Jordan Paskorz joins brother in Hampton Athletic Hall of Fame

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, August 13, 2017 | 11:00 PM

Being three years apart, there wasn't much time for the Paskorz brothers to terrorize opposing defenses together. Come September, they will line up side-by-side for as long as the walls of Hampton High School stand.

Jordan (Class of 2010) will join brother Stephen (Class of '07) as a member of the Hampton Athletic Hall of Fame. The banquet and ceremony, set for the second weekend in September, come at an appropriate time: football season.

“I was hoping to see it on the same plaque,” Jordan said. “But we have our own plaques side-by-side, so that will be pretty cool. … It's an honor to be inducted with such a great, successful class.”

Great and successful would be a good place to start with Jordan Paskorz. He arrived as a freshman with a tough act to follow. Older brother Stephen established himself as one of the best football players in school history, holding multiple school records as an all-state linebacker and Notre Dame recruit.

Jordan credits his brother and father, Steve, for providing him with the foundation not only to follow in his older brother's footsteps but also walk his own path.

“I always got to watch him perform and succeed,” Jordan said. “He set a really good example as far as performing. … One of the better memories of high school was my freshman year when I started at tight end, and he started at running back. Watching him break a few records when I was playing was pretty awesome.”

Jordan and his class eventually thrived as a team under coach Jacque DeMatteo, who replaced Greg Mihalik in 2008. The first-team all-state linebacker, who also was a formidable tight end, helped captain his team to the WPIAL Class AAA semifinals in 2009.

“Since third grade, I pretty much had the same group of friends,” he said. “We all stuck together and had pretty successful teams.”

“It was a great senior class,” DeMatteo said. “That group of kids were the only ones to make the WPIAL semifinals in school history. He played a really intricate part.”

Standing at 6-foot-3 with a physical presence, Paskorz made honorable mention all-state as a sophomore, and it didn't take long to catch the attention of major Division I schools, including Michigan. He eventually accepted a scholarship to play for the Wolverines.

“He was very dominating,” DeMatteo said. “As a tight end, he was so strong. One of the strongest kids I've seen in the weight room. And he was very coachable and a good kid. I really enjoyed working with him.”

While he was redshirted his freshman year, Paskorz added Sugar Bowl champion to his resume in 2012 and started seeing playing time as a junior. He started three games his senior year against Nebraska, Michigan State and Indiana.

After he found out Michigan coach Brady Hoke would not offer him a scholarship for his fifth year of eligibility, Paskorz had a chance to go elsewhere.

“I could have looked for somewhere else to play,” said Paskorz, who majored in sociology. “But I chose Michigan for Michigan. I didn't want to play anywhere else. I figured it was a good time to wrap up my career.”

Though football was his mainstay, Paskorz was a three-year letterman in track and basketball. He was 2010 WPIAL champion in the shot put, placing second in states his senior year. He also was a part of the 2008-09 Talbots basketball team that took home a WPIAL Class AAA title and made a deep run in states.

He also was a four-year honor roll student.

“That was a great experience as well,” said Paskorz, who now works as a technical service adviser for PPG Architectural Coatings in Cranberry.

“Our class, we grew up, stuck together, pretty much played the same sports. It was a great run and great experience to make it to that level of competition.”

The Paskorz brothers are one of two sibling combinations to be inducted in this year's class. Sean Hennessey will follow his sister, Megan, who was inducted along with Stephen Paskorz last year.

Devon Moore is a freelance writer.

Tags: Hampton