During Bonny Eagle’s recent run to the Class A state championship, senior John Onesti could be seen making a contribution on nearly every play. The Scots used Onesti as a wide receiver, running back, linebacker and defensive end. Onesti’s contributions have made him a semifinalist for the 37th annual Fitzpatrick Trophy, which is awarded annually to the top senior high school football player in the state.

“It’s a great honor,” Onesti said. “I don’t really know what to say. I feel good about it, I’m excited. It’s just a great honor to even be nominated as one of the top players.”

The award is also intended to honor a solid student-athlete in the classroom and community. Onesti is ranked 56th out of his class of 261 with a GPA of 3.34

Onesti was a steady force for the Scots this year as they won their third state championship in four years. In 12 games this season, Onesti caught 11 touchdown passes and ran for two more. He also scored on a fumble return and a punt return.

“John Onesti is just a tremendous all around football player,” said Bonny Eagle head coach Kevin Cooper. “There isn’t one area of the game that he is heads and tails above everything else; he is just good at everything.”

In the state championship game, Onesti ran for 50 yards and had 22 receiving yards. He didn’t score any touchdowns, but Cooper says he played a more significant role on the other side of the ball.

“On defense he can do so many things well,” Cooper said. “We used him as an outside linebacker type. He can defend the pass, he can step up on the run and there were times when we needed him to play true defensive end and he got better at that. I think in the state championship game he played as fine a defensive game that we have had since I have been the coach.”

Onesti was a dangerous weapon for the Bonny Eagle offense, giving them the ability to score from anywhere on the field.

“He is a tremendous pass receiver with great hands,” Cooper said. He is able to twist his body around to get to footballs that most kids can’t get to. As a running back he runs very hard; a lot harder than you would think a kid that’s six-foot-two-inches, 170 pounds could run. He’s able to get tough yards when we need it.”

As important as Onesti was on the field for the Scots this fall, he may have been just as important off the field.

“He’s a leader off the field,” said Bonny Eagle senior Ricky Hoyt. “People will come to him and ask him stuff about routes at wide receiver or defensive end. You don’t notice how hard he works; you can see it on the field. He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve seen in practice.”

Cooper says players like Onesti are valuable to their teammates as well as to their coaches.

“He’s so solid both on the field and off the field,” Cooper said. “He’s so steady. I think kids, especially high school kids, look to guys like that because they always know that a kid like John Onesti is going to deliver. He’s going to be where he is supposed to be and do what he’s supposed to do. He is going to act like he is supposed to act and I think that steadiness is an underrated factor in high school football. Not only do players look up to that but coaches do too. Coaches want to know that a kid will do what you want him to do and do what he says he’s going to do. And if you have that they can be a very effective football player.”

Midway through the season, the Scots decided to try Onesti as a running back. Hoyt says there was some hesitation at first.

“Moving from wide receiver to running back was a big thing and they weren’t sure if they wanted to do it at first,” said Hoyt. “But he was pretty good at it so coach knew he couldn’t just leave him at wide receiver.”

Onesti’s prowess as a wide receiver and running threat are well documented. Cooper says that the most underrated part of Onesti’s game is one you may never notice.

“I think the underrated part of his game on offense is he is a fantastic stock blocker,” Cooper said. “He blocks as well as anyone we have on our team. A lot of his blocks you may not see because they happen so fast. But they are very much responsible for our big runs.”

In the last four years, the Scots have won three gold balls. In that time, they have also had four players nominated for the Fitzpatrick Trophy. Matt O’Donnell was a finalist in 2004, John Weichman won the award in 2005 and Ben Delcourt was a semifinalist a year ago.

“I think it just shows you that we’re going to have kids that are going to keep coming up through our system,” said Cooper. “I hope there will be another kid ready to be a Fitzy semifinalist next year and the year after that and the year after that. To not have a lull or any dips in the program is important to what we’re trying to do here. For John to step up and have the kind of year that he had is great for Bonny Eagle football.”