Mirror photo by Michael Boytim BG football coach Justin Wheeler speaks to family, friends and the media Wednesday, flanked by Villanova-bound Jake Kissell.

According to standout Bishop Guilfoyle Academy senior Jake Kissell, two weeks ago he wasn’t sure whether he would play football again.

But Wednesday, he committed to play collegiately at Villanova which competes at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision level.

“I have been in talks with Villanova for about a year now,” Kissell said. “We were really close with them. I was planning on going there, and then it kind of fell through. Things happened, and it wasn’t going my way. It’s a tough process that is long and stressful. Some other schools came in and started talking to me a little bit, and then they swooped back in the last part of this recruiting visit. They had me up for a visit, and it was the place I wanted to be.”

Kissell also recently received an offer from Shippensburg University, where his brother Chase is already playing. Jake said he considered a reunion with his brother after the two won a PIAA Class 1A championship together at Bishop Guilfoyle his junior year.

“Yeah, it was (considered),” Kissell said. “There were a lot of tough decisions. There were a lot of PSAC schools that offered me great opportunities, Shippensburg especially. But at the end of the day, I sat down with my parents and felt this was the best opportunity for me to create my own path and start my journey as a Villanova Wildcat.”

BG football coach Justin Wheeler, who is also Kissell’s uncle, said he wasn’t surprised Jake overcame the recruiting adversity and expects him to do the same at Villanova.

“When Jake came to high school, he had all of this experience of being the guy and really dominating every sport he’s ever participated in,” Wheeler said. “But when you come in as someone who has just turned 14 and you are competing against 17- or 18-year old men at the high school level, success is not easy. It doesn’t matter how talented you are, you have to work at it.”

Kissell’s sophomore year against Bald Eagle Area, he took a big hit that might have made some people consider giving up the sport.

“Right at the end of the game, things weren’t going well and one of their linemen came down the line,” Wheeler said. “It was a man hitting someone who wasn’t quite ready to absorb that kind of hit. His legs went one way and his head went another. It was right in front of the bench, and we were all like — ‘oh man.'”

But it only fueled Kissell.

“For me it was one of the great things as his uncle and as his coach to watch him get through that adversity,” Wheeler said. “That Christmas, he wasn’t discouraged. He told me to wait until he was older and what he was going to do. He went and got stronger and faster and worked at his craft. He watched film. He did all he needed to, and by junior year he was pretty much unstoppable.”

Kissell played quarterback, running back, tight end, defensive line and linebacker at Bishop Guilfoyle this past season and helped BG return to the state championship game, but Villanova is interested in him for the most part as a linebacker.

“They have recruited me as a linebacker primarily,” Kissell said. “I have a really good relationship with Coach (Forrest) Rhyne, who is the linebackers coach at Villanova. I am excited to get to work with him and the other guys that are going to be there. It’s a place I know I can thrive at, and I can’t wait to get started.”

In addition to Kissell, Bishop Guilfoyle senior Hailey DeGol signed with Division II Seton Hill to continue her soccer career after leading the Lady Marauders to their first-ever appearance in the PIAA championship game.

“I want to thank all of my coaches,” DeGol said. “I want to thank my family and my friends for believing in me. They were confident in my abilities even before I was, and that helped me so much to get here today.”