'Nova lands O'Hara kicker/punter

OVER THE PAST few years, with great support from his parents, for everything from camps and clinics to unofficial visits, Steve Weyler checked out roughly 20 colleges around the country.

"Let's see," he said. "I went as far as California [Stanford] and Florida [Miami] and Massachusetts [Boston College]."

Ah, but when the 5-11, 170-pound Weyler, a star kicker-punter for Cardinal O'Hara High, begins his college football career in 2014, his school will be the one 20-odd minutes from his Media home: Villanova.

Supported by roughly 15 family members, along with coaches, teammates, little-guy campers and school personnel, Weyler made his announcement yesterday in O'Hara's sauna-like lobby.

Seated at a table with Steve were his parents, Stephen and Barb, along with brother Jimmy, sister Barbie and O'Hara's special-teams coordinator, Paul Strus. Coach Danny Algeo orchestrated the event from right behind.

Before reaching under the table to fetch a 'Nova hat and shirt, Steve handed Mom a box filled with flowers, thus enabling her to mix tears of joy with beads of perspiration.

Until just recently, Weyler was still giving strong consideration to schools far and wide.

"But then the realization set in," he said. "Villanova wants me for more than kicking and punting. They want me as a young man, not just as a football player. It feels good to know you're not being seen as a commodity. Villanova has always treated me fantastically.

"Another reason I'm picking Villanova is this early offer. Most of the time, kickers/punters have to be walk-ons or maybe they get a last-minute scholarship. To offer me this so early, it shows what kind of program they have, and that they value special teams. That means a lot to me."

Weyler, a 3-year vet, owns 115 career points, thanks to 97 PAT and six field goals. He became the Lions' punter in 10th grade and is already a five-time coaches' All-Catholic honoree as a kicker and as a punter (first team thrice, second twice).

The first football camp he attended, before his freshman year, was the one at . . . 'Nova.

"I've been able to develop a great relationship with the coaches, especially with coach Ferrante [Mark, assistant and recruiting coordinator for this area], and the academics are great, too," said Weyler, who also gave strong consideration to Stanford, Army, Harvard and Miami.

He intends to major in communications with designs on becoming a sports attorney.

"Villanova's a great school for a student-athlete," he said, with emphasis on both words surrounding the hyphen.