Exeter’s Lucas Palange determined to make it to the next level

College football recruiting is all about the three S’s: size, strength and speed.

If you don’t have the “measurables” — if you’re not tall enough, strong enough, fast enough — top college programs don’t see you.

Lucas Palange is fighting that uphill battle.

He had a terrific junior season as the top offensive lineman on an Exeter team that won a District 3 Class 5A championship; he helped clear the way for Eric Nangle to run for a program-record 1,814 yards.

He was stout on defense, too, where he made 91 tackles and had eight sacks from his outside linebacker spot.

He earned All-Berks and Pennsylvania Football News All-State honors as a guard.

To most college football programs, though, he seems to be invisible. They’re looking for linemen who are 6-4, 6-5 or taller, and linebackers as swift as running backs.

Palange is neither. He’s 6-foot tall; his time in the 40 comes up short, too.

He’s certainly strong enough. He has tacked on 30-plus pounds since the end of last season and showed it off last week at the annual Chris Nunn Memorial Berks Football Combine, where he won the bench press competition.

Palange did 30 reps at 185 pounds, four better than the closest competitor.

He more than measures up in the classroom: He’s a straight-A student and recorded 1,440 on his SATs. He’s taking college-level courses and should have nearly a semester’s worth of college credits by the time he graduates.

But . . . no offers yet, other than one from Alvernia.

“It is what it is,” said Palange. “I’ve just gotta keep working.”

He’s determined to show college coaches he can help their team, even if he doesn’t measure up to height and speed standards. He thinks his best shot at the next level is as a linebacker, or on the defensive line, and he’s doing everything he can to get stronger and faster.

He has trained diligently in the offseason, going to Garage Strength four days a week and working out with the team or on his own most other days.

“I’ve been working harder this offseason than I have, ever,” he said.

“He’s made leaps and bounds (in the offseason),” said Exeter coach Matt Bauer. “He had a breakout junior year, no question about it, but he’s really committed himself to the gym (since the season ended). He put on good weight; it’s not slowing him down at all. He’s committed to playing at the next level.”

Palange plans to put himself out there as much as possible. Last week he went to a recruiting showcase at Temple; this weekend he’ll head to the University of Pittsburgh. He plans to attend camps at Villanova and Holy Cross and continue to make informal college visits.

That’s how top football players spend their springs and summers now, competing in combines and going to college showcases where they can line up and measure themselves against other top prospects.

Palange’s teammate, Anthony Caccese, has had no problem getting noticed. The junior has received at least 18 college offers, from schools such as Richmond, Lehigh, Yale, Rhode Island, William & Mary, Colgate, Bucknell, Kent State and Massachusetts.

Caccese didn’t pile up the stats or earn the statewide recognition that Palange did last season but he’s 6-6 and 270 pounds (and also a very good student).

You couldn’t blame Palange if he gets frustrated seeing the offers pour in for his teammate, but not for him.

“I’m happy for him,” he said of Caccese. “I think he’s going to do great this season. I just want to prove myself once the season starts.”

Palange and the Eagles will have a challenging season, that’s for sure. They’ll be playing in Section 2 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League, along with Gov. Mifflin, Warwick and long-time District 3 kingpin Manheim Central. It should make for a quite a battle, this season and in seasons going forward.

There are big shoes to fill at Exeter, with the graduation of All-State linebackers Ty Yocum and J.R. Strauss, All-Berks center Kyle Helm, quarterback Colin Payne and Nangle.

Of course, they’ve got plenty of big guys to fill them, starting with Palange and Caccese. Richie Karstein, an all-league lineman last year, could end up as one of the biggest running backs in the league (he was third in the Berks Combine bench press).

And the Eagles could have the biggest quarterback in the section if 6-7 Joey Schlaffer — a Penn State tight end recruit — wins the job behind center. (He was the Eagles’ passer during the quarterback competition at the Berks Combine.)

“I think we can do the same thing as last year,” Palange said, “we can get right back. I think we have a really good squad. I think our line will be able to carry our team this year. We can run the ball on any team in this county.”

Palange will continue to get bigger and stronger as the season nears, but he’s not going to get much taller.

“There’s nothing you can do about that,” he said. “I’ll just keep working and do everything it takes to play in college.”

“Hopefully,” Bauer said, “some of these college coaches can get over the mindset that you have to be 6-2

as they watch his film. Hopefully that’ll turn some heads.”