Montour’s Padezanin hopes to drive Spartans toward success

By: Don Rebel
Tuesday, July 16, 2019 | 5:52 PM

1363182_web1_ptr-GeorgePadezanin-012319 — Submitted

Montour lineman George Padezanin

The Tribune-Review and the TribLive High School Sports Network are profiling each member of the 25-player Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star team. The players will be recognized July 23 during HSSN Media Day at Kennywood Park.

What a difference a year makes.

In his sophomore season, George Padezanin was a big part of a Montour team that reached the WPIAL Class 4A championship game.

Last year as a junior, the talented lineman and the Spartans finished 3-7 and missed the WPIAL postseason for the first time since 2006.

As he prepares for his senior campaign, Padezanin is hoping to find the same success from two years ago.

“We have to maintain extreme focus and hard work throughout every single day in the offseason and not take any time for granted, which so far we have,” Padezanin said. “If we are able to continue that, we will be right where we want to be by the time the season comes around.”

Padezanin and his teammates have been battling the summer heat to get conditioned for the grind in the late summer and fall.

“I’m extremely excited for the season to begin, and I am counting down the days until the first game,” he said. “It’s something that I think about constantly.”

That kind of attitude and work ethic isn’t lost on his coach.

“George has been a four-year starter for me on both sides of the ball,” Lou Cerro said. “He works hard to get better on a daily basis, and he pushes all his teammates to do the same. He has a lot of respect.”

The offensive and defensive tackle who has a 4.2 GPA, said he needs to work on becoming more flexible but has other areas he relies on as strengths.

“Definitely my high motor and my knowledge for the game,” Padezanin said.

Padezanin believes that motor will help drive the Spartans to success this fall.

“This year’s team has a chance to be something special if we continue to work,” he said. “We have a lot of guys that have a ton of experience and most importantly a passion for the game. The 2019 Spartans will be a team to remember.”

Cerro also is lifting the expectations bar for his team and his star lineman.

“My expectations of him are to have a better season than he had last year,” Cerro said. “When you are voted defense player of the year in the conference, there will be a bull’s-eye on his back, so he needs to be prepared each and every game to excel.”

George Padezanin file

School: Montour

Class: Senior

Ht/wt: 6-3/280

Positions: OT/DT

Division I offers: Ball State, Fordham, Duquesne, Princeton, Harvard, Lehigh, Robert Morris, Yale, Colgate, Holy Cross, Columbia, Albany, Delaware State, Dartmouth, Brown, Akron, Richmond, Rhode Island, Cornell, Lafayette, Bucknell, Penn

2018 statistics: 50 tackles, 3 sacks, 7 tackles for loss

Trib HSSN Preseason All-Stars

A.J. Beatty, Central Catholic

Fintan Brose, Hempfield

Tui Brown, Gateway

Michael Carmody, Mars

Josh Casilli, Peters Township

Johnny Crise, Highlands

Derrick Davis, Gateway

Daniel Deabner, Thomas Jefferson

Deamontae Diggs, McKeesport

Dorien Ford, Baldwin