Five Mercury-area players to be honored with Mini-Max awards

Five area high school senior football players have been selected by the Maxwell Football Club as Mini Max award winners.

Pottsgrove’s Patrick Finn, Spring-Ford’s Brandon Leacraft, Boyertown’s Justin Siejk, Pottstown’s Gary Wise and Berks Catholic’s Pop Lacey (a Douglassville resident) will be honored at a dinner Thursday, Jan., 8, 2015, at the Drexelbrook Catering Ballroom in Drexel Hill.

The local quintet is among 61 Pennsylvania players selected from schools located in Districts 1, 3, 11 and 12 who had been nominated by their coaches throughout the season and were evaluated based on a criteria that includes football performance, academics and community service.

Finn, a 6-foot-4, 252-pound two-way lineman who has verbally committed to Bucknell University, was credited with a team-high 116 tackles for the Falcons (8-4) while also recording two sacks on defense and three pancake blocks on offense to anchor a unit that helped Devon Fink lead the Pioneer Athletic Conference in rushing with 1,155 yards.

The 6-foot, 170-pound Leacraft completed 126 of 219 passes for 1,893 yards and an area-best 24 touchdowns against just three interceptions for the Rams (7-3).

Siejk, a 6-1, 185-pound safety, led the Bears (5-5) with 95 tackles (including eight for loss) and five interceptions, while also recording team-highs in receptions (15) and receiving yards (238).

The 6-1, 195-pound Wise, a left-handed quarterback, has rushed for a team-high 706 yards and nine touchdowns for the Trojans (2-8) heading into their Thanksgiving finale at Owen J. Roberts next week.

Lacey, a 6-foot, 175-pound running back/linebacker, had 918 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns for the Saints (12-0) heading into Saturday night’s District 3-AA championship against Wyomissing.

The awards dinner is open to the public and tickets are available on the Club’s website www.maxwellfootballclub.org beginning on Monday.