On Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016, Council Rock North seniors Devon Bibbens and Thomas Hewitt were recognized for committing to play football at the collegiate level. Photos provided courtesy of Council Rock North.
Devon Bibbens – Lehigh University (Football)
Major: Undecided
Final list of colleges: Lehigh, Delaware State, Colgate
Reasons for choosing Lehigh: “The chance to receive a top-notch education and degree while being able to play Division I football in the Patriot League.”
What was the progression that led you to playing football at the collegiate level? “I actually did not intend on playing football in high school. I moved to Council Rock North my freshman year, and Brandon (McIlwain) and coach (Tom) Vivacqua convinced me to come out. I ended up joining the team midway through my freshman year, and I just fell in love with it.
“At first I really didn’t think there was a chance of me playing college football, but my sophomore year heading into my junior season I worked extremely hard in the weight room and in 7-on-7, and it showed my junior year.
“I kept working through the offseason and received my first offer from Delaware State. After that offer, my recruiting picked up a bit, and Lehigh consistently kept in touch with me. After my first visit on the Junior Day, I really fell in love with the school, and I knew that’s where I wanted to be. Throughout the whole process, they continued to be honest with me. When they finally offered, it was a great moment for me and my family. I took my official the next week, and it confirmed what I thought, and I knew Lehigh is where I wanted to be.”
Coach Adam Collachi says: “Devon was a wide receiver, defensive back and return guy for us. When Devon was a sophomore, we pulled him aside and said, ‘Listen, you have an opportunity to play with one of the elite football players in the State of Pennsylvania throwing you the football. You’ve got work to do. It’s time for you to mature and take this on and become a leader in this program just like Brandon and James were.’ He really bought into that and worked hard in the offseason and really improved himself as an athlete. He bought into the training real hard, he followed Brandon around, and he did all the little things you have to do as receiver – running good routes, being a great blocker.
“He started playing defense for us, especially more as a senior when we were short-manned sometimes. He just did a great job. He was always a sure-handed receiver, he was always a sure-handed return guy with punts and kickoffs. His maturity over the years is something that really stood out to us.”
About Devon:
Favorite food: Japanese Food
Favorite movie: Like Mike
Favorite music: Drake, Bryson Tiller and Future
Thomas Hewitt – Holy Cross University (Football)
Major: Economics
Final list of colleges: Holy Cross, Lafayette
Reasons for choosing Holy Cross: “I chose Holy Cross because it provides an elite academic experience as well as a highly competitive D1 football program. Holy Cross has a history of sports-related achievements, and it puts a premium on developing its student athletes. I was impressed to find out Holy Cross athletes have a 98 percent graduation rate. I also felt an immediate connection to the school and the coaching staff 
when I visited the campus. Head Coach Tom Gilmore has a great motivational style, and I was really attracted to his plan for pushing the competitive limits of the program. Holy Cross will be playing teams like UConn, Syracuse and Boston College in the next few years and I wanted to be part of that.”
What was the progression that led you to playing football at the collegiate level? “I started playing football in the fourth grade, but my appreciation for the sport really took off after my family relocated to Southeast Asia when I was entering seventh grade. We lived in Singapore for four years and I was surprised to find out that they play what’s called ‘American football’ there. We would compete in an intramural league for part of the season and then join together as a single team to take on other teams in the region--mostly from military bases in Japan, Korea, Guam and places like that. I had a number of coaches who played college football in the US, and they kept telling me I could succeed at the next level of football after high school.
“When my family moved to the Council Rock school district my junior year of high school, I knew that I wanted to see how I would stack up against the competition in the US. I ended up doing pretty well. I was named All-Conference both my junior and senior seasons. The biggest honor I received was being named a team captain during my senior year. I’m really proud of what we accomplished at Council Rock North, and winning a Conference Championship is something I will never forget. I also know that I’m not ready to stop playing football. I enjoy the competition and bonds that you make with all of your teammates. I can’t think of anything I would want to do more than contribute to a collegiate level football program with a tradition like Holy Cross.”
Coach Adam Collachi says: “Thomas played defensive end for us. He was just an outstanding athlete, very explosive. He moved back from Singapore about a month before his junior year started, and I got an e-mail from his mom saying, ‘I have a son who’s interested in playing football.’ I said, ‘All, right,’ not knowing anything about Thomas. He had played American football on the base but not to the extent we play in Suburban One. He just exploded on the scene and dominated in the scrimmages. He was a starter since day one as a junior when he first walked into the school. He was a very coachable kid, he worked very, very hard to hone his craft, and he was just a great athlete at his position, a true game changer. He made so many huge plays for us this past football season.”
About Thomas:
Favorite food: Korean Barbecue
Favorite movie: Black Hawk Down
Favorite music: “I like everything from classical to classic rock to hip hop.”
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