Early signing day: Notre Dame, Pitt, Kentucky among Power 5 schools to land WPIAL, City League recruits
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Wednesday, December 15, 2021 | 11:25 AM
Central Valley’s Sean FitzSimmons sacks Wyomissing quarterback Ben Zechman on fourth down and goal during the fourth quarter of the PIAA Class 3A state championship game on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, at Hersheypark Stadium.
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 Tribune-Review Staff Writer. You can contact Chris by email at charlan@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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