By Greg Gulas

sports@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Many athletes participate in multiple sports and they do so over the course of an academic year, transitioning between activities which usually occur when the leaves have fallen, snow begins to mount and spring clocks return to Eastern Standard Time.

But Boardman four-sport athlete Adam Deeley used the fall to fit in his cross country, soccer and football commitments and in the spring, he will return to the cinders as a key member of the Spartans’ track and field team.

Deeley is a busy body and if he earns a letter in track this spring, will graduate with 13 letters which would be a Boardman record for a single athlete.

If you’re thinking there might be a little too much on his plate and his grades might be suffering, think again because he’s even more committed to remaining at or near the top of his class academically.

He currently sports a 3.6 grade-point average and is looking to major in either chemistry or physics upon graduation. He hopes to further either his football or soccer career in college.

Fall might be Deeley’s busiest time of the year, yet it is undeniably his most enjoyable. All of his coaches call him the consummate team player and someone who thrives on the adrenaline rush of competitive sports.

“Since I was little, my parents [James and Tamara] encouraged me to become well-rounded and they gave me every possible opportunity to succeed,” Deeley said. “It has taken some schedule arranging and leniency by the coaches at times, but we’ve worked through it all and continue to move forward.”

The Spartans (5-4, 2-0) will take on Ashtabula Lakeside (2-7, 0-2) tonight at 7 p.m. with the All-American Conference, Gold Tier title on the line.

As Boardman’s kicker and the team’s leading scorer this season with 33 points, Deeley said to be in position to win a conference championship and playing in a game with postseason implications on the line in October is the reason you compete and play the game.

In nine games thus far, Deeley has nailed all 12 of his extra-point attempts and converted seven of eight field goal tries.

He’s connected on his only attempt from 20 or fewer yards away, is four of five from 20-29 yards and remains perfect on two tries from 30-39 yards.

Ironically, it was his only miss back on Oct. 9 (a 29-yard attempt) with three seconds remaining, which was blocked by a stout Warren Harding defense that just might have saved the Spartans’ season.

With his team trailing 14-12, the block resulted in the game’s winning score when an alert teammate, Gaven Strines, picked up the loose ball and rambled into the end zone.

The end result was an 18-14, come-from-behind victory that kept Boardman’s league title hopes alive while conjuring up thoughts of the playoffs.

“That was definitely a bittersweet moment as I was hoping to make it with so much on the line. Kudos to our coaching staff because they always preach to us to make sure we get the ball and advance it as far as possible if a block should ever occur,” he said.

Head football coach Joe Ignazio has gone to Spartans soccer coach Eric Simione in the past looking for a placekicker.

“Prior to Adam, Trevor Reagan was a soccer player who also kicked for us and he ended up an all-state selection,” Ignazio said.

Ignazio added that Deeley has been a great addition and would have lettered three years in football, but pulled a quad muscle prior to the start of his sophomore season and was sidelined the entire year.

“We thought that we had him as a sophomore, but the best thing that happened was that he was able to rest and heal properly,” Ignazio said. “His dedication while working around three very challenging fall schedules is truly amazing. He’s been a real asset to our program, especially his willingness to come in when cross country and soccer is done and take part in everything that we do. He comes from a great family. He has two sisters that are also excellent in the classroom and like Adam, highly motivated students. That’s a great tribute to his parents.”

In soccer, Deeley earned his fourth varsity letter this fall and was selected to the All-Mahoning County and Division 1, All-District first-team.

He has also earned All-County and All-Federal League honors and is expected to be an All-American Conference, Red Tier selection when the picks are announced in early-November.

As the team’s center-midfielder this past season, Deeley had three goals and nine assists. He will participate in the Senior All-Star game next month.

Simione called him a diamond-in-the-rough.

“Adam has been playing soccer the longest and has a real knowledge of the game,” Simione said. “He’s very engaged and a highly motivated athlete. He just enjoys the competition so it was a natural thing for him to transition to other sports. It has been amazing to see a student-athlete excel at all of these sports. More impressive is the fact that three of his sports take place during the same season.”

In cross country, Deeley has earned honorable mention All-Mahoning County status twice and first-team All-Mahoning County honors in the 4x800.

A member of the 2013 squad that that placed fourth at the state championships, he is a three-time district qualifier who qualified for both regionals and state.

Deeley also has earned academic All-Ohio honors.

In track, Deeley runs the middle distances, including the 800 and 1600 and sometimes the 400.

John Phillips is his cross country and track coach, adding that his runner is a unique student-athlete.

“Adam gives each sport equal priority and that’s very rare in a four-sport athlete. He’s very unique and someone that I hope other athletes mirror as they come to high school,” Phillips said. “Adam is living proof that you can do other activities and not just focus on one particular sport.”

Denise Gorski, currently in her second year as Deeley athletic director, called Deeley a throwback.

“To handle the physical and mental demands of three different sports during the same season, and still remain at or near the top of your class academically is a feat of which few student-athletes can boast,” Gorski said. “It’s such a unique accomplishment and only goes to show you how wonderfully talented Adam really is.

“There aren’t enough words for me to use in describing him as he is highly respected by his teammates, coaching staffs, teachers and administration. He’s a young man of the highest integrity, displays class at all times, is coachable and respectful to others and those qualities are what I am going to miss most when he graduates.”