What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“I have been lifting with my team and lifting independently. I have also been doing speed and agility training at FSQ Sports Training. I also plan on getting back on the wrestling mat at Wallers All American Wrestling Club.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“I’ve been putting a lot of work into my lower body. I feel my leg strength and speed has improved.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“We came up just short in the State Championship game and the plan is to get back to Hershey.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“We play a couple schools from higher classifications in our Non-Conference schedule and those should be a challenge. As usual, our toughest conference game will be the Clairton Bears.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Clairton is going to have a big line this year and a name that stands out from last year's group is Kanye Hawkins.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“My goal is to play sports in college. My first choice will always be football, but I would not be opposed to wrestling.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I have not heard from any colleges yet, but I hope to hear from them when they can talk to the class of 2023.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“I plan to attend some. I just have not decided on which ones yet.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My uncle played at West Virginia University, and I was able to go to all the home games and bowl games at a young age. They have always been my favorite.”

What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“I have been going to the gym and been running more, just trying to stay in shape! It was tuff at the beginning because gyms were closed.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“I have improved being more explosive, firing off the ball, and picking up my assigned block.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I feel we will do great! We have a strong class of 2022 players.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“I feel like it’s Imhotep.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I want to play college football.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I have talked to the coaches from Millersville, Juniata College, and Albright just to name a couple.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“No, not yet, but I have some planned for in May.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“I am still thinking about it.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Yes, my favorite college growing up was West Virginia.”

What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“The team and I have been getting together safely and working on routes, footwork and conditioning.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“I feel I have improved most on my arm strength this off-season. I have been in the gym 5/7 days a week working on strengthening my arm and upper body as well as strengthening and maintaining my legs.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“With two years of varsity experience under most of our seniors’ belts I feel we will do great things this upcoming year and I am extremely excited to get started.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“There is no team that sticks out to us as a threat. We take each game week by week and plan accordingly. No matter what team it is we practice and work as if every game will be our last.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“There is no individual player that our team fears or is worried about. It’s a team game and you are only as strong as your weakest link.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I strive to play football at the collegiate level. It has been a dream of mine ever since I was little.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I have been in contact with schools such as Old Dominion as well as some higher level D2 schools such as Millersville.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Due to all of the COVID restrictions it has been hard to get out and visit colleges. However, I have planned some visits with colleges once these restrictions become a little looser.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“Yes, I also plan to reach out to more schools and visit them once all the COVID restrictions allow me to do so.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“Yes, I plan on going to Wesleyan University, Lock Haven, UAB, Ursinus and a few other camps this summer.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“When I was a kid, I always dreamed about playing football at a high division 1 school such as Clemson or Miami but never really had a specific favorite.”

What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“I’ve been doing a lot of field work, getting my steps down on routes and timing with our new QB, I’m focusing on putting on good weight and getting stronger.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“My blocking technique and catching/moving through traffic.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“This coming year is one that our school has talked about for a while. It should be something special.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Central York.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Nick Singleton.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I want to play football in college.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Michigan State, Rutgers, Akron, Old Dominion, Marshall, Cal, Temple, Bowling Green, Louisiana Villanova, Miami (OH), Penn State, UCONN, Central Florida, Western Kentucky, Pitt, Virginia Tech, App State, Wisconsin, Boston College, Tennessee, Maryland, Nebraska, Duke, Syracuse, Northwestern Notre Dame, Virginia, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Southern California, Arizona State, Michigan, and Florida.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“I’m hearing the most from Penn State, Rutgers, and Virginia Tech right now.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I have not made any college trips yet.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“I don’t have any plans for visits as of right now.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“The New Jersey Regional on May 22nd and 23rd, and the Rivals Camp on May 16th.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Living in eastern PA and with my brother playing there for 5 years, I always was and always will be a Penn State fan.”

What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“In the off-season I’ve mostly been conditioning and working on speed training.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“I feel as if I have improved on my strength and technique on the field.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I feel as if my team would have a solid run in the pub league, we do have a couple of guys leaving us and will have more room for the young guys to show and prove themselves for spots.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Most likely, our rival team from Imhotep.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“The toughest player will probably be Enai White.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I’ll continue to play football.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“PSU, Tennessee, Akron I’ve been talking to a couple other colleges here and there as well.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I haven’t, but I am open and looking forward to it.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“Not that I know of.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“I’m looking to do a lot of ranked camps to see where I stand. I will also do a couple of combines too.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Yes, I’ve always liked Ohio State, but most of my family likes Penn State or Alabama.”

Find out what colleges are recruiting Ronel Nukah, Joey Schlaffer, Matt Striffolino, Tasir Davis, and Eli Binakonsky now!


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Northeast defensive end Ronel Nukah​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I’ll continue to play football.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“PSU, Tennessee, Akron I’ve been talking to a couple other colleges here and there as well.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I haven’t, but I am open and looking forward to it.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“Not that I know of.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“I’m looking to do a lot of ranked camps to see where I stand. I will also do a couple of combines too.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Yes, I’ve always liked Ohio State, but most of my family likes Penn State or Alabama.”


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Exeter Township tight end Joey Schlaffer​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I want to play football in college.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Michigan State, Rutgers, Akron, Old Dominion, Marshall, Cal, Temple, Bowling Green, Louisiana Villanova, Miami (OH), Penn State, UCONN, Central Florida, Western Kentucky, Pitt, Virginia Tech, App State, Wisconsin, Boston College, Tennessee, Maryland, Nebraska, Duke, Syracuse, Northwestern Notre Dame, Virginia, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Southern California, Arizona State, Michigan, and Florida.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“I’m hearing the most from Penn State, Rutgers, and Virginia Tech right now.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I have not made any college trips yet.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“I don’t have any plans for visits as of right now.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“The New Jersey Regional on May 22nd and 23rd, and the Rivals Camp on May 16th.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Living in eastern PA and with my brother playing there for 5 years, I always was and always will be a Penn State fan.”


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Council Rock South quarterback Matt Striffolino​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I strive to play football at the collegiate level. It has been a dream of mine ever since I was little.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I have been in contact with schools such as Old Dominion as well as some higher level D2 schools such as Millersville.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Due to all of the COVID restrictions it has been hard to get out and visit colleges. However, I have planned some visits with colleges once these restrictions become a little looser.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“Yes, I also plan to reach out to more schools and visit them once all the COVID restrictions allow me to do so.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“Yes, I plan on going to Wesleyan University, Lock Haven, UAB, Ursinus and a few other camps this summer.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“When I was a kid, I always dreamed about playing football at a high division 1 school such as Clemson or Miami but never really had a specific favorite.”


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Northeast offensive guard Tasir Davis​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I want to play college football.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I have talked to the coaches from Millersville, Juniata College, and Albright just to name a couple.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“No, not yet, but I have some planned for in May.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“I am still thinking about it.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Yes, my favorite college growing up was West Virginia.”


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Jeannette linebacker Eli Binakonsky​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“My goal is to play sports in college. My first choice will always be football, but I would not be opposed to wrestling.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I have not heard from any colleges yet, but I hope to hear from them when they can talk to the class of 2023.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“I plan to attend some. I just have not decided on which ones yet.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My uncle played at West Virginia University, and I was able to go to all the home games and bowl games at a young age. They have always been my favorite.”


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So this one is a shocker. Dave Post has rebuilt Phillipsburg into one of the premier public school wrestling programs in New Jersey again, and frankly, is a guy I thought was on track to be a high level administrator in the district if he ever left being a coach (there aren't many high school math teachers that have data science degrees from Cornell, if nothing else). I've always liked and thought really highly of Dave, going back to when he was a wrestler at P'Burg, so seeing that he was taken out of school in handcuffs and faced ten years in prison is a shocker. Looks like he and another P'Burg teacher hacked the computer of the superintendent and threatened to release emails (reading between the lines on the charges/indictment) barring a yes vote for somebody on tenure.

Post is 170-27 with six team dual state titles at P'Burg, including five in a row from 2014-18. He's coached 50 state qualifiers, 16 state medalists, five state finalists, and a state champ in New Jersey's notoriously tough single class tournament. Post also went 6-5 in his career against Easton, making him the only Phillipsburg head coach with a winning record against the Red Rovers, and accounts for nearly 1/3 of the Stateliner dual wins in the series between rivals (64-19 in favor of the good guys). He earned NJSIAA coach of the year honors in 2018. As an athlete, he went 111-22 at P'burg, and placed 5th, 3rd, and 3rd in New Jersey before wrestling at Cornell. My assumption is top assistant Brad Gentzle, a 2005 Easton grad and an NCAA qualifier at Pitt, will be made the interim head coach.

Find out what colleges are recruiting Ian Harvie, Reese Clark, Mateo Ringgold, Geo Fabian, and Kayden White now!


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Spring-Ford offensive guard Ian Harvie​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I definitely want to play football in college.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Drake, Bryant, Liberty, Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth, Princeton, Penn, and many others.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“Drake, Dartmouth, and Brown stay in contact all the time. I talk with my position coach and my area’s recruiter a lot.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Yes, I hope to get to multiple campuses soon.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Penn State has always been my dream school because the atmosphere there is amazing and it’s close to home.”


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St. Joseph's Prep athlete Reese Clark​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I plan on playing football at the next level.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Temple, Penn State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Marshall, Notre Dame, Boston College, Michigan, Wisconsin, Akron, Bowling Green, Kent and State.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“No, not yet.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“I plan to make visits as soon as possible.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Penn State.”


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Springfield quarterback Mateo Ringgold​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, playing sports in college is a huge dream of mine. I would love to play football at any D1 University or any College that gives me an opportunity is a blessing.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I have been getting recruited by a few schools and spoke to some coaches.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“I have not made any college trips yet, but I am planning to go to some University camps this summer.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“I am planning on going to lots of camps that colleges are holding this summer, not specific yet, but I will definitely be making a few trips to college camps this summer.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college always growing up was Temple because it’s in the area and most of my family attended Temple.”


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Northeast defensive back Geo Fabian​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I do plan to play sports in college for a D1 football program.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Colleges such as Old Dominion, Temple, Marshall, and Maryland to name a few.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“Temple would be the school recruiting me the hardest. I’m on the phone with coaches from that school almost every day.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“No, I haven’t made any visits, but I plan to do so this summer.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“I plan to get on the campus of Marshall and Temple this summer.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“I will be attending a Rivals camp this summer as well as any other camps that may come up.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Yes, I’ve always wanted to attend Mizzou in the SEC conference.”


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The Hill School athlete Kayden White​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I want to play football in college and possibly long jump as well.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I’ve received a couple of edits from UPenn, Columbia, Liberty, and Princeton. I have also been talking to East Strausburg.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“I do plan on going on a couple of trips.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“I got invited to the US Nationals Camp. I also plan on going to Temple, Rutgers, Princeton, Marshall, WVU, Villanova, UPenn, and Liberty as of now.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“I’ve always liked WVU because of Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey. I also liked Oregon because of De'Anthony Thomas.”


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What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“During the winter I was focusing on bulking and getting stronger, and now I am cutting, my workouts are mostly circuit workouts and I'm doing track.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“I’ve really been working on my footwork and foot cadence. I feel like now I can get in and out of breaks faster.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I am transferring to The Hill School next fall. There’s a lot of new pieces coming together there so I can see us doing very well.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“I haven’t seen the schedule yet.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I want to play football in college and possibly long jump as well.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I’ve received a couple of edits from UPenn, Columbia, Liberty, and Princeton. I have also been talking to East Strausburg.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“I do plan on going on a couple of trips.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“I got invited to the US Nationals Camp. I also plan on going to Temple, Rutgers, Princeton, Marshall, WVU, Villanova, UPenn, and Liberty as of now.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“I’ve always liked WVU because of Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey. I also liked Oregon because of De'Anthony Thomas.”

What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“As of now we have a spring season going so I’ve been busy with our spring schedule.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“I’ve improved a lot on my mentality. I doubted myself a lot my sophomore year but since then I’ve gained extreme confidence in myself as well as me being more of a competitor.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“Come fall, our team will be incredibly young, but we’re starting to develop these young guys now so when the fall comes, they’ll be ready for whatever comes.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Our toughest competition every year is Imhotep, come fall I expect nothing less of those dudes they always give us a game where it comes down to a dog fight.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I wouldn’t really go as far as to say there’s a particular player. It’ll be hard to stop because everyone knows you’ll need all 11 guys to win a game.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I do plan to play sports in college for a D1 football program.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Colleges such as Old Dominion, Temple, Marshall, and Maryland to name a few.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“Temple would be the school recruiting me the hardest. I’m on the phone with coaches from that school almost every day.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“No, I haven’t made any visits, but I plan to do so this summer.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“I plan to get on the campus of Marshall and Temple this summer.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“I will be attending a Rivals camp this summer as well as any other camps that may come up.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Yes, I’ve always wanted to attend Mizzou in the SEC conference.”

What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“I have been doing all sorts of stuff from conditioning to throwing with multiple receivers, I also play on a 7v7 team called pa blue flames that keeps me in shape.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“I have really improved on my speed and getting my 40-time at a good spot.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“Our team is looking particularly good from coaches to my teammates. We will be an extremely hard team to beat this year.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“We have a lot of good teams that we play this year, every team that we play this year will be a fight.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, playing sports in college is a huge dream of mine. I would love to play football at any D1 University or any College that gives me an opportunity is a blessing.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I have been getting recruited by a few schools and spoke to some coaches.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“I have not made any college trips yet, but I am planning to go to some University camps this summer.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“I am planning on going to lots of camps that colleges are holding this summer, not specific yet, but I will definitely be making a few trips to college camps this summer.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college always growing up was Temple because it’s in the area and most of my family attended Temple.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“We ended up finishing the season with our third state championship in a row with another undefeated season in front of that.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“I plan to continue developing and take my versatility to the next level.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“We have the potential to do great things as a team, but there is still work to be put in.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Any of our first 3 to 4 games will be the toughest part of our schedule.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I plan on playing football at the next level.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Temple, Penn State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Marshall, Notre Dame, Boston College, Michigan, Wisconsin, Akron, Bowling Green, Kent and State.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“No, not yet.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“I plan to make visits as soon as possible.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Penn State.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“It went very well. We finished the season with a 6-1 record while winning our conference championship and making it to the district semifinal.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“Wrestling season came up right after football, but I’ve still been lifting five days a week and doing speed and agility work with my trainer.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“Losing a lot of seniors is tough for both sides of the ball, but we have players to fill those spots. I believe we will still do very well.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Manheim Township will be our toughest game. They have many good players and run a good offense.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Anthony Ivey 4-star WR from Manheim Township will be the toughest player we’ll face off against.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I definitely want to play football in college.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Drake, Bryant, Liberty, Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth, Princeton, Penn, and many others.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“Drake, Dartmouth, and Brown stay in contact all the time. I talk with my position coach and my area’s recruiter a lot.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Yes, I hope to get to multiple campuses soon.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Penn State has always been my dream school because the atmosphere there is amazing and it’s close to home.”

Nothing like this in Pennsylvania (I hope): https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/12/...on=click&module=In Other News&pgtype=Homepage

Always love to read your indpeth team by team preview. You always seem to have a great feel for each team, players to watch, and how they factor in the conference and state level.

The FCS playoffs start this weekend, which means the major postseason award nominees were announced yesterday and there are a handful of Pennsylvania guys in the pool for national awards. The four major awards are the Walter Payton Award, given to the national player of the year; the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the national defensive player of the year; the Jerry Rice Award, given to the national freshman of the year; and the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the national coach of the year. Last year's Walter Payton Award winner, Trey Lance of North Dakota State, is sitting out the spring in preparation for the NFL Draft, where he's expected to be a top ten pick.

Easton's Jake Herres (wide receiver, VMI) is a finalist for the Walter Payton Award. The 6'4 210 pound junior has 67 catches for 809 yards and 7 TDs in seven games after earning All American honors as a sophomore with a 1,000 yard season. He is second in the country in receptions and third in receiving yards. VMI won their first Southern Conference championship since 1977 and will be making their first ever FCS Playoff appearance. Herres was a 6A All State receiver at Easton, and set school single season records for catches, yards, and touchdowns and is Easton's career leader in receiving yards.

Freedom's Tristan Wheeler (linebacker, Richmond) is a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award. Wheeler, a sophomore, posted 40 tackles in the Spiders four game season, including 14 against national title favorite James Madison. Wheeler was a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award last year after posting 104 tackles as a true freshman and won CAA Rookie of the Year. Wheeler was a 6A All State pick at Freedom, where he led the Patriots to their first ever D11 football title and state playoff appearance while earning EPC Defensive Player of the Year honors.

The Jerry Rice Award has a trio of Pennsylvania natives as finalists. Mount Lebanon's Seth Morgan (quarterback, VMI) took the reins when Reece Udinski went out fo the season with a torn ACL. Morgan started the final three games of the year, and three for at least 315 yards in each contest while completing over 75% of his passes. Morgan was an All WPIAL quarterback at Mount Lebanon where he set the program record for total yardage.

Erie Cathedral Prep's Billy Lucas (running back; Duquesne) won Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year and punctuated a strong freshman season with 110 yards and a touchdown in the NEC championship game. Lucas, a redshirt freshman, was the 4A Player of the Year as a senior after a 2,000 yard season, including 286 in the state finals against Imhotep Charter, as he led Erie Cathedral Prep to their third straight state title. He was also an All State pick as a junior.

Central Columbia's Jared Verse (defensive end; Albany) has been a one man wrecking crew and won CAA Rookie of the Year. Verse has ten tackles for loss and four sacks and led the conference in TFLs. At Central Columbia, Verse was a track standout, and won a state title as a member of their 4x100 relay team. He was an All Conference tight end and was recruited by most programs to play offense, but Albany immediately moved him to the defensive side of the ball and he has put on 40 pounds to morph into an elite FCS pass rusher.

How did the high school football season go overall?
“it went well, but we just came up a little short.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“I will continue to do 7v7 and off-season workouts with the team.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I feel we have a lot of potential to go far and pick up from where we left off.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Pine-Richland.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I don’t really have anyone in mind.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, football.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“New Hampshire, Lehigh, and others.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“No, I haven’t.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Yes.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Yes, probably Oregon because I liked all the different uniforms they had.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“It went very well. My teammates and I were thrilled to have a season and be back on the field. We were 11-1, won districts, and made it to the state championship. Sadly, we lost, but that motivates us to work harder. It was overall a great season, and it was a great team to be a part of.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“I train at Healthy-U every Tuesday and Thursday and during the rest of the week I go to the gym and lift. I’m also starting up baseball for this spring. We have been training for that too.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“We are going to be very good. We have a lot of potential, so we'll have to work very hard. We have a lot of young guys. I see them contributing and being a huge part to how our season goes.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Southern Columbia has a lot of great athletes. We have to treat every game the same.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I would like to play football in college. I’m not sure which college yet.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“None so far.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
N/A

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Penn State has always been one of my favorites.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“I feel like the season went okay. I wish we could have had more games.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“I play 7v7 Right now for Evolve 2tenths and I am lifting weights at a local gym called 424 training, waiting for the track season to start up.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“We have a lot of returning starters and a heavy senior team. I feel like we have a great chance of coming out with a state championship.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Our toughest competition has always been Steubenville, Ohio, but I feel we have a great chance against them this year.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I feel like the toughest individual player we will have to face next year is Shawn Solomon Jr. He is an uprising junior running back.

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I want to become a college athlete. My primary sport is football and secondary is track.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Pitt, Penn State, Miami of Ohio, Akron, Toledo, Youngstown State, Dartmouth, Virginia Tech and Leigh University.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“Akron and Pitt have been showing the most love and reaching out to my coaches.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Yes, I’ve went on a visit to West Virginia University and Michigan University.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“I am not sure which schools yet.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college growing up was always West Virginia University.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“The season went well, but it didn’t end the way we wanted it to. I suffered an injury in game six.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“I am playing baseball and hitting the weight room now.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Not sure.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Not sure.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I would like to play college football.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest (skip question if this does not apply)?
Have you made any college trips yet?
“Not yet.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Possibly.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Penn State.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“I was happy that we were able to have a season given the circumstances. Although we fell short of our goal, we bonded and developed over the course of the season and have high expectations for the coming year.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“Despite the limitations placed on us because of Covid, I am lucky to have my older brothers who played D1 football to do daily workouts within our home gym. I’ve been following my brother’s program while he’s been home and have made a lot of progress in the past year.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I have a lot of confidence in this team. I feel with the talent and leadership of this senior class we can achieve something great. The majority of starters are returning. We’ve done a great job adapting to what has been thrown at us this past year and am proud of the work we’ve put in and will continue to put in. The goal remains the same and we expect to win.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“We don’t take any team lightly. The next team we play is the hardest team we face.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“There are so many talented players, but ultimately football is a team sport. We have to plan for each player as any player on the team can be lethal.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I would like to play football in college. I want to go somewhere with both strong academics as well as a competitive football program.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I’ve been in contact with some of the Ivy League and Patriot League schools.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Currently with Covid, I have not been making any college trips.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Following CDC guidelines and college recommendations, I will plan trips accordingly.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“I have to be careful to say which is my favorite. My oldest brother played at Harvard, another played for Johns Hopkins and one is currently playing at Princeton. My two brothers-in-law played for Boston College. My favorite depends on which one of them I’m around.”

Find out what colleges are recruiting William Harvey, Rocco Pulizzi, Rashan Murray, Tommy Grabowski, and Chase Barney now!


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Mt. Lebanon offensive guard William Harvey​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I would like to play football in college. I want to go somewhere with both strong academics as well as a competitive football program.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I’ve been in contact with some of the Ivy League and Patriot League schools.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Currently with Covid, I have not been making any college trips.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Following CDC guidelines and college recommendations, I will plan trips accordingly.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“I have to be careful to say which is my favorite. My oldest brother played at Harvard, another played for Johns Hopkins and one is currently playing at Princeton. My two brothers-in-law played for Boston College. My favorite depends on which one of them I’m around.”


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Montoursville running back Rocco Pulizzi​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I would like to play college football.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest (skip question if this does not apply)?
Have you made any college trips yet?
“Not yet.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Possibly.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Penn State.”


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Obama Academy defensive back Rashan Murray​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I want to become a college athlete. My primary sport is football and secondary is track.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Pitt, Penn State, Miami of Ohio, Akron, Toledo, Youngstown State, Dartmouth, Virginia Tech and Leigh University.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“Akron and Pitt have been showing the most love and reaching out to my coaches.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Yes, I’ve went on a visit to West Virginia University and Michigan University.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“I am not sure which schools yet.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college growing up was always West Virginia University.”


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Wyomissing linebacker Tommy Grabowski​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I would like to play football in college. I’m not sure which college yet.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“None so far.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
N/A

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Penn State has always been one of my favorites.”


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Penn Hills wide receiver Chase Barney​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, football.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“New Hampshire, Lehigh, and others.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“No, I haven’t.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Yes.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Yes, probably Oregon because I liked all the different uniforms they had.”


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WPIAL rules Birch brothers ineligible for football at Gateway after transfer from Jeannette​

Updated 1:38 AM; Today 1:32 AM

Jeannette's Brett Birch runs against Steel High in their PIAA 1A football championship game at Hersheypark Stadium. November 27, 2020 Sean Simmers |ssimmers@pennlive.com
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By Tribune News Service
It’s a high school sports eligibility case that will most certainly continue to play out in the future. But for now, brothers Brad and Brett Birch are ineligible to play football at Gateway High School next season after transferring from Jeannette.

The WPIAL board of directors ruled the brothers ineligible Wednesday after reviewing paperwork of the transfer. The Birch brothers, who helped Jeannette win the WPIAL Class 1A championship last season, are ineligible for one year after date of transfer. They started taking classes at Gateway on April 5.


Don Holl, football coach and athletic director at Gateway, said the school will appeal the WPIAL’s ruling, which means the league will then have a hearing with the Birch family and officials from Gateway and Jeannette.


“We’re definitely going to appeal,” Holl said, “because we believe their transfer was not for athletic intent. We believe there’s some misinformation out there and we look forward to having an opportunity to present our case.”


WPIAL executive director Amy Scheuneman said the ineligibility ruling was made because Jeannette administrators did not sign off on the transfer. If Jeannette signed off on the transfer, it’s very likely the brothers would’ve been ruled eligible because they moved into the Gateway district recently.


“The sending principal (Jeannette’s Joseph Baker) indicated that the transfer may have been in part, or whole, for athletic purposes,” Scheuneman said.


Transferring for athletic reasons is against WPIAL and PIAA rules. Bob Birch, father of the two players, said last week that the transfer was for family reasons because he and his wife are divorced, and his wife moved to Monroeville, part of the Gateway district.



The transfers of the brothers was notable because they are talented players. Brad Birch was only a freshman but threw for 1,676 yards and 28 touchdowns before his season ended with an ankle injury in the WPIAL championship. He was recently offered a scholarship by the University of Oregon.


Brett Birch, a junior, was his brother’s favorite target. Brett, a receiver-defensive back, led Jeannette in receptions with 46 for 669 yards.

Penn State’s Nick Tarburton is healthy, ready for chance to be breakout player​

Updated 3:02 PM; Today 3:02 PM

Penn State defensive end Nick Tarburton during pregame warmups before the Maryland game at Beaver Stadium on Nov. 7, 2020. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com
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By Daniel Gallen | dgallen@pennlive.com
STATE COLLEGE — Nick Tarburton knew at some point that he would return to the football field. Even on the most grueling days of rehab for Tarburton, the Penn State defensive end didn’t waver in his intent to get back into action for the Lions after injuries defined the early part of his time in college.

In three seasons with the Lions, Tarburton has played in only nine games. He’s changed positions from linebacker to defensive end, and he’s earned praise from coaches and teammates for his work in the offseason.



But he’s yet to fully showcase the range of skills that made him a four-star recruit in the Class of 2018 on the grass at Beaver Stadium. Tarburton, though, expects that to change this fall.


“I knew I would be back,” Tarburton said over Zoom on Wednesday afternoon. “It was just a matter of time of when I was going to be fully ready to go, and I knew I was going to come back no matter what. But the time is great now, and I’m feeling the best I have since I’ve gotten up here, so I’m super excited for this season.”


Read more: Here’s how to virtually follow Penn State football’s final spring practice on Saturday


Tarburton said his injuries were “a little bit of everything” and he was “nicked up in a lot of spots.” But he was healthy this offseason, and it led to some hype from the men who would know best on how Tarburton is progressing.


Last month, coach James Franklin highlighted Tarburton as a potential breakout candidate, while strength coach Dwight Galt praised Tarburton’s work in the offseason program.


“It probably was the best winter I’ve had since I’ve been here,” Tarburton said.


Opportunity awaits Tarburton this spring and summer, too. Former starters Jayson Oweh and Shaka Toney are off to the NFL, which leaves an opening at defensive end. Third-year sophomore Adisa Isaac and Temple transfer Arnold Ebiketie appear to be the early leaders for the starting jobs, but the 6-foot-3, 253-pound Tarburton could enter the conversation.


“My goal is obviously to help the team in any way I possibly can, whether I be a starter or wherever, but the competition’s been great,” Tarburton said. “All you guys know, obviously, Adisa Isaac’s a great player. The guy we just brought in, Arnold, is a great player, and we got a good group of young guys, too. So wherever I fit, I fit, and wherever on that depth [chart], I fall, I fall. My goal is just to be the best that I can be for my teammates and for my coaches and help this team be successful.”


Read more: Penn State notes: 3 standout plays from spring practice; Lions set hopeful dates for summer camps


Tarburton said he can be a physical presence for the Lions in the defense, and his game as some speed to it, in addition to the power.


If Tarburton can emerge as even a rotational contributor for the Lions, it would mark a significant step forward for the former Pennridge standout. The unevenness of his football career coupled with the coronavirus pandemic and Penn State’s struggles last season have created plenty of adversity for him, but Tarburton focused on how these past few years have shaped him as a player or a person.


“Without a doubt, I’ve had some struggles here, as far as just staying healthy and just having the time and the ability just to get better, it was tough,” Tarburton said. “It took a toll on me a little bit, but it made me better and stronger. I take that roller coaster as just an advantage in my opinion now. Looking back, I cherish the game so much more than I ever have, just the ability to play is just something special and I’m going to use that to my advantage, and I’m really looking forward to this season.”


Tarburton’s career has featured plenty of starts and stops in the past three seasons, but he leaned on the fact that he still has time to find his footing and take advantage of an opportunity. Tarburton enters his fourth season with redshirt sophomore eligibility, which means he could spend another three seasons in Happy Valley.


And in that remaining time, Tarburton wants to find the field and remain there.


“That’s always in the back of my head just because I am very fortunate just to be able to have that extra eligibility from the COVID year and just knowing I still have, including this year, three full years is special,” Tarburton said. “And I’m looking forward to however my circumstances turn out.”