Downingtown East's Bryce Lauletta continues a family tradition

As the third person in his family to play quarterback for Downingtown East, Bryce Lauletta often gets compared to his brothers.

"A lot of people say that my style is kind of a mix of Trey's and Kyle's," the 17-year-old said. "Trey was a smart pocket passer. Kyle is very athletic and has a strong arm."

Trey Lauletta, 24, threw for 5,225 yards and 55 touchdowns as a three-year starter for the Cougars and went on to play at Bucknell.

Kyle Lauletta, 22, was a two-year starter. In 2012, he passed for 2,307 yards and 27 scores while leading the squad to 10-1 mark and the Ches-Mont League National Division title.

Kyle Lauletta begins his third season as Richmond's starter against Sam Houston State on Friday night at Baylor. He ranks fourth in program history with 6,728 yards passing, fifth with 6,824 yards of total offense, and fourth with 45 passing touchdowns.

Bryce Lauletta took over under center last year and threw for 1,725 yards and 17 touchdowns as Downingtown East went 9-3 and reached the PIAA District 1 Class 6A quarterfinals.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior and the 1-0 Cougars, ranked No. 7 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by the Inquirer, host No. 5 North Penn (0-1) in a nonleague game at 7 p.m. Friday at Kottmeyer Stadium.

Of the Lauletta trio, Downingtown East coach Mike Matta said, "They're all off the charts when it comes to their leadership skills."

Bryce Lauletta threw a pair of touchdown passes as the visiting Cougars blasted Plymouth Whitemarsh, 47-6, in last week's season opener.

Like his brothers, Bryce was meant to play QB. The boys' father, Joe, and uncle, Lex, both played QB at West Chester Henderson. They continued their football careers at Navy, where Joe was a QB and Lex a punter.

"I started out as a linebacker, but then I also began playing quarterback in fifth or sixth grade," said Bryce, whose other uncle, Lance, played football (linebacker) and lacrosse at Henderson and Bucknell.

Lauletta showed his grit last season while playing through a pair of injuries. He suffered a knee injury in the opener and wore a brace for precautionary reasons the rest of the way. Later, he tore a ligament in one of the fingers of his throwing hand.

"He's tough. He's a student of the game, and he's got the respect of the guys around him," Matta said.

Lauletta, who played youth football for the Marsh Creek Eagles, and his father still play catch in the backyard of the family's Exton home.

"He's taught me everything I know," Bryce said.

Lauletta, a midfielder in lacrosse, spreads the ball among receivers Jack Riley, Albert Choi, and Stephen Long, tight end Connor Noble, and fullback Spencer Umberger.

Lauletta is a high achiever in the classroom, too. He has a 4.3 grade point average on a weighted scale, has scored 1,450 on the Scholastic Assessment Test, and is enrolled in four advanced placement classes.

His other sibling, Brooke, is a sophomore at Downingtown East. She plays lacrosse and volleyball.

A golf enthusiast like his brothers and father, Lauletta attended offseason football camps at Columbia, Dartmouth, Penn, and Princeton. He plans to major in business in college.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE

No. 5 North Penn Knights (0-1) at Downingtown East Cougars (1-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Last year. In Week 2, with one of Justis Henley's six catches going for a score, North Penn topped Downingtown East, 23-7, at Crawford Stadium.

Rebound mode. The Knights are looking to bounce back from last Friday's 41-28 home loss to La Salle. They gave up 225 rushing yards and 144 passing.

Speedster. East's Brassir Stocker, a swift halfback and cornerback, has scholarship offers from Bowling Green, Holy Cross, and Temple, among others.

Ground game. North Penn leans on running backs Khan Jamal and Xzavier Gorski. Henley, a multipurpose threat, is dangerous when used as a Wildcat-formation quarterback.

Run stuffers. The Cougars' defense is led up front by ends Connor Munnelly and Nica Hesel and tackle Joey Janick.

Stalwart. The Knights' Owen Thomas, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior tight end and linebacker, has committed to Villanova.

Pick. Downingtown East, 26-17.