HARRISBURG Dominic Diaz-Ellis, like every other senior participating in this week’s state championship, is aware that his varsity career is coming to an end, win or lose. It’s the unavoidable fact that everything worthwhile has an end. And Diaz-Ellis has been a huge asset to the Bishop McDevitt football team.
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Diaz-Ellis has had an incredible senior year, making himself the main target for Stone Saunders, a signee from Kentucky, as the team makes its third appearance at the PIAA final in four years, and its first at the 5A division.
Diaz-Ellis has also been taking his last week of training one day at a time in preparation for a highly anticipated heavyweight matchup against a District 12 champion Roman Catholic regiment commanded by Semaj Beals.
I’m just making the most of my time. Diaz-Ellis remarked, “Time flies; it seems like I was only a freshman last year.” I’m just having fun playing my favorite game with my loved ones.
In 15 games this season, Diaz-Ellis has hauled down 70 receptions for 1,287 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 18.4 yards per catch. In addition, he caught Saunders’ 177th touchdown throw, which helped his quarterback set a new state record for Pennsylvania.
Q1, RECORD BREAKER, 11:35Stone Saunders’ 38-yard pass to Dom Diaz-Ellis, the 177th of the Kentucky recruit’s career, resets Pennsylvania’s all-time passing touchdown record.Altoona, Bishop McDevitt 7, 0pic.twitter.com/u8qQ28KDnZ
It’s a huge contrast to Diaz-Ellis’s junior season, when he was only able to catch one pass for 38 yards while waiting in the ranks under Nick Slogik of East Carolina, Chase Regan of James Madison University, and Rico Scott of Alabama. In addition, after transferring in from Columbia, the PIAA declared them ineligible for the postseason.
Diaz-Ellis stated, “I definitely have a chip on my shoulder because I could have played but I had to wait a whole year out.” Someone who enjoys football as much as I do and takes it seriously is a significant aspect of life. Being away from football for so long has definitely made me sad because I take it extremely seriously. I’m still carrying a grudge going into this week.
Before coming to 1 Crusader Way, Diaz-Ellis used his skill set well at Columbia. With 22 receptions and an average of 19.3 yards per catch, the then-sophomore racked up 432 yards and three scores for the Crimson Tide. Diaz-Ellis lined up in a variety of positions and scored three touchdowns on the ground, rushed for 203 yards, and even passed for 389 yards. Diaz-Ellis had six trips to the end zone and amassed 1,024 total offensive yards in 2022.
Diaz-Ellis received offers for his work from Akron and Kent State, and in May, he got another from the University of Maine. In response to a question about whether he was nearing a college selection, Diaz-Ellis told PennLive that it will happen after championship week.
“Since I was unable to play last year, I’m probably going to wait until after the season when my film comes out because junior year is a big year for college recruiting and stuff,” Diaz-Ellis said. To check what I have on tape, I’ll probably wait until the end of the season.
After a PIAA 4A playoff loss to Dallas, Diaz-Ellis and the rest of his Crusaders are focused on getting revenge for last year’s senior class as well as seeking to win their own ring. Bishop McDevitt’s leaders frequently discuss it, and they have long devoted the season to the goal of honoring the men who came before them by completing the work at Chapman Field.
For Diaz-Ellis, that includes tight end Slogik and the previous key receivers Scott and Regan. Bishop McDevitt wants to provide some extra closure for the recent graduates by naming tight end Liam Fuller, junior Gage Ruth, and sophomore Jontai Quick—who has already gained over 1,100 yards this season—as his main targets.
Regarding the seniors from the previous year, Diaz-Ellis stated, “We’re definitely trying to get it back for them.” They have pushed me and taught me a lot from last year, so even if I didn’t participate, they are genuinely a major factor in my current skill level and improvement. It would be huge for them to win this.
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