Nick Bradley was raised to appreciate moments and put praise in perspective. He was also taught that much of it can be fleeting.
As a strong-armed quarterback at Abington Heights, he gained experiences that reinforced those lessons.
A right-handed flamethrower on the mound and an NCAA Division I college baseball commit as a 14-year-old, Bradley competed beneath an intense spotlight for his entire varsity career in two sports. Football, however, came with some adversity, as injuries cost him time under center.
With a bright future in a less physically intense baseball, his competitive spirit has always prevailed over setbacks in football. That was the case earlier this fall when Bradley suffered an injury to his non-throwing hand that sidelined him for a month.
Many believed they saw him throw his final pass. They clearly didn’t know Bradley at all.
Last Friday, following the timetable for recovery set by his doctors, Bradley returned to action in a win over Hazleton Area.
Now armed with their leader again, the Comets are the No. 1 seed for the District 2 Class 5A playoffs as they attempt to defend their championship. On Friday, the familiar No. 7 will pilot the offense against fourth-seeded Wyoming Valley West (1-9) at the Abington Heights High School Athletic Complex 7 p.m.
“I give my parents all the credit because of how I was raised,” Bradley said. “They always taught me that something that was given to you or that you earned can be taken away just like that. Great things can be taken away.
“I always try to be myself and stay down-to-earth in everything that I do.”
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As an elementary school student, Bradley excelled in baseball and football.
He remembers always throwing harder than his friends, and coaches noticed. His fastball popped in baseball, and that natural snap to his wrist created a high-velocity toss of the football.
Still, it came as somewhat of a shock, through his travel baseball performances, that a 14-year-old would commit to a college. Bradley loved Auburn University and the prospect of competing in the SEC against the best in the sport was his dream. He has had his future secured for a long time.
As a football player, though, his talents intrigued fans. His commitment to baseball often had him touring the country throughout the summer, limiting his time practicing in 7-on-7 passing drills with the Comets.
It didn’t make much difference.
In his freshman season, Bradley saw limited time but showed flashes of potential, throwing for 343 yards and two touchdowns.
As a sophomore, he took off, and so did the Comets. Bradley completed 148 of 248 passes for 2,072 yards and 22 touchdowns. Abington Heights finished 7-5 and reached the District 2 Class 5A championship game, where it lost, 55-16, to a more-seasoned Delaware Valley team.
That 2023 season elevated the confidence of a program suddenly brimming with talent. Bradley had weapons at his disposal and his accuracy and awareness made Abington Heights the most prolific passing attack in the Lackawanna Football Conference by his junior season.
He completed 136 of 221 passes for 2,076 yards and 26 touchdowns. Bradley’s offense produced two All-Region wide receivers in Shawn Theodore and Shane Brower, and a third, Gavin Anders, had a breakout season.
Abington Heights reached the District 2 Class 5A final again in 2024. This time, against Delaware Valley at Comets Stadium, Bradley completed eight of nine passes for 94 yards and a touchdown, dissecting the defense with precision. He also had 21 yards rushing and a touchdown that gave his team a 14-6 lead at the half.
Then, Bradley suffered what appeared to be a gruesome knee injury. He could not finish the game, and there were whispers the hit looked so bad that it could cost him much more than the remainder of the game.
His teammates were inspired. Theodore, who had shared quarterbacking duties with Bradley earlier in his career, took over, and the Comets won the district championship. Bradley did not return the following week in the PIAA playoffs, but the setback did not force him to miss baseball season. In the spring, he turned in a performance that earned him The Times-Tribune Baseball Player of the Year award. He went 9-1 with a 0.71 ERA, and 92 strikeouts, while batting .493.
Bradley maintained his busy travel baseball schedule over the summer. But he was eager to take the football field with a new corps of receivers with whom he had a strong rapport.
In Week 1, Abington Heights avenged a loss to East Stroudsburg South as Bradley threw for 144 yards and a touchdown. In a back-and-forth battle with Dallas, he completed 15 of 20 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns. In a Thursday night special against Valley View, he ran for two scores and threw for 63 yards and a touchdown.
“I thought that starting with the East Stroudsburg South and starting in the preseason, we had young receivers, and kids stepping up like Evan Keiper and Noah Kayal and Gavin Anders, obviously coming back from last year, one of the best receivers I have ever thrown to,” Bradley said. “We were kind of on the same page. And then Jayden Anglin with the running game — we really didn’t have a whole lot of weaknesses. We could really only beat ourselves.”
Abington Heights was 4-0 heading into a showdown against undefeated and top-ranked North Pocono. Bradley turned in a memorable performance with 25 completions for 316 yards. But the Comets struggled to punch drives into the end zone and lost, 24-10.
The disappointment only intensified when he learned of the seriousness of the injury that he sustained in the game that he had initially shrugged off to finished the game.
“I thought I would be back for the next game,” Bradley said. “I go to the doctors the next day, and they tell me it is broken and it is terrible for me mentally. I hoped I could get back for the playoffs at some point or the last game or something like that.”
With a scholarship locked up for baseball, there were concerns his football career might be over.
“Knowing that I have a love for the game of football and a love for my teammates, even though I got hurt, I was going to be with them every day and supporting them,” Bradley said. “Once I knew that I was healthy, I wanted to get back on the field. I wanted to get back to doing what I love doing. Auburn wanted me to keep playing and keep competing.”
Abington Heights had a talented backup. Noah Kayal, who took a lot of reps during the summer when Bradley was away with baseball, led the team to a 3-1 record that included a spirited effort in a win over Scranton Prep.
“I had all the faith in Noah Kayal,” Bradley said. “He always wants the ball in his hands, and he is a confident kid.”
Still, Abington Heights’ coaching staff was optimistic about Bradley’s return. Once cleared by doctors, head coach Joe Repshis wanted reassurance that his star athlete could do all that is required of a quarterback, not just the passing part. The fierce look in Bradley’s eyes while responding put him at ease.
Last week, Bradley made his return. He completed nine of 11 passes for 149 yards and three touchdowns. Bradley is already the program’s career leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns. Those numbers increased to 5,526 yards and 60 touchdowns.
“It felt great in that Hazleton game getting back out there,” Bradley said. “I felt amazing and fresh, because obviously I hadn’t played in a while. After the first drive, I really felt like I was right back to where I started, maybe even a little better from all the reps I had in practice. Everything was kind of working out.
“For the future now, I mean, we have four or five receivers who can all do it. So it’s just me being able to get them the ball in space and let them do their things that we have to keep going on. We can’t get too high or too low. Just keep cruising along with the confidence we have built over the last two or three games, and see where that can take us, and give all that we’ve got.”
Now back in rhythm and excited about competing, Bradley is honed in on leading his team to another championship.
He can’t wait to take the field, beneath the Friday night lights, knowing the experience of the postseason was nearly taken from him.
He is ready.
“This is amazing,” Bradley said. “When you are out and standing on the sideline, not having an impact on the wins, it is hard. Now, knowing that I am part of this and my teammates are going to be looking toward me to lead them is really special to me.”