The Pitt commit accrued 49 tackles for losses and 21 sacks in 2021
Pitt commit Sean FitzSimmons was recently named the WPIAL 3A Player of the Year by KDKA after a standout season at Central Valley High School. The defensive lineman put on an incredible performance for the Warriors and helped lead his team to its second straight PIAA state championship in 2021.
The 6’3”, 280-pound defensive lineman was a disruptive presence on the Central Valley defensive line who found his way into opposing backfields with staggering frequency in 2021. All told, he accrued 123 total tackles, including 49 tackles for losses and 21 sacks, and 85 quarterback hurries as Central Valley went undefeated in 15 games and won a state title. The outstanding season brought the future Panther’s career totals up to 448 tackles, 124 tackles for losses and 46 sacks.
Since the conclusion of his phenomenal senior year, FitzSimmons has racked up a variety of accolades. Back in January, he was named the Player of the Year by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He also earned first-team Small Town All-America honors from MaxPreps, a spot on the PennLive All-Pennsylvania team and all-state honors from the Pennsylvania Football Writers.
FitzSimmons, a consensus three-star recruit in the 2022 class, is set to join the Panthers in the coming months. At Pitt, FitzSimmons will join a position group loaded with former WPIAL and City League stars, such as Devin Danielson, Elliot Donald, Dorien Ford, David Green and Dayon Hayes. He will also join a Pitt defense that has ranked among the top three teams in the nation in sacks and tackles for losses over the last two years, and given his ability to get into the backfield and make plays, he could soon help the team extend that streak.