Sensational sophomore TJ Lawrence burst onto the varsity scene as a Parkland football player this past fall. A running back on offense and defensive back on defense, Lawrence was a standout on both sides of the ball and the media and state of Pennsylvania noticed.

Lawrence was recently voted to the Pennsylvania Sports Writers Class 6A All-State team.

“TJ is one of the best athletes that I have coached in my 30 years of coaching,” said Parkland head coach Tim Moncman. “He is also a true student of the game and a leader by example. TJ’s future will be a bright one and I look forward to helping him achieve his goals.”

Lawrence is a do-it-all type player as he runs the ball out of the backfield, but also runs routes and catches the ball as a wide receiver. Defensively, he is a lockdown cornerback who guards one of the better receivers from the opposing team and also isn’t afraid of contact and tackling running backs.

Parkland finished 11-3 overall and 6-1 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. Lawrence played in all 14 games and helped lead the Trojans to the District 11 6A championship, avenging a regular season finale defeat to rival Emmaus to take down the Hornets 17-3 in the title game, along with beating Liberty in the quarterfinal round and Freedom in the semifinals.

Lawrence concluded his sophomore season with 1,151 yards rushing on 210 carries with 13 touchdowns and also caught 25 passes for 328 yards and two scores. On defense, he finished with 82 tackles, including 45 solo tackles, had seven tackles for loss, one interception and one fumble recovery.

His biggest game came in a win over Whitehall in the middle of the season when he rushed for 151 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries and caught two passes.

In his season debut, Lawrence rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. He had at least one touchdown in all but three games this season.

“What a great season for TJ and I’m proud of him for his hard work and effort,” Moncman said. “I’m excited to see what’s next for him next season.”