Bethlehem Catholic football coach Joe Henrich might not be shy to put out his kicker from any distance this season when the Golden Hawks take the field.

That’s because senior kicker Anthony DaSilva will be heading to Happy Valley next fall, as apart of Penn State’s 2019 class as a preferred walk-on.

DaSilva has developed into the area’s top kicker heading into his senior season after making four of six field goals last season to go along with 65 extra points and 23 touchbacks.

All the hard work that DaSilva has leaned on since giving up soccer his freshman year has now paid off with an opportunity to compete in the Big 10.

“Before I got the offer, I was talking to the Penn State coaches,” said DaSilva back in June, “but I never expected them to offer me so soon. I guess my performance at one of their recent camps really helped and I couldn’t be happier.”

DaSilva was at Penn State on June 2 and took part in activities, where he nailed his longest ever field goal from 57-yards. That boot certainly helped his case and may have sealed the decision-makers’ minds on the PSU coaching staff to bring DaSilva on as a preferred walk-on, as Wisconsin, Temple, Buffalo and Connecticut were other FBS schools that were interested in his leg.

“I knew that was a pretty big kick when I made it,” he said. “I never hit one that far before and to do it in front of the coaches made it even better.”

DaSilva’s longest field goal last season for Becahi was 37-yards, but he probably will have a chance to break that this fall.

“I hope I get more chances to kick field goals this year,” DaSilva said. “I think coach Henrich trusts me more and I want to do whatever it takes to help put points on the board and help us win.”