Anthony Caccese-Exeter

There are some things in sports that you can’t teach. You either have it or you don’t. Size is one of those things. Measurables are very important when it comes to getting noticed by Division I football programs. Anthony Caccese has the frame that college coaches love to see. The rising senior at Exeter has received a lot of attention this summer. The 6’6, 270-pound offensive tackle has more than twenty Division I offers. Caccese would like to be around 285 pounds before he heads off to college. He expects to add more weight there. The second team all-county OT told me that he wants to announce where he’s attending before the high school football season gets underway. His offers include Yale, Columbia, Cornell, Colgate, and Lafayette. A quality education is something that Caccese values. He said, “I don’t want to just go to school and play football. I want to go to school and come out with a good degree that means something. It’s definitely important.” Caccese attended camps last month at Penn State and Maryland. His athleticism stood out to the coaches, but he knows that he needs to improve his flexibility and strength. Caccese helped to open holes for Eric Nangle last year. The all-state RB selection in Class 5A ran for 1,824 yards and 21 touchdowns. The (10-4) Eagles averaged 38 points and 387 yards per game. They claimed the first District 3 football championship in school history by upsetting #1 seed Gov. Mifflin 31-28. The Eagles had lost to the Mustangs 54-21 in the regular season. Caccese admitted that he still watches the film of the District 3 Final often. Fifteen seniors, including record-setting quarterback Colin Payne, have moved on from that memorable team. However, Caccese still has extremely high expectations for the 2022 season. Exeter will be part of Section 2 of the new Lancaster-Lebanon League along with Gov. Mifflin, Manheim Central, Warwick, Lebanon, Conestoga Valley, and Muhlenberg. Caccese acknowledged that he’ll miss playing Berks Catholic. Joey Schlaffer, one of Caccese’s best friends, will once again be a focal point of the Eagles’ offense. The PSU commit piled up 48 catches for 834 yards last year. Schlaffer finished second in Berks County with 9 TD receptions. Don’t be surprised if the 6’6 tight end makes the transition to quarterback. Exeter will open the season versus rival Daniel Boone. Caccese mentioned that he would prefer not to enroll in college early because he really enjoys playing basketball. “I think I could have a great year and I want to improve at that too. I want to win. I want to get in the playoffs and do something big on the basketball court.” Caccese contributed nearly 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks per contest as a junior while shooting 54% from the field. He poured in a career-high 19 points at Wilson in the Berks County quarterfinals. He also grabbed 13 boards in that 55-51 victory. The Eagles qualified for the state tournament for the first time since 1999. They gave Chester all the Clippers could handle in the opening round before falling 61-52. Caccese had a monster night with 16 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks. He was in double digits in six of Exeter’s last seven games. We had some fun talking about his nickname “Cheese.” I also learned that Caccese is a fan of “Stranger Things.” He revealed what show he’s waiting to watch next. Meanwhile, several college football coaches are waiting to see where the soft-spoken OT from Reiffton decides to continue his education.