Senior San Benito High School football players Jacob Buzzetta
and Nick Bailey were selected as Scholar Athletes for 2004 for
their outstanding academic, athletic and leadership
accomplishments.
Buzzetta received a $1,000 scholarship, and Bailey received a
$500 scholarship as runner-up.
Senior San Benito High School football players Jacob Buzzetta and Nick Bailey were selected as Scholar Athletes for 2004 for their outstanding academic, athletic and leadership accomplishments.
Buzzetta received a $1,000 scholarship, and Bailey received a $500 scholarship as runner-up.
“They are great students in the classroom and are great role models for our younger players,” said Baler football coach Chris Cameron. “They worked very hard in off-season, and it shows on the field.”
The scholarships were awarded by the Central California Chapter of the National Football Foundation.
“They are both well deserving,” said Mark Risley, the president of the chapter. “It was tough making the decision for the No. 1 and No. 2 scholastically. They are both solid, good football players and good citizens.”
To receive the scholarship, athletes are required to maintain at least a 3.2 GPA and have to be seniors. Each school can submit four choices.
A black-tie awards banquet, open to the public, will be held to honor all of the Scholar Athletes and runner-up Scholar Athletes on April 7 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Monterey.
“It is a big honor to be honored with all the kids on the teams in league,” said Buzzetta, who serves on the Associated Student Body at the high school. “Nick and I go way back. There is a lot of history between us.”
The two buddies started playing football on the Pop Warner team when they were in sixth grade and have been playing ever since.
“This year was great playing together even though we were on different sides of the ball,” Bailey said. “It was cool to finish off with him. It is fun to be with all the other football players as well.”
Bailey is the president of the Economics Club at the high school and says he may study the subject in college, although he is still not sure where he wants to go. Buzzetta is thinking about University of California, Davis and says he may major in business administration.
Both athletes were selected as First Team All-League players. Buzzetta was the team’s defensive MVP for controlling the secondary, while Bailey was the team’s offensive MVP for his dominance at running back.
“They are very smart on the field,” Cameron said. “They understand not only their position on the field, but they also understand the whole scheme on the field. Both are very intelligent kids who learn very well. And that makes them better players. It makes them much more flexible and helps them to make changes in the heat of the moment.”
The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame was founded to promote American football at all levels of competition as an integral and vital segment of our educational processes, and to establish the proper incentives and ideals for American youth consistent with high standards of sportsmanship among the players.
The Central California Chapter is second in the total amount of scholarships given throughout the United States. Since 1974, the Chapter has honored more than 300 scholar-athletes with awards in excess of $400,000. Several recipients have become NFL professional players.
2004 Scholar Athletes
Travis Bell (North Monterey County High School)
Jacob Buzzetta (San Benito County High School)
Andrew R. Chacon (Salinas High School)
Stuart Dong (Pacific Grove High School)
Robert Garcia (North Salinas High School)
Anthony Gonzalez (Everett Alvarez High School)
Pat Johnston (Carmel High School)
Allan Kellogg (Robert Louis Stevenson School)
Seth Masters (King City High School)
Jamael Quimby (Monterey High School)
Jose Rico (Alisal High School)
John Rivera (Seaside High School)
Ed Taylor (Palma High School)
Joel Tuosto (Greenfield High School)
2004 Scholar Athletes Runners-Up
Nick Bailey (San Benito County High School)
Craig Borba (Palma High School)
Jack Britton (Robert Louis Stevenson School)
Ibraham Garfey (Alisal High School)
Anthony Martinez (Everett Alvarez High School)
Ivan Orta (North Monterey County High School)
Luis Pelayo (North Salinas High School)
Brent Thomson (Carmel High School)
