Pius X's A.J. Long is staying put with the Royals

FROM KEITH GROLLER

A couple of days ago we mentioned Pius X's 2012 schedule and also said we wondered who would be quarterbacking the 2012 Royals.

Well, wonder no more.

Coach Phil Stambaugh said Saturday his record-breaking quarterback A.J. Long, who will be a junior next season, is going nowhwere.

Despite rampant rumors that have circulated through the Lehigh Valley football community for months about Long transferring to a bigger school, most notably in the Lehigh Valley Conference where some talented quarterbacks are graduating, Stambaugh said: "It's all fabrication. People have been talking about A.J. transferring for two years since he got here and it's not true.

"A.J. is the one I care about and he is affected by this. Neither he nor his father have ever given me any indication that they would be leaving. I just talked to his father and he said he's going nowhere. We know about the rumors, but they're just not true. I don't even ask about it anymore."

And frankly, that's good news because transfers are tainting high school sports and putting schools and administrators -- not to mention District 11 and PIAA officials -- in difficult positions. Transfers for athletic reasons -- and let's face it, that's what almost all of these transfers are about -- are supposed to be against the PIAA rules, and yet, so many have been able to beat the system to service their own needs.

Long has a chance to put up some of the most staggering numbers we've ever seen in local football and I can't imagine him flourishing with any program more than he would by continuing to play in Stambaugh's creative, wide-open offense.

Through just two seasons in Roseto, Long has thrown for 6,547 yards and 73 touchdowns with a 66.5 percent completion percentage. He also has rushed for 1,286 yards and 21 more scores.

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/