The Moravian College football team has enjoyed recruiting local stand out high school athletes for years. Out of the 86 players on the roster, head coach Jeff Pukszyn and his staff have brought in 30 student-athletes that had played their high school ball in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference or the Colonial League.

Three of those members played together at Parkland. Sophomores Stephen Ewald and Nick Zambelli, and junior Dominic Rossetti were a part of a high school program that won multiple District 11 titles. The former Trojans continued their success on the gridiron in Bethlehem from day one.

Zambelli started in all 11 games as a freshman in 2015, recording 37 tackles, an interception and five pass breakups. Ewald also started every game during last season, and finished the year with 73 tackles (nine and a half for loss), five sacks, one interception and two pass breakups. Rossetti played in all 11 games last year as a sophomore making 15 tackles (one tackle for loss) and one pass breakup, but missed the 2016 season due to injury.

The three former Trojans can all credit their early success to their time spent on Friday nights in Orefield at Parkland School District stadium.

“I believe I was able to play as a freshman because of my experiences at Parkland,” said Zambelli. “I had my chance to play as a sophomore [in high school], and failed for a variety of reasons. I think that failure helped me grow a lot as an athlete and I was able to take advantage of the opportunity I was given at Moravian as a freshman.

“It was really meaningful to be able to play as a freshman because I exceeded the expectations I had set for myself coming in. I attribute the coaches at Parkland to a lot my success because they prepared me mentally, and instilled a strong work ethic in me throughout my years in the program. The mental aspect of the game came easily to me at the college level because of the coaching I received at Parkland.”

It didn’t come easy, as they all had to work hard to see the field. It wasn’t just given to them.

“It was very hard at first,” said Ewald. “I was so nervous when I started the first game [as a freshman] against Kings College. But, after I knew I could play at the level my coaches wanted me to perform at, it became easier, because stepping on the field became second nature to me. Also, playing in a very competitive conference in the EPC/LVC made the transaction from high school to college easier than other guys from other high schools.”

Ewald, Zambelli and Rossetti also saw team success in 2015, as Moravian finished at 8-3 overall, their best season since an 8-3 campaign in 2008.

“The experience was awesome,” Ewald said. “To be a part of the 8-3 season was an honor, especially being a freshman starter. Just being one of the pieces that made that season end the way it did was an awesome way to help the seniors end their football careers.”

The Greyhounds went 5-5 this year.

As a student-athlete, it is not all about sports. There is an itinerary that must be followed to remain a part of the team.

Last month, Zambelli was named to the Centennial Conference Fall Academic Honor Roll, which signifies student-athletes that are sophomores or higher in class standing and have a cumulative GPA of 3.40 or higher.

“The coaches here at Moravian make sure to check up on our grades so that we are not falling behind in any way,” said Zambelli. “The academic workload is certainly more difficult in college, but I think that I was mentally ready for the transition as a freshman. I never enjoyed spending eight hours in classrooms and then going straight to practice afterwards. I’ve always been pretty good at prioritizing my schoolwork and I think that’s why I’ve been able to succeed academically.

“The hardest adjustment from high school to college is that the pace of the classes is much faster. We learn topics a lot faster and it kind of feels like a tornado for the first couple weeks of freshman year, but once I settled in I had no problem getting all my work done around my football schedule.”

The Greyhounds went 5-5 this season. Zambelli started all 10 games and tied for third on the team with 57 tackles, including 34 solo tackles. He also had three interceptions and five pass breakups in his second season as a starter.

Ewald also started 10 games and tied for third on the team with 57 tackles, and had two sacks on the year.