MINERSVILLE - Blue Mountain's All-State placekicker Christian Puzzi was named the 2016 Schuylkill County Football Scholar-Athlete during the Schuylkill Chapter No. 25 of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame's 55th annual scholar-athlete banquet Sunday at Hillcrest Hall.

Puzzi received offers from several Division I schools and an appointment from the United States Military Academy at West Point, but will attend Colgate University to further his football career and study economics.He made 36 of 38 extra point attempts and converted four of eight field goal tries this past fall, the longest being 39 yards.He received $1,000 and a $1,000 scholarship from the James J. and Mary Edith Rhoades Charitable Foundation, a trophy, a plaque, a blazer and a football autographed by all 14 scholar athletes and the committee.Academically, he is seventh in a class of 207 students and a member of the National Honor Society, Science Honor Society, English Honor Society, History Honor Society and the Phi Sigma Honor Society.He was a first-team All-County selection and first team Schuylkill County Football Coaches Dream Team selection as a placekicker. Puzzi was also an honorable mention selection to the Pennsylvania Football News Team. He also participated in the Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association North-South All-Star game.Puzzo lettered in football, soccer, basketball and baseball at Blue Mountain.An honor student, he is a member of the National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, English National Honor Society, Social Studies Honor Society and the Phi Sigma Honor Society.Local scholar athletes honored were Peter Dubravski of Marian, who will major in biology at Dickinson College, Nate Miller of Panther Valley, who will major in risk management at Penn State and Jake Marcolla of Tamaqua, who plans to major in mechanical engineering at Penn State or Wilkes.The Schuylkill County Commissioners presented trophies to Marian for winning the District 11 Class A championship, Tri-Valley for finishing as the District 11 Class A runnerup, and Schuylkill Haven for winning the Eastern Conference Class I championship.Pine Grove Principal Michael Janacelli had the honor of speaking on "An Educator's View of a Scholar-Athlete" since Scott Werner of the Cardinals won the award last year.Aimee Hall of Tamaqua sang the National Anthem and God Bless America.