University of Pennsylvania football coach Al Bagnoli is developing a recruiting pipeline into the west suburbs.
Hinsdale Central senior linebacker Andrew Pyle became the second West Suburban Silver player this season to verbally commit to Penn when Pyle chose to play for the Quakers next season. Pyle, a 6-foot-2, 209-pound resident of Hinsdale, follows Lyons offensive tackle Nick Demes, who committed to the Ivy League school in August.
Pyle’s decision to attend Penn was first reported by Doings columnist Joe Goddard in October.
“My first visit was in the spring for their Junior Day,” Pyle said. “It’s a great combination of athletics and academics.”
Pyle completed his third varsity season Friday night when 12th-seeded Oak Park-River Forest (7-3) rallied to beat fifth-seeded Hinsdale Central (7-3) 28-24 in the Class 8A first-round playoff game. The game was decided on a Huskies touchdown pass with 1:00 left to play.
A final drive by the Devils ended with Brian Owens’ 16-yard screen pass to Jack Adams on fourth-and-18 from the OPRF 39 with less than 17 seconds remaining.
Pyle led the Red Devils with 82 tackles in the regular season. Junior linebacker Jacob White ranked second on the team with 53 tackles. Pyle had a season-high 15 tackles in a 21-20 victory over Downers Grove North Oct. 12.
Demes and Pyle did not take visits together. Pyle, who also competes in wrestling and track and field, has played against Demes the past two seasons in conference games. Demes is a 6-foot-4, 270-pound senior for Lyons, which reached the Class 8A second round with a 34-28 upset of Marist.
Lyons has won four consecutive games and is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the third consecutive year. Lyons plays at O’Fallon Saturday night.
“I found out after the fact that (Demes) was going there,” Pyle said. “It’s a coincidence.”
Pyle chose Penn over Harvard, Yale and Princeton and was offered a preferred walk-on opportunity with Northwestern.
Demes and Pyle would become third and fourth players from the West Suburban Silver to join the Quakers next season. Lyons graduate Ryan Mitchell, a junior, currently ranks third on Penn (3-4, 3-1 Ivy League) with 23 receptions for 236 yards and a TD. Glenbard West grad and college sophomore Mike Laning has 14 tackles on the season as a defensive back.
Pyle will be greeted by one familiar face at Penn. When Pyle attended eighth grade at St. Isaac Jogues, he shadowed Jack Stibich for a day when Pyle considered attending Fenwick. Stibich, a Western Springs resident, graduated from Fenwick in 2012 but has not played for Penn this season as a freshman linebacker. He is enrolled in the Wharton School of Business, where Pyle also hopes to study.
