Interestingly, one year after Balestracci led his high school team in interceptions as a safety, he now leads his Harvard team in the same category as a linebacker.
The Next Big Thing?
That is no small tribute. Kacyvenski, who now plays for the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, graduated from Harvard as the school's all-time leading tackler and the first player to start all 40 games of a Crimson football career.
"Just to be compared to him and have the chance to break one of his records is just an honor to me," Balestracci said. "To even have someone mention me in the same sentence as him is a tremendous honor."
The numbers, however, don't lie. Statistically speaking, Balestracci is right now ahead of Kacyvenski's record pace in tackles, thus begging the question: could a professional football career be in Balestracci's future as well?
"I love the game of football and I'll play it until they tell me I can't play anymore," Balestracci said.
Before all is said and done, Balestracci will surely leave his mark on Harvard football in much the same way as Kacyvenski did. But Balestracci has many games to play before his career reaches that point.
He also has a major Harvard football tradition to participate in tomorrow afternoon in The Game.
"I definitely think I have an appreciation for [the Harvard-Yale rivalry], but I don't think I'm actually going to realize it until I get out on the field and see the crowd," Balestracci said. "But there's just a feeling going around in the locker room that this is the time we have to play."
Tomorrow's contest at Harvard Stadium will provide Balestracci with the biggest stage he has performed on to date. But as much as he will surely impress in tomorrow's game, the best may still be yet to come.
And the locals will be watching all the while.