of the Year in 2024 while also being named the Beaver County Times’ Player of the Year in Football after he eclipsed his career high in rushing yards averaging 152 yards per game on the ground.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: The Times' Top 40 Football Players in the Beaver Valley: 5-1
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