PW Trio to Play Collegiate Football

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015, Plymouth Whitemarsh seniors Anthony Casselli, Brett Highland and Steve Kovacic were recognized for committing to play football at the collegiate level. To view photos of the event, please visit the Photo Gallery by clicking on the following link:  http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/g/060215_signings_3_mjs

 

Anthony Casselli – Albright College (Football)
Major: 
Business Administration
Final list of colleges:  Albright, Lycoming, King’s College, Widener, Kutztown, Delaware Valley
Reasons for choosing Albright:  “The business part of it – they have a brand new building that’s about a year old, and it’s amazing. Just the atmosphere – when I went up there, they’re so friendly. I felt at home. It’s closer than a lot of the other schools, and I liked the way the football team runs itself like a real family, which I’m not really leaving when I graduate from Plymouth Whitemarsh.”
What was the progression that led you to playing football at the collegiate level?  “I started thinking about it the end of my junior season and the exposure I got when I started getting notices from the colleges. I originally didn’t have the idea that I would play, but when I started getting all this interest from these schools, I was like, ‘Wow, I have something I could continue.’ Albright was one of the first colleges to reach out.”
Coach Dan Chang says:  “Anthony played center for us. He got his first shot as a junior to start at the varsity level. He had a rocky start – his first two games were learning opportunities for him. He was really borderline. We were to a point where we weren’t sure if he was going to stay, whether he was going to get surpassed by somebody else. Really, what makes him stand out is his work ethic. I can honestly say I don’t know if there’s a kid who works harder than he does, day in and day out, in the offseason and during the season, specifically to improve where he is weak. He ended up being one of our best linemen for his junior and senior years. He was a first team all-league kid. He’s a super coachable kid and always looking to do the extra thing, and that’s what really makes him stand out.”
About Anthony:
Favorite food:
My dad’s Spaghetti & Meatballs
Favorite movie:  Good Fellas
Favorite music:  Eminem/Alternative/Old Hip Hop/Everything

Brett Highland – Ursinus College (Football)
Major: 
Education
Final list of colleges:  Ursinus, Albright, Franklin & Marshall, Moravian, Muhlenberg, McDaniel
Reasons for choosing Ursinus:  “I really love the campus – it’s close to home, and it’s a great education. My older brother (Bill Highland) played football there a few years ago, and I know he had a great experience.”
What was the progression that led you to playing football at the collegiate level?  “When the senior season ended for football, I knew I wasn’t ready to be done playing football, so I started looking around for schools I wanted to go to to continue playing. Schools started coming in, and my recruiting process started.”
Coach Dan Chang says:  “Brett played guard for us and actually started varsity halfway through his sophomore year. He’s very, very smart when it comes to football, knowing how blocking schemes work, and he’s also very athletic for a kid his size. He has great feet. He moves really well. He did a lot of pulling for us, a lot of getting to linebackers and was a real versatile lineman for us. He played a little defensive line as well, but his athleticism on the line and as a big guy really helped him to succeed.”
About Brett:
Favorite food: 
Chicken Parmesan
Favorite movie:  The Avengers
Favorite music:  Country

Steve Kovacic – Wilkes University (Football)
Major: 
Mechanical Engineering
Final list of colleges:  Wilkes, Lycoming, Albright, Shippensburg, Bloomsburg, Drexel, Temple, Assumption College
Reasons for choosing Wilkes:  “I decided on Wilkes because it was a smaller school, and it was really one of the only schools I was looking at that offered my major along with football, so that was a big deciding factor.
“I knew going into college I didn’t want to give up what I wanted to do for football or for the size of the school or anything like that, even though I do love playing. I’m happy that I could find a happy medium and have both.”
What was the progression that led you to playing football at the collegiate level?  “After my junior season, things started getting serious. Colleges came to visit me and talk to me. I signed up for a lot of exposure camps to do over the summer, so just getting out there and seeing how people were interested in me really got me thinking about it. I knew, obviously, if these people came to see me I was good, so why waste my talents and not play.”
Coach Dan Chang says:  “Steve also played guard for us. He has started for us since halfway through his freshman year. He was a really special kid for us. He’s just hard-nosed, a drive blocker for us and really could move people. When we needed some yards, we were going to run behind him and Ryan (Bischoff). They were right next to each other, so that’s where teams knew we were going to go. Also, he’s incredibly smart when it comes to how blocking schemes work, and that really helped him to do well.”
About Steve:
Favorite food: 
Dalessandro’s Cheesesteaks
Favorite movie:  The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Favorite music:  Rock & Roll/Country

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