Heading the list of Rock signees were two student-athletes who will play in the Big 33 Football Classic, offensive center Dean Ketterer from Seneca Valley High School and defensive end Marcus Martin from West Mifflin High School.

The list of new additions also includes four players who will participate in the East-West All-Star Game: Defensive lineman Nick Dahlstrom (Seneca Valley), H-Back Mileak Ford (Gateway H.S.), defensive back Derrick Fulmore (West Mifflin H.S.) and athlete Drew Scales (Central Dauphin H.S.).

Rounding out The Rock's 2013 recruiting class were defensive tackle Justin Barber (Lackawanna Trail H.S.), slot receiver Jordyn Bennett (Garnet Valley H.S.), lineman Nathan Brest (Mercer H.S.), offensive lineman Tyler DiRussa (Pequannock, N.J./DePaul Catholic H.S.), Taylor Allderdice High School products Bishop Gethers (linebacker) and Cornelius Raye (slot receiver), running back Isiah Neely (Coraopolis/Our Lady of the Sacred Heart H.S.) and linebacker/long snapper Bobby Vernick (Butler H.S.).

The Rock also added two players to their roster via mid-year transfers, defensive end Matt Peacock from West High School in Tracy, Calif., via San Joaquin Delta Community College and linebacker Eric Record from Grove City High School via Butler County Community College.


“Coach Jason Makrinos, our recruiting coordinator, and our entire coaching staff worked hard to lock up this outstanding group,” Mihalik said. “They are to be congratulated.”

Here are thumbnail profiles of the newest additions to the Green and White (click on the student-athlete's name to view his highlight video):

Justin Barber (6-0, 250, DT, Lackawanna Trail H.S.) earned all-region honors in both his junior and senior seasons and was his team's defensive MVP as a senior. Barber was a four-sport athlete at Lackawanna Trail with four letters in football and also honors in basketball, wrestling and track and field. Barber plans to major in health care administration at SRU.

Jordyn Bennett (5-10, 165, Slot WR, Garnet Valley H.S.) participated in both the National Underclassman Combine and Chesapeake Bowl all-star games last December. Bennett rushed for 525 yards and five touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 143 yards and one TD in his senior season and earned second-team all-conference honors as a junior. Bennett was a three-year football letterman and also a member of the indoor and outdoor track and field teams at Garnet Valley. An honor roll student at Garnet Valley, Bennett anticipates majoring in communication and broadcasting.

Nathan Brest (6-2, 255, OL/DL, Mercer H.S.) earned all-region honors as both an offensive and defensive lineman in his senior season. Brest lettered four seasons in football at Mercer and was also a basketball student-athlete. A member of the National Honor Society, Brest plans to major in accounting at SRU.

Nick Dahlstrom (6-3, 240, DL, Seneca Valley H.S.) is one of four Rock recruits who will play in the East-West All-Star Game May in Downingtown. Dahlstrom earned all-conference honors as both a defensive lineman and offensive guard during his high school career. Dahlstrom helped lead Seneca Valley to a 10-2 final record and an appearance in the WPIAL Quad-A semifinals last fall. A three-year football letterman and three-sport (also baseball and lacrosse) student-athlete at Seneca Valley, Dahlstrom is undecided about his intended major at SRU.

Tyler DiRussa (6-3, 270, OL, Pequannock, N.J./DePaul Catholic H.S.) earned first-team all-county and honorable mention All-Big North Jersey honors as a senior. DiRussa, a three-year football letterman who was also a lacrosse student-athlete at DePaul Catholic, plans to major in criminal justice at SRU.

Mileak Ford Jr. (6-2, 220, H-Back, Gateway H.S.), who will join Dahlstrom as an East-West All-Star participant, earned first-team all-conference honors as a senior two-way performer at Gateway. Ford caught 14 catches for 273 yards and three touchdowns on offense. Ford also recorded 44 tackles, including three tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks, intercepted one pass and had one fumble recovery as a defensive end. Ford helped lead Gateway to a 9-2 final record and an appearance in the WPIAL Quad-A quarterfinals. A High Honors student at Gateway, Ford plans to major in biology/exercise science at SRU.

Derrick Fulmore (5-11, 175, DB, West Mifflin H.S.) will join Dahlstrom and Ford on the East-West All-Star Game roster. Fulmore, a high school teammate of fellow Rock recruit Marcus Martin, passed for 706 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 784 yards and 13 TDs in his senior season at West Mifflin. An all-state and all-conference selection as a quarterback and all-conference safety, Fulmore helped lead West Mifflin to an 11-2 final record and a berth in the WPIAL Class AAA championship game in 2012. Fulmore plans to major in sport management at SRU.

Bishop Gethers (6-2, 230, LB, Pittsburgh/Taylor Allderdice H.S.) earned all-city and team Most Improved Player awards as a senior. Gethers was a high school teammate of fellow Rock recruit Cornelius Raye and current Rock defensive back Will Graham. Gethers is undecided on his major at SRU.

Dean Ketterer (6-4, 270, C, Seneca Valley H.S.) is one of two Rock recruits who will play for Pennsylvania vs. Maryland in the 56th Annual Big 33 Classic June 15 in Hersheypark Stadium. Ketterer was a first-team all-conference performer at Seneca Valley and helped lead the Raiders to a 10-2 final record and an appearance in the WPIAL Quad-A semifinals. Ketterer, a two-year letterman, is undecided on his major at SRU.

Marcus Martin (6-2, 230, DE, West Mifflin H.S.) will join Ketterer on the Pennsylvania squad in the Big 33 Classic. Martin earned first-team all-conference honors in both his junior and senior seasons and was the conference's Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. Martin helped lead West Mifflin to a 11-2 final record and a berth in the WPIAL AAA championship game in 2012. Martin, a three-year football letterman, was also a track and field student-athlete at West Mifflin. An honor roll student at West Mifflin, Martin is undecided on his major at SRU.

Isiah Neely (5-8, 175, RB, Coraopolis/Our Lady of the Sacred Heart H.S.) earned conference MVP and his school's Male Athlete of the Year honor. A three-sport athlete, Neely lettered four seasons in football and three seasons in basketball and track and field. Neely is undecided about his major at SRU.

Matt Peacock (6-4, 250, DE, Tracy, Calif./West H.S./San Joaquin Delta CC) earned first-team all-conference honors as a high school senior and, as a freshman, received the Outstanding Defensive Player award. As a sophomore defensive end at San Joaquin Delta CC last fall, Peacock recorded 48 total tackles including 6.5 quarterback sacks and 11 tackles for loss, forced one fumble and broke up one pass for an 8-3 team. Peacock is a professional studies major at SRU.

Cornelius Raye (5-8, 165, Slot WR, Allderdice H.S.) earned all-city honors as a senior. Raye was a high school teammate of fellow Rock recruit Bishop Gethers and current Rock defensive back Will Graham. Raye, who was also a member of basketball team at Allderdice, plans to major in business management at SRU.

Eric Record (6-2, 195, LB, Grove City H.S./Butler County C.C.) earned first-team all-conference honors as a running back and linebacker at Grove City. Record also won the District 10 track and field championships in the 100- and 200-meter dash events. Record, who earned six varsity letters as a football, track and field and baseball student-athlete at Grove City, is undecided on his major at SRU.

Drew Scales (5-9, 170, Athlete, Harrisburg/Central Dauphin H.S.) is one of four Rock recruits who will play in the East-West All-Star Game. Scales was a two-time Quad-A all-state performer and was named as the Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division's co-MVP as a senior. Scales, who runs a 4.40 time in the 40-yard dash, was a member of Central Dauphin's 2011 Quad-A state championship team. Scales also excelled in the weight room, where he benched 265 pounds and squatted 440 pounds. The Harrisburg Patriot News called Scales “Central Dauphin's All-Everything” after he rushed for 1,361 yards and 25 touchdowns, caught 18 passes for 202 yards and two receiving TDs, scored three TDs on returns and had one TD on a pass interception. Scales was a two-time all-conference selection on offense, defense and special teams. Scales, who earned two football letters at Central Dauphin and was also a track and field student-athlete, plans to major in business at SRU.

Bobby Vernick (6-0, 215, LB/LS, Butler H.S.) earned honorable mention all-state honors and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fab 22 North honors as a senior. He also garnered two honorable mention all-conference honors during his high school career. A two-year team captain, Vernick helped lead Butler to a WPIAL Quad-A playoff berth in 2012. Vernick lettered three years in both football and track and field. Vernick also earned high academic honors throughout his high school career and plans to major in biology at SRU.

The new recruits joined a Rock program that has recorded three consecutive winning seasons and lost only six starters, two on offense, two on defense and two specialists, from last year's squad. SRU had a 6-5 final overall record and a 5-2 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division mark, the latter good for third place in the eight-team division.