JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com
Manheim Township standout kicker has accepted an offer from Penn State to be a preferred walk-on. He’ll battle for the Nittany Lions’ starting job next year after rising senior Kevin Kelly moves on.
The most decorated kicker in the history of Lancaster County prep football has made his college decision.
Manheim Township senior David Soldner is headed to Penn State, where he has accepted the Nittany Lions’ offer to be a preferred walk-on.
Soldner made the announcement this morning at a signing ceremony in the school’s overflowing Convocation Hall.
“I’m excited to be going to Penn State,” Soldner said. “I’ve always wanted to kick at a big school — especially at a place like Penn State.”
Soldner picked Penn State over Temple and William & Mary, and he said he had a scholarship offer from Maine.
He phoned Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary on Tuesday to let the Nittany Lions’ staff know he was accepting their offer to be a preferred walk-on.
Soldner is the second Lancaster County kicker to accept preferred walk-on status at a major Division I university in the last month.
Manheim Central senior Justin Myer is headed to Virginia Tech to try and earn a starting spot with the Hokies.
Soldner is expected to battle for the starting job once Penn State rising senior Kevin Kelly moves on after next season.
“After he leaves, it’s open,” Soldner said. “I’m excited to be able to get a chance to compete for the job.”
“Kelly will be back next season, but this time next year I think David will be battling for the starting job,” Township coach Mike Melnyk said. “You can’t ask for a better opportunity than that.
“It’s hard to get a scholarship for kickers because programs want one kicker on scholarship, and that’s the guy there.
“If David is there, and if he gets the starting job, he’s going to get that scholarship.”
Soldner said he was pleased with the direction Penn State’s program is heading — and that he’s anxious to play under coach Joe Paterno, regardless of how much longer the veteran coach stays in Happy Valley.
“They have a solid coaching staff, and I think the program is definitely headed in the right direction,” said Soldner, who would like to study international business, and then move on to law school.
“It’ll be a great experience to be coached by Joe Paterno. I can’t wait.”
Soldner’s resume is astounding.
The two-time Associated Press Quad-A First-Team All-State selection holds every kicking record in Township’s books — and he owns a couple of state records to boot.
Soldner is Pennsylvania’s all-time leader in kicking points (235, breaking Kelly’s record, ironically), field goals (tied for first with 35), field goals in a season (20 — last fall) and extra point percentage (130-of-136 for 96.5 percent).
He also holds school records for, among others, career field goals, career extra points, points in a season, points in a game, field goals in a season and extra points in a season.
The list is staggering.
Soldner also booted a school-record 50-yard field goal in the Streaks’ victory over Reading last fall, when he connected on 20-of-24 field goals and 38-of-40 extra points, helping Township win its first outright Section 1 championship since 1977.
The Streaks went on to reach the District 3/6 Quad-A semifinals for the first time in school history, before bowing out to Governor Mifflin and finishing the season 11-2 overall.
In Township’s first meeting with Governor Mifflin earlier in the season, Soldner booted a field goal late in the fourth quarter to force overtime, and then won it with another field goal on the Streaks’ second OT possession.
Soldner, who was a USA Today All-American selection after his junior season, was recently selected to play for Pennsylvania’s team in the prestigious Big 33 Game against Ohio’s top stars, set for June 16 in Hersheypark Stadium.
It will mark the 50th anniversary of the game.
