2014-2015 MSA Sports Male Athlete of the Year

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, June 27, 2015 | 1:12 PM

Riley Stapleton comes from a family of athletes. Growing up, he and his three brothers used to play every sport imaginable and even invent their own events.

“My oldest brother [Kevin] used to come up with competitions like who can race around the block the fastest or who can touch the highest spot on the wall,” said Stapleton.

But never mind the brothers. If you could put all of the athletes in the WPIAL on a wall, Stapleton would be at the highest spot.

Stapleton, who graduated from Indiana High School earlier this month, is the MSA Sports Male Athlete of the Year. All athletes in the WPIAL are eligible for the award.

Stapleton competed in three sports at Indiana High School and had a big impact in every one.

*In football, Stapleton led the entire WPIAL in regular-season receptions and ended up setting Indiana County single-season records for catches with 69 and yardage with 1,014. He also played cornerback.

*In basketball, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Stapleton led Indiana in scoring with an average of 13 points a game. He helped the Little Indians win the first WPIAL basketball title in school history and he made the biggest basket in Indiana history when he scored a layup with two seconds left to give Indiana the win in the WPIAL Class AAA championship against Beaver Falls. Stapleton scored the winning basket off a pass from his brother, Dylan.

*Stapleton didn’t come out for track and field as a sophomore and junior, but he did this season. All he did was win the WPIAL Class AAA high jump championship by clearing 6 feet 3.

Three-sport athletes have become more rare in high school sports these days, and especially at the Class AAA and AAAA level. It is even more unusual to have an athlete stand out in three like Stapleton. And on top of that, Stapleton had a 3.7 grade-point average.

“Obviously, the WPIAL basketball championship is something I’ll never forget,” said Stapleton. “In football, there wasn’t one moment that stands out. But just being picked to go 1-8 or 2-7 and then making it to the second round of the WPIAL playoffs, that stands out.”

Now Stapleton hopes he can eventually be a standout football player at James Madison. He originally made a verbal commitment to IUP for basketball. But he changed his mind in November and decided on James Madison for football. He will play receiver and already is at James Madison taking classes and working out with the team.

“Honestly, I don’t really care where I play,” said Stapleton. “I’m more comfortable at receiver, but I’m not exactly the fastest guy in the world. If I end up putting on weight and become a tight end, I’d be comfortable with that.”

With Stapleton, he’d be comfortable in any sport.

Tags: Indiana