Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Upper St. Clair's Sean Lee Click photo for larger image.

Sean Lee wasn't just a sore loser as a kid. He was a horrible loser.

He remembers crying profusely after losses in Little League. "I remember throwing temper tantrums, kicking chairs when I'd lose a basketball game in our rec league," Lee said.

The tantrums eventually stopped -- for two reasons. First, Lee matured and controlled his emotions better.

Secondly, he simply stopped losing.

Lee turned into a marvelous two-sport star at Upper St. Clair High School (football and basketball). He is one of the few athletes in the past 25 years to be selected to the Post-Gazette Fabulous 22 football team and the Fabulous Five basketball team.

But for all his talent, Lee might be remembered most for all the times he led his teams to victories. The kid who likes scary movies had a frightening winning percentage in his career.

In his three years as a starter on the football team, Upper St. Clair had a 31-4 record. In his three years as a starter in basketball, the Panthers were 75-12.

Lee won almost every nine out of 10 times he stepped onto a field or court. His overall winning percentage in the two sports was .869 (106 wins and 16 losses).

Lee (6 feet 3, 210 pounds) capped off his career with outstanding senior seasons in football and basketball and has been selected the Post-Gazette Male High School Athlete of the Year. This is the 27th year of the award, which takes into consideration all WPIAL and City League athletes.

"He's a kid whose will to succeed is at least as great as his athleticism," Upper St. Clair football coach Jim Render said. "Plus, he lifts up people around him."

Upper St. Clair basketball coach Danny Holzer teaches American history at the school, and part of his class is a section on the Civil War. A year ago, Holzer had Sean Lee in class and was explaining the efforts of General Robert E. Lee.

"I just said how we also had our own General Lee at Upper St. Clair," Holzer said. "But I said the difference between the two was our General Lee always wins. Robert E. Lee lost the Civil War."

The lesson wasn't lost on the class. It started a nickname for Sean Lee. For the past two years, many of his teammates and classmates simply called him "The General."

"It's amazing how that stuck," Holzer said. "What made him so special was that these days everyone gets caught up in how many yards they run for or how many points they score. Sometimes winning and losing become secondary. But not with him."

Lee wasn't just a bit player in the football and basketball success, either. He was the leader. He rushed for 1,240 yards on 187 carries as a senior and was a standout as a safety on defense. He helped Upper St. Clair to an 11-1 record.

In basketball, he averaged 21.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and made 49 3-pointers in leading Upper St. Clair to the WPIAL Class AAAA championship. He scored 20 points in the title game and blocked a shot with a few seconds remaining to preserve a 57-55 victory against Mt. Lebanon.

"I'd have to say winning the WPIAL might have been the most memorable moment," Lee said. "Probably that game and beating McKeesport in football [WPIAL quarterfinals]."

Lee's football talent earned scholarship offers from Division I colleges, and he signed with Penn State. He was recruited to play linebacker.

Lee is at Penn State participating in workouts.

Lee credits his father, Craig, for having the biggest influence on his life.

"He taught me the way to play and to play hard all the time," Lee said.

Teachers, coaches and administrators at Upper St. Clair speak highly of Lee, and not just because of athletics.

They complement him on his personality and the classy way he handles himself. He carried a 3.7 grade-point average.

"You're not going to get one like him very often," Render said. "Danny Holzer and I may never get another one who does so much for two sports."