Recruiting News

Today on twitter, Matthew Parker committed to Penn State as a preferred walk-on. In his junior year, Parker kicked 11 field goals out of 15 including a 51-yard field goal. 

He holds the Pennsylvania record for longest free kick of 54 yards.

He had 60 out of 74 touchbacks (81%) and was 45 of 48 (three blocked) PATs (94%). He averaged 40 yards per punt.

“I chose PSU because of the people and relationships I had up there, it was unlike any other,” said Parker. “Last season they had a great year and hopefully this year they can compete for CFB playoffs.”

Photo’s courtesy of Rick Martin 

The list of area high-level talent continued their college choices. On Saturday, St. Joe Prep linebacker Anthony Sacca selected Notre Dame as his next football destination, and on Thursday in live stream from Spring-Ford High School, Spring-Ford rising-senior quarterback Matt Zollers choose SEC Missouri over Georgia, Penn State and Pitt.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound quarterback threw for 37 touchdowns last season, against two interceptions, completed 182/290 (63%) for 2,917 yards, and rushed for 431 yards on 67 carries and seven touchdowns.

“Basically, I felt most comfortable at Missouri,” said Zollers, who made his selection Thursday morning. “My No. 1 priority was finding who I connected best with, both players and the coaches, and I just felt best there. I feel like there is great stability there, and I felt there was an instant connection. Going there reinforced that. It was definitely difficult. I was going back-and-forth with my parents. It was with everyone.

“It was pretty difficult (not choosing Penn State). It’s definitely intriguing going to college two hours away, obviously being able to come home pretty easy. I fell back on what I looked for most in a school. Missouri was my best fit.”

The Tigers finished No. 9 in the nation with a 11-2 overall record last season and 6-2 in the rugged SEC. They had wins over four ranked opponents, including a 14-3 victory over depleted Ohio State. The victory was Missouri’s first bowl win since 2015 and the first of Coach Eliah Drinkwitz’s four-year career.

Zollers was very impressed by Tigers’ offensive coordinator/quarterback coach Kirby Moore.

“I don’t think Matt could have made a bad decision, and he was pretty set even a couple months ago, despite what he said, and I spoke to his parents about slowing down and with the help of his parents, he decided to do one more round (of visits),”  Rams’ coach Chad Brubaker said. “But he was set for some time on Missouri. Kirby Moore set offensive records at Fresno State and we run a fairly complicated offense, replicated what college coach’s expectations are. Matt was really about feeling most comfortable about Missouri and where they are headed.”

Georgia seemed to be a strong consideration, and looked as if Penn State was a strong consideration, before Missouri came into the picture.

“Matt and I never had a conversation about the order, but we did speak about when he was leaning heavily towards Missouri, what if Alabama comes calling, what if Notre Dame comes calling, and they both did. Matt remained solid with Missouri.”

Led by Zollers, Spring-Ford finished No. 4 in PIAA District 1 Class 6A, reaching the district quarterfinals before losing to eventual District 1 champion Central Bucks South, 35-19. As a sophomore, Zollers led the Rams to the district quarters, losing to eventual District 1 champ Garnet Valley, 30-27.

Zollers, who is considered by numerous scouting services to be among the best passers in Pennsylvania for the coming season, is on pace to break every significant Spring-Ford career school passing record his senior season.

Joseph Santoliquito is a hall of fame, award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito [twitter.com]

Yesterday on Twitter, Palmerton Area Senior Matthew Machalik announced that he committed to play football at Lehigh University.

Machalik had offers from Lafayette and Navy.

What position are you being recruited for?

– Quarterback/Athlete

Why Lehigh?

“I chose Lehigh because it is a great fit for me! The campus is amazing, the coaches are great and I built a great relationship with the coaches! They definitely made me feel wanted.”

Matt is gearing up for another big season in the 2023 season.

“Committing definitely is a relief, so now I’m glad I can just focus on my team and my senior year. My goal is to make all my other teammates better!”

Matthew had a big year in 2022. Here are his statistics:

Passing:
156 of 271 attempts
2,554 passing yards
31 TD’s
8 INT’s

Rushing:
164 carries
1,216 rushing yards
21 rushing TD’s
7.4 yards per average
6 games of 100 plus yards; 136 points

Defense:
31 tackles
21 solo
10 assists
3 INT’s
1 returned for TD
7 pass deflections
1 Forced Fumble
1 TFL

“I’m really excited for Matt and his opportunity to continue his athletic and academic careers at Lehigh. I think his choice will bring excitement to the area as local fans will have the opportunity to support him at Lehigh,” said Head Football Coach Chris Walkowiak. “I would like to thank all the schools that have recruited Matt along the way for their time and efforts, especially the new staff at Lehigh. They have been outstanding to work with and have done their due diligence in recruiting Matt. It will be fun to follow Matt’s career in the future. However, we are in no rush to see him graduate due to all the things he does for us on and off the field. Matt is a tremendous athlete, displays high character, and is just a class act all around.”

Photo courtesy of Lynn Shupp

Today on Twitter, Central Bucks South Senior, Collin Goetter, announced he committed to Monmouth University. 

Goetter had offers from Maine, LIU, Sacred Heart, Towson, Lehigh, Bryant, Saint Francis, Lafayette, Georgetown, and Colgate.

What position are you being recruited for?

– Offensive Lineman

We asked him why he picked Monmouth.

“Location, education, 5 year MBA program, football coaching staff longevity. The offensive staff has been together for over 20 years.”

Goetter is excited about the CB South 2023 season.

“Looking forward to having a great senior season where I can just focus on football and not recruiting.”

Jake had a big year in 2022. Here are his statistics. 

Offense: (11 games)

– Over 50 pancakes 

– 1 pressure allowed 

– 0 sacks allowed 

“Collin is the Real Deal. We threw him in the first game his sophomore year and he has started every game for us since,” said Head Football Coach Tom Hetrick. “He has great feet and a nasty streak to go with it. He will have a great career at Monmouth.”

Yesterday on Twitter, Downingtown West senior Jake Kucera announced he committed to the University of Maine. He was recruited as a safety.

“They made me feel like I was home. It’s a super competitive conference that will push me to be my best. The coaching staff made me feel more than welcomed and it just felt like home.”

Kucera is excited about the Whippets 2023 season.

“We’re looking at potentially a really good year, so the goal is to work as hard as possible, not take anything for granted, and win championships.”

Jake had a big year in 2022. Here are his statistics.

Offense:
1 pass TD on 1 attempt for 63 yards.

40 receptions
765 yards
10 TDs

26 carries
269 yards
2 TDs

Defense:
43 tackles
3 int.
1 sack

Special Teams:
1 punt return TD

“Jake is one of the best two-way football players I have ever been lucky enough to coach,” said Head Coach Mike Milano. “He quarterbacks our secondary and is a very physical presence. On offense, he excels as a blocker, runner, and receiver.”

Yesterday on Twitter, the Wyoming Area senior running back Aaron Crossley announced he committed to Lehigh University.

“My dream as a football player ever since the age of five was to play Division 1 football and I worked every day to get there. But, saying that,  the job isn’t anywhere close to done. After talking with my family, I am super excited to announce that I will be verbally committing to LEHIGH UNIVERSITY. A special thank you to Coach Cahill, Coach Warren, and the rest of the coaching staff to give me such a special opportunity and making Lehigh feel like home. GO MOUNTAIN HAWKS.”

Crossley led the Warriors last season, rushing for 2,115 yards on 222 carries and scoring 24 touchdowns. He set a school record for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in a game with seven.

On defense, he had 32 solo tackles, 10.5 TFL, three sacks, and 55 total tackles.

Aaron is a top ‘24 PA prospect and a PIAA Class AA State 100 meter finalist,” said Head Football Coach Randy Spencer. “ He is an outstanding player, leader, teammate, student, and young man, with a tremendous work ethic.”

Photo courtesy of Stanley Jaworski

Sitting on his living room sofa at around 5 p.m. on Thursday night, Samaj Jones decided. The gifted 6-foot-1, 215-pound St. Joseph’s Prep rising senior quarterback ended a two-year long journey and called Cincinnati’s first-year coach Scott Satterfield to tell him that he’s going to be a Bearcat.

On Sunday at 7 p.m., Jones made it public by announcing it on social media.

Jones, ESPN’s No. 5-ranked dual-threat quarterback nationally and No. 250-ranked overall player, choose Cincinnati over Oklahoma, Penn State and West Virginia. Oklahoma was the closest competitor to Cincinnati. Jones is the highest ranked recruit in Cincinnati’s 2024 class.

While at Louisville, Satterfield had heavily recruited Jones, who owns numerous St. Joe’s Prep passing records, including becoming the first Prep quarterback to throw for 400 yards and seven touchdowns in a game, which he did last season against St. Peter’s Prep, finishing with 420 yards and seven touchdowns in a 55-20 victory.

He ended the season throwing for 2,526 yards and 32 touchdown passes, rushed for 740 yards and 14 touchdowns, and amassed more than 3,200 total yards of offense, and more importantly, directed the Hawks to the PIAA Class 6A state championship last season.

“This was really stressful,” Jones said. “I felt sick the last couple of weeks thinking about this. I haven’t gotten a good night of sleep in so long, that I don’t even want to think about it. I was talking to one of our coaches earlier this week about how much this was on my mind.

“Getting this off my mind and something to get rid of, I just want to go out and win another state championship. This got to a point where I didn’t want to talk about it to anyone, except my teammates and guys like Kyle McCord (former Prep quarterback now at Ohio State), and Omillio (Agard, who committed to Wisconsin on Saturday).

“I was that stressed out. It was the pressure I put on myself. But I was getting an average of 15, 20 calls a day. I had recruiters constantly calling. It was crazy. It is tough to say no to the schools that were recruiting. They were all good. It was my decision, and there were some schools that didn’t dig it. It taught me a lot about this process.”

Cincinnati was a leader because Satterfield runs the offense Jones runs at St. Joe’s Prep, but what really made Jones choose Cincinnati was Satterfield and his staff.

“Cincinnati made me feel really comfortable, and I spoke to Robert Jackson (who’s at Cincinnati and played for Archbishop Wood),” Jones said. “Robert told me after (previous Cincinnati) coach (Luke) Fickell left (for Wisconsin), how the new staff came in there and made everyone feel just as comfortable as the previous staff.

“That was something that really stuck out to me. Plus, Satterfield runs an explosive offense that’s made for a dual-threat quarterback like me. Cincinnati is entering the Big 12 this year, so now they’re a Power Five school. Coach Satterfield has coached a lot of good quarterbacks, and seeing the work he did with Malik Cunningham (when he was at Louisville and now the New England Patriots) was a big deal to me.”

Going into Cincinnati, Jones will be more prepared than when Cunningham started at Louisville. Satterfield also coached Taylor Lamb, when he was at Appalachian State and is the quarterback coach at Virginia.

Satterfield holds a 76-48 record (.612) in 10 years as head coach at Louisville and Appalachian State, holding a winning mark in seven seasons in addition to a 4-1 record in bowl games. He led the Mountaineers to three straight conference titles and four bowl appearances from 2013 to 2018 before taking over the Cardinals in 2019.

Along with Cincinnati this season, the Big 12 will be welcoming BYU, Houston, and UCF. It will also mark the last season for founding conference members Oklahoma and Texas, which will be leaving for the Southeastern Conference prior to the start of the 2024 season.

This is going to be another big year for St. Joe’s Prep. The Hawks, with a good nucleus back from last year’s state championship, may have larger aspirations than winning another PIAA Class 6A state championship. This is a team that is good enough to win a mythical high school national championship.

“Being at Prep has been a great help, and I resorted to Kyle, who’s been through this process and he’s one of the brightest people that I know,” Jones said. “I made the decision based on what my gut told me. Football is big in Cincinnati, and with how good the Bengals are right now, that’s a big plus, too.

“They have their own stadium and it is shaped like a bowl. The program has been great under Fickell and Satterfield has been recruiting me since he was at Louisville. I want to compete for the starting job from Day One, and I know it’s going to take a lot for me to get what I want. I’m a competitor. It’s part of who I am.”

Jones, who plans on majoring in exercise science, said that the NIL compensation is good at Cincinnati, but “I don’t really care about that,” he stressed. “I get to enjoy my senior year of high school. I’m going to a great school and a great program, and I get to have a great senior year. This is over. The NIL didn’t play much in this at all. I would play football for free.

“I would pay to play football.”

Jones will sign during the early signing period in December.

Photo courtesy of Matt Topper

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.

Omillio Agard has been getting college attention before he even stepped on a high school football field. Since then, the scholarship offers have been rolling in for the perennial Philadelphia All-Catholic League St. Joseph’s Prep 5-foot-11, 175-pound cornerback.

He made his choice public on Saturday night.

After four years of recruiting, and some recent stress involved with the process, the standout rising senior is going to Wisconsin.

Agard, who had 14 pass deflections, 14 solo tackles, and two forced fumbles in St. Joe’s drive to the PIAA Class 6A state championship last season, chose Wisconsin and new coach Luke Fickell over Clemson, Penn State, Tennessee, and Michigan.

In the end, it came down to two: Wisconsin and Clemson.

“It was really close between Wisconsin and Clemson, but getting the chance to play early, feeling comfortable there and I know they play a lot of man defense, and they have a good track record of getting DBs in the NFL went into it,” Agard said. “That set it up for me. Playing earlier was a deciding factor, but the biggest difference was Wisconsin making me feel wanted and needed. You go to some schools and they’ll take you, but you get a feeling that you’re not their top priority.

“When coach Fickell was at Cincinnati he got in touch with me my freshman year. When he got to Wisconsin, he stayed in touch with me. Coach Fickell and his staff were there since the beginning. This is a big relief for me. We’re (St. Joe’s Prep) going to be really good this year. It was also getting stressful. I was talking to Samaj (Jones, Prep’s quarterback) about how stressful this was getting.

“Your freshman and sophomore years are like a honeymoon phase. You’re younger, you think it’s cool to get these offers and the attention. Then it got serious my junior year because it gets real. You have to pick a school and it is a life decision. I trusted in God, and my family, and I have a great group of support people at St. Joe’s Prep. They’re the best coaches in the country. I have a big, great support system that helped me deal with this.

“I am so happy it is over. I get just play football my senior year and have a great time.”

This is going to be another big year for St. Joe’s Prep. The Hawks, with a good nucleus back from last year’s state championship, may have larger aspirations than winning another PIAA Class 6A state championship. This is a team that is good enough to win a mythical high school national championship.

“We have the talent and the coaching, and the work ethic,” Agard said. “I can’t wait. We have a hard schedule. I get to play with my guys against great teams and I have a lot less stress off my shoulders.”

Agard, who has been taking summer courses for the last two years at Prep, admitted he actually lost sleep over where he was going. He would talk to Jones in the middle of the night because each one of them could not sleep, dwelling over their decisions.

“Me and Samaj were on FaceTime in the middle of the night all the time, talking to each other about where we’re going,” said Agard, who is looking to major in communications. “I could not tell where I wanted to go, and now it’s over. Knowing where I’m going, and going to a great place, this is going to help me sleep better at night (laughs).

“I have a great support staff because I spoke to Marvin Harrison, Kyle McCord, Jeremiah, and Josiah Trotter, they all gave me great advice. For kids getting recruited, my best advice to them is not to follow the logo. Everyone has facilities. There is scouting everywhere, so if you’re good enough, it does not matter where you go, they’re going to find you. Concern yourself with the scheme and how that fits you, and you could tell what coaches are real and what coaches are not.

“Right now, I’m 9.5 happy on a scale of 10, because you can never be a 10. I wear No. 1 at Prep. No one wears No. 1 at Wisconsin. I haven’t asked for that number.

“But I will soon.”

Other important football news

St. Joe’s Prep wide receiver Brandon Rehmann has committed to West Virginia and Elijah Jones is going to Cincinnati and in huge news, Penn State-bound wide receiver Tyseer Denmark is leaving Roman Catholic. Agard will join Neuman Goretti’s Kahmir Prescott and Pope John Paul II’s tackle Kevin Heywood at Wisconsin, while Malvern Prep offensive lineman Peter Jones is headed to Notre Dame, Downingtown West offensive lineman Ryan Howard will join his older brother Will at Kansas State, Penn Charter running back Ohifame Ijeboi is headed to Minnesota, Neumann-Goretti defensive back Khari Reid is headed to Stanford and Imhotep Charter defensive back Kenneth Woseley is headed to Penn State, while teammate, defensive lineman Jahsear Whittington, has committed to Pitt.

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.

It was not too long ago that De’Andre Swift from St. Joseph’s Prep announced he was playing for the University of Georgia. Swift now plays for the Detroit Lions. 

Yesterday on Twitter, another Philly kid committed to Georgia. Imhotep Charter’s Jabree Wallace-Coleman announced he is heading to Georgia to play for the Bulldogs. 

“Jabree is a wonderful young man. Super respectful, well-mannered, and humble! Comes from a great home with a great support system, ” said Head Coach Devon Johnson. “On the field, he is a complete back who can run the ball, catch the ball out of the backfield and pass block! Still hasn’t even scratched the surface of his full potential! Jabree was adamant about committing to Georgia. Even though he is still early in his career/recruitment, he went on an unofficial visit to the school, loved it, and felt there was no need to prolong the process.”

Back in January, Running Back coach Dell McGee offered the rising junior a scholarship. Wallace-Coleman has offers from Rutgers, Nebraska, Penn State, Tennessee, and Texas A&M, among others.

Coleman has the size, power, and speed and will only get bigger, stronger, and faster. Last season, as a freshman he rushed for 380 yards on 37 carries and five touchdowns. 

“His running back Coach, Michael Gandy, and the entire Imhotep coaching staff are proud of Jabree and support his decision 1000%.”

You can check out his highlights below. 

On July 8th, London put out a video on Twitter announcing his commitment date. He not only named his top 3 teams but his Top 3 Fast Food Places, Top 3 Car Brands, Top 3 Athletes, and Top 3 Cereal Brands. Here is the list.

Top 3 Fast Food Places

1. Chin-Fil-A
2. McDonald’s
3. Popeyes

Top 3 Car Brands 

1. Dodge 
2. Lamborghini 
3. McLaren

Top 3 Pro Athletes

1. Saquon Barkley
2. Steph Curry
3. Giancarlo Stanton

Top 3 Cereal Brands

1. Cinnamon Toast Crunch 
2. Lucky Charms
3. Honey Bunches of Oats

His top three picks were Boston College, Penn State, and Virginia Tech.

Today on Twitter at the Xavier Center, Scranton Prep’s London Montgomery announced he is committed to Penn State.

According to 247Sports Montgomery took official visits to Boston College on June 24, Penn State on June 17, and Virginia Tech on the 10th of June.

Montgomery is the No. 32 running back in the nation and the No. 9 class of 2023 according to 247Sports. 

“London is an incredibly explosive athlete that has developed into a dynamic football player for us,” said Terry Gallagher. “He is a hard-working, tough, intelligent, and athletically skilled player that can play multiple positions and change the course of a game in a split second.”

Last season, the 5-foot-11,190-pound rising senior rushed for 2,356 yards and 36 touchdowns.

“London is a passionate football player, putting his heart and soul into every workout, practice, or game he participates in. London’s no-compromise attitude, constant energy and enthusiasm, and high expectations for himself and his teammates make our program better. He is a fierce competitor, and our team feeds off of him.”

Stats the past three years.

Stats:

2021:
Rushing:
2,356 yards
194 carries
36 touchdowns

2020 (5 games): 
Rushing:
103 carries 
914 yards 
13 TDs
Receiving:
6 catches 
55 yards 
1 TD
Special Teams:
9 punt returns 
214 yards
1 TD

2019: 
Rushing:
145 carries 
802 yards
10 TDs

Junior Hudl Highlights

Photo courtesy of Terry Gallagher

Josiah Trotter admits he had a big load on his mind lifted at 12-noon on Friday, when the St. Joe’s Prep 6-foot-2, 230-pound standout junior middle linebacker made it public by committing to West Virginia.

“This is a big load off my mind because it is one less thing having to worry about my senior year,” said Josiah, the youngest son of former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. “I have a job to do. I can focus on football and reaching that next level.

“It’s something I wanted to get off my chest. I feel West Virginia is home for me. Now I have to get locked in for next season and make sure everyone else is locked in. We’re making sure things are together now, instead of later in the season.”

Josiah, considered one of the best high school linebackers in the country, chose West Virginia over Virginia Tech and South Carolina. He told West Virginia coach Neal Brown in March and decided to make it public on Friday.

What is surprising is many recruiting prognosticators speculated Josiah would join his brother, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. at Clemson.

Jeremiah is projected to be Clemson’s starting middle linebacker as a true sophomore this coming season.

“Clemson was a consideration,” Josiah said. “It was a big deal to play with my brother, but we got that chance to play next to each other in high school. Playing in high school with him was a great experience. I spoke to Jeremiah about it, and he wanted me to go with what was best for me. And what’s best for me is West Virginia.

“It’s a good fit. It’s the most comfortable environment. They run a zone defense, which allows the mic linebacker to make a lot of plays. They play a mixture of things, 4-3, 5-2, and they want me to play the mic. It came down to West Virginia, Virginia Tech, and South Carolina. Coach (Brent) Pry (former Penn State defensive coordinator now the head coach at Virginia Tech) was a big factor in that.”

Jeremiah wore his father’s No. 54 at St. Joe’s Prep and now at Clemson. It looks like Josiah will get to wear his No. 40 (his high school number and his father’s college number) at West Virginia.

West Virginia finished 6-7 overall and 4-5 in the Big 12 Conference last season.

The Mountaineer program does have ties to the Philadelphia area. Last season, Leddie Brown, a Neumann-Goretti standout, led West Virginia in rushing with 1,065 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Josiah’s primary goal is to leave Prep as a three-time triple-crown winner, winning the Philadelphia Catholic League, District 12, and PIAA Class 6A state championships.

Mount Lebanon got in the way last season, beating the Hawks, 35-17, in the Class 6A state finals.

“Now I have to get locked in for next season, and make sure everyone else is locked in,” Josiah said. “We’re making sure things are together now, instead of later in the season. “It did bother me seeing our seniors leave the field without a state championship last year. I saw the time and commitment those seniors put in. I have a job to do this year: Making sure our seniors don’t leave the field like that again.

“It’s about being happy and I feel I’ll be happy at West Virginia. I get to focus on football now.”

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.

Photo Credit Rick Martin

Yesterday, Wyomissing Area’s Jven Williams announced his commitment to Penn State on Twitter.

Home📍@coachjfranklin @CoachTrautFB @CoachSteveONeil @RossTuckerNFL @MDrago59 @PaulRobertsCuse @GarageStrength pic.twitter.com/N0Pw4Eu7i0

— Jven Williams (@williams_jven) February 5, 2022

The 6-foot-4, 285-pound lineman is a four-star recruit. He is ranked No. 2 player in Pennsylvania and the No. 10 Offensive Tackle in the nation according to 247sports.com.

A few weeks ago Williams announced his top seven schools. Penn State, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Ole Miss, Michigan, Michigan State, and Illinois. 

Williams joins an already good 2023 class for the Nittany Lions. He was a key piece on the offensive line that rushed for 4,953 yards. The Spartans were Class 3A runner-up for the second straight year 

Photo’s courtesy of Bill Avington

Anthony Sacca seemed to come from nowhere like he was shot from a cannon, and there he was with yet another interception that turned the course of the game into St. Joseph Prep’s favor. The Hawks decisive 49-13 PIAA Class 6A state semifinal playoff victory over Garnet Valley last Saturday gave them the chance to become the first large school fourpeat state champs.

At the eye of this surge is 6-foot-3, 190-pound freshman safety Sacca, the son of former Penn State quarterback Tony Sacca.

Anthony possesses a knowledge of football that belies his age. He seems to be everywhere. He leads the Hawks with four interceptions and is among the team’s leading tacklers.

But an interesting coincidence occurred this season for St. Joe’s Prep. Once Anthony fell into the rhythm and felt confident about his responsibilities at safety, the Hawks’ defense began to sour.

The interesting twist is Anthony had no real desire to play safety in the first place. Now, you couldn’t pry him loose from the position without a crane.

Tony Sacca was a very gifted high school player at Delran. He was an exceptional talent—and the scary part is Anthony, as a 15-year-old freshman, could be far, far better than his father was as a senior in high school. Anthony certainly is faster and more athletic than his father was in high school.

Anthony used to draw up football plays with his dad, and now even on his own, he’s prone to design football plays during the rare idle time academically at Prep.

“I have to be completely honest, I didn’t understand a thing about the defense when I first got here at Prep,” Anthony admitted with a laugh. “I was a freshman on varsity, so I thought I would take my chances, and learn and grow and play a little, and maybe some special teams, and maybe learn enough to maybe start as a junior.

“Those first couple of weeks of summer I questioned why I was doing this. Those long days where you’re leaving your house at 1 p.m. in the afternoon and not getting home until 10 at night, and flipping them into the morning practices. It really makes you look at yourself in the mirror and ask why you love this game.”

Anthony kept his mouth shut and what he originally didn’t like, he now loves.

“I wouldn’t change a thing,” Anthony said. “I think it began turning around for me in the middle of the summer and I started to see things. I began understanding the defense and figuring everything out.”

Gradually, Anthony began learning what angles to attack, where to be on the field. He actually deserves a lot of credit, growing into a role that he initially felt uncomfortable with, and was willing to bear with it instead of complain about it.

“Anthony has really grown and making plays at safety, and I think Anthony is really going to blow up very soon,” Hawks’ coach Tim Roken said. “By the time he is a senior, he may be able to go anywhere he wants to, but Anthony is a great athlete who’s very good at baseball and basketball.

“If I wanted to bring Anthony, we thought we could help us on defense. Every since he’s come into the program, he’s shown an ability to be coachable, but you can’t help but miss the fact he’s always around the football. He’s really dedicated and practices with a purpose. He’s really grown, making big plays.”

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.

 Penn State University Commit Nicholas Singleton Set to be Welcomed to 2022 All-American Bowl with Virtual Jersey Presentation 

STAMFORD, Conn. – October 26, 2021 – Running back Nicholas Singleton (Reading, Pennsylvania/Governor Mifflin H.S.), the Penn State University commit, will be officially honored tomorrow as a 2022 All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the seventh episode of the Road to the Dome digital series. 

The episode will be released tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET on the NBC Sports YouTube channel. 

The Road to the Dome Tour will honor all 100 All-Americans with virtual jersey presentations during a 15-episode series that will be released weekly through various digital and social platforms across NBC Sports. 

Having been selected to play in the twenty-second edition of the All-American Bowl, Singleton will play in the annual East vs. West matchup inside the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The Bowl will be nationally televised, live on NBC, and will feature the nation’s top 100 high school football players. 

Singleton was selected by the All-American Bowl Selection Committee, consisting of the All-American Bowl and 247Sports. All Americans are eligible for the All-American Bowl Player of the Year Award, the Anthony Muñoz Lineman of the Year Award, the Defensive Player of the Year Award, the All-American Bowl Man of the Year, the All-American Bowl MVP Award. 

Only 100 football players receive the honor of putting on the All-American Bowl jersey each year. Each player selected to participate will culminate their high school career at the All-American Bowl. 

About the All-American Bowl 

As an NBC Sports-owned property, the All-American Bowl is part of a marquee lineup of elite events that include the Olympics, the NHL, the Premier League, and the number one primetime show since 2011: Sunday Night Football. The All-American Bowl is annually the most-watched, most-talked-about, and most-prestigious high school all-star event with more than 4,100,000 unique television viewers and over 20,000 in attendance. The history and tradition of the All-American Bowl are unparalleled: 496 draft picks; 74 Super Bowl champions; 174 Pro Bowl selections; 13 Heisman finalists including, but not limited to: Odell Beckham Jr., Christian McCaffrey, Tim Tebow, Derrick Henry, DeVonta Smith, and Trevor Lawrence. For more information, visit NBCSports.com/AllAmericanBowl, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@AABonNBC) 

Four-Star University of South Carolina Commit Keenan Nelson Jr. Set to be Welcomed to 2022 All-American Bowl with Virtual Jersey Presentation 

STAMFORD, Conn. – October 12, 2021 – Defensive back Keenan Nelson Jr. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/ St. Joseph’s Preparatory School), the University of South Carolina commit, will be officially honored tomorrow as a 2022 All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the fifth episode of the Road to the Dome digital series. 

The episode will be released tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET on the NBC Sports YouTube channel. 

The Road to the Dome Tour will honor all 100 All-Americans with virtual jersey presentations during a 15-episode series that will be released weekly through various digital and social platforms across NBC Sports. 

Having been selected to play in the twenty-second edition of the All-American Bowl, Nelson Jr. will play in the annual East vs. West matchup inside the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The Bowl will be nationally televised, live on NBC, and will feature the nation’s top 100 high school football players. 

Nelson Jr. was selected by the All-American Bowl Selection Committee, consisting of the All-American Bowl and 247Sports. All-Americans are eligible for the All-American Bowl Player of the Year Award, the Anthony Muñoz Lineman of the Year Award, the Defensive Player of the Year Award, the All-American Bowl Man of the Year, the All-American Bowl MVP Award. 

Only 100 football players receive the honor of putting on the All-American Bowl jersey each year. Each player selected to participate will culminate their high school careers at the All-American Bowl. 

About the All-American Bowl 

As an NBC Sports-owned property, the All-American Bowl is part of a marquee lineup of elite events that includes the Olympics, the NHL, the Premier League, and the number one primetime show since 2011: Sunday Night Football. The All-American Bowl is annually the most-watched, most-talked about, and most-prestigious high school all-star event with more than 4,100,000 unique television viewers and over 20,000 in attendance. The history and tradition of the All-American Bowl is unparalleled: 496 draft picks; 74 Super Bowl champions; 174 Pro Bowl selections; 13 Heisman finalists including, but not limited to: Odell Beckham Jr., Christian McCaffrey, Tim Tebow, Derrick Henry, DeVonta Smith, and Trevor Lawrence. For more information, visit NBCSports.com/AllAmericanBowl, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@AABonNBC) 

Gavin Garcia was freezing like everyone else on Dec. 10, 2016, sitting on the frosty metal benches in the Southern Columbia stands at Hersheypark Stadium. It wasn’t the comfortable chill either that normally accompanies Southern Columbia teams in Hershey in December, since District 7 champion Steel Valley was really taking it to the Tigers, 49-7, in the PIAA Class 2A state championship that day.

Garcia sat there stewing in frustration, knowing his time would come—and vowing on his watch that Southern Columbia wouldn’t lose like that again.

Garcia’s promise to himself that afternoon endures.

Since then, the Tigers haven’t lost a game, carrying a state-best, four-year 60-game winning streak into this season and an 88-game regular-season winning streak that stretches back to 2011.

At the eye of that success is Garcia, the Tigers’ powerful 5-foot-8, 185-pound rising senior tailback who is on the brink of making history this season on a historical high school program, coached by a historical figure, Jim Roth, owner of the most wins (456) in Pennsylvania high school football history.

If he upholds his vow, Garcia could be the only Tigers’ four-year starting football player to go undefeated with four straight state championships in school history. This will mark the second year Gavin is playing without his older brother, Gaige, now at Lehigh after transferring from Michigan, though the Tigers continue to be well-stocked with Garcias, with younger brother Garrett, a rising sophomore linebacker, starting with Gavin.

Gavin and the rest of his teammates find themselves the resolute curators of “the great numbers.”

There is the Tigers’ 60-game winning streak, and with a 7-0 start in 2021, Southern Columbia would surpass the state all-time record set by Class A Clairton from 2009 through 2013 when the Bears won 66 straight. There is the Tigers’ quest for a fivepete, which would tie their own record for consecutive state titles (2002-2006 as a Class A).

Then there is the 88-game regular-season winning streak that goes way back to a 22-21 Mount Carmel loss on Oct. 28, 2011, in the PA Heartland Athletic Conference, Division II.

“It’s a lot of pressure playing for Southern, just because of the tradition of winning here, but we know what we have to do and we did it last year after losing the senior class with Gaige,” Gavin said. “I think a lot of people doubted us last year and we still wound up with an undefeated season and the state championship. We’re looking to do the same thing this year and nothing really changes.”

“It’s just football games.”

Gavin said he’s evolved into being more comfortable with the offense by reading defenses better. As a freshman and sophomore, he relied more on jukes to get by defenders. He benches 335 pounds and is far more explosive. His goal this year is to rush for over 2,000 yards, which he came close to doing last year when he rushed for 1,900 yards in 11 games.

He wants to keep his yards-per-carry up, which was around 17 in 2020. This year he is looking to keep it over 15.

Since he first saw him play, Roth knew immediately what he was getting from Gavin. Among his initial varsity starts, Garcia took a pitch right, saw no open running lanes, reversed field, and out sped everyone for an 84-yard touchdown. Roth walked down the sideline, arms folded with a beaming smile on his face and nodding, “You can’t coach that.”

“That told me I could play at this level,” said Gavin, who’s been academically accepted to Kent State and Harvard, where he intends to play football. “That (touchdown freshman year) told me that I fit in; that I belong. At the time, I was a little intimidated by the older class of seniors and rising juniors.

“I want to win another state championship. Everything else at the end isn’t going to matter. It only matters that we win states again. We don’t pay attention to the streaks. We keep our minds on winning and everything else that comes with it. I would like to rush over 2,000 yards, and maybe there is a chance to be Southern’s all-time rushing leader.

“We just have to let that happen naturally. My goal is to be the only four-year starter to go undefeated and win a state championship. I would even beat out Gaige with that (laughs).”

Roth is looking to use Gavin more on defense this season, probably at safety. Gavin will be one of Roth’s five captains, along with quarterback Liam Klebon, receiver Jake Rose, one of the state’s best-kept secrets, tackle Carson Savitski, and defensive end-tight end Derek Berlitz.

But there is no doubt about this being Gavin’s team

“Gavin talks,” Roth said. “Sometimes, you have a real good player where they let their play talk. Gavin will let his play speak up, but he will be vocal with his teammates. In big games, he is the most vocal and he’s such a determined, relentless type of athlete, that even if he wasn’t vocal, he would still get a lot of respect from his teammates based on his approach to the game.

“It’s extremely rare what Gavin has achieved and what he’s a part of. He’ll have a tremendous year running the ball, but we don’t let our starters play a whole game a lot of times, and Gavin still rushed for over 1,900 yards last year in 11 games. We’ll use him more on defense, but he’s still going to be our No. 1 back.”

One thing is certain: Southern Columbia will be looking to make more history in 2021, spearheaded by Gavin who may be part of a special group alone in December in Hershey, where comfortable chills normally accompany Southern Columbia teams.

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.

Josiah Trotter is expecting a big junior season, after having a big sophomore year for St. Joseph’s Prep. All Trotter has known is winning at St. Joe’s Prep. He began playing as a freshman, replacing his older brother, Jeremiah Jr., when he got hurt. He had the joy of playing alongside his brother last season, helping Prep win a third-straight PIAA Class 6A state championship.

Amid his preparation for his junior season, Josiah, a linebacker, narrowed a very long list of college scholarship offers down to a final four: Penn State, Clemson, where Jeremiah Jr. is now, Ohio State, where former Prep teammates Kyle McCord and Marvin Harrison Jr. are, and South Carolina.

Josiah has grown an inch since last season, and is 6-foot-2 235 pounds—and he is still growing.

By the time Josiah graduates, he could be the tallest Trotter in his household. His father, Jeremiah Sr., was a former All-Pro who played 11 years in the NFL at 6-1, 262. In two years, he could be very close to his father’s playing size.

“I’m getting used to the size,” Josiah said. “I think I won’t stop growing until my freshman or sophomore year in college. I think my dad played around 260 in the NFL, but his playing weight was around 256. Being around my friends, I’m taller and the scale is telling me how much bigger I am.”

As a measuring tool, Josiah gets reminded just how tall he is getting. There are pen marks on his bedroom doorway showing his progress.

Josiah turned 16 in April.

His baby fat is gone. He’s benching 275 pounds for five reps and squatting 450 pounds for five reps.

Josiah has already visited Clemson numerous times when he’s gone down to see Jeremiah Jr. Clemson immediately made an offer to Josiah. Penn State has played a huge role as among the first schools to offer Josiah, and it’s the first school Josiah visited. He’s very informed about Ohio State, with McCord and Harrison there, and South Carolina’s 43-year-old head coach Shane Beamer, the son of legendary Hall of Fame coach Frank Beamer, has been recruiting the Southeastern Pennsylvania area hard.

“I liked South Carolina and what coach Beamer and his staff are doing,” Josiah said. “I visited Penn State a few weeks, and it’s a great school and I like what coach (James) Franklin has come in. And I know a lot about Ohio State and I like everything that they do there.

“I really want to enjoy this time. I’m going to take my time. I would like to make my choice before my senior year. I still have a big choice between the four schools. I wanted to go with the four schools for both football and academics.

“I wanted to be honest with other schools that may have been interested in me and I didn’t want to string them along. After my official visits, I’ll make a choice. I have time. I’m trying to enjoy this as much as I can.”

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.

When Keenan Nelson was a freshman at St. Joseph’s Prep, a Rutgers recruiter saw enough in the 5-foot-10, 170-pound defensive back to make him an offer then. Through time, Nelson’s stature and his size blossomed, turning into a sturdy, muscular 6-foot-1, 200-pound cornerback that many major colleges in the country wanted.

Last weekend, Nelson made his choice, choosing to attend South Carolina on a football scholarship, over Penn State, Temple, West Virginia, and Cincinnati.

“I’m happy,” Nelson said. “I liked the atmosphere at South Carolina, I liked the coaching staff and they seemed to be a tight-knit football team. Shane Beamer is the head coach and I like what he’s doing.

“The South Carolina staff spoke to me every day, and they stayed in touch. There was no pressure. There was a second choice, but it came down to South Carolina and Penn State. I like South Carolina’s defense. They play a lot of man defense and I like it out there on an island. I let coach Beamer know today (Tuesday) that I was going to go there.

“I really wanted to make my choice early. It’s good now. I don’t have to worry about so many people calling me and texting me. I can focus strictly on football and I know where I’m going.”

All Nelson has known is winning at St. Joe’s Prep, which threepeated at PIAA 6A state champions last season. This is now a team in the hands of three-starters like Nelson.

“The fourpeat would be great, but we’re focused on winning and I’m putting pressure on myself to be the best I can be and give 100 percent all of the time,” Nelson said. “I do feel better and more relaxed knowing that I have a school that I’m going to. It made all of the time and commitment worth it.”

Nelson is projected to be a cornerback in South Carolina. He possesses great tackling ability and his speed and talent to eye the football make him dangerous anytime he’s near the ball.

Nelson’s decision not only gave him peace of mind, but it also helps Hawks’ coach Tim Roken, too.

“You know Keenan’s college is not something that is weighing on his mind right now,” Roken said. “He had a tough couple of weeks in trying to make a decision for himself and his family, and the more of our guys who have made the early decisions over the years they see how much more relaxed they play and they see that happen.

“The younger guys saw with the guys in front of them, with the reason being that they kind of want to get out of the way and know where they’re going. It gives them all the chance and relax and play ball their senior year and enjoy playing with their brothers. If Keenan is happy, I’m happy. Keenan knew what he planned out to do. He had many great options and it came down to two at the end. He’s excited to be a Gamecock.”

If Nelson continues to grow and fill out, by the time he leaves South Carolina, he’s going to be garnering more attention again from the teams that play on Sunday.

Photo’s courtesy of St. Joseph’s Prep

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.

It just fits. Curt Warner, Ki-Jana Carter, Blair Thomas, and more recently, Miles Sanders and Saquon Barkley. Governor Mifflin’s Nick Singleton falls very much in line with those great runners.

Penn State is a running-back friendly school with a strong tradition.

It’s why Singleton, one of the nation’s best, choose to stay close to home and will attend Penn State next season he announced on Tuesday evening.

Singleton, the explosive 5-foot-11, 190-pound tailback, selected Penn State over Notre Dame, which was a close second. Wisconsin, Alabama, and Texas A&M were also considerations.

Last season, Singleton ran for 1,303 yards on 104 carries for 22 touchdowns for the Mustangs, who went 8-1 and won 5A District 3 championship and lost to eventual PIAA 5A state champion Pine Richland, 48-44, in the state semifinals. It’s the furthest Mifflin has ever been in the state playoffs.

Singleton averaged 12.5 yards a carry.

Every time he touched the ball, he was a homerun threat to score—like Warner, Carter, Thomas, Sanders and Barkley.

“Penn State has been recruiting me before my sophomore year and they offered, and I’ve gone to their campus, they’ve been in touch with me for a long time, so when I went on my official visit, it just felt like home to me,” Singleton said. “Notre Dame was a close second, but Penn State felt like home and it felt like family, and they treated my family like family. It was an easy choice.

“Penn State produces great running backs and it’s what I looked for in a school, a program that has a great history to produce players for the league. I’m happy to make this decision now, and all I  have to do is play football.

“I wanted to get this over with before my senior year, and when football starts, I wanted to put all of my energy into the team my senior year. It wouldn’t have been fair to my teammates, plus talking to these coaches, it’s really a lot. It gets all of the stress off of me.”

As a junior, Singleton, who benches 365 pounds and squats 505 pounds, broke off touchdown runs of 91, 70, and 68.

“I’m excited about this,” Singleton said. “We have some unfinished business from last year. We reached the state semis and we have a team that could go further this year. My choice is made and I’m happy about it, and I can’t wait to start playing again.

“I’m going to a school with a great running back tradition. I’m just hoping to continue that.”

Photo courtesy of Jim Burkman of Spotlight On Berks Sports

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.

Almost every time he touched the ball, Abdul Carter scored. It can be a little intoxicating being an unstoppable grade-school running back. Then, Carter entered La Salle College High School and a whole new world sprouted.

Adjustments had to come quickly. He had no choice, though as he was moved around, he grew to like what he was doing. He went from being a running back and safety in grade school to moving to linebacker as a freshman.

It’s safe to say the La Salle 6-foot-4, 235-pound senior standout found a home.

If Carter doesn’t overpower you, he will blow by you. He possesses that rare blend of being able to pressure the quarterback and can cover out in space.

He finds himself as one of the most imposing—if not the most imposing—defenders in Southeast Pennsylvania, along with the Imhotep defensive bookends Enai White and Keon Wylie, and Neuman-Goretti’s Rutgers-bound linebacker Anthony Johnson.

A three-year starter for the Explorers, Carter has narrowed down his top three schools to be Old Miss, South Carolina, and Penn State.

His ability to adapt and adjust were huge keys to his growth.

“I had picked up a lot of stuff moving to linebacker, like how to read the tackles, learning how to play the position and read the running backs and quarterback,” said Carter, who carries a 3.0 GPA at academically demanding La Salle. “I love playing the position. I’m being projected to play outside linebacker in college, like a WILL linebacker, but we’ll see. I would say I began feeling comfortable with the position pretty quickly.

“I still think I have more room to grow. I like playing defense, but I’ll probably go both ways senior year. I had the ball a lot in grade school, though you can still make an impact on defense and make plays. Besides, you last longer playing defense.”

Carter said Ohio State may be joining his list of Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Penn State. Carter went to an Ohio State camp, and he did exceptionally well. He said he may make his college choice before his senior season begins.

Carter is going to be able to go to any school he wants to, so that box can be checked off. What gnaws at him, and the rest of his La Salle senior teammates is the fact that the Explorers have not beaten their nemesis, national powerhouse St. Joe’s Prep, in the three previous years they’ve played.

Maybe this year, with the return of Carter and Rutgers-bound power back Sam Brown, that trend changes.

“It is a big goal to beat Prep and we have a lot back on offense and defense,” Carter said. “I would say that’s my main priority, beating Prep. We have the talent to do some things this year.”

With NFL linebacker size already, Carter appears to have a good future ahead.

“I dream sometimes of being in the NFL, and I actually had a dream I was drafted a few years ago that I was the No. 13th pick by the (New York) Giants (who is coached by Philadelphia area’s Joe Judge and went to Old Miss),” Carter said. “But my focus right now is beating Prep, winning the Catholic League, and winning a state title before I graduate.”

Photo courtesy of Kim Supko Photography

Follow Kim on Twitter and visit her website.

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.

Sam Brown can feel settled now. The dynamic La Salle College High School junior tailback has his destination set—Rutgers.

Brown committed to Scarlet Knights’ coach Greg Schiano back in March, and he’ll be joined by another outstanding Philadelphia-area player in Neumann-Goretti linebacker Anthony Johnson in Piscataway, New Jersey, next fall.

Brown, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound tailback, will sign during the early signing period. He chose Rutgers over Virginia, Pitt, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Nebraska, and Michigan State. Penn State did not offer Brown.

“I visited Rutgers my sophomore year with my teammate, Abdul Carter, on an unofficial visit,” Brown said. “I loved it. I felt like I belonged there. I thought it would be the best fit for me academically and athletically. Committing early takes the stress off the recruiting process.

“I can focus on playing and enjoying my senior year. We didn’t get a chance to play the way we wanted last season, but at least we got the chance to play. We got some film and the campus is like an hour and an hour some change. But I was going to go to the school that was best for me and that was Rutgers.”

Brown’s best football appears to be ahead of him. He’s yet to completely full out, and his physical ability will only blossom once he gets into a college program.

Plus, Brown is a big, strong physical back that is made for the Big Ten. Brown provides power, speed and strength to run over or run by defenders. What makes him additionally special is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

“Rutgers runs an offense that likes their backs to catch the ball,” Brown said. “I like what coach Schiano is doing and he’s really coming after players in this (Philadelphia) area. Coach Schiano is building something good at Rutgers.”

The only thing left for Brown and the rest of the seniors-to-be at La Salle is to take down their rival, St. Joe’s Prep, this coming season. It’s something the La Salle senior class of 2022 has yet to do.

“We know that, and that’s the plan to change it,” Brown said.

Explorers coach John Steinmetz said Rutgers is a perfect fit for Brown.

“Sam is only going to get better and he’s going to grow into a man pretty quickly when he’s able to get into a weight room full time,” Steinmetz said. “I don’t know Rutgers’ depth chart well enough, but I know Sam is a very good talent.

“The lights are never too bright for Sam. He’s very humble and he has a great smile. You wouldn’t know it if Sam rushed for 270 yards and three touchdowns. He’s the same way. He is a Big Ten back and Coach Schiano recruited Sam hard, making a couple of trips to La Salle.

“But I maintain once Sam is able to get full-time into a weight room, watch out. He’s going to explode.”

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.

Nick Yagodich may have the nastiest job on a football field. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound St. Joseph’s Prep senior is the demolition man. Whatever is front of him, the Hawks’ defensive tackle is assigned to blow it up in Prep’s multiple-look front.

So far this season, Yagodich has five sacks, but he does far more than rush the quarterback. His job really is causing chaos, creating piles on running plays and bending pockets back on passes. Yagodich is a human meat grinder with a mind. His 3.9 GPA and 1,420 SAT score has landed him at Harvard, where he’ll continue to play and major in computer science.

In Prep’s 52-6 victory over Archbishop Wood on Saturday, Yagodich had a 1½ sacks in propelling the Hawks to a berth in the PIAA 6A state semifinals, where they will meet the District 1 6A champion the weekend of Nov. 20.

Against Wood, Yagodich did his usual thing, exploding everything in front of him.

“He’s our war daddy up there at the three technique,” Hawks’ coach Tim Roken said of Yagodich. “Nick is a great kid who had a great year last year. He faces constant double-teams, and he really is an anchor for our defense. He’s an unselfish young man who focuses on his job, and with that, his sacrifices allow everyone else on the field to run loose and make tackles.

“Nick played some defensive end for us last year, and he’s a very athletic kid who is very fast off the ball and can run down the quarterback. The other thing about Nick is that he’s probably the smartest player on our team. Nick is a very bright young man, and there is a reason why he wears our No. 10—the heart and soul of our defense.”

Yagodich is the second defensive lineman to wear No. 10 at Prep, which traditionally holds a special leadership significance for the Hawks. Jake Strain was the last defensive lineman to wear No. 10, during the 2014 season.

“It’s why it means so much to play this season, with the COVID-19 going on, and none of us knew whether or not we would play, so the most important thing for me was the new guys would be provided the same senior leadership as past Prep teams,” said Yagodich, a two-year starter who’s played varsity the last three years. “Legacy and tradition is important here at Prep. There are expectations, and being with the guys and being at practice and building towards the future means a lot to me.

“It’s about being brought up in the program and have seniors being that older-brother figure there for the younger guys. I didn’t want that legacy part of Prep football dying. That comes with being at practice and being able to lead every day, and that really makes me happy.”

As far as his position on the field as the great disruptor, the one on the field absorbing more contact than anyone, “I love doing it, because it’s something that I’ve always done,” Yagodich said. “I like getting physical, and it goes with our team’s man motto, which is ‘Trust and love.’ I have to do it, so someone else can make a play.”

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.

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Noble House patiently waited. The St. Joseph’s Prep senior knew his time would come, though maybe not in such a large, impactful way.

House, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound tailback, scored a career-best three touchdowns in the Hawks’ dominating 38-14 victory over a good La Salle team on October 17 in a Catholic League Red Division opener for both teams at Cardinal O’Hara.

House, playing in place of the injured Josh Barlow, the Hawks’ starting junior tailback who was hurt in Prep’s season-opener, had been waiting for his chance.

A four-year varsity player for the Hawks, House is the son of Al House, a defensive lineman for Temple in the early-1980s.

“I’m just happy that we’re having a season and grateful for the opportunity,” said Noble House, whose door may be open to incoming college offers. “It feels great for this to finally happen. In the moment, it didn’t hit me at all, it was like I was playing another game of football.

“I stayed faithful, hoping my time would come. I always believed I could play at this varsity level. It was just a matter of getting the chance to play. Yeah, you can say I had a great fantasy game, 13 carries and scoring three touchdowns. My goal is play college football. Hopefully, games like the one I had against La Salle can help.”

The Hawks are now 2-0 and are consciously navigating the COVID-19 pandemic like every other high school football program in the country.

House scored on three 1-yard touchdown runs, two in the first quarter. The Hawks charged out to a 38-0 first-half lead, before Prep coach Tim Roken pulled his starters in the second half.

“Noble has really dedicated himself to this program and deserves the opportunity,” Roken said. “Noble is a good kid who works hard, and has done a ton of things that you don’t see that helps a program.

“Noble has given great effort and has been a varsity player since his freshman year. He got a chance to be in the spotlight, and he has played some wide receiver for us, as well as running back. He’s very elusive in open space, and very good downhill. He’s also a very savvy player, and great in open space.”

Roken sees a future for House playing college football. He also stressed that House really pushed himself in the offseason.

“Noble is a humble young man who’s been very coachable, and is willing to play any position you ask him,” Roken said. “He’s making the most of this opportunity. He will have an opportunity to play college football and be a Division-I level player. Noble has some great film right now.”

Moving forward, Noble will share the backfield with the explosive Barlow, Prep’s version of Darren Sproles.

Prep is scheduled to play Archbishop Wood this Saturday night at 7 p.m. at William Tennent High School. Both teams are 2-0.

Against La Salle, Kyle McCord, Prep’s Ohio State-bound quarterback, completed 11-17 for 229 yards and a touchdown. Marvin Harrison Jr., the Hawks’ Ohio State-bound receiver, caught two passes for 54 yards, and in an interesting look, Roken used Clemson-bound senior linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and his younger brother, sophomore, Josiah, as blocking backs to open the door for House’s touchdowns.

Before the end of the season, it’s possible both Trotters may be scoring a few touchdowns themselves.

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.

Yesterday on Twitter Matt tweeted, “I would like thank all of the college coaches who recruited me for their interest and for being so generous with their time. I would also like thank Coach McCorry, Coach Cerimele, the entire Central Catholic coaching staff, and my teammates for the honor and privilege to play of this great program. I want to thank my parents and my brother for all of their support and sacrifices along the way. Most importantly, I thank God for His many blessings in my life. With that said, I am extremely excited to announce my commitment to continue my football career at Lehigh University!! Many thanks to Coach Gilmore, Coach Brisson and the entire Lehigh coaching staff for giving me this incredible opportunity to play Division 1 football at one of the greatest academic institutions in the country!!”

Last year Matt passed for 1,991 yards and rushed for 504 yards and had 28 (15 pass, 13 rush) total touchdowns. His team made it to the District 11 4A Finals. He was a team captain last year as a junior.

“Lehigh is a great fit for Matt both athletically and academically,” said Head Coach Tim McGorry. “He is a good athlete with a strong arm and enjoys preparing each week. His best football is still ahead of him.”

Why did you commit to Lehigh University?

Lehigh was the first school that started recruiting me after I was invited to attend one of their camps last summer. Their offensive coordinator/QB coach – Coach Brisson – was also able to attend a couple of my games last fall so I have developed a close relationship with him. Coach McGorry coached at Lehigh so that was also a factor. Lehigh is the best fit for me both academically and athletically and I know it’s a place that I will make relationships to last a lifetime.

Who recruited you at Lehigh University?

Coach Scott Brisson (Offensive Coordinator/QB coach)

What position were you recruited for?

Quarterback

How are you training during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Central Catholic was the first school in the Lehigh Valley to go online when the pandemic hit so I am still focused on my school work but Coach McGorry has a strict regimen in place in which we are required to send him video clips of our workouts each week. I have also been having Zoom meetings with Coach McGorry and Coach Toman – our new Offensive Coordinator/QB coach. Film review is also mandatory.