Andrew Janik to play football at Stonehill College

The Skyhawks are coming off a 6-4 season for head coach Eli Gardner, who will be going into his fifth year.

“We got to work with Andrew, and he did a tremendous job,” Gardner said. “A big thing was watching him play on film at Foran. He willed his team downfield. Andrew will take charge of a game, something a coach wants from his signal-caller.

“At 6-3, 180 pounds he has all the attributes to be a collegiate quarterback. His physical skills will only improve once he gets to college. Andrew comes from a great family and that is the kind of player we want to join us.

Janik’s self-described “Rough road” to Stonehill College began with playing single-wing football in Pop Warner and then banging heads — or matching quarterback skills — with top players at the New England Elite Clinic held last summer at Tufts University.

“I realized that Stonehill was best for me and reached out to Coach Gardner. He set me up with a visit in October,” Janik said. “I loved the game atmosphere there. I saw that the campus was what I was looking for.”

When asked about his will to win, Janik said, “It is in my blood. I come from an athletic family (dad Jeff, mom Lauren). “I love football and hate to lose. That is what Stonehill is all about. They had a good recruiting class that was Connecticut heavy.”

Will Diamantis, a Milford native who starred at St. Joseph in Trumbull, is among those Nutmeggers.

“That’s a funny story,” Janik said when asked about Diamantis.

“He along with Will Phelan and me were like the Three Musketeers growing up. We played football, baseball and basketball together. Will Phelan (his top receiver) and I went to Foran and he went to St. Joe’s. I’m looking forward to getting to throw him the football.”

An Engineering Award winner at Foran, Janik has decided to take another path in college.

“Stonehill has a business school that is accredited in the top 5%,” he said. “I’m going to take up economics.”

He was joined at the signing by mom Lauren, dad Jeff, sisters Mallory and Corchine, and grandparents Frank and Nancy.

“The Foran community is thrilled for Andrew,” Foran head football coach Tom Drew said. “He is a great student, athlete, and person. Not everyone can play a sport at the collegiate level, it takes a special person to take that challenge on. I have no doubt that Andrew will go on and be successful both athletically and academically.”

Michael Lockavitch (DL Shelton), Braedon McCarthy (DL Sheehan), Kareem Grisham (DB Xavier) from Connecticut also signed to play with the Skyhawks.