Thursday, August 21, 2003

By Mike White, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

One in a series on top high school football players in the WPIAL and City League.

Maybe by now most people are convinced Adam DiMichele is a rare athlete. He has been a starter in football, basketball and baseball at Sto-Rox since his freshman year and was the Post-Gazette co-Male Athlete of the Year for 2002-03.

But just in case anyone needs more evidence, DiMichele might add this to his resume this year: "Most Prolific Passer In WPIAL History."

DiMichele is now a senior quarterback at Sto-Rox. If he duplicates his junior season, he will finish with more passing yards than anyone in WPIAL history.

	Related articles Demand increasing for Aliquippa's Revis (8/25/03) Pitt-bound duo takes major leadership role seriously at Kiski (8/23/03) Peabody's Davis truly big man in the middle (8/22/03) Sto-Rox QB nearing WPIAL pass record (8/21/03) Spotlight finally focuses on Lyons (8/20/03) Gateway's Ivy quickly growing as a top quarterback talent (8/19/03) Beaver's Nicol has shown worth at tight end (8/18/03) Pine-Richland's Walker will add QB to resume (8/17/03) Shipley shapes up as defensive star at Moon (8/15/03) Hopewell lineman reinvents himself (8/14/03) McKeesport LB fan of blockbuster hits (8/13/03) After rocky start, Rogers is thriving (8/11/03) Butler relies heavily on Sales to turn around its football fortunes (8/10/03)

Although the WPIAL does not keep statistical records, Steel Valley's Luke Getsy is believed to be the league's all-time passing leader with 6,010 yards from 1998-2001.

DiMichele (6 feet 1, 170 pounds) heads into his senior season at Sto-Rox with 4,035 yards passing. He has completed 203 of 399 passes.

Last year, DiMichele completed 113 of 225 for 2,316 yards, counting two playoff games. He needs 1,976 yards to break Getsy's record.

"Most definitely that's reachable," DiMichele said when informed of the record. "With the team we have and the way our offense is set up, we can get that. That would be really big to get that. Just think of all the quarterbacks who have come through here. There aren't too many people who can say they passed for 6,000 yards."

Sto-Rox uses a spread offense with three to five receivers. DiMichele could be throwing to two of his brothers this season.

Alex DiMichele is a 6-foot, 190-pound sophomore who will start at tight end. Anthony DiMichele is a 5-7, 120-pound freshman, but he might see some time when the Vikings use four or five receivers.

"Anthony's been a manager on our team for years," said Sto-Rox Coach Ron Butschele. "So he knows the offense probably as well as anyone."

As for Adam, he is starting to feel comfortable with a football in his hands again. He had an excellent high school baseball season and then played this summer with Batting Practice, a Palomino League team made up of some of the best high school players in the WPIAL.

A few Division I colleges had expressed interest in DiMichele for football, but that interest has cooled.

"Schools invited him to their camps, but it was Adam's choice not to go because he made a commitment to baseball for the summer," Butschele said. "That's fine because I think he's still going to have some opportunities with I-AA college football and maybe some of the Mid-American Conference schools."

Baseball could be DiMichele's future sport. A North Carolina-Charlotte coach is planning to come to Sto-Rox to meet with DiMichele and his family.

And DiMichele hasn't forgotten about basketball. He is a talented point guard.

"Some football coaches might be holding off because they might think baseball is my sport," DiMichele said. "But the only one who knows what I'm going to do in the future is God, because I honestly don't have a clue."

E-mail this story   Print this story