DOWNINGTOWN, PA. Junior puts up big passing numbers
The talented QB also excels in the classroom.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pat Devlin of Downingtown East was considered one of Pennsylvania's best high school quarterbacks before the season started. His season-long play did nothing to discourage that thinking.
Devlin passed for 21 touchdowns and more than 2,000 yards in leading Downingtown East to an 8-2 record, though the school missed out on the PIAA District 1 playoffs.
Devlin completed 62 percent of his passes, rushed for more than 500 yards and had two games of more than 200 yards rushing.
"We put in sort of an option series for him to run out of and he did a nice job," Downingtown East coach Mike Matta said. "Pat had a great season for us. He didn't pass for as many yards as he did as a sophomore, but that's because we were 5-7 and behind a number of times and had to throw the ball."
Good grades, too
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound junior is expected to be one of the state's top recruits next year. He has a 3.86 grade point average and is taking a number of advanced courses.
"Because he excels academically, he is looking at schools like Virginia," Matta said. "I don't know if Stanford has come in to see him or not, but I think he'd be interested in a school like that as well."
Devlin has passed for more than 5,500 yards in three seasons, including some yards while he was a freshman backup. He also may start at free safety next season.
"Can you imagine him back there at his size and with his knowledge of the passing game?" Matta said.
Devlin also plays basketball, but football is his primary sport and he plans to attend a number of summer camps.
"He's going to do that and see what happens before making a [college] decision," Matta said. "The thing I tell everybody about Pat is that he's just a great individual as well as a great player -- and I'm lucky to have him for one more year."
Double trouble
Bishop McDevitt junior LeSean McCoy ran for 387 yards on 42 carries -- a District 3 playoff record -- in a 36-34 victory over Central Dauphin on Friday. He also had 127 yards receiving, giving him 514 yards of total offense.
McCoy has rushed for 1,363 yards in four games, an average of 341 yards per game. He has 2,436 yards this season and 5,373 yards in his career. The state record is 8,432 yards from 1993-96 by East Stroudsburg's James Mungro, who went on to play for Syracuse University and the Indianapolis Colts.
Bishop McDevitt plays Carlisle this weekend in a PIAA quarterfinal game.
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