Jeanette (PA) senior do-it-all quarterback Terrelle Pryor — Number one recruit in the country — led his team to the PIAA Pennsylvania Class AA state championship with a dominating 49-21 victory over Dunmore.
(Hershey, PA) — V.Y model number PA2007 was on display Saturday December 15th in Hershey Park Stadium as the legend of Jeanette (PA) senior do-it-all quarterback Terrelle Pryor (6’6, 220) continued to grow. The fleet-footed multipurpose star accounted for five of Jeannette’s seven touchdowns leading the Jayhawks to an undefeated season (16-0) and a PIAA Pennsylvania Class AA state championship in a dominating 49-21 victory against Dunmore. The “sweet” victory was appropriately acclaimed in the so called “Sweetest place on Earth” and Pryor displayed the extraordinary ability that has college recruiters across the country scurrying around for his services. The game truly was an exclamation point to one of the greatest careers that I have followed in my 25 years of watching Pennsylvania high school football.
Pryor lived up to his enormous resume and hype — many believe that he is the greatest player in Pennsylvania’s rich high school football history — by single handedly taking apart Dunmore. Pryor rushed for three touchdowns, threw for another, punted, kicked off, played safety/rush end on defense and, for good measure, catch a 28-yard pass over two Dunmore defenders to end the first half. I know the humble likable young man was tired after the game, but he had to be fulfilled after vindicating Jeannette’s loss in the 2006 finals loss. Pryor said after the huge win, “I just tried to make sure our team had team success — Then, everyone noticed all the individual stuff that I did.”
Pryor’s numbers for the game showed how he was a man amongst boys, finishing with 209 yards rushing on 12 carries, completing 3 of 4 passes for 83 yards, and the aforementioned one catch for a 28-yard touchdown. With his dominating effort in the title game, he finished his decorated career with 4,250 career yards rushing and 4,249 yards passing, becoming the only player in Pennsylvania history to eclipse the 4,000-yard barrier in both areas. Pryor also finished his career by leading Jeannette on an unprecedented two-year run finishing with a 30-2 record plus breaking the state single season record for points finishing with 860 points for 2007.
Jeannette coach Ray Reitz said of Pryor, “If there is a better player than him, ever, I haven’t seen him”. Now the jack-of-all-trades football player will switch gears and become an all-state basketball player for the winter before committing to a college this February on the much-anticipated Signing Day (Wednesday, February 6, 2008). In a past Sports Illustrated interview the 18-year old said he has the enviable task of fielding 150-200 text messages a day from recruiters. Many of BCS level schools are looking at the spectacular athlete at a variety of positions, but you know we are hoping that Pryor gets an opportunity at quarterback first. The leading candidates for the spread-option quarterback’s services include Ohio State (rumored to be the favorite), Florida, Michigan, Penn State and Oregon. He is even talking about pulling double duty in college playing football and basketball ala former North Carolina Tarheel Julius Peppers, but football is his first love.
The high school superstar still has one more prep game to play in the Army All-American Bowl on January 5th in San Antonio, Texas. Wherever he decides to play his college ball, you know we will be monitoring his success as the sky is the limit for this tremendous athlete, who very well might make everyone forget the name Vince Young.
Taking it to the House 