A man for all seasons
Patridge was a state champ in basketball, an all-league catcher in baseball and all over the field for CCHS football
Griffin Patridge barely comes off the field during the course of an Allentown Central Catholic. football game.
He’s a wide receiver on offense, an outside linebacker on defense and a punt and kick returner on special teams. Does Patridge ever want a break? “Not really,” the Vikings junior said. “I’m used to always going, going, and going.”
And that’s Patridge’s general approach to his high school career. When he’s done with football, he’ll go immediately to basketball where he helped the Vikings win the PIAA Class 4A title last March. When that season’s over, he puts on the mask and shinguards and gets behind the plate for the Central baseball team where he was an all-league, all-area and Carpenter Cup catcher last spring.
He’s a man for all seasons and besides being one of the area’s busiest and most successful athletes, he’s also a top-notch student taking honors courses and earning good grades with a better than 90 percent average in all classes.
“I just focus on what sport I’m in during that season,” Patridge said of his approach. “I just try to work as hard as I can and do what I can for the team. Toward the end of one season, I know I have to start getting ready for the next season while still focusing on the season I’m in. In the summer I try to work on all three because that’s the best time to do that. But right now while I am playing football, I’m only focused on football.”
Patridge said he has played multiple sports his entire life. In fact, when he was younger he also mixed in some soccer and lacrosse.
“I’m the youngest of three brothers and I grew up watching them play sports or with my dad when he was coaching them,” Patridge said. “So, I grew up around sports and have loved sports my whole life. I love playing all three sports at Central.”
Patridge credits his father, Douglas, and mother, Michelle, for coaching him and helping him navigate all of the things that go into playing just one sport.
His brothers, Jake, 23, and Cameron, 20, have also been influential. His oldest brother played baseball at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Cameron Patridge played soccer and tennis at CCHS and is now a student at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.
Griffin Patridge grew up playing CYO basketball for St. Thomas More and played for South Parkland youth teams in football and basketball. He played baseball for Schnecksville.
“I really don’t have a favorite,” he said. “But if I had to choose one sport I guess it would be baseball just because it has always been in our family through my dad coaching us. That’s the one sport we always talk about throughout the year, but I really like all three.”
Vikings football coach Tim MGorry is thankful Patridge enjoys his sport.
“The hardest thing today with a lot of kids is learning how to compete, but because Griff competes all-year-round he doesn’t have to turn it on for a Friday or Saturday night because he’s doing it all year long,” McGorry said. “It’s important in this day and age when it’s all about AAU and club sports and we even have a lot of 7-on-7 stuff in football that’s a joke and doesn’t help kids. Griff plays three main sports at Central Catholic and competes at a high level.”
McGorry said Patridge makes every team he’s on better because he knows how to compete.
“He’s so versatile and he’s easily adaptable to any situation,” McGorry added. “We move him around on both sides of the ball and he does a lot of different things for us. He’s a good leader. He’s not a super vocal kid, but being voted a captain as a junior says a lot. He leads by example through how he plays and practices. He rarely ever comes out of a game.”
Patridge said he has just begun the process of sorting out his college future and will look for the best opportunity any of the sports provides along with an academic program that best suits him.
At the moment, he’s much more focused on the District 11 Class 4A playoffs, which begin Friday night when the third-seeded Vikings travel to Pottsville. It’s a rematch of the 2019 district finals won by the Tide, 34-7.
“I was a freshman on that team and it was a tough loss,” he said. “But right now, we’re focused on this year and we’ve been coming together and have really started to develop a running game. We’re focusing on getting better each day and we know it’s going to be a tough battle with Pottsville because they’re tough, physical, hard-working kids.”
Entering last week’s game against Bethlehem Catholic, Patridge was among team leaders in tackles with 50, including two sacks and eight stops for loss to go along with six pass breakups.
He leads the Vikings with 36 catches for 465 yards and six touchdowns on offense.
When the season ends, and Patridge hopes it’s not until the second weekend of December in Hershey for the state championship, don’t expect him to take a break.
“The great thing at Central is that we have so many multisport athletes and the coaches know that we can’t make everything for each team, but I will be with the basketball team as soon as possible,” Patridge said. “One of the best things about playing three sports is getting to make many more friends and also to work with many more coaches.
“They’re focused on not just making you a better athlete, but also a better person. They help get us ready for the future, not only in sports but also in life.”