High School

Moeller Star Matt Ponatoski Makes Commitment to Play Two Sports at Kentucky

Ohio Player of the Year in both football and baseball chooses Wildcats over Alabama, Arkansas, and Oregon
Gary Adornato|
Moeller quarterback Matt Ponatoski, the Ohio Gatorade Football Player of the Year in both football and baseball, has committed to play both sports at the University of Kentucky.
Moeller quarterback Matt Ponatoski, the Ohio Gatorade Football Player of the Year in both football and baseball, has committed to play both sports at the University of Kentucky. | Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Reigning Player of the Year in Two Sports

Moeller High School’s Matt Ponatoski, one of the most highly recruited athletes in the country, announced his commitment to the University of Kentucky on Sunday, according to a report by WLTW 5 News — and he’s doing it as a two-sport athlete.

Ponatoski, a rising senior at Moeller, is the reigning Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year in both football and baseball — a rare and prestigious dual honor. He plans to play quarterback for the Wildcats' football team and shortstop/third base for their baseball team.

Choosing the Wildcats Over SEC Powers

Ponatoski reportedly had strong interest from several top-tier athletic programs, including Alabama, Arkansas and Oregon. But in the end, Kentucky’s proximity to his family and the relationships he built with the coaching staff helped seal the deal.

“It’s kind of a surreal moment,” Ponatoski told WLWT 5 News. “Because my family has been a big part of it for a really long time now and I don’t know where I’d be without them. That was a big reason why Kentucky was the place for me.”

Championship Pedigree at Moeller

Ponatoski has had a storied high school career. In football, he led Moeller to the 2024 Ohio state championship game, a 28-14 loss to Olentangy Liberty.

In baseball, Ponatoski helped the Crusaders win the 2023 state title with a victory over Olentangy Orange.

Before heading off to Kentucky in the fall of 2026, Ponatoski has one more full year to chase high school glory with Crusaders.

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Gary Adornato
GARY ADORNATO

Gary Adornato is the Senior VP of Content for High School On SI and SBLive Sports. He began covering high school sports with the Baltimore Sun in 1982, while still a mass communications major at Towson University. In 2003 became one of the first journalists to cover high school sports online while operating MIAASports.com, the official website of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association. Later, Adornato pioneered market-wide coverage of high school sports with DigitalSports.com, introducing video highlights and player interviews while assembling an award-winning editorial staff. In 2010, he launched VarsitySportsNetwork.com which became the premier source of high school media coverage in the state of Maryland. In 2022, he sold VSN to The Baltimore Banner and joined SBLive Sports as the company's East Coast Managing Editor.

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