Buckhead Student Athletes Choose Colleges on National Signing Day

Staff Report

On Feb. 4, National Signing Day, three Pace Academy student-athletes committed to continue their football careers at the collegiate level. Trevor Cefalu will join the University of Pennsylvania Quakers; Kevin Johnson will play for the University of Richmond Spiders; and Jack Spencer will become a Sewanee Tiger.

Cefalu, a team captain and a wide receiver, was influential in the Knights’ 2014 state-playoff run. He had 44 catches, 558 yards and three touchdowns for the season. In his four years on the varsity football team, he notched 122 catches, 1376 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was All-Region Honorable Mention as a junior.

“Of all the players I’ve been around in my career, I’ve never seen an athlete work as hard as Trevor has to accomplish his goals,” says Knights Head Coach Chris Slade. “He’s totally made himself into the student-athlete that he is today. It’s amazing to see how far he’s come, and I have no doubt that he’ll continue to grow and be successful as an athlete.”

Off the football field, Cefalu is a member of the varsity track and field team and is one of 16 Pace Academy seniors selected for the peer leadership program, through which he advises ninth-grade students. He has served for two years as secretary of the Student Advisory Board and is a member of the Pace Academy Board of Diversity and the Pace Academy Student Support (PASS) leadership team. Cefalu frequently welcomes prospective students and families to Pace Academy as a Pace Ambassador. He also volunteers at several organizations through Pace Academy’s service learning program, works as a counselor for Pace Camp and participates in Knight Capital, an investment club. His junior year, Cefalu received the Columbia University Book Prize and the Jim and Lesley Wheeler Scholar Athlete Award. He is a member of the Cum Laude, Orkin and National Honor societies.

The Knights’ quarterback, Johnson served as a captain during the 2013 and 2014 football seasons. Under his leadership, the team advanced to the 2014 Georgia High School Association’s Class AA Elite Eight – a first in program history. During the Knights’ 2014 season, Johnson threw for 1,653 yards and 17 touchdowns and was named First Team All-Region. Over the course of his Pace Academy career, he threw for 6,677 yards and 77 touchdowns.

Johnson, the Knights’ 2014 Most Valuable Player, was one of two All-Region 5A Offensive Players of the Year in 2013 and was a member of the 2012 All-Region team. He has been the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Player of the Week; ESPN 3, 24/7 Sports 3 and Rivals.com’s Star Quarterback; one of the Neighbor Newspapers’ Super Seven Players; and was ranked No. 88 in Friday Night Football Georgia’s list of the top 100 seniors.

“Kevin understands what it takes to be a top-notch student-athlete,” Slade says. “He works hard at his craft and is mature beyond his years. He has the football IQ to be a great coach one day.”

In addition, Johnson is an ambassador for the New York Warriors Youth Football program and a volunteer quarterback coach for the USA Football Regional Development Camp. Johnson also plays basketball for the Knights and is a member of the track and field team. He received Pace Academy’s Lance and Shield Award.

Spencer, an offensive lineman, played a significant role in the Knights’ success as the team’s center. In 2013, he received the Iron Knight Award, given to the strongest and fastest players on the team. “It’s been fun to watch Jack grow over the years,” Slade says. “He’s continually improved and has become a leader – he’s the poster boy for ‘team player.’ Jack puts his team, working hard and winning above all else.”

Spencer, an Eagle Scout, also plays catcher and first base for the Pace Academy baseball team. He serves as a peer leader, volunteers with the Police Athletic League and founded the Pace Academy chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His junior year, he received the Alumni Scholar Award and the Frank Woodling Community Service Award. He received the Lance and Shield Award as a freshman and the Cara Isdell Service Learning Award as a sophomore. He is active in his church community and has participated in six mission trips in the United States, Nicaragua and Jamaica.

Cefalu, Johnson and Spencer continue a long tradition of strong student-athletes at Pace Academy. Seven of the 107-member Pace Academy Class of 2014 currently participate in college athletics, and two play professional baseball. In November 2014, fellow senior Lauren Hadley committed to play softball at Bucknell University, and senior Harrison Moncino signed a National Letter of Intent to dive for Miami University in Ohio.

Photo 1: On Feb. 4, National Signing Day, three Pace Academy student-athletes committed to continue their football careers at the collegiate level. From left to right: Jack Spencer, Kevin Johnson and Trevor Cefalu.

Photo 2: Members of Pace Academy’s varsity football team celebrated their teammates on National Signing Day.

Photo 3: Pace Academy senior Trevor Cefalu (seated center) will play football for the University of Pennsylvania Quakers. He is pictured with his father, Trey Cefalu (seated left), his mother, Danielle Cefalu (seated right) and his brother, Pace Academy sophomore Ross Cefalu (standing).

Photo 4: Pace Academy quarterback Kevin Johnson (seated center) will play football for the University of Richmond Spiders. He is pictured with his father, Kevin Johnson (standing), his stepmother, Seretha Johnson (seated left), and his mother, Tamika Fogle (seated right).

Photo 5: Pace Academy senior Jack Spencer (seated center) will play football for the Sewanee Tigers. He is pictured with his mother, Beth Spencer (seated left), his father, John Spencer (seated right), and (standing left to right) Pace Academy coach Kevin Johnson, seventh-grader Bridges Spencer and Pace Academy head coach Chris Slade.