Lehigh Football Welcomes 11 As Early Signing Period Begins
12/16/2020 4:11:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh head coach Tom Gilmore has announced the addition of 11 student-athletes that will join the Mountain Hawks program next fall as the early signing period began Wednesday. It was certainly a different year for Gilmore and the Mountain Hawks' coaching staff, who found creative ways to recruit during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We're really excited about this group," Gilmore said. "There were a lot of challenges with recruiting this year, but our challenges were no different than what everybody else had. We just had to work through them and do the best we could.
"In the end we've put together a very good class," Gilmore continued. "They're good football players, good students, and better people. We feel like we've put together a well-rounded class.
The early results include these first 11 members of Lehigh's football class of 2025. The group includes six offensive players and five defensive players. The most represented position group is the secondary where Lehigh welcomes three signees. Lehigh also signed two offensive linemen and one at each of the following positions: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end defensive end and linebacker.
Geographically, the Mountain Hawks signed players from six states plus tight end Scott Fulton from Ottawa, Canada, who prepped at Salisbury School in Connecticut. Three signees hail from Pennsylvania including local product Matt Rauscher, quarterback from Allentown Central Catholic. Lehigh continued its recruiting success in North Carolina and Georgia and also signed athletes from Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.
The complete list of early signees follows:
Andrew Canelas – OL; 6-9/315; Durham, N.C./Leesville Road
Four-year varsity letter winner… Sports Illustrated All-American candidate… all-state and all-classification as a junior… Academic All-Conference as a junior… honor roll student… played basketball as a freshman and sophomore.
Christian Curatolo – OL; 6-4/280; Collegeville, Pa./Malvern Prep
All-Conference and all-area offensive lineman playing in the Inter-AC… rated as top 7 guard in Pennsylvania by PennLive… recipient of multiple team Player of the Game awards… also earned two varsity letters in track and field, throwing the shot put… finished eighth at "Meet of Champions"… National Society of High School Scholars recipient… multi-year head marshall volunteer for Steps to Cure Sarcoma 5K/1K.
Dajuan Fields – WR/DB; 6-0/170; Buford, Ga./Buford
First team all-conference as both a wide receiver and defensive back in 2019… also lettered in basketball where he was Newcomer of the Year in 2018 and first team all-league in 2019… high school coach is former Lehigh team captain and All-Patriot League linebacker Bryant Appling '01.
Scott Fulton – TE; 6-4/230; Ottawa, Ont./Salisbury School (Conn.)
Named to 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 prep championships in wrestling… also played rugby, earning team MVP award.
Blake Hartman – RB; 6-0/210; Inwood, W. Va./Musselman
MetroNews West Virginia Player of the Year in 2020… WVSN AAA Player of the Year… Broke state career scoring record in senior season… Musselman's all-time leading rusher… tied state touchdown record… first team all-state in each of his final three seasons… second team all-state as a freshman… all-area, all-conference and all-region all four years… 2019 Martinsburg Journal Offensive Player of the Year… all-conference honoree on defense as well… also lettered in basketball and baseball… all-conference and all-region outfielder in baseball… all-state honoree in 2019… Golden Apple recipient… EPAC Academic Team all four years.
Logan Jones – DB; 6-3/185; Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Christian
Bobby Jones Athlete of the Year… three-year all-conference performer and two-time all-state selection… selected to play in the Queen City Senior Bowl… three-time state championship team member… also a two-time state champion in track and field and lettered in basketball, where he played on conference championship team.
Connor Lavelle – DB; 6-0/200; Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin
First team all-conference safety… also lettered in basketball.
Matt Rauscher – QB; 6-2/200; New Tripoli, Pa./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 District XI AAAA title as a senior… passed for 3,194 yards and rushed for 1,298 in his high school career with 51 touchdowns (26 passing/25 rushing)… Viking Ambassador… National Honor Society member… National Society of High School Scholars… 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program Qualifier.
Landon Robinson – LB; 6-1/230; Fairlawn, Ohio/Copley
Three-time first team all-conference… two-time first team all-district… three-year letter winner… two-time Copley Lifter of the Year… also lettered in wrestling and baseball… team captain in all three sports… all-conference performer and district qualifier in wrestling… all-conference in baseball… four-time scholar-athlete… National Honor Society member.
Xavier Stephens – DE; 6-3/260; Daleville, Va./Lord Botetourt
First team all-state and first team all-conference as a junior… also lettered in track and field.
Andrew Worthy – DB; 5-11/170; Marietta, Ga./Hillgrove
All-Region performer as a junior… honorable mention all-state in 2019… also lettered in track and field where he was state qualifier in 100m and member of state champion 4x100m relay team… Principals List student.
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"We're really excited about this group," Gilmore said. "There were a lot of challenges with recruiting this year, but our challenges were no different than what everybody else had. We just had to work through them and do the best we could.
"In the end we've put together a very good class," Gilmore continued. "They're good football players, good students, and better people. We feel like we've put together a well-rounded class.
The early results include these first 11 members of Lehigh's football class of 2025. The group includes six offensive players and five defensive players. The most represented position group is the secondary where Lehigh welcomes three signees. Lehigh also signed two offensive linemen and one at each of the following positions: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end defensive end and linebacker.
Geographically, the Mountain Hawks signed players from six states plus tight end Scott Fulton from Ottawa, Canada, who prepped at Salisbury School in Connecticut. Three signees hail from Pennsylvania including local product Matt Rauscher, quarterback from Allentown Central Catholic. Lehigh continued its recruiting success in North Carolina and Georgia and also signed athletes from Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.
The complete list of early signees follows:
Andrew Canelas – OL; 6-9/315; Durham, N.C./Leesville Road
Four-year varsity letter winner… Sports Illustrated All-American candidate… all-state and all-classification as a junior… Academic All-Conference as a junior… honor roll student… played basketball as a freshman and sophomore.
Only fitting this Mountain of a man became a Mountain Hawk! pic.twitter.com/LtKGtUP6Yl
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Christian Curatolo – OL; 6-4/280; Collegeville, Pa./Malvern Prep
All-Conference and all-area offensive lineman playing in the Inter-AC… rated as top 7 guard in Pennsylvania by PennLive… recipient of multiple team Player of the Game awards… also earned two varsity letters in track and field, throwing the shot put… finished eighth at "Meet of Champions"… National Society of High School Scholars recipient… multi-year head marshall volunteer for Steps to Cure Sarcoma 5K/1K.
D-Lineman you have been warned!! 🤫 pic.twitter.com/YuDqclXioW
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Dajuan Fields – WR/DB; 6-0/170; Buford, Ga./Buford
First team all-conference as both a wide receiver and defensive back in 2019… also lettered in basketball where he was Newcomer of the Year in 2018 and first team all-league in 2019… high school coach is former Lehigh team captain and All-Patriot League linebacker Bryant Appling '01.
Can do it all!! Will be making plays for a long time!! pic.twitter.com/6W4sPSrsMz
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Scott Fulton – TE; 6-4/230; Ottawa, Ont./Salisbury School (Conn.)
Named to 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 prep championships in wrestling… also played rugby, earning team MVP award.
Don't believe me?!?! Just watch! @ScottFu87762192 Straight dawg!! #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 in 2020… WVSN AAA Player of the Year… Broke state career scoring record in senior season… Musselman's all-time leading rusher… tied state touchdown record… first team all-state in each of his final three seasons… second team all-state as a freshman… all-area, all-conference and all-region all four years… 2019 Martinsburg Journal Offensive Player of the Year… all-conference honoree on defense as well… also lettered in basketball and baseball… all-conference and all-region outfielder in baseball… all-state honoree in 2019… Golden Apple recipient… EPAC Academic Team all four years.
Good luck tackling this man! Majoring in YAC for the next 4 years! pic.twitter.com/NqJyowlDZI
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Logan Jones – DB; 6-3/185; Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Christian
Bobby Jones Athlete of the Year… three-year all-conference performer and two-time all-state selection… selected to play in the Queen City Senior Bowl… three-time state championship team member… also a two-time state champion in track and field and lettered in basketball, where he played on conference championship team.
Throw it if you dare! Mr. Jones is gonna patrol the air! pic.twitter.com/Ax0YdQ7u5s
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Connor Lavelle – DB; 6-0/200; Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin
First team all-conference safety… also lettered in basketball.
Savage is an understatement!! pic.twitter.com/l7h209uRev
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Matt Rauscher – QB; 6-2/200; New Tripoli, Pa./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 District XI AAAA title as a senior… passed for 3,194 yards and rushed for 1,298 in his high school career with 51 touchdowns (26 passing/25 rushing)… Viking Ambassador… National Honor Society member… National Society of High School Scholars… 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program Qualifier.
Dropping Dimes like @Dame_Lillard wouldn't you agree @CJMcCollum ?! @mattrauscher ready to light up 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 all-conference… two-time first team all-district… three-year letter winner… two-time Copley Lifter of the Year… also lettered in wrestling and baseball… team captain in all three sports… all-conference performer and district qualifier in wrestling… all-conference in baseball… four-time scholar-athlete… National Honor Society member.
If you are a running back, I probably would not watch this unless you want nightmares! pic.twitter.com/lDWpymXm8G
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Xavier Stephens – DE; 6-3/260; Daleville, Va./Lord Botetourt
First team all-state and first team all-conference as a junior… also lettered in track and field.
There are 3 certainties in this life...death, taxes, and @xavier55_55 will be living in the backfield! pic.twitter.com/E7SkEiJhdR
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
Andrew Worthy – DB; 5-11/170; Marietta, Ga./Hillgrove
All-Region performer as a junior… honorable mention all-state in 2019… also lettered in track and field where he was state qualifier in 100m and member of state champion 4x100m relay team… Principals List student.
📈📈 stock going up! Worth(y) everyone's attention! Air traffic control coming Goodman Stadium soon! pic.twitter.com/GsnlFwEarU
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) December 16, 2020
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