HS Track: Spartans’ Miller signs to run track at Saint Joseph’s
North Schuylkill senior Luke Miller, front row center, signs an NCAA Division I letter of intent to run track at Saint Joseph's University during a ceremony Monday in the high school broadcasting room. Participating in the ceremony are, front row, from left: North Schuylkill track and field coach Kevin Keating, brother Drew Miller, Luke, and his parents, Carrie and Rick Miller; back row, North Schuylkill athletic director Jim Gross, sports performance coach Dan Slotterback, North Schuylkill High School principal Ken Roseberry, sprint coach Jeff Dunkel and North Schuylkill superintendent Robert Ackell (Photo by Leroy Boyer).
FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — When Luke Miller began the process of choosing a college, his decision was two-fold:
Which college?
Which sport … football or track?
One visit to Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia answered both questions for the talented North Schuylkill senior.
Miller made it official Monday, signing an NCAA Division I letter of intent to run track at Saint Joseph’s during a ceremony with family and coaches in the high school broadcasting room.
“It wasn’t an easy choice,” Miller said. “Right after the visit I knew I wanted to go there. It was between all the colleges I visited, either football or track. I knew right after meeting with the coach and with the team it was St. Joe’s.”
Choosing between football and track might have been the harder decision for Miller, a 6-foot, 185-pound speedster.
In football this season, Miller rushed 229 times for 2,563 yards and a school-record 31 touchdowns for Wally Hall’s squad, which finished 8-4 and lost to state runner-up Northwestern Lehigh in the District 11 Class 3A semifinals. He scored 34 touchdowns overall, breaking his own school record. He had five games in which he scored four or more touchdowns, five games of 200 or more rushing yards and three games of 300 or more rushing yards.
Miller rushed for a school-record 383 yards in an Oct. 9 win over Blue Mountain. He finished as North Schuylkill’s all-time leader in rushing yards (3,856) and rushing touchdowns (59).
The son of Rick and Carrie Miller, Luke was named the Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association Big School Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, was selected as a running back to the inaugural T102 Sports Now Tremendous 33 Team and Tuesday was named to the Pennsylvania Football Writers Class 3A All-State Team at offensive athlete.
For all the football accolades, however, Miller has been equally successful as a sprinter on the North Schuylkill track team.
Last spring, Miller was the Schuylkill League and District 11 Class 3A champion in the 200 meters, was the league and district runner-up in the 100 meters and a state qualifier in both events. At the PIAA Track and Field Championships, Miller placed 14th in the 100 (10.95 seconds) and 15th in the 200 (22.22).
