Early signing day: Notre Dame, Pitt, Kentucky among Power 5 schools to land WPIAL, City League recruits

By: Chris Harlan
Wednesday, December 15, 2021 | 11:25 AM

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The excitement of signing day used to be limited to February, but that changed five years ago when the NCAA added an early signing period for Division I football.

Now, most of the top recruits sign in mid-December.

A number of WPIAL and City League seniors took that opportunity Wednesday, and then their new schools celebrated on social media.

• Landon Alexander, Central Valley, RB, Albany

• Max Blanc, Bethel Park, QB, Youngstown State

• Joe Blahovec, Greensburg Central Catholic, DB, Youngstown State

• Patrick Body, Gateway, DB, Cincinnati

• Nick Bryan, Thomas Jefferson, OL, Kent State

• Tyreese Fearbry, Perry, OLB, Kentucky

• Sean FitzSimmons, Central Valley, DL, Pitt

• Trent Fraley, Moon, OL, Marshall

• Jeremiah Hasley, Pine-Richland, LB, Duke

• Donovan Hinish, Central Catholic, DL, Notre Dame

• Jalen Klemm, Pine-Richland, OL, Kansas State

• Greg Klingensmith, Apollo-Ridge, OL, William & Mary

• Charlie Kreinbucher, Butler, TE, Bucknell

• Brandon Lawhorn Moore, Kiski Area, OL, Miami (Ohio)

• Jay Pearson, Sto-Rox, DB, Eastern Illinois

• Daniel Sierk, Hempfield, DE, Bucknell

• Michael Wells, New Castle, LB, Youngstown State

• Cade Yacamelli, Penn-Trafford, RB/S, Wisconsin

Ivy League schools and service academy do not offer athletic scholarships, so those recruits do not sign a National Letter of Intent. Mt. Lebanon wide receiver/defensive back Eli Heidenreich committed to Navy, and Central Catholic running back Gannon Carothers committed to Cornell.

Here is a look at Wednesday’s announcements.

Landon Alexander, Central Valley

???? New Dane Alert???? Welcome to the Purple Fam @lalexander_ #Greatne22LivesHere pic.twitter.com/zKQizR5Mt3

— UAlbany Football (@UAlbanyFootball) December 15, 2021

Max Blanc, Bethel Park

???????? Welcome to ???????? ????????

???????????? ????????????????????@max10blanc
Quarterback
6-5 | 205
Bethel Park, Pa.#GoGuins // #GritU pic.twitter.com/HS2LM5O11W

— Youngstown State Football (@ysufootball) December 15, 2021

Joe Blahovec, Greensburg Central Catholic

???????? Welcome to ???????? ????????

???????????? ????????????????????????????????@BlahovecJoe
Defensive Back
6-2 | 190
Greensburg, Pa.#GoGuins // #GritU pic.twitter.com/XPYprVgi89

— Youngstown State Football (@ysufootball) December 15, 2021

Patrick Body, Gateway

???? ???????????????????????? ????
Patrick Body // @25era_

▪️ Safety
▪️ Monroeville, PA#Bearcats | #CinCityPride22 pic.twitter.com/pYxExZBjp7

— Cincinnati Football (@GoBearcatsFB) December 15, 2021

Nick Bryan, Thomas Jefferson

Bringing his Steel City Toughness to Kent, OH! @NickBry46357328#AlphaSquad22???? | #FlashFAST⚡️| #BeTheAlpha???? pic.twitter.com/lQ1i7ruDBm

— Kent State Football (@KentStFootball) December 15, 2021

Officially a part of the Flash Fast Family!! Ready to get to work????@KentStFootball @TheHC_CoachLew @OB_GoldenFlash pic.twitter.com/xCPkWztfll

— Nick Bryan (@NickBry46357328) December 15, 2021

Tyreese Fearbry, Perry

Welcome @FearbryTyreese to the Kentucky Football family! #BBN #NSD22 #2Legit2Quit pic.twitter.com/T1bElY0EJs

— Mark Stoops (@UKCoachStoops) December 15, 2021

It's official congratulations young fella! #BlueSteel @FearbryTyreese #BBN is getting a hell of a young man. pic.twitter.com/Ql23WtTDF2

— Coach Schaeffer (@CoachSchaefferB) December 15, 2021

Sean FitzSimmons, Central Valley

The 1st commit and the 1st NLI today. The Hometown Hero‼️????

Panther Nation let’s welcome @seanfitz50 pic.twitter.com/FL36PecDoT

— Pat Narduzzi (@CoachDuzzPittFB) December 15, 2021

Trent Fraley, Moon

Herd Nation, welcome another phenomenal student athlete to Huntington, Trent Fraley.
@fraley_trent
#TrustTheProce22 | #NSD22 | #GoHerd pic.twitter.com/TJfnsCcLon

— Marshall Football (@HerdFB) December 15, 2021

Jeremiah Hasley, Pine-Richland

????????????????????????: @jeremiahasley ✍️

An athletic linebacker from the 724 is coming to the 919. #WorldCla22 ???????????? pic.twitter.com/GLnuSoYlev

— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) December 15, 2021

Donovan Hinish, Central Catholic

Blessed ☘️ https://t.co/asxY5gloKo

— Donovan Hinish (@D_Hinish51) December 15, 2021

No surprise that a kid from the Steel City is gritty and tenacious. Donovan's going to bring that tough energy to South Bend. Welcome to the family, @D_Hinish51!#IrishRising22 pic.twitter.com/WVGXoeDLn2

— Marcus Freeman (@Marcus_Freeman1) December 15, 2021

Jalen Klemm, Pine-Richland

Cerebral OT from PA

Jalen Klemm (@JalenKlemm)

???? https://t.co/Whd10iwz9g pic.twitter.com/MpuPGsVZr7

— K-State Football (@KStateFB) December 15, 2021

OL @JalenKlemm ➡️ @KStateFB

Signed at @TakisUSA National Signing Day! #TakisNSD #sponsored pic.twitter.com/RYhdCzq5Ha

— Stadium (@Stadium) December 15, 2021

Greg Klingensmith, Apollo-Ridge

???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????‼️@GKling5932 | #GoTribe | #NSD22 pic.twitter.com/c6eIK4O2w3

— William & Mary Tribe Football (@WMTribeFootball) December 15, 2021

Charlie Kreinbucher, Butler

Charlie and the ???????? Factory ????????

TE Charlie Kreinbucher (@CKreinbucher) is the #NextToBeHerd!#NSD22 | #rayBucknell pic.twitter.com/umEU08prtq

— Bucknell Football (@Bucknell_FB) December 15, 2021

Brandon Lawhorn Moore, Kiski Area

S/O @Beef10520385 OFFICIALLY A REDHAWK‼️#NSD22 ✍️????#BUILT2RI2E ????⚪️ pic.twitter.com/HHo6OR8Tbi

— Logan Meyer (@LoganM_MU) December 15, 2021

Join us in welcoming OL Brandon Lawhorn Moore from Kiski Area HS out of Vandergrift, PA to the Miami RedHawks Family‼️ #BUILT2RI2E#NSD22 ✍️????@Beef10520385#RiseUpRedHawks | ???????? pic.twitter.com/UYWGDvmnls

— Miami RedHawks FB Recruiting (@RedHawksRecruit) December 15, 2021

Jay Pearson, Sto-Rox

Swiss Army Knife????Can't be Touched, Welcome to the Panther Family Jay! @Pearsonjay7 pic.twitter.com/Wa9bm4jko2

— Eastern Illinois Football (@EIUPANTHERSMFB) December 15, 2021

Daniel Sierk, Hempfield

Sierk and Destroy ❌????????

DL Daniel Sierk (@DanielSierk) is the #NextToBeHerd!#NSD22 | #rayBucknell pic.twitter.com/Rd0LvvKCvO

— Bucknell Football (@Bucknell_FB) December 15, 2021

Michael Wells, New Castle

???????? Welcome to ???????? ????????

???????????????????????????? ????????????????????@mike3wells
Linebacker
6-3 | 220
New Castle, Pa.#GoGuins // #GritU pic.twitter.com/cyHmv31hj5

— Youngstown State Football (@ysufootball) December 15, 2021

Congrats Mike!! Go Guins!!!???????? @mike3wells #canescuz pic.twitter.com/Rjfo7NJTFJ

— Caniacs (@canes_cuz) December 15, 2021

Cade Yacamelli, Penn-Trafford

Follow ➡️ @cyacamelli

▪ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
▪ Led Penn-Trafford to first state title
▪ 1st-team all-conference as a RB as a junior pic.twitter.com/dhGdWqCPDq

— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) December 15, 2021

PIAA State Champion and newest @BadgerFootball commit, Cade Yacamelli. Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/7YCPvZA7WF

— Penn-Trafford Athletics (@PTWarriors) December 15, 2021

This list will be updated throughout the day.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.