Thomas Jefferson’s Serapiglia gauging interest from FBS, FCS programs

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, August 3, 2018 | 10:39 PM

Notebook items from the Thomas Jefferson High School campus:

• Dom Serapiglia, a rock-solid 6-foot-2, 285-pound senior lineman on the TJ football team, has attended camps for offensive lineman at Pitt, Youngstown State and New Hampshire this offseason.

Serapiglia, a four-year starter, has been receiving national and local recruiting interest. He is a center who also has specialized in long snapping throughout his stellar career.

“Recruiting is going great,” Serapiglia said. “I am getting a lot of interest to play center at mainly Division I FCS schools, but I have been talking to some FBS programs.

“I also have been getting some interest to long-snap at mainly FBS programs. I want to play center in college, but I am open to any and all schools whether it’s at center or long-snapper.”

• Angelica Campano, a senior midfielder on the girls soccer team in 2017, received All-WPIAL and all-section honors a year ago.

“Our team played every game like it was our last,” Campano said. “Our quote that we lived by was, ‘If you’re not playing for yourself, play for the player beside you.’ I truly believe that that’s what our team did.”

Campano was joined on the all-section squad by her twin sister Angelina, a forward/defender; and teammates Lia Manning, a forward/midfielder; and Dalaney Ranallo, a midfielder.

• Kayla Polakovic was named team MVP and Ranallo was selected coaches MVP in the girls soccer program last season.

• Two senior athletes on last year’s football team are crossing the border to Ohio to continue their careers in college.

Justin Vigna has committed to Walsh, located in Canton, and Nick Urbanowicz has signed with John Carroll, which is in University Heights, a suburb of Cleveland. Both were all-conference selections last season.

Vigna, a 5-foot-9, 180-pound running back, was a first-team Class 4A all-state selection at the “athlete” position, Vigna accounted for more than 2,000 yards in total offense, rushing for 1,912 yards and 23 scores, and tacking on four catches for 119 yards and one touchdown.

He plans to major in business with a concentration in sports business.

Urbanowicz, a 6-3, 205-pound wide receiver/defensive back, had 14 receptions for 199 yards and two touchdowns in 2017, and defensively led the team in interceptions with four. He was recruited to play safety.

Urbanowicz, who also played volleyball for the Jaguars, plans to major in accounting.

• In girls volleyball, Morgan Yurkovich was a two-time All-WPIAL player at the setter position.

Three TJ netters were first-team all-section selections last season — Yurkovich, outside hitter Makayla Falk and setter Sydney Moran, who has committed to Duquesne.

Three other girls were named second-team all-section — Julia Micklo (defensive specialist), Tanner Patrick (outside hitter) and Tyler Turk (middle hitter).

Yurkovich, a four-year letter winner and a Pitt-Johnstown recruit, was voted TJ homecoming queen last year.

• Garret Fairman ranked among the WPIAL’s regular-season receiving leaders in 2017 with 40 catches for 742 yards and nine touchdowns. Fairman is a Robert Morris recruit.

A 6-2, 185-pound wide receiver/defensive back and a three-sport standout, Fairman was all-conference selection on offense and defense, and played in the PSFCA East-West all-star game in May at Altoona’s Mansion Park Stadium.

Fairman, who was recruited to play safety by the Colonials, ended up with a team-high 51 receptions for 948 yards and 11 scores last season. He plans to major in accounting in college.

• Cole Lutz and Liam Giger received United Soccer Coaches recognition in back-to-back years in the boys soccer program.

Giger earned ther organization’s High School Senior Excellence Award in 2017; Lutz landed the same honor in 2016.

• Logan Burnsworth, who was presented with the coveted Breisinger Award last season, will continue his football career at Cal (Pa.).

Burnsworth, a 6-3, 215-pound offensive guard/defensive end, was an all-conference selection on defense.

• Lydia Shaw qualified for the PIAA cross country championships as a sophomore runner last year.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Thomas Jefferson