Star running back is Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week
Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week
Dominic Giuffre has scored so many touchdowns for Schuylkill Valley it has almost become routine for the All-State running back.
Interceptions?
Now, those are exciting.
They were Friday when he picked off a pair of passes to slow down Littlestown in the Panthers’ 45-21 victory in a District 3 Class 3A opener.
Schuylkill Valley had trouble getting a defensive stops until Giuffre intercepted a pass late in the first half, then another on Littlestown’s opening drive of the second half.
The plays were critical in helping the Panthers pull away and have earned Giuffre his first Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week award. He earned Offensive Player of the Week earlier this season.
“Dom is a dynamic player on both sides of the ball,” said Schuylkill Valley defensive coordinator Jeremy Crills. “Whenever he touches the ball on offense or the ball is in his general area on defense he is going to make the play.
“He has amazing natural instincts and a tremendous amount of athletic ability.
“He is so competitive and wants to do whatever he can to help this team win and make his teammates successful.”
Giuffre, who has played linebacker most of the season, started at cornerback for the first time.
Even though he was new to the position his athletic instincts took over and he was able to make two game-changing plays.
“I’m gonna be honest, I had no clue what I was doing,” Giuffre said of his first interception. “I just turned around fast enough and I was lucky enough to get the interception. It was shocking. I was nowhere near the kid, and they just threw it and luckily I turned around in time.”
Giuffre, a 6-foot, 175-pound senior, is so versatile he can be used practically anywhere on defense. Earlier this season, against Susquenita, he lined up at defensive end and ended up getting a Pick-Six on the play.
“I moved him to corner because of his abilities,” Crills said. “He is a lockdown corner but also loves to put his hat on the ball. He just seems to always be around the ball. That helps us on the edge for sure.”
Giuffre was in on seven tackles.
His did his usual thing on offense, scoring three first-quarter touchdowns and rushing for 225 yards on just 12 carries.
Giuffre shares the team lead with three interceptions.
He has rushed for a team-leading 773 yards and scored a team-high 12 TDs. Those numbers are down considerably from his junior season because he missed four games at midseason with a broken arm.
In 11 games last year he rushed for 1,548 yards and set or matched at least eight program records, including scoring 30 TDs in a season, 174 points in a season and 24 touchdown runs in a season.
He became the first player in the 50-year history of the program to score four or more touchdowns four times in the same season.
Giuffre is the fourth Schuylkill Valley player to earn Defensive Player of the Week this season, along with Luke Spotts, Colby Crills and Logan Cammauf.
Giuffre is the only player to win both Defensive and Offensive 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:
- Eric Bennethum, Berks Catholic
- Luke Impellizzeri, Berks Catholic
- Gavin Reiking, Exeter
- Zack Zandier, Exeter
- Jayden Gulley, Schuylkill Valley
- Logan Cammauf, Schuylkill Valley
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
- Week 8: Luke Impellizzeri, Berks Catholic
- Week 9: Logan Cammauf, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 10: Justice Hardy, Wyomissing
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
