2024 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Fort Cherry's Matt Sieg

So what does one do for an encore after rushing for 4,371 yards and passing for 2,891 yards with a WPIAL championship and a PIAA runner-up trophy in his first two high school football seasons?

For Fort Cherry junior quarterback Matt Sieg, the foundation is strong as he hopes to continue building on a great high school career.

“Matt is the type of kid that is always going to try to find ways to improve upon what he’s already accomplished,” Fort Cherry coach Tanner Garry said. “But truly, we just need him to continue being a leader on and off the field and always lead by example. When you have a kid that plays at the caliber he does that also does all the little things right, it trickles to the rest of the players on the team.”

The leadership of Sieg and its trickle-down effect has been on display in the months leading up to the 2024 season.

“The team and I have continued to get in the weight room and push ourselves at workouts for the upcoming season,” Sieg said. “We’re excited for the season and chase for another championship season.”

The Rangers quarterback was named Trib HSSN Class A player of the year last fall after helping the team win its first district crown, and then suffer its only loss of the season in the state championship game to conclude a 15-1 campaign.

Sieg connected on 86 of 158 passes for 1,670 yards and 20 touchdowns last fall. He also led the Rangers in rushing with a mind-numbing 9.4 yards per carry as he carried the ball 255 times for 2,389 yards and 43 touchdowns.

He led the WPIAL in rushing and scoring.

“I’ve never seen anyone be able to put together two seasons the way Matt has,” Garry said. “To do what he’s done, not only in two years, but as a freshman and a sophomore, is extremely impressive. Even putting the statistics aside, helping our school win its first ever WPIAL championship is an incredible accomplishment.”

However, the junior is hardly resting on his laurels.

“I’ve gained a good amount of weight from lifting,” Sieg said. “I’ve also been focusing on speed training with my dad this offseason.”

Even though he is only halfway through his scholastic career, Many Division I colleges have taken notice as Sieg has 14 offers, including Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia.

“The recruiting process has been going well,” Sieg said. “I’m just trying to enjoy it while it lasts.”

While Sieg is considered a running quarterback, he has worked hard this offseason on his passing skills.

“I would like to continue to get better with my reads and progressions,” he said.

With individual success comes team success, as Fort Cherry proved a year ago in winning the Black Hills Conference and the WPIAL before finishing second in the state to Steelton-Highspire.

“We just need to buy into what coaches put out for us,” Sieg said. “We can always count on them to put together good schemes and game plans, so it’s up to us to buy in and work every day to get ready.”

Now the Fort Cherry coaches must also prepare them for something this program has never faced before: taking the field in defense of a WPIAL championship.

“Obviously, this upcoming season is uncharted territory for us after winning our first-ever WPIAL championship,” Garry said. “We’re just going to continue to preach the things that are important to our program and let the kids focus on one game at a time.”

Matt Sieg

Fort Cherry

Junior

6-foot/180 pounds

Quarterback/free safety

Stars: 4

Offers: Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Robert Morris, Akron, Buffalo, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Rutgers, Southern Cal, Syracuse, Wisconsin.

2023 stats: Completed 86 of 158 passes for 1,670 yards and 20 touchdowns. Also the leading rusher for Fort Cherry with 255 carries for 2,389 yards. Led the Rangers in scoring with 43 touchdowns. He is the No. 5 player in the state from the Class of 2026 according to Rivals.com

Tags: Fort Cherry