This weekend, several college football teams will look to take the next step toward winning a national championship.
For two area college football players, they will be looking to take the first step toward a potential pro career.
Pottsville’s Anthony Kelly and Marian’s Anthony Pilla will participate in the annual National Bowl Game at 10 a.m. Sunday at Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium in Miami, Florida.
The National Bowl Game is an annual postseason college football all-star game consisting of top seniors from non-FBS schools. It’s the only all-star game dedicated to players from NCAA Division II, Division III and FCS schools.
Kelly, a wide receiver at Kutztown University, and Pilla, a defensive end for Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute, recently completed stellar seasons at the NCAA Division II level.
“I’ve never played football south of Pennsylvania, so it’s kind of neat,” said Pilla, a Lake Hauto native. “Myself and three other teammates were selected for this game. It’s a pretty awesome accomplishment.
“Last year our kicker at RPI, Andrew Franks, was selected to this game and he’s in the pros now (Miami Dolphins). When I got the paper in the mail .... It’s awesome. I’m really excited. I can’t wait to get there.”
In its sixth year, the National Bowl was played at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown for the first three years before moving to the Florida International campus in 2013. The game gives non-Division I players a chance to showcase their skills in front of NFL and CFL scouts. All 32 NFL teams receive and review the National Bowl game film, and the game has been touted by the Sports Agents blog as a secret weapon for small-school prospects.
The game will not be broadcast on local or national television, but will be streamed live on South Florida Sports Network, http://sfsn.tv/
The teams will arrive in South Florida today and check in to their hotels. The players will then register, hold team meetings and be weighed and measured Friday at Ocean Bank Field. After an afternoon practice session, the teams will be treated to a pizza dinner outside the stadium.
Saturday, the teams practice from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. From 6-11 p.m., scouts meet individually with selected players. An “Athletes and Agents Conference” is held from 7-10 p.m. in the Ocean Bank Field “Stadium Club” ballroom for players, parents and friends/family.
Other Pennsylvania colleges represented include California (Pa.), Clarion, Lock Haven, Millersville, Seton Hill, Franklin and Marshall, Juniata, Susquehanna and Widener.
Both Kelly and Pilla will be members of the National (Blue) Team coached by Kevin O’Hanlon, a coach in the indoor professional league. Kelly will wear No. 8, while Pilla will sport No. 50.
Both players head to Florida on the heels of great finishes to their senior seasons.
Kelly had five catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns in a Nov. 7 win over Shippensburg, then had five catches for 97 yards and a score in the season finale against Clarion.
The 6-foot-2, 212-pounder finished the season with 28 catches for 437 yards and seven touchdowns for the Bears, who finished 7-4 overall. He had at least two catches in every game he played, and scored at least one touchdown in Kutztown’s final five games.
For his career, Kelly hauled in 97 passes for 1,406 yards and 22 touchdowns, collecting 34, 28 and 28 receptions over his final three years.
A senior co-captain for the Engineers, Pilla found out Monday he was a nominee for the Cliff Harris Award, presented annually to the top small college defensive player in the country.
Pilla started all 11 games for RPI, collecting 55 tackles. 9.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles while earning All-Liberty League first-team honors.
He also earned All-Liberty League honors as a junior after recording 41 tackles (22 solo), 8.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. In his sophomore season, Pilla started 10 games and had 53 tackles (29 solo), with 5.5 sacks.
“When I got the email from my coach over Thanksgiving, I was pretty surprised I was even nominated for it,” Pilla said of the Cliff Harris Award. “I kind of like to be humble.
“Football is a team game, and our defense was great this year. For me to be picked out of the group there was pretty amazing. I’m humbled by it and excited by it.”
In his final game for the Engineers (9-2), Pilla had nine tackles (seven solo), five tackles for loss, three sacks, a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble in a 20-13 win over Buffalo State in the ECAC Bushnell Championship Bowl.
“That game, that was the most fun I ever had in a football game,” said Pilla, who had at least three tackles in every game, including 14 against Merchant Marine. “We had nothing to lose, it was the last game of my career, and it was fun to play in. I did pretty well.”
Pilla, a 5-11, 245-pounder, will graduate in the spring with a degree in civil engineering. A Dean’s List student, Pilla focused in construction management and has accepted a job with Turner Construction in Philadelphia after graduation.
He’ll be joined in Sunday’s game by three teammates: quarterback Jeffrey Avery, wide receiver Logan Gaddar and defensive back Philip Laneri. His mindset heading into the game is simple.
“I’ve learned from experience that when I have fun, I play better,” Pilla said. “I’m going to go out there like I did against Buffalo State in the ECAC Bowl, have a great time and not put pressure on myself.”