WPIAL
Laurel Highlands Rodney Gallagher Recaps Amazing TD and Recruitment
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Rodney Gallagher has done a lot of amazing things during the first two years of his athletic career at Laurel Highlands.
Winning the WPIAL basketball championship last season will no doubt top his team achievements but the super sophomore made an individual play this past Friday that’s arguably the WPIAL 2020 football play of the year.
During Laurel Highlands’ 34-33 victory over Trinity, Gallagher scored five touchdowns, but the one that everyone will remember is this pick six.
Best play of the night in the WPIAL?!😳 @RodneyGallaghe6 @CoachKolesar @WPIAL_Insider @wpialsportsnews @WPIAL_Blitz @espn pic.twitter.com/utDXtscP0B
— LH Mustang Football (@LHMustangFB) October 24, 2020
Pittsburgh Sports Now caught up with Gallagher this morning to talk to him about this play, his season and to get an update on his recruitment.
“I definitely surprised myself by doing that, I didn’t think I was going to make it all the way to the end zone,” said Gallagher. “But I just kept running, kept trying and it was important for our team because it allowed us to go up in the game and take the lead. Whatever we needed to do to win what was and what’s always in my mind. I was definitely tired but I kept going.
“On the interception, I was watching the quarterbacks eyes. My receiver tried to go 1-on-1 with me and I was able to pick it off. Once I got past him, I saw the whole open field and I then tried to cut it back, cut it back again and then ran over the first guy and then was able to break a lot of tackles. I tried to follow my blockers, who did a great job and I got past them and was able to score.”
With the win, Laurel Highlands improved their overall record to 2-5 and didn’t qualify for the 2020 WPIAL playoffs, although they have scheduled another game for this coming Friday against Connellsville.
Gallagher said that after Friday, he plans on taking a couple of weeks off to rest his body and then he’ll begin preparing for the upcoming basketball season.
In terms of his recruitment, while teams aren’t permitted to personally call him, Gallagher says that the two teams his father and him are hearing from the most are Pitt and Penn State. Because he’s only a sophomore, coaches aren’t permitted to call him directly and instead have to reach out to his family first and then Gallagher is then allowed to return a call.
Check out my highlight – https://t.co/D4Oi0b8ON8
— Rodney Gallagher 3rd (LLC💞) (@RodneyG_3rd) October 24, 2020
When talking about his football recruitment, Gallagher holds offers from Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Michigan, Virginia Tech, Toledo and William & Mary.
