On Monday, Feb. 7, 2011, in the PHS-TV studios at Pennsbury, seniors Brandon Pepper and Jay Jabat were recognized for signing letters of intent to play football at West Chester University.
Brandon Pepper - West Chester University (Football)
Major: Physical Education
Final list: West Chester, St. Francis , Wagner, Monmouth
Reasons for choosing West Chester: “The reason I went to West Chester is because I want to go into coaching and physical education, and none of the other schools really had it. I didn’t want to major in something else and have to go back and get my degree in that later. Jay (Jabat) and Dante Devine are going there, and obviously, Jackson (Fagan) and Victor (Iturbides) were part of the district title (team) when they were here, and they go there.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate football? “I knew I wanted to play football in college since I was little. When I was in 10th grade, I met a couple of coaches, and I could tell I could probably play because I was a (varsity) starter for three years.”
Coach Galen Snyder says: “Brandon is a very hard-nosed player who did almost everything well. He could run, he could catch, he’s a physical player, and he’s a speedy player. Throughout his Pennsbury career, he ran for close to 3,000 yards, and between passing and running accounted for over 4,000 yards. I believe that’s a Pennsbury record in both cases. He’s just a very competitive kid. He was physical, but he also had speed.”
Jay Jabat – West Chester University (Football)
Major: Criminal Justice with a minor in finance
Final list of colleges: West Chester, Temple (received an offer for track), Robert Morris, Millersville, Shippensburg, East Stroudsburg
Reasons for choosing West Chester: “My older cousin, Steve Miller, went to West Chester, and he was my role model growing up. I have been around him since I was two years old, and we used to go to the games together. I got involved with the West Chester coaches around my sophomore year, and I really liked them. Even though they’re D-2, I put them at the top of my list because I got along really well with the coaches. I know kids on the team – Brandon (Pepper) and Dante (Devine) are going to West Chester, and Jackson Fagan and Victor Iturbides were graduates of Pennsbury who also go to West Chester.
“West Chester offered my major, which was really high on my list because football is not going to last forever. You have to get a job.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate football? “Growing up, I was always a Steelers fan, and football was my number one sport. When eighth grade came around, I really got into high jump and track and started excelling in track. There was a time in my junior year when I started to feel like the level was starting to turn to football, and I started to get better in football. In track, I was staying steady.
“I started working out with my cousin more and got more football-minded with lifting weights. I talked to coach Snyder, and he really got me thinking ‘football, football, football.’ West Chester is a good school academically, and it’s a great football program, and they have my major.”
Coach Galen Snyder says: “Jay was a split end for us. He was a kid who played as a sophomore and was a three-year starter. He’s an athletic kid, and he’s very good in track and field as well - he came in fourth in the state in high jump. As a football player, he could go up and get the ball, and he has good hands. He’s definitely someone who the colleges will look to put in as receiver.”
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