Times Observer file photo by Andy Close

Warren senior linebacker Aidan Morrison was selected to the PFN Class 5A Coaches Select All-State second team, PA Football News announced Thursday.

It’s Morrison’s second all-state selection. He was the Class 4A PA Football Writers All-State first team punter in 2016.

Players were nominated by their head coaches and ballots were sent to coaches across the state. Nearly 200 coaches voted for the inaugural teams, according to PFN.

“I think the one situation that makes this so impressive is when I took over and Aidan was a junior, he was so undecided about playing football,” Warren coach Mark Morelli said. “We really had to do a major selling job that things would be different just so we could get him to give it a try. Then when his senior year came around he just came out of his shell to be one of the leaders of our football team, he played the game with so much energy and aggression this past year and it carried over to the rest of our squad.” I’d be lying if I said we expected this out of him back in August but he turned up the intensity and is being well rewarded with all of the accolades coming his way this offseason, he has certainly earned it. Not bad for a young man who considers baseball his top sport.”

Morrison set the Dragons’ single-season tackles record with 137. He also had team-highs in tackles for loss (13) and sacks (5). Morrison snagged a pair of interceptions on the year and returned both for touchdowns (totaling 127 return yards). He recovered three fumbles, including one for a touchdown, and forced arguably the most memorable one in recent Dragon memory. He punched the ball out at the 1 to spearhead the ‘Miracle in Meadville’ late in the fourth quarter against the Bulldogs.

Morrison signed to play baseball with Canisius next year.

Times Observer file photo by Andy Close
Warren senior middle linebacker Aidan Morrison (9) makes a tackle during the 2018 season finale against St. Marys. Morrison was named a second-team All-State selection in Class 5A by the Pennsylvania Football News.