Belle Vernon’s Jack Bryer recently punched in his commitment to continue his football career at Case Western Reserve University. The standout senior middle linebacker was attracted to Case Western for the football program but also the engineering program, as he will be majoring in mechanical engineering next year.

“I want to be an engineer and it was hard to find schools that had a good balance between having an engineering pathway and having a good football program,” said Bryer. “50 percent of the team studies engineering, so if I’m struggling I know I can ask one of my teammates for help.”

When it came to the football aspect of Case Western, Bryer felt he aligned well with the coaching staff, and he also was very comfortable knowing that the gameday atmosphere at Case Western will be exciting. Bryer is very familiar with an exhilarating stadium atmosphere as he plays his home games on the gold turf at James Weir Stadium affectionately known as "The Beach."

“When I went up for my regular visit I really liked the coaches, I felt that connection with them,” he said. “When we went up to the gameday visit, the stadium atmosphere was awesome, they ended up losing the game but you saw they never gave up and kept fighting.”

The never give up attitude is also a constant theme in Bryer’s career with the Leopards, as he’s been instrumental in the team’s 5-0 start to the year, which includes a down-to-the-wire win over rival Thomas Jefferson. Belle Vernon trailed 21-14 in the final quarter, before scoring two touchdowns in the final four minutes to secure the 28-21 victory over the Jaguars.

Bryer and the Leopards travel to take on Ringgold this week before they are back home against Trinity on October 15th. Belle Vernon, which is ranked first in the state in Class 4A, has been knocking at the door the last few years trying to win a WPIAL title, something the program hasn’t done in the last 26 years. After losing in last year’s district semifinal to Aliquippa, Bryer is trying to make it certain that he can end his career with a ring, hoisting the trophy amongst his teammates.

“Being my senior year, you want to leave a good mark for yourself and on the team. We want to end the year out with a big ring and a championship. McKeesport is going to be a big game we have to win that one, and then Aliquippa and TJ and they say all roads lead through TJ in 4A, so we are definitely going to be playing one of them or both. We just have to have really good games up front and keep improving.”

Westmoreland Recruiting News

• Greater Latrobe's Jack Pletcher has committed to wrestle at Pitt. Pletcher's brother, Luke, is an assistant coach for the Panthers.

• Norwin quarterback Luke Levendosky received an offer to play at Gettysburg College.