Senior Joe Nilan, the Friars’ football team captain and Inter-Ac most valuable player for 2011, has been selected as one of Pennsylvania’s recipients of the Maxwell Football Club's Mini Max awards. Maxwell Football Club President, Ron Jaworski, announced the sixty players to be honored as Mini Max Award Winners, presented to football players in the Greater Philadelphia region who exhibit excellent academics, outstanding football performance and a strong commitment to community service.
Joe, of Springfield, played fullback and linebacker in helping the Friars capture the Inter-Ac championship with a record of 9-2. He led the team in tackles with 126 while also rushing for 450 yards and serving as lead blocker for tailbacks Shawn Wilson (800 yards) and Eric Purnell (570 yards). A three-year varsity starter at linebacker, Joe compiled 312 tackles in his career and earned 1st team All Inter-Ac, 1st team All Main Line, 2nd team All Chester County and 3rd team All Philadelphia honors, as a junior. Known for his hard work both in the classroom and on the field, Joe is a school ambassador and a leader in M.E.C.O. (Malvernians Encountering Christ in Others).
The Mini Max Award recipients will be honored at a dinner to be held on Thursday January 19, 2012 at the Drexelbrook Catering Ballroom in Drexel Hill. The awards dinner is open to the public and tickets are available on the Club’s website
www.maxwellfootballclub.org. The Maxwell Football Club will select one player from the group of Mini Max winners as the winner of the Pennsylvania High School Player of the Year, to be announced at the January 19 awards dinner.