On Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020, Central Bucks East seniors Jake Ventresca and Peyton Pflug were recognized for committing to continue their football careers at the collegiate level. Check back for a gallery of photos.
Peyton Pflug – Dickinson College (Football)
Major: Pre-Law
Final list of colleges: Dickinson, Ithaca, Gettysburg, Brown, Bucknell
Reasons for choosing Dickinson: “I knew I wanted to study pre-law, and they have an amazing opportunity for 3-and-3 that I really want to 
strive for. When I went on my overnight visit, I loved the atmosphere, I loved the program, I loved the players, and I just knew that was a place I could see myself the next four years.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “I started playing football my sophomore year, so I was a year later. After my sophomore year, I really fell in love with the game. Being around all my teammates and friends, I knew at that point it was a decision whether I wanted to play moving forward. For my love of the game and the bonds and the camaraderie you build with your teammates, I knew that was something I wanted to continue in college.”
Coach John Donnelly says: “There were two very good basketball teams at Tohickon and Holicong when these seniors were in eighth grade. Of course, I’m always tracking the kids from Holicong that will be coming to East and kids from Tohickon that will be bound for East also. Peyton was a kid that wasn’t playing football at that time, but he really stood out. I was introduced to his dad, and his dad, Dave, played at Bucknell. His dad said, ‘I don’t want to push him. It’s got to be his decision.’ His parents are great people, and I said, ‘Well, give it some thought.’ A year went by, and he didn’t play.
“Peyton has been heavily involved in the Coaches vs. Cancer 3v3 Tournament, and my son was playing, and he came up to me and said, ‘Hey, I want to play football.’ He came out as a sophomore and started, so he started for three years. I think that doesn’t happen very often. He played football in Pop Warner light years ago, but he had really been out of the game for so long. He jumped in with both feet, his dad jumped in with both feet and became the booster club president. Peyton just really took off. I think he has got so much good football ahead of him yet. He’s still developing and grown exponentially each year. He’s a smart kid, he’s got great energy, and he’s got really good leadership skills. We were supposed to be going down to Villanova this month for the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award, which he was the recipient of. It’s a great banquet, and unfortunately, he won’t be able to partake in it, but it was a great honor for Peyton. He really epitomizes what you want your guys to be in terms of understanding the term scholar-athlete and that you’re a student first and an athlete second. He’s a kid with high character. He’s going to go to Dickinson as a pre-law major. They’ve got an outstanding program there, so he’s going to be on a great track. Dickinson struggled for a number of years, but they’ve got some new blood and they’re moving in the right direction. I think Peyton will help with that resurgence of Dickinson football.”
About Peyton:
Favorite food: Pasta with Sausage
Favorite movie: The Rocky series
Favorite music: Rap
Jake Ventresca – University of Delaware (Football)
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Final list of colleges: Delaware, New Hampshire, Fordham, Colgate
Reasons for choosing Delaware: “It was a lot of things. I just loved the school, my dad’s an alum, it’s close to home and the football program has been doing real well.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “I’ve always had the dream of playing at the next level. My dad played in college, my grandpop played in college, so it was just the thing in my family to continue my athletic career.”
Coach John Donnelly says: “Where do you start with a kid that’s a four-year varsity guy and has meant so much to the program? I think it’s really neat that he’s going to go to Delaware, which is where his father played. I think that’s a very special connection for him with his dad. His junior year he really battled through a number of different injuries. He’s just a really tough kid, and in our last game against Coatesville when he was a junior, he tore his labrum on a fantastic play where he chased down (quarterback) Ricky Oretega from the opposite side of the field and tackled him out of bounds just inside the 10-yard line. He played the rest of the game but then had to get surgery in the offseason.
“Last fall, the day before the Quakertown game, we were going through our walk-through. He just looked as good as he had looked in his four years. He was fast and dynamic, and I just remember saying to him, ‘Cool the jets, we have tomorrow night.’ He just kind of laughed. He looked great in warm-ups, and on his second carry of the year, he makes a cut – it’s a non-contact injury, and his arch collapses in his foot, and that’s it from a physical carry the ball, play defense, return kicks standpoint, but it wasn’t the final chapter in his high school career because Jake went on to do an outstanding job of helping coach the guys that took his place – Pat Volko, David Nimmo and Dylan Rotondo. Obviously, he and Pat are really good friends and are the same year. It wasn’t coaching him from A to Z. That was just being able to give Pat some finer points. David is an underclassman, and I think David looks up to Jake and respected that. Dylan Rotondo is a freshman. He’s 14 years old, and he just absorbed everything Jake had to say. From a leadership standpoint, Jake went on to do a great job helping prepare the guys that replaced him. It’s tough to replace someone who did as much as he did from a total yardage standpoint over the course of his career, but somebody had to step into the role, and Jake helped provide guidance and support for them, which is highly respectable.
“When school was in session, he played in the Coaches vs. Cancer students versus faculty game, and he looked super dynamic. He looked great. He’s ready to rock and roll. He would have been playing in the Bucks County All-Star game, and it’s so unfortunate for Jake and the other players in the area, but he’ll be ready for fall camp at Delaware.”
About Jake:
Favorite food: Steak
Favorite TV show: The Office
Favorite music: Zac Brown Band
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