The rewards keep coming for the state champion Wyoming Area football team.
Two-way line standout Sammy Solomon signed a National Letter of Intent Wednesday to receive a full athletic scholarship to continue his football career on the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I level at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
Solomon was dominant on both sides of the ball for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 3A state champions, who also won District 2 and Wyoming Valley Conference titles in a 14-1 season.
“I think they are looking at him initially as a defensive lineman, but he’s got the measurables where he could fill either role for them,” Warriors head coach Randy Spencer said of the mobile, 6-foot-4, 298-pounder.
Solomon often provided crushing blocks for an offense that averaged 36.8 points and 330.9 yards per game. He moved from fullback during the preseason to help strengthen an inexperienced offensive line and was the team’s runaway leader with 43 pancake blocks while helping the ground game produce 214.0 yards per game and 6.4 per carry.
The two times Solomon carried the ball after receiving laterals on tackle-eligible plays both resulted in touchdowns.
Spencer said Solomon, who transferred from Wyoming Valley West between his sophomore and junior football seasons, became a major part of the team’s title run after losing most of last season to a leg injury.
“Along with the talent and athleticism of his caliber, he had the athletic ability for somebody with that type of size and frame, and his protective nature with his teammates and the leader that he grew into on both sides of the ball led to him really connecting with all aspects of the game,” Spencer said.
Solomon shared the team lead in fumble recoveries with three. He was second on the team in tackles (45), assists (52), tackles for losses (16), sacks (7 ½), passes hurried (17) and passes deflected (three).
“He’s a student of the game,” Spencer said. “He’s not just interested in what he’s doing, but what everybody else is doing offensively and defensively.”
Solomon announced his decision on his Twitter account, writing: “Blessed and grateful to get the opportunity to play football at the highest college level. I would like to announce I will be committed to the University of Massachusetts! Would like to thank my coaches, teammates and the UMass staff for believing in me!”
Solomon made a quick transition after football season. He is currently a starter and one of the top scorers on the Wyoming Area basketball team.
UMass, which plays in the College Bowl Subdivision, the highest-level in the NCAA, is coming off a 1-11 season. Its only win came, 37-29, over Akron.
