Big on ambition, Dinunzio leads as PVI QB

Although the quarterback position runs in his family, Sean Dinunzio is crafting his own style on the football field.

The Paul VI High School junior grew up watching two cousins, Devin and Donovan Leary, excel at Timber Creek High School before playing at the Division 1 collegiate level. 

Dinunzio would try to emulate his cousins’ abilities on the field. However, he had to make a few adjustments when it came to his own game.

“There’s a lot of height on my mom’s side of the family. Unfortunately for me, it didn’t turn out,” Dinunzio said with a laugh. “But I don’t let that stop me. Regardless of my height, I can still compete and play with these guys.”

Dinunzio is listed at 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds on Paul VI’s roster. He decided rather than wait around for his next growth spurt to help lift his game, he would take matters into his own hands.

“I like to think I am [a hard worker],” he said. “I’m just always trying to get better and stronger. I like to get to the field early – when no one else is there – and get my mind ready. I like being ready for practice and being ready to work. 

“I just like being athletic and working out,” he continued. “Height isn’t something you can control so you control other things. I love being in the film room studying, and getting out and throwing and working on whatever I can.”

After watching 6-foot-5 quarterback Daulton Phalines throw for 1,789 yards and 11 touchdowns last year, the ball was handed to Dinunzio to guide the Eagles this season. In his first game as a starter, he led Paul VI to a 13-0 win on the road at Delran High School on Sept. 3. The win featured two rushing touchdowns by senior running back Nate Klecko.

“He’s the best you can get,” Dinunzio said of his teammate. “He’s a hard worker, and just runs really hard. You can’t ask for anything more than that.”

Paul VI went 6-5 last year, which was its sixth consecutive winning season. Dinunzio believes the Eagles can add another year to that streak.

“We’re hoping to set a standard,” he said. “I think we have so much potential and we have all the right guys and all the right tools to win.”

Dinunzio said he absorbed quite a few tips from his older cousins. Devin Leary set the high school state career passing record at Timber Creek (9,672 yards) before playing at North Carolina State and Kentucky. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 2024. Donovan Leary earned his D1 stripes at the University of Illinois and Tulane. He’s finishing up his senior year at the University of West Florida.

“They’re great mentors,” Dinunzio said. “Having them around was pretty special with two great guys to look up to. I feel blessed.”

Dinunzio hopes to follow in their footsteps by playing college football, but he has other goals in mind, too. 

“I would love to play football in college at any level,” Dinunzio said. “Things don’t always turn out the way you want to but I wouldn’t mind going to college or even trade school and working in the trade industry.”

Dinunzio said his chosen trade would be Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. 

“I like being out and working on hands-on [projects],” he said. “I don’t want to be in an office all day.”

That’s why Dinunzio can always be found on the football field – either watching his cousins play, or creating his own path to a victory. “I have a big football family. I always loved the game, and ever since I was young, I’ve always had a football in my hand.”