Bergen County superstar picks rare path as two-sport college athlete

There are two versions of Johnny DeVille.

A man stands alone on the football field, trying to stabilize himself before kick-off in overtime. Another was a direct kickoff through contact on the lacrosse field.

He won’t be choosing between them next year at Georgetown. He will live in two worlds, competing in two Division I sports at a time when many athletes are specializing early on.

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This decision wasn’t always a dream.

Last summer, the elder Bosco planned to give up football entirely and devote everything to lacrosse, following the blueprint his family laid out for him. Then close friend Dante DeLuca convinced him to come back, and a playoff trip to MetLife Stadium reminded him how much he loved the game.

Now, Dwyer believes the opportunities ahead are greater than his own.

“Every day I wake up and I’m grateful for everything I’ve been given and everything my parents have sacrificed for me to succeed,” Dwyer said. “Coming to this school and paying it all. I didn’t want to let them down. I tried to prove to them that for my future, everything they did was worth it.”

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How did he get here

Dwyer is North Jersey Lacrosse’s top prospect, a four-star midfielder ranked No. 42 nationally. To understand why he behaved this way, you have to understand the house in which he grew up as the youngest of five children.

All three of his sisters won state championships in Ridgewood lacrosse. Kate won a national championship at Boston College, and Lindsay, now at Stanford, broke Ridgewood’s single-season scoring record. His brother, Connor, played at Connecticut College.

Growing up in their shadow increased the pressure Johnny put on himself, but it also became fuel. Lindsay wears the No. 9 jersey, so he wore it too – partly as a tribute to his favorite player, Paul Rabil.

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“It makes me try to get better,” Dwyer said. “I’m very competitive, so I want to always be better than my brothers and sisters. I always want to get a higher ranking or more calls than them.”

Asked how he was doing, De Vere called a witness.

“My mom said I got more calls than Lindsay,” Dwyer said. “I don’t know, but that’s what my mom said.”

Forge your own path

Dwyer grew up playing football with his mother, who played at the University of Vermont. But by seventh grade, he wanted more sports and switched to football. Entering high school, he thought he would be a running back, before realizing his future lay in his right leg.

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Last fall, Devir was 5-for-7 on all 40 PAT attempts and had a range of 50 yards or more.

“I’ve never really seen anyone with the same drive,” said DeLuca, a state finals wrestler headed to Columbia. “We’re doing superlative stuff right now, like the most athletic guy in our grade. He’s winning by a mile. Everything he does, he thrives.”