Top-Tier Player Series: Everyone is Seeing Cade Yacamelli Work Hard

In the month of June, Cade Yacamelli stands on the University of Wisconsin football logo at Camp Randall Stadium located in Madison, Wisconsin.

SOURCE: (Twitter, @cyacamelli)

One in a series on motivated high school football players in the WPIAL and City League.

It seems like every single year the WPIAL continues to produce can’t-miss football prospects that end up playing big time ball at the Division I level. And one of the top prospects from the Class of 2022 is Penn-Trafford’s Cade Yacamelli.

Cade has played a vital role for the Warriors playing wide receiver, running back, and defensive back. Since Cade has started on the team since 2019, his Warriors have made it to the WPIAL football playoffs for the past two years while posting an overall record of 17-4 (.810).

In an alternate universe, Cade could have been a Division I prospect in another sport besides football. Looking at him, he looks so athletic and strong that he could have been a multi-sport athlete in high school. He played basketball and baseball when he was younger, but football was a passion that he started to have, and he just ran with it.

“When I was younger my father signed me up for football, basketball, and baseball. However, there was something about football when I played it. I just fell in love with it, and I knew it was my sport,” said Yacamelli, who recorded 1,222 purpose yards in 2020.

In the past year, his recruitment skyrocketed as he received over a dozen of NCAA Division I football offers. However, after he attended a football camp at the University of Wisconsin in early June, he received an offer from the Badgers, and committed to the school a couple of weeks later on June 21.

“The people…. the coaches, the players, and the fan base made it feel like my perfect fit,” Yacamelli said. “I love the culture. It is a family atmosphere and even though it is far away, there are a lot of ties to Pittsburgh.”

Wisconsin’s head football coach is Paul Chryst, and he used to be the head football coach for the Pittsburgh Panthers (2012-14). If Chryst was still head coach for the Panthers, Cade might have gotten an offer from Pitt.

“My teammates, close friends, and coaches were genuinely excited for me,” Yacamelli said. “My head coach (John Ruane) even sent me the “jump around” video of Wisconsin when I was waiting for our plane at the airport after I told him I got it.”

Bill Nichol is the owner of Outer Limits Athletic Performance located in Valencia, PA. Cade has worked out with Bill with a good bit, and he deserves some credit for turning Cade into the athlete that he is. Cade does not know what position he will play at Wisconsin, but whatever he decides, he will find a way to play well at his position as Bill thinks the Badgers are getting a stud athlete.

“Cade Yacamelli is a powerhouse athlete. His hard work and dedication during training and on the football field is something to be admired,” Nichol said. “He is a great student and is eager to learn. He asks meaningful questions to have a deeper understanding of the science behind his training. He is respectful, humble, and always strives to improve and challenge himself. He remains focused on his goals and will no doubt give 110% on the field and in the classroom. Wisconsin scored big when Cade committed.”

The commitment that Cade made to Wisconsin has put Penn-Trafford on the map in WPIAL 5A as serious contenders. There is no doubt that opposing teams will pay closer attention to Yacamelli because of his explosiveness and his ability to take over and win games. With Cade’s skill-level, work production, and success at the high school level, he has made Warriors football more interesting to watch and many people will be interested to see what he can do in his senior year. People love watching him play as he can be considered a piece of ‘eye candy’.

John Robbins graduated from Penn-Trafford in 2020 and is currently a college lacrosse player at Thiel College. While in high school, Robbins announced some Warriors football games when Yacamelli was playing. The way that Cade plays football left a good impression on Robbins as he thinks other football players at Penn-Trafford will play at the Division I level in the future because of the idea that he thinks other players will follow in Cade’s footsteps of hard work and determination.

“Cade is just a pure athlete. He’s fast, he can jump, he can power through players, if need be, and he can stop and start on a dime,” Robbins said. “He is insanely fun to watch and he’s just an amazing athletic player. Penn-Trafford has had their fair share of athletic players over the years, but Cade just took it to a whole new level.”

Cade’s grandfather played football at University of Maryland and California University of Pennsylvania while his father played college football at Indiana University of Pennsylvania under legendary head coach Frank Cignetti Sr. So, it is not a surprise that Cade is playing college football because of the idea that it runs in his family. It would also not be surprising if his grandfather, and father gave Cade a lot of advice on how to be a good player and good teammate. Cade’s hard work and energy has not only been recognized by college recruiters, but by his own teammates as well such as Chris Popovich, who graduated from Penn-Trafford this past May.

"We’ve been friends and teammates since we were four or five years old,” Popovich said. “While I played with him in my high school career, he brought high energy, was hard working, and was one of the most determined players on our team. He constantly put in extra work outside of team practices and workouts and it showed on the field. I think that is why he was able to have such an impact for us so early on in his high school career. He is just a great person on the gridiron as well as in the classroom."

It can be said that Yacamelli enjoys being a Warrior as he wants to see him, and all of his teammates play at the highest level. He has never had that feeling of winning WPIAL or PIAA titles, but there is no doubt that he wants to have that experience before he graduates high school. And, if he does ever have that experience, he will be living that moment with his teammates that he enjoys being around.

“My Penn Trafford teammates are all great guys, great teammates, and we are one great family," Yacamelli said. "We all believe in each other and want to be the best. I am just going to continue to push myself and my teammates to achieve our goals.”

Brentaro Yamane: bkyamane@gmail.com and Twitter/Instagram @BYHilton13