On Tuesday, May 29, 2018, Central Bucks East seniors Jake Grube, Lewis Meringo and Chad Guzzi were recognized for committing to play football at the collegiate level. Check back for a gallery of photos.
“What’s unique about this trio is two of them I’ve known for a long time,” coach John Donnelly said. “I’ve known Jake Grube almost his entire life, and Chad Guzzi – I’ve known since he came to our youth camp. His dad went to the University of New Hampshire and was a few years older than me. So I have a longer, deeper connection with those guys just because I’ve known them for a longer period of time. Lewis is a guy we only knew for a year after he transferred back from Archbishop Wood, but he was somebody that had an immediate impact not just with his style of play but with the personality and type of work ethic he brought to the team. He’s just a kid that is very likable as are Jake and Chad. It was just interesting looking at all of three of them and seeing their stories – one of them I’ve known for almost his whole life, another one a large majority of his life and then the third one we just got to know. They all were major contributors on the football team, and aside from that, all three of them are great kids.
“They’re all destined to do big things at their respective schools. Chad Guzzi is going to Carnegie Mellon, one of the highest academic institutions in the country. The fact that Jake Grube is going to the Coast Guard - he’s always been an academy kid. He’s worn a Navy shirt for as long as I’ve known him. The Coast Guard had a special opportunity with what he wanted to major in, and I think he’s going to continue to grow into his body as is Chad. I think their best years are ahead of them. The same thing for Lewis – he’s a two-sport guy, and I think he’s going to be able to excel as much as the other two guys in two sports, which is difficult to do at the collegiate level.”
Jake Grube – United States Coast Guard Academy (Football)
Major: Civil Engineering with a goal of becoming a pilot
Final list of colleges: Coast Guard, Merchant Marine Academy, Air Force Academy
Reasons for choosing Coast Guard: “They have a great mission. Out of all the services, they’re all great, but the Coast Guard – their mission of saving lives and protecting the borders is something I want to be a part of. Also, they have a great football program as well, so playing football and being able to serve my country afterwards, there wasn’t anything more I could ask for.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “Talking to players who had played in college and been there before and then having a good senior year and starting to get in contact with the coaches, I realized this is something I wanted to do – continue my career into college.”
Coach John Donnelly says: “Jake was a starting defensive end for us. To me, he is the epitome of hard work paying off. He has really grown into his body even since the end of the season. From his sophomore year to where he was going into the year to where he is now - all the work he's put in the weight room, it's paying off. He’s actually the second player we’ve sent to the Coast Guard Academy. Coach (Bill) George does a great job up there, so we’re excited for just the growth of Jake.”
About Jake:
Favorite food: Pizza
Favorite movie: Top Gun
Favorite music: Classic Rock
Chad Guzzi – Carnegie Mellon University (Football)
Major: Finance with a minor in Computer Science
Final list of colleges: Carnegie Mellon, MIT, Lehigh, Bentley
Reasons for choosing Carnegie Mellon: “It was really after my visit there – I really just liked the campus. Pittsburgh – I thought that was beautiful. I want my major to be in finance and my minor to be in computer science, and their programs there are just so advanced. That was the main reason why I chose it and their football team, of course.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “I started tackle football when I was six through Lenape Valley, so I’ve known ever since then. We’ve always been a football family – my dad and uncle played. Our whole family played.”
Coach John Donnelly says: “Chad has always been such an intriguing athlete. He’s been able to play a lot of different positions for us, and he’s going to play outside linebacker at Carnegie, but he’s taken snaps at quarterback, he’s played running back, he’s played free safety, he’s played outside linebacker, and he’s played a lot of football since his sophomore year. He’s been a three-year varsity letter winner, and he was really like a jack of all trades.”
About Chad:
Favorite food: Watermelon
Favorite movie: SpongeBob SquarePants
Favorite music: Kid Cudi
Lewis Meringo – Albright College (Football/Baseball)
Major: Engineering
Final list of colleges: Albright, Widener, IUP, Arcadia, Bloomsburg, Kutztown, West Chester
Reasons for choosing Albright: As soon as I stepped on the campus, I felt comfortable. I stayed overnight with some of the players, and I felt like I was part of the team, and I wasn’t even enrolled in the school yet, so that’s a big part of it. I just felt comfortable there. Obviously, the baseball and football are what I’m looking deep into.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “It probably started last year because (coach) Donnelly brought in coaches, and he introduced me to some of the coaches. Widener started coming in, IUP started coming in, West Chester started coming in. They started to get interested in me, so that’s when I started to take interest.”
Coach John Donnelly: “Lewis was a guy that had he been part of the program earlier he probably would have played both sides of the ball and maybe been involved in the return game, but he did a fine job for us in the defensive backfield and was really a guy that opposing offenses went away from. He threw javelin for the track and field team, so he’s a multi-sport guy, and he’s just a really positive kid. Jake and Chad are a little bit more reserved, and Lewis is more outgoing on the field, but all three of them – when it’s time to play the game – play to win and play extremely hard.”
CB East baseball coach Kyle Dennis says: “Lewis transferred from Archbishop Wood this year. He was injured to start the season, but he’s a hardworking kid. He came to practice every day and pushed his teammates to get better. He’s got speed, he’s got bat speed, and he competed for his opportunities.”
Pro Tech AAU coach Brian Goody says: “Lew has always been an incredibly hard worker, and he’s a good kid. He’s always followed the straight and narrow, really worked hard and took care of his responsibilities in the classroom. As far as on the field, he was always very athletic. He’s an above average runner, he has above average arm speed and bat speed, the whole nine (yards). He’s an outfielder, and I see him having a chance to play early on. I’m most proud of Lew because he’s had some adversity in his high school career with injuries and transferring schools. He transferred from Wood to East his senior year. They weren’t easy decisions for him to make, and he didn’t have an easy path as some others may have. To have him here at this point, it’s a proud moment.”
About Lewis:
Favorite food: Crabs
Favorite movie: The Grey
Favorite music: Rap/Hip-Hop
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