Issuu

CITY LEAGUE-SOUTH DIVISION

Spotlight

Former foes unite for Marion-Franklin By JARROD ULREY THISWEEKSPORTS.COM

Senior Anthony Mckee Jr. will play linebacker and wide receiver for the Red Devils after transferring from Walnut Ridge. ERIC GEORGE/THISWEEKSPORTS

Alijahwon Tarvin can’t wait to get back on the field this fall for the Marion-Franklin High School football team. The 5-foot-11, 251-pounder who went down with a seasonending broken right ankle in the Red Devils’ 27-2 win over Brookhaven last September is back for a program that made it to a Division III state semifinal a year ago. The senior — who estimates he’s at about “90 percent, and the other 10 percent is just mental” — will line up at middle linebacker alongside returnees Thomas James, David Wellborn and Shemar Moss as well as someone who has split time being both friend and foe. Anthony Mckee Jr. (6-3, 200) is expected to play at wide receiver and free safety after transferring to Marion-Franklin for his senior season. After competing on youth teams with Tarvin as well as other current Marion-Franklin players, he spent his first three prep seasons at Walnut Ridge. “Most of the guys on the team are players I grew up with,” said Mckee, who is shifting to the secondary on defense after playing linebacker for the

Inside the division 2013 STANDINGS Team League Overall Marion-Franklin 7-0 12-2 Walnut Ridge 5-2 7-3 Independence 5-2 6-4 Eastmoor 5-2 6-4 Columbus West 3-4 3-6 Columbus South 2-5 3-7 Briggs 1-6 1-9 Africentric 0-7 0-10 2014 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Sept. 19 Africentric at Briggs Marion-Franklin at Independence South at Walnut Ridge West at Eastmoor Sept. 26 Eastmoor at Briggs Independence at South Marion-Franklin at Walnut Ridge West at Africentric Oct. 3 Africentric at Marion-Franklin Briggs at Independence

Scots. “Their whole team is a family atmosphere.” “We were enemies on the field, brothers off the field,” Tarvin said. Tarvin and Mckee aren’t just reunited friends. “He and (Tarvin) are the top two players in the City,” Marion-Franklin coach Brian Haffele said. According to Haffele, Mckee and his family moved into the

South at Eastmoor Walnut Ridge at West Oct. 9 Eastmoor at Walnut Ridge Oct. 10 West at Marion-Franklin Independence at Africentric South at Briggs Oct. 17 Africentric at South Independence at West Marion-Franklin at Eastmoor Walnut Ridge at Briggs Oct. 24 Briggs at Marion-Franklin Eastmoor at Independence Walnut Ridge at Africentric West at South Oct. 31 Briggs at West Eastmoor at Africentric South at Marion-Franklin Walnut Ridge at Independence

Marion-Franklin attendance zone during the third week of June. He and his sophomore brother, Anthony Mckee III, are cleared to play the entire season for the Red Devils. Two seasons ago, Tarvin was a captain and finished with 89 tackles and one interception as the Red Devils went 11-2 and were Division II regional runners-up.

Walnut Ridge was 7-3 but settled for ninth in Division II, Region 7 that season as Mckee Jr. finished with 116 tackles, 13 tackles for losses and three sacks. He was second-team alldistrict at linebacker. Then last season, the Scots went 7-3 again but finished 13th in computer points in Division II, Region 5. Mckee Jr. made 117 tackles and had 12 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and two interceptions while making first-team all-district. He even averaged 40.2 yards per punt. Tarvin and Mckee Jr. attended school together at Franklin Middle School in sixth and seventh grade. “You hear a lot of stuff every year (about players in the City transferring),” Haffele said. “People have asked why he would leave Ridge. He and (Tarvin) and Shemar Moss are all best friends. They all played little league football together and all thought it would be fun to go out as seniors together.” In addition to what each hopes is a long postseason, college football appears to be in the future for both Mckee Jr. and Tarvin. Despite Tarvin’s injury last

MCKEE >> 61

Marion-Franklin

Red Devils counting on revamped offensive line By SCOTT GERFEN THISWEEKSPORTS.COM When the Marion-Franklin High School football team reached a state semifinal last season for the third time in five years, it featured a strong rushing attack with a trio of linemen

who had started for three years. The Red Devils averaged 218.4 yards rushing per game and finished 12-2 overall following a 17-9 loss to St. Vincent-St. Mary in a Division III state semifinal. With new faces on the line entering this season, coach Brian

Good Luck G k

Red Devils! Compliments of

Haffele’s first task is to rebuild his offensive front. “Last year at this time we could do a whole lot more with the guys up front,” said Haffele, whose team opens at home against Westerville North on Friday, Aug. 29. “We knew who the starters were going to

FOOTBALL

IS LIKE LIFE — it requires

perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication, and respect for authority.

— VINCE LOMBARDI

Good Luck,

“Your Neighborhood Grocer”

At the corner of Parsons & Williams Since 1948! Page 58

marion-franklin

red devils! from your friends at

be. This year, we have no clue. We’re just trying to get these guys to compete.” Junior Jamari Walker (6-foot2, 260 pounds) is the only returning starter on the offensive line, which last season featured Martesse Patterson (6-5, 305), DeVante Collins (5-10, 330) and Ricky Jackson (6-1, 330). Patterson is playing at Purdue. Traditionally, MarionFranklin has been known for its size. When Haffele was an assistant at Walnut Ridge, he knew what the Scots would be up against when they faced Marion-Franklin. And while the Red Devils will not have a lineman over 300 pounds this season, they’re far from small. Seniors Dezonte Jordan (61, 254) and Twain Davis (6-2, 285), who transferred from West, are expected to start with Walker. Junior Sir Bennett Anthony (6-3, 275), sophomore Donovan Hayes (6-3, 250) and freshman Travis Geiger (6-5, 290) are competing for the other positions. “Jordan is a guy who played in a lot of games last year, so he gets the system,” Haffele said. “Geiger is a big guy who really reminds me a lot of Patterson. We’ve been really impressed by him this summer. We’ve got about six guys vying for those two final spots.”

FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE 2014 Football Preview

At a glance 2014 SCHEDULE Aug. 29 .........vs. Westerville North Sept. 5 ......................at Northland Sept. 12 .......................vs. Hartley *Sept. 19 ............at Independence *Sept. 26..............at Walnut Ridge *Oct. 3.....................vs. Africentric *Oct. 10...........vs. Columbus West *Oct. 17 ......at Eastmoor Academy *Oct. 24 ........................vs. Briggs *Oct. 31 .........vs. Columbus South 2013 RESULTS (12-2 overall, 7-0 City-South) Upper Arlington ................W, 26-7 Brookhaven .....................W, 27-2 Hartley............................L, 28-14 *Independence...............W, 44-18 *Walnut Ridge ..................W, 22-7 *Africentric.......................W, 57-6 *Columbus West.............W, 48-16 *Eastmoor Academy .........W, 17-0

*Briggs ..........................W, 49-14 *Columbus South ...........W, 37-12 PLAYOFFS Dover.............................W, 34-14 Brookhaven....................W, 20-19 Athens .............................W, 38-7 St. Vincent-St. Mary...........L, 17-9 *League contest INSIDE THE RED DEVILS •Coach: Brian Haffele, 11th season •Top players: Michael Champion (DB), Thomas James (WR/DB), Anthony Mckee Jr. (DB),Terric O’ Neal (RB/DL),Alijahwon Tarvin (LB),Ty Taylor (DL), Justin Tyler (QB/DB), Jamari Walker (OL/DL) and David Wellborne (RB/LB) •Key losses: Omar Alfred (WR), Devante Collins (OL/DL), Jhulyis Monroe (RB), Martesse Patterson (OL/DL) and Landon Yeartie (RB)

BUNDLE PRICE GUARANTEED UNTIL

2016

Marion-Franklin will be looking to keep a pair of streaks intact: 10 consecutive City League-South Division champions and an equal number of playoff appearances.

OFFENSE

With second-year starters returning at quarterback and

wide receiver and a returning letterwinner at running back, Marion-Franklin expects to keep up with last season’s offensive output of 31.5 points per game. Senior quarterback Justin Tyler threw for 1,435 yards and 14 touchdowns and carried 133

RED DEVILS >> 78 August 28, 2014