MAHANOY CITY - Mahanoy Area's Tyler Cavenas always felt he had a lot to prove on the football field during his high school career.
His three uncles, John, Ray and Chris, along with his father, Terry, all were members of Golden Bears' Eastern Conference championship teams in the 1980s.
It's the standard Cavenas has always wanted to live up to. He's carried on the family tradition, but has taken it one step further: Cavenas is headed to a Division I college on a full scholarship to play football.
After verbally committing last fall, the 6-foot-5, 280-pound senior officially signed a letter of intent to continue his career with Lehigh University as a defensive tackle under head coach Andy Coen and defensive line coach Donnie Roberts. Cavenas signed his letter during National Signing Day on Wednesday.
"I always felt like I had to live up to the last name," Cavenas said. "I guess I surpassed it a little bit by getting a full ride and going somewhere to play football. It has always been my dream and I love the sport."
Cavenas dominated his opponents on the offensive and defensive lines this season, earning first-team All-State honors from both the Associated Press Sports Writers and the Pennsylvania Football News. He was a first-team selection to the Anthracite Football League all-star squad at both offensive and defensive lineman, was a first-team pick to the
Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association North squad and Dream Team, and was the SCFCA Offensive Lineman of the Year.
Not only is Cavenas a three-year starter on both the offensive and defense lines in football, he is also a standout on both the Golden Bears' basketball and track and field teams.
He's been starter on the basketball team the past three years as the Golden Bears reached the Schuylkill League championship game last year and won their third consecutive Schuylkill League Division III title this past Monday. Mahanoy Area also reached the District 11 Class A championship game the past two years, winning the title in 2013.
In track and field, Cavenas is a two time PIAA Class AA state qualifier in the shot put. He's won District 11 titles in the shot put (2012) and discus (2013) and won a Schuylkill League title in the shot put last spring.
Basketball has helped him develop his quickness, while track and field has helped develop his explosiveness.
All have played a part is helping Cavenas become the type of football player he's become.
Cavenas figured there were at least 15 schools that contacted him and expressed some interest, including Colgate, West Point, Syracuse, Penn State and Rutgers. West Point was Cavenas' first choice, but Lehigh was the only school to make him an offer.
It was after his sophomore year that Cavenas realized he had the potential to play at the next level. Then Mahanoy Area head Wally Hall suggested Cavenas put a highlight tape together and Cavenas' dream started becoming a reality.
This past fall, he led an offensive line that helped Mahanoy Area run for 3,200 yards and score 49 rushing touchdowns. The Golden Bears finished 8-4 overall and 5-3 in the Anthracite Football League, losing to Marian in the Eastern Conference Class A championship game.
But it was defense tackle where Cavenas stood out the most, with 88 tackles, 37 tackles for loss, 8 sacks and 3 blocked punts.
Playing defense is also Cavenas' favorite.
"I just have a passion for defense," he said. "I like making plays. I like tackling. Tackling is one of my favorite ⦠I just love to tackle."
Given the opportunity to play defense is one of the reasons Cavenas decided on Lehigh. The program started keeping regular contact with him last spring during track and field season. Cavenas also attended a camp at Lehigh over the summer.
"I felt like it was the best camp I had all summer," Cavenas said.
He attended two games at Lehigh last fall, including the Mountain Hawks' game with Lafayette on Nov. 23. It was after that game, and with an offer awaiting him, that Cavenas decided to accept.
"I got the gut feeling, this is where I am supposed to be and this is where I am supposed to play," he said.
Cavenas also credits Coach Roberts with giving him the motivation to show that he is a Division I-type player. Since Cavenas was from a small school, Roberts told him during camp last summer that the best way for Cavenas to keep his name out there was to play hard on every play and show that he was the best lineman in the league.
"I just kept that in the back of my head before every day game, I have to keep my motor running," Cavenas said. "You don't know who is going to be out there and you have to prove you are the best. And that's what I did my senior year. I am sure that if I could make a play, I was making that play no matter what."
As a bonus, there is a chance that Cavenas could play in Yankee Stadium next fall. The 150th edition of annual Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry game will take place Nov. 22 in the Bronx.