Diamond Credit Union Lineman of the Week: Exeter’s Anthony Caccese
Diamond Credit Union Lineman of the Week
Anthony Caccese made his mark at Exeter as an offensive lineman. He was an all-league pick as a sophomore and an All-Berks pick as a junior. He collected 22 scholarship offers based on his blocking ability and physical upside.
Adding full-time defense to his workload hasn’t slowed him down. He’s been just as dominant there this season, as he was again Friday when he recorded a pair of sacks and had a strong game leading the offense in a 44-22 win at Hempfield.
Caccese recorded four pancake blocks on offense and forced a fumble and batted down two passes on defense to earn Diamond Credit Union Lineman of the Week honors for the second time this season.
“Anthony was tremendous on both sides of the ball,” said Exeter coach Matt Bauer. “We were consistently able to run behind him all night. Defensively he was a force in every aspect, from tackles for loss, batted balls, sacks, and forced fumbles. He truly led by example.”
The 6-6, 280-pound University of Delaware recruit did a lot of his work going head-to-head with Hempfield’s top lineman, junior Deyvid Palepale. The 6-3, 288-pound Palepale received a scholarship offer from Penn State earlier this seaosn.
“I love playing against (top) competition,” Caccese said earlier this season. “That’s how you get better. I love playing (against) people better than me.”
Caccese earned an 85 percent blocking grade, helping the Eagles run 50 times for 289 yards against Hempfield, the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 leader which came into the game with a 6-1 record.
On defense he had six tackles and two sacks as the Eagles limited the Black Knights to just one score in the first half in building a 30-7 lead.
Interest in Caccese really began to pick up in the months after he helped the Eagles secure their first District 3 Class 5A championship last year, when they knocked off the state’s top-ranked team, Gov. Mifflin.
“He definitely came into his own,” Bauer said. “If you watch the film from Week 1 vs. Central York to Week 15 vs. Penn Trafford, the leaps and bounds he made were very impressive.
“He really started developing a little bit of a mean streak down the stretch. You could see him finishing guys, and going to the next level (of the defense to make blocks). That just came with time, and confidence.”
Caccese selected Delaware after strongly considering Army, Holy Cross, Kent State, Massachusetts and William and Mary. Interestingly, the Blue Hens were the 22nd and final school to offer, on July 7.
He has been selected to play in the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl Jan. 30 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fl., home of the Buccaneers.
Caccese was selected Lineman of the Week after he recorded three tackles for loss and several hurries in Exeter’s 36-6 Week 4 win over Gov. Mifflin. He was also selected for the weekly award twice last season.
Players considered for Player of the Week honors are nominated by their coaches or by members of the MikeDragoSports.com coverage team.
Also nominated for Diamond Credit Union Lineman of the Week:
- Owen Reber, G, Berks Catholic
- Mykel Ford, DT, Gov. Mifflin
- Christian Davila, T/DT, Schuylkill Valley
Selected earlier this season:
- Week 1: Lucas Palange, G, Exeter
- Week 2: Jack Gartner, G, Wyomissing
- Week 3: Jven Williams, G/DT, Wyomissing
- Week 4: Anthony Caccese, T/DT, Exeter
- Week 5: Charles Sheppard, T/DT Hamburg
- Week 6: Jackson Haas, G, Berks Catholic
- Week 7: Tyler Hallock, T/DT, Kutztown
Selected for Diamond Credit Union Lineman of the Week last season:
- Week 1: Tyler Hallock, T, Kutztown
- Week 2: Lucas Palange, G, Exeter
- Week 3: Colin Leahy, T, Daniel Boone
- Week 4: Josh Pazdrick, TE, Conrad Weiser
- Week 5: Nate Goodman, Gov. Mifflin
- Week 6: Jven Williams, G, Wyomissing
- Week 7: Kyle Pry, T, Boyertown
- Week 8: Lucas Palange, G, Exeter
- Week 9: Jon Ramsey, G, Wilson
- Week 10: Jack Durning, C, Wilson
- Week 11: Dominic Memmo, DT, Wilson
- Week 12: Kyle Lash, T, Exeter
- Week 13: Anthony Caccese, T, Exeter
- Week 14: Jven Williams, G, Wyomissing
