Mt. Lebanon lineman strikes fear in opponents
By Eleanor Bailey
By Eleanor Bailey
Kade Capristo
By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Kade Capristo earned All-State honors last year playing for the undefeated Mt. Lebanon football team. He excelled on the line and helped the Blue Devils to a WPIAL title and PIAA state championship.
Kade Capristo shares some similarities with Joe Greene. Born in Texas, the Mt. Lebanon senior also is big and mean.
“I want people to be afraid of me,” said the 6-3, 300-pound lineman.
When Capristo was playing football in kindergarten, he indeed was feared. He wore Greene’s No. 75 on his jersey and fans dubbed him ‘Mean Joe’ just like the Hall of Fame defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“On the football field, I was a mean kid,” Capristo admitted.
An avowed nice guy, like Greene, off the field, Capristo is expected to strike fear into opponents this autumn, particularly after coming off an All-State season that enabled the Blue Devils to capture their first state title in school history.
“Kade is an imposing figure from a stature standpoint,” said Lebo head coach Bob Palko. “What he does and brings to the table that most kids his age don’t is an intensity and an ability to play the game the old-fashioned way. Physical and tough.
“He’s a throw back. Alumni and people familiar with that style are proud of the way he plays. His physicality and toughness are his best assets.”
Palko though is not asking Capristo to be the Joe Greene of scholastic football this fall.
“All we ask is for him to be Kade. We are not asking him to climb Mt. Everest. We want him to be the best version of Kade that he can be and to bring it every single day.”
Capristo competes with grit. He played last year with a torn labrum. The injury occurred the second week of the season, yet, Capristo continued to start on the offensive line for the Blue Devils, who ripped through the competition on their way to a 15-0 record.
He anchored a front line that averaged 277 yards rushing and 165 yards passing per game. The Blue Devils scored 41 rushing and 36 passing touchdowns. They averaged 6.45 yards per run and 38.7 points per game.
“The injury did hurt and it was difficult but I played through it,” Capristo said. “Once the games started, the adrenaline took over. The pain was definitely worth it when you consider what a great season it was last year.
“Winning the state title – the same with the WPIAL championship – was the most indescribable feeling. I was so happy. It was amazing and then being named All-State. That was definitely the icing on the cake. That’s the highest honor I have ever received.”
The recognition widened the eyes of college recruiters. Capristo became a hot commodity; in demand and courted by colleges such as Toledo, the U.S. Naval Academy and Duquesne University.
Capristo though committed to Richmond. He will major in business in school and focus on shifting from left tackle to center on the football field.
“I’m excited about that because I feel I can go farther as a center than a tackle,” said Capristo.
Regarding Richmond, he added the school proved the best fit academically and athletically.
“They have a good business school, a beautiful campus and an amazing football culture. They want to win football games. I loved that. That’s my mindset too. I’m used to winning football games.”
Capristo is one of a handful of returning veterans for the Blue Devils this fall. As a three-year starter, Mt. Lebanon is relying on his experience.
“We are extremely happy for Kade and obviously proud of him for his commitment (to Richmond). It’s a great fit and he’s in a good situation,” said Palko.
“Now that he made his decision, he knows there are more important things and he will be the first to tell you that he is working on his leadership skills. He’s finding his comfort zone. We are not putting pressure on him to win games. We just want him to lead and show the other guys the path to being successful.
“Kade realizes this next year will go by extremely fast. So he is crossing his T’s and dotting his I’s in an effort to be prepared as possible,” Palko continued. “Since he has had success, he wants to leave a legacy and continue that into new territory.”
This season, that new realm will be as a nose guard on the defensive line. Capristo will play both ways to help shore up a defense that returns only two starters and from a unit that limited the opposition to 11.5 points per game.
“I’m excited,” Capristo said of the increased responsibility. “It’s a different feeling playing defense. More fun to tackle.”
Capristo tackles the 2022 campaign with the same objectives as last season.
“To go back to back is the goal,” he said. “It is going to be challenging but if we focus on the little things and take things day by day, game by game, it will help the team win. We all have to do our part.
“To be honest having won a championship makes it easier because we can see what happens when we buy into the program. When Coach Palko first came here people were asking why are we doing this? Once everybody said ‘I’m in’ things started to change and we started winning games.
“Coach Palko pushes that and I believe in him and his leadership,” Capristo continued. “He is the best leader you could ask for.”
As for Capristo’s directorship? He said, “There is still some leading to do.”
After that, Capristo can focus on his own future. While he says he is not sure where he will be in 15 years, he aspires to play professionally in the NFL
“Yes,” he admitted. “I think that is always in the back of every football player’s mind. At least to have the next level in your head and work toward that.”
With the great coaching at Richmond, Capristo says it’s possible because three graduates made the 53-man NFL rosters in 2018. First, however, he is shooting to become the latest Spider to garner All-America honors.
“Hopefully, I am the next one,” he said. “If I work hard enough and trust what the coaches say and do the right thing, then I believe I have a shot at the NFL.”
All-America certainly may be the proper path for a menacing linemen like Capristo. After all Joe Greene was one of those too while playing for the North Texas State football team.
Age: 18
Birthday: Aug. 5
Parents: Wendy and Roman
Siblings: Luke, 22, and Gia, 19
High School: Mt. Lebanon
Year: Senior
Sports: Football
College choice: Richmond
Major: Business
Color: Red
Food: “That’s a hard one. Italian. Probably spaghetti and meatballs.”
Restaurant. “My grandma, Carol Capristo, makes the most amazing home-made meals, but if I had to go out to dinner it would be at Il Pizzaiolo.”
Music: ‘Till I Collapse’ by Eminem
Book: Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Movie: The Godfather
Athlete: T.J. Watt
Who would play you in a move: J.J. Watt
Dream Destination: Hawaii
People might be surprised to know this about you: I was born in Texas. When I was 2, I moved to Pittsburgh because my dad took over his dad’s hair salon business.
Person you would like to have dinner with: Mean Joe Green
Life lesson sports has taught you: “When you get pushed down, you have to get back up.”
Secret to success: “Do the little things right.”