What a catch: Southeastern Pa.'s top WRs

October 08, 2011|By Rick O’Brien, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

It's time to give the area's good-hands people their due.

We resume our top-10 football review with the best receivers in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

In addition to a player's soft hands, this subjective list is based on route-running ability, knack for making the big catch, toughness in traffic, and skill at running for yardage after the reception.

Please note that some multipurpose standouts, such as Archbishop Wood's Nate Smith and Germantown's Will Parks, will not be listed in this group. Both are expected to be defensive backs at the next level.

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1. William Fuller, Roman Catholic, 6-foot-2, 155 pounds, junior. When you watch Fuller go up in the corner of the end zone and bring down a fade pass from Mike Keir, you can see why he is regularly receiving handwritten letters from Penn State and others.

In Friday's 35-14 romp over Catholic League Class AAAA rival Father Judge, Fuller had six catches for 90 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown. He also had two of his team's three interceptions.

2. Anthony Nash, West Chester Rustin, 6-4, 185, senior. A high leaper who has been clocked at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, the Duke recruit is a handful for opposing cornerbacks.

3. Andrew Scanlan, Spring-Ford, 6-2, 195, senior. The quick-footed Scanlan and junior quarterback Hank Coyne make up one of the area's best pass-catch duos.

4. Kyle Kerrick, Coatesville, 6-3, 185, senior. Drawing each foe's top cornerback, the Michigan State recruit runs a 4.3 40, and has a 30-inch vertical leap and 8-foot, 10-inch broad jump.

5. Ronnie Gillespie, Upper Perkiomen, 5-9, 155, senior. Gillespie, bound for Temple, is a dynamic playmaker for the Indians. In track and field, he took home state gold in the 200-meter dash (22.09 seconds) last May,

6. Savoy Martin, Frankford, 6-0, 170, senior. Martin's receiving skills have played a big part in junior QB Tim DiGiorgio's breakthrough season.

7. Jacob Gribb, Pope John Paul II, 6-3, 195, senior. Gribb, who is hearing from Ivy and Patriot League programs, and Jared Siejk have been a terrific receiving duo.

8. Daryl Worley, Penn Charter, 6-2, 165, junior. Worley's numbers are down from a year ago, but that's because the Quakers have thrown less with a new QB.

9. Juwan Valentine, Harriton, 5-8, 170, junior. Through five games, Valentine, also a basketball standout, had an area-best 33 catches for 561 yards and seven scores.

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