Steinert High School’s Jon Weaver has been named to play in Phil Simms’ North-South All-Star Game.
Weaver will be at least the sixth Spartan to represent Steinert in this game since it was first played in 1979, and the first since 2016. The game is scheduled for June 8 at 2:30 p.m. at Kean University.
“It’s still kind of settling in,” Weaver said about the recognition. “It’s truly an honor. I take a lot of pride in getting onto this team and being able to put Steinert on the map.”
Weaver starred for Steinert as a tight end during his senior season this year. He led his team in receiving yards, with 308, and receiving touchdowns, with 4.
He also had a stellar year on the defensive line, recording 9.5 tackles for loss and 44.5 total tackles on the season. His all-around play earned him many awards to go along with the selection in the North-South All-Star Game, including the Walt Wilkinson Award (team MVP) and First-Team All-Conference in the West Jersey Football League.
Weaver will be one of three tight ends representing the South team during the All-Star Game, and is one of the five total that were invited. For the three-year varsity player, an invitation to this game had been long in the works.
“I had become aware of this game after seeing some posts about it on Jersey Sports Zone during my freshman year,” Weaver said. “I eventually wrote down goals I had in mind for my football, and making this game was one of them. This one ended up coming true.”
Throughout the season, though, Weaver focused on his play, not paying any mind to what postseason awards could be coming his way.
“It wasn’t until after the Thanksgiving game where I realized, ‘Hey, maybe I can get this,’” Weaver said. “I had played other great tight ends and competed with them. I know what I can do.”
Weaver helped his Steinert squad take a 38-0 victory over in-town rival Hamilton West in the aforementioned Thanksgiving game. His 26-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter helped to cap off his football career at Steinert.
During the team’s end-of-year banquet in January, Weaver found out that head coach Thaddeus Richards had nominated him to be considered for the All-Star Game.
“For the next month or so, I had people constantly texting me asking if I had made the team or not,” he said.
It was not until February that Weaver received a phone call from Luther Johnson, the general manager of the South team, notifying him that he had been selected to participate in the game.
“I saw a random number and thought it was a spam call at first,” Weaver said. “I’m really glad I picked up.”
The Steinert senior’s football journey began in fourth grade, following a few years playing soccer.
“Football has always been a passion of mine,” he said. “I started with soccer, but once I got a little older my parents let me get into contact sports.”
“At first we were a little hesitant to let him play,” Lee Weaver, Jon’s mother, said. “My husband started playing in high school, and he was going to let his boys play before high school cause he wasn’t able to. He wanted to give them more experience.”
Weaver’s football journey will not be ending with the All-Star Game, though. After speaking with many collegiate programs across New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York and across all three Divisions, Weaver ultimately made the decision to continue playing at The College of New Jersey.
It was offensive coordinator Aaron Mershman who did most of the recruiting to get Weaver to join the Lions.
“Mershman is a great coach,” Weaver said. “He stayed in contact throughout the off-season. I ultimately fell in love with the school and the team and what they do.”
Mershman has been the offensive coordinator at TCNJ since 2022, and has helped develop tight end Tommy Burke into an All-NJAC player. Weaver will be hoping that Mershman will have the same success helping to develop him.
At the end of the day, Weaver was very appreciative of his coach and the guidance he received throughout high school.
“I want to thank Coach Richards for everything he’s done for me,” he said. “He’s a guy I really look up to, and I have a lot of respect for what he does. I wouldn’t be here without him.”
He also thanked his parents, Joe and Lee.
“My parents have always been here for me to lean on,” he said. “I wouldn’t be the young man I am today without them.”
