Petito Earns State Heisman Honor

Petito Earns State Heisman Honor
petito

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur standout student-athlete Jillian Petito this week was named a state winner for Maryland in the Wendy’s High School Heisman Program.

Petito, a three-sport standout at Decatur who plays soccer, basketball and lacrosse, was named this week as the female representative for Maryland and one of two winners from the state for the prestigious honor. Patrick Cha of Bethesda- Chevy Chase High in Montgomery County was the other state finalist from Maryland.

Petito joins Cha as the two state winners from Maryland. Thousands of high school senior student-athletes from around the country applied for the annual award and the list of potential winners was narrowed down this week to 102, or two winners from each state along with the District of Columbia. The state finalists were named on Tuesday and the list of 12 national finalists was released on Wednesday including six males and six females.

Cha was named to the list of 12 national finalists who will be feted with a weekend of festivities in New York City in December during the Heisman Trophy ceremonies for the national collegiate award. The winner will be announced during Heisman Weekend in New York in a ceremony covered by ESPN.

Since 1994, the Wendy’s High School Heisman Program has honored the nation’s top high school senior athletes from all over the country, starting with state lists and then winnowing them down to regional finalists and ultimately national finalists. Petito certainly fits the bill as a three-sport standout at Decatur and this fall led the Seahawks to an unbeaten regular season and a Bayside Conference championship. She is also the point guard on the Decatur varsity basketball team and a standout on the varsity lacrosse team. She has committed to Mount St. Mary’s next year for a lacrosse scholarship. Petito also excels in the classroom and is a member of the National Honor Society and carries a 4.0 in a course load heavy with AP classes. Petito is also very active in the community with involvement in several civic organizations.