Six student-athletes from the state's high school football programs were honored as the 2019 Vermont High School Scholar Athlete Inductees, and another was honored for his community service and leadership as the Vermont Chapter of the National Football Foundation announced its 27th annual awards this week. This year the annual dinner, held normally in early May, will not be held due to COVID-19 concerns. The occasion honors student-athletes and distinguished adults from the Vermont football community and is attended by over 300 people.  
 
The six Vermont High School Scholar Athlete Inductees, honored for outstanding football ability and performance, outstanding academic achievement and outstanding school leadership and example are Trey Alercio of St. Johnsbury, Brett Bohlmann of South Burlington, Tyler Buxton of Middlebury, Mitch Gadapee of Colchester, Joey McCoy from Burr and Burton and Tyler Millerick of Brattleboro. Each will receive a $500 scholarship from the NFF.
 
The six inductees were chosen from 24 state-wide finalists. The other finalists are: Griffin Waryas, Bellows Falls;  Matthew Bayard, BFA-St. Albans;  Zach Gamelin, Champlain Valley; Cory Giannelli, Essex;  Andrew Lanthier, Fair Haven;  Kyle Hamilton, Hartford;  Matthew Lazzaro, Lyndon; Gary Burnett, Mill River; Ethan Kelleher, Missisquoi Valley;  Matthew Lazzaro, Mount Abraham;  Owen Maroney, Mount Anthony; Mason Combs, Mount Mansfield;  Caden Capman, Poultney;  Cale Layman, Rice;  Matt Creed, Rutland;  Jackson Pierson, Spaulding;  Sullivan O'Hara, Union 32; and Caleb Meagher, Windsor.
 
Rutland's Creed is also this year's winner of the Robert Stafford High School Athlete Community Service Award. One of the Raiders leaders as a captain, he spearheaded and was involved in many efforts in and around his hometown. Creed also is a talented defensive lineman who was named to the 2020 Vermont Shrine Team. Excellent in the classroom, he is bound for Worcester Polytechnic Institute.  
 
Longtime Poultney head coach David Capman was named the Vermont Coach of the Year after leading his Blue Devils to the Division III state title. Capman was named last fall as the state's D-III coach of the year while Tom McCoy of D-I state champ Burr and Burton was named the coach of the year for Division I, and Union-32's Brian Divelbliss earned the Division II honor.
 
Seniors Nick Reca (Cranston, R.I.), a defensive back from Castleton University, defensive lineman Martin Williams (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) of Middlebury College, linebacker Kevin Svarczkopf (Essex Junction, Vt.) of Norwich University and Kyle Morand (Manchester, Maine) from the University of Vermont club football team were named the Vermont Collegiate Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame inductees, representing the state's four collegiate football programs. Svarczkopf recently was honored as Norwich's 2020 Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Reca and Williams were both named to the 2019 National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society for their work in the classroom. Williams helped lead the Panthers to 9-0 record, joining LSU and North Dakota State as the only three unbeaten teams in the NCAA last fall.
 
The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame was founded in 1947 as a non-profit educational organization to run programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. For more information log on to www.footballfoundation.org
 
Profiles of the 2019 Vermont High School Scholar Athlete Inductees:
Trey Alercio, St. Johnsbury: He earned honors or high honors in the classroom every semester along, he was the class president his last two years. He also was a counselor for Operation Creation, a program designed to inspire entrepreneurship and community pride in rising 9th graders. A member of the Burlington Free Press all-state first team and the D-I coaches all-state first team on offense, defense and special teams, he played in the North-South Senior All-Star Game and has been selected for the Vermont Shrine Bowl Team.

Brett Bohlmann, South-Burlington-Burlington: An excellent student earning high honors at South Burlington High, he was a member of the SBHS State Champion CyberSecurity team and served as president of the Coaches vs. Cancer Club. An outstanding two-way lineman and two-time captain for the South Burlington-Burlington SeaWolves, he was a two-year member of the Burlington Free Press All-State first team and twice on the D-I coaches all-state first team. He played in the North-South Senior All-Star Game and has been selected for the Vermont Shrine Bowl Team.

Tyler Buxton, Middlebury: A four-year honor roll member, he also was a member of the MUHS Activities Council, the School Spirit Committee and was a mentor in the Big Brother Program at the town's elementary school. A repeat selection on the Burlington Free Press All-State first team at running back, he also anchored the D-I coaches all-state first team the past two seasons as well. He played in the North-South Senior All-Star Game and has been selected for the Vermont Shrine Bowl Team.

Mitch Gadapee, Colchester: Earning high honors in the classroom, he was an officer at Boy's State last summer and earned the CHS Class Award. He also is the high school's student representative on the Colchester School District School Board. An excellent leader and standout two-way end for the Lakers, he was selected to the coaches D-I all-state first team and played in the North-South Senior All-Star Game.

Joey McCoy, Burr & Burton: A member of the high honor roll, and National Honor Society, he also was the winner of the 2019 National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Award, and the B&B Rise Award. Very active in community service, he was the 2019 Vermont Gatorade High School Football Player of the Year, quarterbacking the Bulldogs to the D-I state crown. He was twice named to the Burlington Free Press all-state first team and the state coaches D-I first team. He played in the North-South Senior All-Star Game and has been selected for the Vermont Shrine Bowl Team.

Tyler Millerick, Brattleboro: A member of the National Honor Society after he earning high honors all four years. He is a member of the BUHS athletic leadership council and is part of the school's in-house daily television news crew. He led the Colonels to the 2019 Vermont D-II state title, ending a 47-year championship draught, and was named to the Burlington Free Press all-state team and the D-II coaches all-state first team. He played in the North-South Senior All-Star Game and has been named to the Vermont Shrine Bowl Team.