EVANS CITY— Any high school football team still playing this weekend has had a long season.

No Butler County football player has had a longer season than Evans City resident Rocco Miller.

The 6-foot-0, 190-pound tight end-linebacker is a senior at Central Catholic High School in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh.

"I was born and raised in Arizona and was always enrolled in a Catholic educational system,"Miller said. "I decided I wanted that type of high school education."

Miller's family relocated to Evans City when he was in sixth grade. He went to school in the Seneca Valley district through eighth grade.

"When it came time for high school, we toured Vincentian, North Catholic and Central Catholic," Rocco Miller Sr. said. "Rocco opted for Central."

Football was not a consideration at the time.

"He had a baseball background growing up," Miller's father said. "He didn't catch the football bug until he started going to school at Central."

Miller has been on the Vikings' varsity roster for three years, but has never been a regular starter. He's seen limited action at linebacker and sees the field as the team's other tight end when the offense uses a double-tight end formation.

He has not caught a pass all season.

"But we run the ball in my direction a lot,"Miller said with a chuckle.

His father works at Station Square in Pittsburgh and used to drive Miller to school and pick him up after practice. Since Miller got his driver's license, he drives himself and younger brother Tony, a sophomore at Central, to and from school every day. His brother does not play football.

It takes a full hour for the boys to get to and from school every day. Tack on football practice and you've got a long day.

"I get up at 5:45 a.m., leave home at 6:40 and get to school at about 7:50," Miller said. "We begin practice at 2:30 p.m. and get done at about 6:30. We watch a lot of film there.

"We're usually home by 8 p.m., maybe 7:45."

That's a lot of dedication for a non-starter.

"It doesn't bother me,"Miller said. "Sure, everybody wants more playing time, but football has taught me that it can take hard work to be part of something that you really enjoy.

"I've relished my experiences being part of this program. I never even thought about giving it up."

The Vikings are 35-2 during Miller's tenure on the varsity, including 13-0 this year. Central faces Erie Cathedral Prep in the PIAAplayoffs Friday night at Erie's Veterans Stadium.

Central won the WPIALClass AAAAtitle last week in a 36-35 overtime thriller over Gateway at Heinz Field. Its only two losses in the past three years occurred in the WPIALsemifinals.

"Rocco is a character person and our program is better because he's been part of it,"Central Catholic coach Terry Totten said. "He's an honor student who values the academic and spiritual education he receives here.

"The buddies he has on this football team will be buddies for life."

Miller agreed.

"When I first visited Central, I felt like I belonged there," he said. "I decided during my first summer there to go out for football and I fell in love with the game."

Miller injureda knee ligament during the second week of training camp this year, then aggravated the injury in the Vikings' third game. He missed a couple of games, then returned to action.

"He did a great job working his way back on to the field,"Totten said. "This is a kid who will do anything for his team, on and off the field.

"We've got a couple other kids who travel close to an hour to come here, but that's our outer limit. Rocco Miller is just a special kid, a true leader. No doubt, he'll be a success in life."