Mitch Knepp Honored At Twenty-Third Annual National Football Foundation And College Hall Of Fame-Central Pennsylvania Chapter Scholar Athlete Awards Banquet (03/05/20)

on 5 March, 2020 at 15:08

(Above photo submitted) Mitch with his awards from the banquet

Mitch Knepp, a senior student at Clarion-Limestone, who concluded an outstanding football career with the Clarion Area Bobcats, this past season, after playing for the C-L Lions through his junior year, is Clarion’s recipient of The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame – Central Pennsylvania Chapter’s Scholar-Athlete Award winner.

With Clarion-Limestone joining the football co-op with Clarion and North Clarion this past season, Mitch becomes the first ever Clarion-Limestone scholar-athlete to win the award.

Mitch was one of fifty plus, scholar-athletes from member high schools and Pennsylvania colleges to be honored at the Chapter’s 23rd Annual Banquet, held at the Penn Stater Conference Center, in State College, on Sunday March 1st.

KC Kantz, from WTAJ-TV in Altoona, was the master of ceremonies. Penn State Head Football Coach James Franklin was the special guest speaker and The keynote was Nate Stupar, a former State College High School and Penn State player, who went on to a long NFL career.

In addition to receiving the Scholar Athlete Award, Mitch was also awarded the Lezzer Lumber Scholarship during the festivities.

Award winners and Scholarship recipients are chosen based on academic achievement, athletic achievement and extracurricular/community service participation.

Among Mitch’s athletic, academic and extracurricular and community service accomplishments and involvement, that led to his selection, include:

Athletics: being a Team Captain, Receiving the Bobcats’ Jerry “Joe Staley Outstanding Senior Award, and being an All-Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference selection as an Offensive Lineman and Defensive End.

Academics: earning a Top 5 Class Award, being a member of the National Honor Society and participating in the Academic Decathalon.

Extracurricular and Public Service: participating in a Mission Trip to the Philippines, being a Summer Camp counselor, a Relay for Life volunteer and a member of the Boy Scouts.

Clarion Area Head Football Coach Larry Wiser, said this about Mitch in the Banquet Program, “I have been fortunate to coach Mitch on the Clarion High School football team and in my interactions with Mitch, he has proven to be a young man of character, intelligence and talent. His display of leadership, academic excellence and work ethic are what every coach hopes for from their top players.”

Mitch, the son of Doug and Kris Knepp, plans to continue his education at Clarion University of Pennsylvania.

(CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS GREAT HONOR, MITCH!!!!)

CLARION’S NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION AND COLLEGE HALL OF FAME CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER – SCHOLAR ATHLETE AWARD RECIPIENTS

2009 RYAN JOHNSON (CLARION’S FIRST EVER RECIPIENT)

2010 PAT TACK (PAT WAS ONE OF 12 PLAYERS TO RECEIVE A SCHOLARSHIP FROM THE FOUNDATION.)

2011 DAN WALTERS

2012 PATRICK MEHTA (PATRICK WAS ONE OF 12 PLAYERS TO RECEIVE A SCHOLARSHIP FROM THE FOUNDATION.)

2013 CAMRON KIRKLAND (CAMRON WAS ONE OF 12 PLAYERS TO WIN A SCHOLARSHIP FROM THE FOUNDATION)

2014 ANTONIO TROESE (“MARIANNA’S FUNDRAISERS” AWARD FROM DELGROSSO FOODS)

2015 JACOB TROUTMAN

2016 BRENDAN MILLER

2017 TY BURFORD (“JOSEPH D. SARRA – COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD” [IN HONOR OF LATE PENN STATE ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH])

2018 NICK CHERICO (“JOSEPH D. SARRA – COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD” AND “PENNSYLVANIA COACHES’ AWARD”)

2019 ARCHER MILLS (“JOSEPH D. SARRA – COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD”)

2020 MITCH KNEPP (LEZZER LUMBER SCHOLARSHIP AWARD)

(MITCH IS CLARION-LIMESTONE’S FIRST AWARD WINNER)

(2009 WAS CLARION’S FIRST YEAR OF PARTICIPATION FOR THIS AWARD.)