Saints’ Luke Impellizzeri is Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week
Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week
Luke Impellizzeri tacked on some 30 pounds of muscle during the offseason. It’s made him a different football player.
“He brings a physicality to the inside of that defense that you really need to be competitive against really good teams,” said Berks Catholic coach Rick Keeley.
Impellizzeri made a big impact Friday night when he was in on 21 tackles in the Saints’ 22-19 Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 4 victory over Octorara. He has been named Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week.
“He’s a smart football player and he gets the job done,” said Keeley of the 6-1, 225-pound senior, who leads the team with 65 tackles. “He’s always hustling and he has a pretty good nose for the ball. In the offseason he really got stronger, he got bigger.”
That bulk transformed Impellizzeri’s game and has given the Saints’ coaching staff more versatility in the way they utilize him.
When needed they’ll move him from his usual spot at inside linebacker to defensive end.
On offense he now plays tackle after spending his junior season as a tight end.
Impellizzeri was in on nearly a third of Berks Catholic’s defensive stops against the Braves.
The Saints defense had trouble getting off the field: Octorara ran 65 plays, all on the ground, rushed for 333 yards and earned 20 first downs.
“Their offense was better than I gave them credit for,” Keeley said. “They did some nice things.”
So did the Saints. They drove 99 yards on a second-quarter scoring drive and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 21 seconds left after driving 60 yards over the final 3 ½ minutes.
Impellizzeri and the offensive line helped the Saints rush for 319 yards in nearly half as many snaps as the Braves.
Prior to the season Impellizzeri was voted one of the Saints’ captains by his teammates.
“They see he’s there (in the offseason),” Keeley said. “He puts the time in in the weight room, works with the younger guys, trying to help them out. He has a positive attitude all the time.”
Impellizzeri is the first Berks Catholic player selected Player of the Week this season.
Players considered for Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week honors are nominated by their coaches or by members of the MikeDragoSports.com coverage team.
Also nominated this week:
- Sevon Parham, Conrad Weiser
- Zack Zandier, Exeter
- Tristan McFarland, Fleetwood
- Derek Dinatale, Gov. Mifflin
- Cooper Hohenadel, Schuylkill Valley
- Lucas Myers, Twin Valley
- Gabriel Laws , Reading High
Selected earlier this season:
- Week 1: Lucas Myers, Twin Valley
- Week 2: Michael Odeyemi, Reading High
- Week 3: Stewie Janowski, Gov. Mifflin
- Week 4: Ryker Jones, Wyomissing
- Week 5: Ethan Lafferty, Kutztown
- Week 6: Luke Spotts, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 7: Colby Crills, Schuylkill Valley
Selected last season as Defensive Player of the Week:
- Week 1: Jonathan Martin, Exeter
- Week 2: Nate Capitano, Wilson
- Week 3: Ethan Kryman, Daniel Boone
- Week 4: Nate Pashley, Exeter
- Week 5: Nafis Blythe, Berks Catholic
- Week 6: Nick Weitzel, Wilson
- Week 7: Ryker Jones, Wyomissing
- Week 8: Drew Eisenhower, Wyomissing
- Week 9: Mason Marks, Twin Valley
- Week 10: Lucas Palange, Exeter
- Week 11: Mason Semmel, Hamburg
- Week 12: Ryker Jones, Wyomissing
