Former Bethlehem Catholic receiver Petros finding comfort zone
For his final homecoming game at Moravian University, Nick Petros returned to the position where he found his most comfort in college.
Shifting from outside receiver to slot receiver helped him post his best numbers this season.
Petros scored twice in the second quarter Saturday against Dickinson, first on a 59-yard catch and then on a 22-yard grab, as the Greyhounds raced out to a double-digit lead. They held on for a 21-14 win to end a threegame losing streak.
Petros, a Bethlehem Catholic High School graduate, finished with six catches for 105 yards and those two touchdowns, his first scores this season. The TD grabs moved his career total to 19, a Moravian school record.
Petros’ two scores also helped Moravian tally a season-high 21 points. The Greyhounds hadn’t cracked 20 points during a 1-4 start as their few returning starters on offense, including Petros, worked through growing pains with their less-experienced teammates.
Petros had his own struggles in lining up as an outside receiver. He hopes those are behind him after last week’s breakthrough.
“In high school, I played wideout my entire career … so it’s not that I was completely unfamiliar with it,” Petros said by phone earlier this week. “But the transition from high school to college is pretty big from the knowledge aspect of it. Playing in the slot for three years, I knew what I was doing on every play. I knew all the personnel perfectly. I knew defensive coverages better from the slot, and what the safeties were doing.
“I didn’t have to focus as much
on the corners; it was more about the safeties and linebackers. So when I moved to wideout [this season], it was more corner-oriented. I had to figure out what they were doing with the coverages. The transition … it wasn’t difficult, but it was a different look for me.
“It was nice to have a good game for my last homecoming and break that record,” he added.
With Moravian’s career touchdown receiving record now his, Petros has a chance to claim a couple of other milestones.
His 152 career catches have him eight shy of passing current Moravian recordholder Jalen Snyder-Scipio (159 catches). Snyder-Scipio is a Central Catholic graduate who played on the 2010 PIAA Class 3A championship team that went 16-0.
Petros, who also punts, has more work to do to pass 1990 graduate Mike Howey for the top spot on the Greyhounds’ all-time receiving yardage list. Petros (2,142 career receiving yards) would have to average nearly
140 yards per game in Moravian’s final four games to surpass Howey (2,699).
As nice as owning all the major career receiving records would be for Petros, his top priority is a strong finish for the team. He likes where the Greyhounds are headed.
“I expect us to do well,” Petros said. “I see pretty much every game as winnable. Our defense also is playing very well. Our last game of the season is Muhlenberg on their home field, but I believe that’s winnable, as is
every game.
“Our offense was our weak point earlier in the season. We weren’t clicking as much as we could be. I think we’re finally starting to figure out where to put guys and what plays to run, and that’s helping a lot.”
This week’s games
Muhlenberg (5-1)
Next: Juniata, noon Saturday. Worth noting: The Mules have surrendered just 25 points during their three-game winning streak. … Junior running back Ethan Brader (Palisades) secured his second touchdown grab this season in last week’s win over Johns Hopkins. He also ran nine times for 29 yards. … Quarterback Michael Hnatkowsky needs 94 passing yards this week to reach 2,000 this season.
East Stroudsburg (4-3) Up next: Bloomsburg, 1:05 p.m. Saturday.
Worth noting: The Warriors surrendered a season-high 42 points in their loss last week at West Chester. … Redshirt senior quarterback Jake Cirillo (East Stroudsburg South) threw for a season-high 273 yards against West Chester despite completing only 12 of his 31 passes. … Redshirt sophomore Paul Carreras (Bethlehem Catholic) posted at least six solo tackles for the third time in seven games. Moravian (2-4)
Up next: Ursinus, 1 p.m. Saturday.
Worth noting: Sophomore wide receiver Tim Garlick (Quakertown) had his best game this season, making catches of 31 and 38 yards, in last week’s win over Dickinson. … Senior defensive back Jackson Buskirk (Whitehall) posted 10 tackles and forced a fumble against Dickinson.
Kutztown (6-1)
Up next: at Lock Haven, 2 p.m. Saturday.
Worth noting: Kutztown improved to 4-0 at Andre Reed Stadium with last week’s 20-3 win over Shippensburg. … Redshirt junior linebacker Tyler Whary (Upper Perkiomen) was named the PSAC East defensive athlete of the week after a seven-tackle, two-sack performance against the Raiders. … The Golden Bears carry a 12-game PSAC winning streak into Saturday’s trip to Lock Haven.