D-I football prospect Matt Zollers’ toughness contributing to Spring-Ford’s success on the court
The multi-sport athlete plays quarterback in the fall and has received scholarship offers from Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Temple.
Junior Matt Zollers has received quite the load of attention at Spring-Ford High School.
That’s what happens when Zollers, a quarterback, who had a school-record 2,917 yards and 37 touchdowns this past season, leads his team to a 9-3 record and the District 1 Class 6A quarterfinals.
And eight Division I football programs, including Penn State, have taken interest.
The four-star prospect has also received scholarship offers from Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Temple, Old Dominion, East Carolina, and South Florida. However, any decision he makes about his football future will have to wait until the spring.
For now, his focus is on the basketball court, where the Rams (11-3) could have another special season after winning a league title and making a historic run to the District 1-6A championship and state semifinals last year.
“It’s a nice break from having all eyes on you,” Zollers said. “It’s nice to stay back and play just for fun.”
Zollers has made a statement on the football field as a three-year varsity starter. He surpassed the school’s career passing touchdowns record with 64 and is second in career passing yards (5,505).
His experience on the hardwood is much less expansive. He didn’t play basketball last season after suffering an injury before the Rams’ first game. However, the 6-foot-4 forward has added some needed scoring this season. His 12 points in Friday’s 71-22 win over Methacton is his latest strong performance.
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“He’s not just a football player killing minutes out there,” said Spring-Ford head coach Joe Dempsey. “He contributes a lot. I love football players. They have a toughness that a lot of basketball players don’t. When you line up and bang heads with the other team, there is a toughness they bring to the team. I love dual-sport athletes.”
Alongside the likes of sophomore forward Oben Mokonchu and senior guard Jake Dellangelo, Zollers is one of a handful of newcomers on a Spring-Ford squad looking to defend its Pioneer Athletic Conference crown. Additionally, the Rams are riding a seven-game winning streak.
“It starts with toughness,” Zollers said. “If I am being tough it wears off on everyone else, they start being tough, too.”
This story was produced as part of a partnership between The Inquirer and City of Basketball Love, a nonprofit news organization that covers high school and college basketball in the Philadelphia area while also helping mentor the next generation of sportswriters. This collaboration will help boost coverage of the city’s vibrant amateur basketball scene, from the high school ranks up through the Big 5 and beyond.