North Schuylkill’s Miller ready for next chapter at Saint Joseph’s
· Yahoo Sports
North Schuylkill graduate Luke Miller was among the best in the coal region in both track and football throughout his high school career.
Now, Miller will compete among the best in the country as a member of the Saint Joseph’s University track team.
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A remarkable career
Miller wrapped up his senior year with a gold medal in the 100-meter dash at the District 11 Championships, and top-10 finishes in the 100 and 200 at the PIAA State Championships.
His senior football season was equally memorable.
Miller became the first player in program history to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season, finishing the year with 2,563 yards and 31 touchdowns on his way to becoming North Schuylkill’s all-time leading rusher.
“I’m going to miss being out there on Friday nights with the guys, and I’ll miss the Mount Carmel game the most,” Miller said. “I’m happy for the guys, they have a great opportunity in front of them this season and they’re going to do great things.”
A tough decision
Following a junior football season in which he rushed for 20 touchdowns and 1,283 yards, and a track season in which he won the 200-meter dash at the District 11 Championships, Miller knew it was time to make a decision.
That’s when Miller realized he didn’t have the love for football to continue playing at the collegiate level and ramped up the intensity knowing he wanted to pursue track and field.
“My passion was in track so I really wanted to follow that and trust my gut,” Miller said. “It felt normal for me to land at Saint Joseph’s and it wasn’t an easy choice either. I got along well with the team and I really like the area being on the outskirts of Philly.”
Striving to improve
Miller benefitted the competition from two other Schuylkill County runners — Blue Mountain’s Chase Guers and Minersville’s Paiten LaPoint.
“For us three when we’re at a different level of speed than other kids in the league it can be challenging because you’re not being pushed as hard at some meets,” Miller said. “When you get to bigger meets, you have to flip the switch and realize what you’re ahead of. Having the opportunity to compete with those two guys is truly fun and I’ll miss it for sure. I’m going to miss it and they’ll do great things as well.”
That’s what Miller most credits for improving his 100-meter dash time to under 11 seconds. He posted a time of 10.62 seconds to place first at the district meet.
“I just have to trust my race and control what I can control, and I was really happy with my 100-meter dash at districts,” Miller said. “It’s the best time I ran all year and I secured my race, so coming out on top was awesome.
He also competed on North Schuylkill’s 4×100 relay team alongside Daniel Brake, Julian Nelson and Caden Mengel which placed fourth at the District 11 Class 3A Championship in 42.61 seconds.
“I always try to put my best foot forward, be the best leader I can be,” Miller said. “I’ll miss North Schuylkill because they gave me a lot of great opportunities, so I’m really grateful for that. I’m really thankful for my coaches, teammates and family who have helped me get here and I’m really excited to have this opportunity.”
Miller also held offers from Shippensburg, West Chester, East Stroudsburg and Monmouth University.
He plans to major in physical therapy and is set to arrive on campus on Aug. 18.
St. Joseph’s, a member of the Atlantic-10 Conference, is led by David Reick, who has ties to the North Schuylkill community. Reick became the head coach of the Hawks in November 2024.