Nativity's Sam Spolski, second from right, was named the Schuylkill Chapter No. 25 football scholar-athlete during the chapter's 64th annual banquet at the Schuylkill IU 29, Mar Lin. Participating in the ceremony were, from left: James Rhoades of the James J. and Mary Edith Rhoades Foundation; Spolski's parents, Steve and Mindy Spolski; Schuylkill County commissioner Larry Padora; Sam Spolski; and Nativity head coach Pat Mason (Photo by Leroy Boyer).

IRVING, Texas – Selected from a pool of 3,500 scholar-athletes identified by the nationwide NFF Chapter Network, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced the 82 members of the 2025 NFF Team of Distinction. Part of the NFF’s mission to promote the scholar-athlete ideal, the initiative honors the top high school football players from across the country for their all-around excellence — while also highlighting the vital work of the NFF Chapter Network at the grassroots level.

Part of that exclusive group is one of Schuylkill County’s best and brightest — Nativity’s Samuel Spolski. Regionally, Northwestern Lehigh star Eli Zimmerman also made the list. Other Pennsylvania honorees included Bald Eagle Area’s Wyatt Spackman and Haverford’s Josh Williams.

Spolski, a running back/linebacker, has a 4.3 GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society and Science Honor Society and won the Bishop’s Catholic Scholar Award. On the gridiron, Spolski was a three-year team captain. His honors included All-Eastern PA Football Team and PA Football News All Academic Team.

The members of the team all played their final high school football season during the 2024-25 school year. Criteria to make the team include (but are not limited to) academic achievement, athletic accolades and community involvement. Each chapter is limited to one honoree, distinguishing them as the top scholar-athlete from all the high schools covered by the chapter.

“Each year, the NFF Team of Distinction represents the very best of what high school football has to offer — young men who lead with character, perform with excellence, and give back to their communities,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “These 82 honorees exemplify the scholar-athlete ideal that is at the heart of our mission, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements. We are equally grateful to our NFF Chapter Network leaders, whose tireless efforts ensure that the values of football continue to thrive at the grassroots level.”

Since 1954, the NFF Chapters have played an integral role in supporting and promoting the game of football at the amateur level while honoring the top scholar-athletes in their local areas. With more than 12,000 members, the nationwide NFF Chapter Network impacts more than 500,000 student-athletes at 5,000 high schools across the country each year.
The centerpiece of the NFF Chapter Network’s efforts are the annual chapter awards banquets, which recognize more than 3,500 of the nation’s top scholar-athletes and distribute more than $1 million in scholarships.

2025 NFF Team of Distinction Notes

 82 Honorees
 40 States Represented
 4.15 Average GPA
 74 Team Captains
 44 All-State Selections
 10 Valedictorians
 54 National Honor Society Members
 1 National Merit Finalist and Honoree

East Region Honorees

Xavier Ali – QB, Walt Whitman High School in Huntington Station, NY.
Submitted by the NFF Suffolk County Chapter.
 4.57 GPA
 Salutatorian, four-year Honor Roll, Golden State Seal Merit Diploma
 Two-year team captain, First Team All-League, All-CIF

Rich Belin – QB, Cardinal Hayes High School in New York, NY.
Submitted by the NFF New York City Chapter.
 3.8 GPA
 National Honor Society, McQuade Honors Program
 Three-year Team Captain, Three-time All-State, League Offensive POY

Michael Berkery – RB/DB, Garden City High School in Oceanside, NY.
Submitted by the NFF Nassau County (NY) Chapter.
 99.34 Avg.
 National Honor Society, Academic All-Conference
 Team captain, two-time All-County, Finalist for Thorp Award for top player in Nassau County

Terrance Hanratty – RB/LB, Bernards High School in Bernardsville, NJ.
Submitted by the NFF Denny RFBL/Central NJ Chapter.
 3.33 GPA
 Honor Roll, STEM Club
 Team captain, First Team All-State, First Team All-County, NJ Super 100

Jayden Lee – WR/DB, Montclair High School in Montclair, NJ.
Submitted by the NFF Essex-Hudson County (NJ) Chapter.
 3.55 GPA
 National Honor Society, Peer Leadership
 Team captain, two-time First Team All-Conference

Matthew McSherry – OL/DL, Bronxville High School in Bronxville, NY.
Submitted by the NFF Westchester (NY) Chapter.
 3.85 GPA
 Honor Roll, Student Sage College Award, Class Officer
 Team captain, First Team All-State, All-State OL, Offensive POY

Isaac Ramsey – QB/DB, Oakland Mills High School in Columbia, MD.
Submitted by the NFF Greater Baltimore Chapter.
 4.56 GPA
 National Honor Society President, Math Honors
 Two-year Team Captain, Howard County Offensive POY, Second Team All-Metro

Daniel Russo – QB/RB/LB, Delsea Regional High School in Franklinville, NJ.
Submitted by the NFF South Jersey Chapter.
 98.15 Avg.
 National Honor Society, Superintendent List, Principal List, Class President
 Team captain, USA Today Network First Team All-NJ, NJFCA Super 100 All-State Team

Wyatt Spackman – TE/LB, Bald Eagle Area High School in Wingate, PA.
Submitted by the NFF Central Pennsylvania Chapter.
 4.64 GPA
 National Honor Society, Distinguished Honor Roll every semester
 Team captain, two-time All-Conference at both positions

Samuel Spolski – RB/LB, Nativity BVM High School in Pottsville, PA.
Submitted by the NFF Schuylkill County-Pottsville (PA) Chapter.
 4.3 GPA
 National Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Bishop’s Catholic Scholar Award
 Three-year Team Captain, All-Eastern PA Football Team, PA Football News All Academic

Andrew Stickley – OL/DL, Kinnelon High School in Kinnelon, NJ.
Submitted by the NFF Greater Morris County (NJ) Chapter.
 3.93 GPA
 National Honor Society, Math & Spanish Honor Society
 Team captain, three-time First Team All-Conference, Second Team All-State

Vincenzo Stigliano – WR/CB, Pompton Lakes High School in Pompton Lakes, NJ.
Submitted by the NFF Passaic County (NJ) Chapter.
 4.68 GPA
 National Honor Society, ranked 10th in class, STEM Club
 Team captain, Second Team All-State, three-time First Team All-County, Passaic County Coaches Association Male Student-Athlete Award

Liam Thorpe – WR/S, The Hun School in Princeton, NJ
Submitted by the NFF Delaware Valley (NJ) Chapter.
 94.0 Avg.
 Three-year Honor Roll member, full scholarship to Stanford
 Team captain, three-time First Team All-State prep league, four times First-Team All League

Josh Williams – OL, Haverford High School in Havertown, PA.
Submitted by the NFF Philadelphia Chapter.
 4.0 GPA
 Class President, Main Line Student of the week
 First Team All-Delaware County, First Team All Inter-AC

Eli Zimmerman – RB/S, Northwestern Lehigh High School in, New Tripoli PA.
Submitted by the NFF Lehigh Valley (PA) Chapter.
 94.84 Avg.
 National Honor Society, High Honor Roll
 Team captain, two-time All-State, Mr. PA Football finalist