On Thursday, April 28, 2016, Upper Moreland seniors Nick DeLucas, Connor Dolan, Christian Leighton and Ryan Norton were recognized for committing to continue their football careers at the collegiate level. (Photos provided courtesy of Nora Rosenbaum/Upper Moreland High School.)
Nick DeLucas – Muhlenberg College (Football)
Major: Undecided
Final list of colleges: Muhlenberg, Juniata
Reasons for choosing Muhlenberg: “Talking to the coaches – I really liked the coaches, and when I went up for a visit, I really liked the players. They said they really enjoyed Muhlenberg, and going up there and experiencing it, I really liked the campus, and I think it was a good fit for me.”
What was the progression that led you to playing football at the collegiate level? “As a little kid, you want to do big things – be a professional. Going into high school, I really like the sport. Just going through it every day, and now that it’s over, I really don’t want it to end. The chance to play four more years – I’ll take advantage of that.”
Coach Adam Beach says: “Nick was a slot receiver for us and also a safety. His brother played for the 2001 team that was the first title team in school history with (coach) Joe Shannon. It was nice to have Nick play football for me as a head coach because he’s everything the DeLucas family is advertised – hard working, tough kid. He did a great job in the classroom. He really worked hard and did things the right way, never was a discipline problem. He’s just a really nice kid. He worked for everything, and he deserves everything he’s going to get.”
About Nick:
Favorite food: Pizza
Favorite movie: Step Brothers
Favorite music: Country
Connor Dolan – Shippensburg University (Football)
Major: Undecided
Final list of colleges: Shippensburg, West Chester, Kutztown
Reasons for choosing Shippensburg: “The visit was really cool – the atmosphere of all the players and the coaches. The dorms were all brand new, which was pretty cool.”
What was the progression that led you to playing football at the collegiate level? “My freshman year I didn’t really think about college at all. Once I hit my growth spurt and got a lot bigger, college football started becoming a reality and a necessity when my grades weren’t doing so good. Football has always been something I wanted to do.”
Coach Adam Beach says: Connor is a big kid – he’s got a big frame, he’s learned how to bend, and he’s athletic for a big guy. His challenge was doing things outside of football, but he did enough things right to warrant Shippensburg giving him some money to play football. The sky is the limit for Connor. He played offensive tackle and defensive line. I really think he’s got an up side. If he can get everything outside of football in line, he’ll do very well.”
About Connor:
Favorite food: Cheesesteaks
Favorite movie: Four Brothers
Favorite music: Rap/Hip Hop
Christian Leighton – Muhlenberg College (Football)
Major: Undecided
Final list of colleges: Muhlenberg, King’s College
Reasons for choosing Muhlenberg: “I liked the coaches, and the kids that I talked to seemed to really like the school and they liked the family environment between all the players and coaches.”
What was the progression that led you to playing football at the collegiate level? “Coming into high school, I kind of thought I was a baseball player, but I didn’t really get to play varsity baseball until my junior year. I was lucky enough to start in football my sophomore year, and after that, I realized I kind of liked football. After the district championship this year, I couldn’t not play this year.”
Coach Adam Beach says: “Christian was the best athlete in the school last year. He’s a football-baseball kid, a super kid. He’s been playing for me since he was a sophomore and played center and outside linebacker. He’s highly intelligent, and he understands the game. He’s just a really tough, hard-nosed kid, and he’s another kid that did a great job in the classroom. If you looked at Upper Moreland High School, Christian Leighton was the poster boy of what an Upper Moreland student-athlete should look like. He carries himself well. He also did a great job in baseball – they had a nice run. His nickname on the team was ‘dad’ because he was so responsible and helped keep everyone in line. He’s mature for his age. He was a captain for us. I’m happy for him and I have no doubt he’ll be successful in life.”
About Christian:
Favorite food: Steak
Favorite movie: Super Bad
Ryan Norton – Delaware Valley University (Football)
Coach Adam Beach says: “Ryan has very quietly been probably our best defensive player over the past three years. He’s a very intelligent football kid. His brother played for me. He understands the game. He plays at such a high level, and he has a great pad level – he’s a tall kid but he can get low. I know Del Val is excited. They think he has a chance to come in and maybe get on the field as a freshman, which is a big compliment to him and his athletic ability. He could have gone D-2, but he wanted to play early. He’s another kid who did the job in the classroom – he worked real hard.”
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