Bedford's Weber commits to Lafayette
Dec. 26—Bedford Area High School senior standout Ethan Weber announced his intention to continue his football career at Lafayette College and compete in the NCAA Division I FCS Patriot League.
A first-team running back on The Tribune-Democrat All-Area Football Team,
Weber rushed for 1,393 yards and had 20 touchdowns and 122 points on a 7-4 Bisons team. On defense, he made 78 tackles, one sack and three interceptions.
Lafayette went 4-7 this past season, with a 3-3 conference mark under coach John Troxell.
"Great coaches. I think they're a winning staff," said Weber, who intends to major in biology with an emphasis on pre-medicine.
"What stood out to me the most was the field," Weber said of Fisher Stadium. "The stands are massive, you're surrounded (by seating) and there are two big buildings on the sides. It provides a great environment."
The son of Jeremy and Emily Weber, Jeremy built an impressive resume at Bedford, standing out in football, wrestling and track and field. He also played basketball earlier in his high school career.
Weber was part of three District 5-8-9 Class 3A subregional champion football teams and earned all-state honors as a return man in 2021.
"Ethan has an unbelievable work ethic and a tremendous desire to be successful," Bedford football coach Kevin Steele said. "His dedication in the weight room is unparalleled. He also put a tremendous amount of time into improving his speed and agility.
"Offensively, he had a rare combination of speed and power that led to 27 touchdowns this season. Defensively, his speed and athleticism allowed him to excel at shedding blocks, tackling and in pass coverage."
Teams also had to focus on Weber as a return man.
"He was a dangerous returner on special teams and was selected as an all-state returner last season," Steele said. "Ethan is a fine young man and a true student-athlete with a 3.97 cumulative GPA.
"He truly embodied our core values of sacrifice, effort, attitude and toughness each day."
Weber advanced to the PIAA Class 2A Track and Field Championship meet as a sprinter. He joined the wrestling team this season.
"My time at Bedford has helped prepare me for this next step," Weber said. "Definitely, the most prominent thing is the work in the weight room. That's what set me up. We have a lot of strong kids. It's not just me."
Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.
