Eleven SOL players were honored at Thursday night’s Maxwell Football Club banquet at Drexelbrook Catering. The evening culminated with the naming of Upper Dublin senior Bill Kim as the recipient of the prestigious Jim Henry Award. The award recognizes the ‘unique balance of football prowess, academic excellence and dedicated community service.’ Below are the brief bios of each of the SOL players who received Mini Maxwells as well as a comment from each player in response to the very special night.
Jack Abercrombie – Hatboro-Horsham High School
A three-year starter at offensive guard, Abercrombie consistently came out on top when his offensive line coach would grade out the starters after watching game film. Abercrombie also played defensive tackle and excelled at that position as well.Off the field, Abercrombie is an honor roll student and is ranked in the top 10 percent of his class. He works as an advisor at a youth football camp and devoted time to a canned food drive for the needy.
Jack says: “It’s been a great experience. You get to meet new people that you hear about all the time and play against, and you finally get to sit down and talk to them. It’s very enjoyable, and it’s great for all the families to get together. It’s definitely my biggest honor so far to be a part of this. Words can’t describe it. You work your whole life for a moment like this. You work on the field but just as much off the field. This award matters.”
Nick Chilson – Central Bucks East High School
A team co-captain, Chilson played linebacker for the Patriots and recorded 50 tackles in 10 games with seven of those going for a loss. He also had four sacks and two hurries. He was the third-leading tackler on the Patriots, also causing one fumble. On the offensive side of the football, Chilson rushed for three touchdowns and averaged 7.9 yards a carry.Childson will be attending Carnegie-Mellon University where he plans to major in engineering. He carries a 4.24 GPA and scored 1,510 on the 1,600 SAT with a perfect 800 score in the math section. Chilson has been on the Distinguished Honor Roll for every marking period of his academic career. He volunteers his time to Meals on Wheels
Nick says: “It’s been a lot of fun. This banquet is incredible. I’m just happy to be here, and I have to thank my coach – coach Donnelly – for sending in my application for this. I didn’t even know about the Maxwell Club before this, but being here- it’s definitely a great honor. It’s been really cool talking to these guys and asking them about their seasons. It’s definitely been a good experience.”
Brandon Cope – Pennridge High School
Cope was a two-way starter at fullback and linebacker. Offensively, he rushed for 720 yards on 139 carries while scoring nine touchdowns. As a linebacker, Cope led the Rams with 90 tackles, including 14 for a loss. He was a three-time first or second team all-conference selection at linebacker. This year he was named one of the area’s top five linebackers by the Philadelphia Inquirer. Last season, he earned a spot on PA Football News’ All-State team.In the classroom, Cope ranks in the top five percent of his class while earning nearly 1800 on the SAT. He is a member of the National Honor Society and has been on the Distinguished Honor Roll every marking period since ninth grade. Cope is active in mentoring elementary school students and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is scheduled to go on a mission trip this month.
Brandon says: “I met some guys I played against, and it was kind of neat to meet them in person. It’s just neat to see other guys in your shoes. Most of these guys are playing football (in college) and looking for spots, and it’s very competitive. It puts it into perspective. There are a lot of guys out there – just in your backyard there’s 60 of them. It’s fun to meet some great guys. I have never seen (Ron) Jaworski or Dick Vermeil up close. It’s been fun.”
Bill Fleming – Council Rock South High SchoolFleming was the offensive catalyst for a Golden Hawk squad that captured a share of the SOL National Conference title. He helped lead the Hawks to wins in their first eight games as he directed the team’s option offense from his quarterback position. Fleming finished the year rushing for 927 yards and 21 touchdowns, averaging 5.6 yards a carry.
Off the field, Fleming is also a standout baseball player and has received scholarship offers from Penn State, West Virginia, Coastal Carolina and Temple.
Bill says: “This was definitely a good time. You play against these guys, and there’s a little bit of a rivalry on the field, but tonight you can see who they truly are. It’s a prestigious thing. I’d been hearing about the Maxwell Club for a while - my cousin won it about eight years ago. It’s cool to see guys like Vermeil and Jaworski. It’s been an awesome experience.”
Bill Kim – Upper Dublin High School
Kim played offensive guard and middle linebacker for the Flying Cardinals. With Kim often serving as lead blocker, Upper Dublin averaged almost 300 yards per game en route to a 7-3 record and a spot in the district playoffs. Kim recorded 91 tackles, a sack, a fumble recovery and two pass break-ups for a defense that six times held opponents under 15 points. He earned first team all-conference honors on both sides of the football. A captain, Kim helped lead the Cardinals to a share of the SOL American Conference crown.In the classroom, Kim carries a 4.7 GPA and earned over 2200 on the SAT – breaking 700 on all three sections. He has taken nearly 20 honors and AP courses and is being recruited by Ivy League schools and Carnegie-Mellon. The treasurer of Upper Dublin’s student government, Kim also is involved in model UN and the Chess Club, and he is president of the Asian Student Association. In the spring, Kim is a member of the track team. He volunteers at the Upper Dublin Public Library and is involved in his church youth group. He also has volunteered at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia.
Bill says: “It’s been a pretty unbelievable experience. I never expected anything like this to happen to me. People from my school have been awarded the Mini Maxwell, but I never expected I would win one. It’s been a great experience – all these amazing football players and great kids. It’s an honor to meet them and hang out with them.”
Craig Needhammer – North Penn High School
Needhammer played running back and safety for a Knight squad that won 13 straight games and captured the SOL National Conference and District One Class AAAA titles before falling to LaSalle in the state semifinals. He accumulated 1,360 yards rushing on 189 carries, averaging 7.2 yards per carry. He ran for 16 touchdowns. The Philadelphia Inquirer selected Needhammer as one of the best running backs in the Delaware Valley. In 2009, Needhammer recorded 29 touchdowns and an impressive 8.3 yards per carry to supplement his 1,500-plus rushing yards.Named the Student-Athlete of the Week by both Chevrolet and The Reporter newspaper, Needhammer has broken 650 on the math and verbal SAT. He volunteers as a football buddy to disabled students and has participated in MS walks.
Craig says: “This is a real honor. All these guys are great kids that work really hard and deserve everything they get. I heard of people who had won this award, and it’s a very impressive list. It’s just really an honor to be part of this.”
Dan Rouse – Cheltenham High School
This past season, Rouse caught 30 passes for 785 yards and eight touchdowns for a Cheltenham squad that captured a share of the SOL American Conference crown. He returned one punt and one kickoff for touchdowns and was a threat to score every time he touched the football. Defensively, Rouse had five interceptions. He was named the SOL American Conference Player of the Year.Off the field, Rouse is an honor roll student and takes advanced placement music. He is a member of the marching band, the symphonic school band and the Cheltenham jazz band. Rouse had several featured trombone solos in his school’s winter concert, forcing him to leave the Maxwell Club Banquet early in order to get back to Cheltenham in time to perform. He is also an Easter Seals volunteer and donates time as a church youth leader.
Dan says: “It’s actually unbelievable. It’s unrealistic because I would have never seen myself here. I didn’t even know what the Maxwell Club was. My coach told me how great an honor it was. People came up to me and said, ‘Dan, you don’t know how good this is. This is so big.’ After coming here, I understand. It’s really nice. There are so many nice people, so many great athletes. I’m just proud to be here and thank God because I couldn’t be here without him. It’s just real exciting.”
Nick Ruhl – Abington High School
Ruhl was a two-year starter at center and an impact player at outside linebacker where he recorded three sacks and recovered one fumble. Over the past two years, the Ghosts were a combined 18-6-1, which included winning a share of the SOL National Conference title this past fall. Ruhl – despite taking a full course load of AP classes - is ranked first in his senior class of 650 students. He has volunteered his time to his grade school, tutoring students and helping them organize their annual field day. He is also a volunteer fireman for the Rockledge Fire Company, and he commits time to the Rockledge Night Out, which promotes community relations and anti-crime.
Nick says: “This is a great event, and it’s definitely an honor just to be mentioned with these kids. I have heard about these kids and read about them in the paper, and just to put the names with the faces and really meet them is awesome. It’s a good time.”
Joe Stolfi – Souderton Area High School
Stolfi was the starting right guard and also a defensive lineman for a Souderton squad that won seven games and earned a district playoff berth. Defensively, Stolfi had 49 tackles, including 17 for a loss. He also recovered three fumbles and forced another. Stolfi anchored a defense that allowed 16 or fewer points in six games. He is a two-time first team All-Continental Conference defensive lineman. He will graduate with 140 career tackles, including 36 for a loss.Academically, Stolfi has an SAT score over 1700 and ranks in the top 10 percent of his class. He is a member of the National Honor Society and is a serious contender to win a state championship in wrestling this winter for the Indians. He is an active volunteer coach for both youth football and youth wrestling.
Joe says: “When coach Gallagher told me he was nominating me for this award, I didn’t realize it was something this big, and I’m very honored to receive this award. This is definitely a great experience. It feels really special just being here and seeing all the people here. Listening to the resumes – I feel honored to be a part of it.”
Jake Swearingen – Quakertown High School
Swearingen was a starting right guard and defensive end for a Panther squad that scored more than 20 points in half of its games. Defensively, he had 27 tackles with five of them for a loss. He was a first team all-SOL Continential Conference lineman in 2009 and a third team all-conference selection that same year. This season, Sweaingen repeated as a first team all-conference ‘O’ lineman and also earned second team all-league for defense.Academically, Sweaingen ranks second in his class and has a GPA of 4.62. He is a Distinguished Honor Roll student and a member of the National Honor Society, and he has won awards at the state level in engineering contests. He volunteers at a local food pantry and in Quakertown’s Head Start.
Jake says: “It’s pretty unbelievable. It still hasn’t sunk in. It’s just amazing to see all these different kids all doing great things, and to be recognized for the hard work we put in is just special.”
Ward Udinski – Central Bucks West High School
Udinski was the quarterback for a West squad that advanced to the district tournament. He completed 56 percent of his 190 passes for 1,530 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also averaged close to four yards per carry while scoring seven rushing touchdowns. He is a two-time all-conference pick at quarterback. He leaves West as the school’s all-time passing leader with over 3,400 yards.
Academically, Ward is a three-year Distinguished Honors student who scored nearly 750 on the Math SAT. He was awarded an ‘Excellence in Academic Achievement’ citation. He is an active volunteer for Relay for Life and at a local food bank. He also is an active participant in youth football camps as both a coach and counselor.Ward says: “It’s been pretty special. I have never really experienced anything like this before. Just to meet all these phenomenal athletes and all the people I’m sharing this award with and all the people that are here like Ron Jaworski and Dick Vermeil – it’s a great experience for me. It’s really special. I’m really proud and honored to be here tonight.”
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