Central York freshman quarterback picks up Division I offer

The Central York football team just said goodbye to a Division I quarterback, a player who put up numbers rarely seen in this area. 

The Panthers have another top recruit ready to take his place. 

His brother. 

Central York freshman Beau Pribula picked up his first Division I offer Monday from Sacred Heart University. The FCS program had previously offered a scholarship to his older brother, Cade, who eventually verbally committed to the University of Delaware. 

The two brothers were able to share the moment together on Monday. After Central York head coach Josh Oswalt called Beau to his office to tell him the news, Cade entered and the pair called their mother together. 

"I was kind of shocked," Beau admitted in a phone interview Monday night. "But in the back of my mind I always expected to be here."

Located in Fairfield, Connecticut, Sacred Heart plays in the Northeast Conference and went 7-4 this season. The program has a roster filled with players from up and down the East Coast. 

Beau said an assistant coach with the Pioneers came to Central York to meet with him this past Friday. With it being so early in his recruitment process, the freshman hasn't had a chance to look at many schools. 

Still, it's pretty likely interest in the 15-year-old will only grow over the next three years. 

"He has an upside unlike any quarterback I've worked with," Central York coach Josh Oswalt said. "He's so big and athletic for his age, his ceiling is so high.

"We had lofty expectations for him this year, but he was still doing some crazy things on the field."

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Those crazy things came at a position Pribula had never played before this year. With his brother starting at quarterback, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound freshman started at wide receiver and safety for the Panthers this season.

He missed two games with a hamstring injury but still finished with 16 catches for 315 yards and four receiving touchdowns. He also registered 39 tackles and one interception on defense. 

"At first I was kind of intimidated," Pribula, who played for the freshman team as an eighth grader, said. "But I was already bigger than more than half of those guys, and I realized I could compete with them."

While Pribula proved himself to be a dangerous deep threat almost immediately, the Panthers were clear from the beginning that his future was at quarterback, the position he had played his entire life. 

As talented as he is, Pribula will have big shoes to fill next season. 

His older brother finished his career as arguably the best quarterback to come out of York County. Cade Pribula completed 63 percent of his passes for 2,866 yards, 31 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season, becoming York County's all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns. 

"He's had a really huge effect on me," Beau said of his brother. "He's the best quarterback coach I've had."

While the two players share a last name, there are differences in their playing styles. Cade is an elusive scrambler with a cannon of an arm, but he lacks the size and raw athleticism of his brother. 

Cade never shied away from those truths, admitting throughout his sterling senior year that Beau would likely end up the better player. 

"It puts a lot of pressure on me when he says that, but I embrace it because he's a Division I player," Beau said. "He pretends it doesn't bother him that I'm taller, but I know he's jealous."

Added Oswalt: "Cade is the smartest QB I've ever worked with in terms of breaking down Xs and Os, but he had to be because he's 6-feet tall. Beau has more speed and Cade will be the first to admit that." 

Beau did get a few cameos under center this season, most notably when his brother was knocked out early in the regular-season finale against York High. Though the Panthers were overwhelmed in a 54-14 loss, Beau showed his talent by completing two long passes and rushing for a 20-yard touchdown. 

Beau also finished the team's playoff loss to Central Dauphin at quarterback. 

"We got our teeth kicked in, but it was good to get thrown into the fire in a tough situation like that," Pribula said. 

Beau, who also plays basketball, has attended quarterback camps at Penn State and the University of Pittsburgh. He said those appearances, along with film from his eighth-grade season, has helped grab the attention of college coaches. 

As the hype around him continues to grow, Pribula said he's doing everything he can to focus on getting better. 

"It is a lot of attention, but people have always known me for being good at sports," he said. "I've got three years to get better and I need to keep doing what I've been doing. Working to get bigger and better and stronger."