NAME: Chris Bleich
SCHOOL: Wyoming Valley West
LAST SEASON: 2017
POSITIONS: OL/DL
Chris Bleich brought a combination of size and athleticism to the Wyoming Valley West program that left a lasting impression. The Spartans focused their running game behind the 6’6, 300 pound offensive lineman and that produced 260 rushing yards per game leading Valley West to a state playoff game. Bleich was also a force on the defensive side of the ball posting 89 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
Bleich was NPF 2017 Wyoming Valley Conference Big School Lineman of the Year and garnered a first-team offensive line spot and also a second-team defensive line. He was also first-team offensive line in 2016. Bleich was named an NPF All-District 2 offensive lineman in 2016 and 2017. He was named an all-state offensive lineman by the Pennsylvania Football Writers in both 2016 and 2017 as well as a first-team all-state offensive lineman by the Pennsylvania Football News in both this years. His senior season, he was named Pennsylvania Football News Class 5A Lineman of the Year. Bleich was named a first-team offensive lineman by EasternPaFootball.com in 2016 and 2017. He continued his football career at Division I-FBS University of Florida wher he started 9 games on the offensive line. Bleich has transferred to Division I-FBS Syracuse University where he is a projected starter for the Orange.
Former Wyoming Valley West coach Pat Keating on Bleich: “When Chris entered our program in junior high he was a big strong kid who was very raw as a football player. It was very obvious at that time how much potential Chris actually had. He said at a young age he wanted to be the best he could be at his position, and to his credit, the drive, determination, and work ethic he put into his development made him one of the best players in the country by the time he was a senior. On any given Friday night for a high school offensive linemen to have 1 of 2 pancake blocks is a great job. Chris averaged 8 pancake blocks per game his junior and senior years. He’s the most physically dominant high school offensive lineman I’ve been around.”
