Soccer
12/16/2020 4:11:00 p.m.
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BETHLEHEM, Pennsylvania – Lehigh head coach Tom Gilmore has announced the addition of 11 student-athletes who will join the Mountain Hawks program next fall when the early signing period begins on Wednesday. It was certainly another year for Gilmore and the Mountain Hawks’ coaching team, finding creative ways to recruit during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are very excited about this group,” said Gilmore. “There were many challenges with recruiting this year, but our challenges were no different from anyone else’s. We just had to master them and do our best.
“We ended up putting together a very good class,” continued Gilmore. “They’re good football players, good students and better people. We feel like we’ve put together a well-rounded class.
The initial results include these first 11 members of Lehigh’s football class by 2025. The group includes six offensive players and five defensive players. The most strongly represented position group is the secondary, to which Lehigh welcomed three signatories. Lehigh also signed two offensive linemen and one in each of the following positions: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end defensive end, and linebacker.
Geographically, the Mountain Hawks have signed players from six states as well as tight end Scott Fulton from Ottawa, Canada, who was preparing at the Salisbury School in Connecticut. Three signatories are from Pennsylvania, including local product Matt Rauscher, quarterback for Allentown Central Catholic. Lehigh continued his recruiting success in North Carolina and Georgia and also signed athletes from Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.
The full list of early signatories follows:
Andrew Canelas – OL; 6-9 / 315; Durham, NC / Leesville Road
Four-year Uni-Letter winner … Sports Illustrated All-American Candidate … All-State and All-Classification as Junior … Academic All-Conference as Junior … Honorary Member … Played basketball as a freshman and sophomore.
Just matching this mountain from a man became a mountain hawk! pic.twitter.com/LtKGtUP6Yl
– Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Christian Curatolo – OL; 6-4 / 280; Collegeville, Pennsylvania / Malvern Prep
All-conference and all-area offensive lineman who plays in the Inter-AC … rated by PennLive as a Top 7 Guard in Pennsylvania … recipient of several Team Player of the Game awards … also received two university letters in athletics and threw the shot put … finished eighth at the “Meet of Champions” … recipient of the National Society of High School Scholars … Perennial Head Marshall Volunteer for Steps to Cure Sarcoma 5K / 1K.
D-Lineman You were warned !! pic.twitter.com/YuDqclXioW
– Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Dajuan fields – WR / DB; 6-0 / 170; Buford, Georgia / Buford
First team conference both as wide receiver and defensive in 2019 … also written in basketball, where he was newcomer of the year in 2018 and first all-league team in 2019 … high school coach is former Lehigh team captain and All-Patriot League linebacker Bryant Appling ‘ 01.
Can do everything!! Will play for a long time! pic.twitter.com/6W4sPSrsMz
– Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Scott Fulton – TE; 6-4 / 230; Ottawa, Ontario / Salisbury School (Conn.)
Named to the Ottawa High School Football All-Decade-Team … 2017 and 2018 All-City Team Member … 2018 Team MVP … 2018 and 2019 Elite Athlete Award Winner … qualified for national wrestling preparatory championships … also played rugby and received the Team MVP Award .
Don’t believe me?!?! Just look! @ ScottFu87762192 Straight buddy !! #BeGREAT pic.twitter.com/f18IDnlJ4g
– Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Blake Hartman – RB; 6-0 / 210; Inwood, W. Va./Musselman
MetroNews West Virginia Player of the Year 2020 … WVSN AAA Player of the Year … Breaking State Career Scoring Record in Senior Season … Musselman’s All-Time Rusher … Tied State Touchdown Record … First Team All State in each of its last three Seasons … second team All-State as a newcomer … All-Area, All-Conference and All-Region every four years … Martinsburg Journal Offensive Player of the Year 2019 … All-Conference award winner also in defense … also labeled in basketball and baseball … All-Conference and All-Region Outfielder in Baseball … All-State Award Winner in 2019 … Golden Apple Award Winner … EPAC Academic Team every four years.
Good luck fighting this man! YAC major for the next 4 years! pic.twitter.com/NqJyowlDZI
– Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Logan Jones – DB; 6-3 / 185; Charlotte, NC / Charlotte Christian
Bobby Jones Athlete of the Year … three-year all-conference performer and two-time selection in all states … selected to play in the Queen City Senior Bowl … three-time team member of the state championship … also two-time national track and field champion and labeled basketball where he played on Conference Championship team.
Throw it if you dare! Mr. Jones will be patrolling the air! pic.twitter.com/Ax0YdQ7u5s
– Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Connor Lavelle – DB; 6-0 / 200; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania / Baldwin
First Team All-Conference Safety … also labeled in basketball.
Savage is an understatement !! pic.twitter.com/l7h209uRev
– Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Matt Rauscher – QB; 6-2 / 200; New Tripoli, Pennsylvania / Allentown Central Catholic
Two-year team captain … First Team East Penn Conference All-Star … Morning Call / Fox Sports Radio Calling All Sports Player of the Week … won the District XI AAAA title as a senior … ran for 3,194 yards and rushed for 1,298 in his high school career with 51 touchdowns (26 passing / 25 rushing)… Viking Ambassador… Member of the National Honor Society… National Society of High School Scholars… 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program Qualifier.
Dropping dimes like @Dame_Lillard would you disagree with @CJMcCollum ?! @mattrauscher ready to light the scoreboard! pic.twitter.com/ePFcYfpfL3
– Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Landon Robinson – LB; 6-1 / 230; Fairlawn, Ohio / Copley
Three-time first team in all conferences … two-time first team in all districts … three-year letter winner … two-time Copley Lifter of the Year … also awarded in wrestling and baseball … team captain in all three sports … all conferences performer and district qualifier in wrestling … all-conference in baseball … four-time scholar-athlete … member of the National Honor Society.
If you’re a running back I probably wouldn’t watch this unless you want nightmares! pic.twitter.com/lDWpymXm8G
– Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Xavier Stephens – DE; 6-3 / 260; Daleville, Virginia / Lord Botetourt
First Team All-State and First Team All-Conference as juniors … also labeled in athletics.
There are 3 certainties in this life … death, taxes and @ xavier55_55 will live in the backcourt! pic.twitter.com/E7SkEiJhdR
– Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Andrew Worthy – DB; 5-11 / 170; Marietta, Georgia / Hillgrove
All-Region Performer as a junior … honorable mention All-State in 2019 … also in athletics, where he was a state qualification over 100 m and a member of the national champion 4×100 m relay …
📈📈 stocks go up! Worth everyone’s attention! Air traffic control is coming soon to Goodman Stadium! pic.twitter.com/GsnlFwEarU
– Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
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