"The Mad Hungarian" a future Zip?

[Captain Kangaroo]

SSA football players of the year : Grant Hrabovsky

By Dave Schrecengost

VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH

Thursday, November 18, 2004

At 6-feet-3 and 285 pounds, Grant Hrabovsky makes a big impression on people.

"A lineman my size at Shady Side Academy stands out," Hrabovsky said. "I outweigh all the other linemen on my team except one by at least 50 pounds."

While Hrabovsky's size caught people's attention, it was his play on the football field that really turned heads.

A dominant two-way lineman who started at nose guard and offensive tackle, Hrabovsky was a force on both sides of the football for Shady Side.

"(Hrabovsky) was one of our biggest question marks coming into this year, but he really showed he could play at the next level," Shady Side coach Dave Havern said. "He did everything we asked. By the end of the season, everybody was running away from him and double-teaming him, but he still kept making plays."

Hrabovsky, The Herald's choice as Shady Side's Football Player of the Year, put up some impressive numbers on defense.

He recorded a team-high 53 tackles, including 16 for loss, had six quarterback sacks and forced four fumbles.

"He made a lot of tackles, and six sacks -- that's a hell of a number for a noseguard," Havern said. "As big and strong as he is, he had an incredible bull rush, but he could move really well laterally, too."

Hrabovsky spent countless hours in the weight room during the off-season, dropping a few pounds while adding muscle. He set team records in the bench press (385 pounds), deadlift (510) and squat (605).

There aren't many players with Hrabovsky's combination of size and strength playing at Class AA schools in the WPIAL.

Those attributes also make Hrabovsky, who lives in Fox Chapel, attractive to college scouts. Division I Akron and a slew of smaller schools have been recruiting him.

"People at the next level are going to like him," Havern said. "He's still raw, but he has a a good mind for football, and he could probably put on another 30 pounds. He has the frame where he could go up to about 310 (pounds)."

Hrabovsky's leadership on and off the field were needed during Shady Side's 3-6 season.

"I wish we could have won some more games," Hrabovsky said. "I'm just happy that we played our best."

Havern says the graduation of Hrabovsky will leave a huge hole in Shady Side's program.

"He was a great mentor for some of our younger linemen," Havern said. "We had nine great seniors, but he'll be the hardest to replace because of his size, strength and durability."