Burgess leader of Raider defense

By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
WARREN -- Prescott Burgess has a problem -- he loves to hit.
"I don't know what's wrong with me," the Warren Harding defensive back said, almost sheepishly. "I just get a good feeling when I hit."
Consequently, St. Ignatius has a problem -- Burgess loves to hit.
For Burgess, it is a problem of conscience.
For St. Ignatius, it is a problem of consciousness, or lack thereof.
Don't misunderstand -- Burgess is by no means violent. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior phenom is a sort of gentle giant -- polite, humble and undoubtedly talented.
Opponents stay away: In just two years of playing football, Burgess has become the unquestioned standout of the Raider defense. He has just two interceptions and a fumble recovery this season -- mainly because teams don't test him.
Burgess is mentioned alongside the best juniors in the country, has been recruited by Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame, and draws comparisons to Buckeye defensive standout Mike Doss.
"Yeah, people tell say I remind them of him," Burgess said. "I'm just so lucky. I've got people looking out for me -- my parents, my friends, coach [Thom McDaniels]. I'm enjoying everything right now."
McDaniels coached Doss when he was a tailback and defensive back on Canton McKinley's state championship team in 1997. Three other players from that team went to Ohio State: Jamar Martin, Kenny Peterson and Andre Hooks.
"I've never had a player quite like him," McDaniels said. "I think if you have two or three difference-makers on your team, it makes the whole team better. Prescott is a difference-maker."
Burgess moved to Warren from Columbus two years ago -- the same time that McDaniels came to Harding. He's dreamed of playing at Ohio State since he was little, he said. Primarily a basketball player, he was talked into trying out for the football team.
"I always wanted to play football," he said. "People told me this was a football town. There's a lot of great players here and this is one of the best programs I've ever seen. The coaches give the players respect and they get respect. It's like a family."
Burgess carries a 3.0 grade point average, benches 280 and runs 4.7 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Scary numbers that could be frightening by this time next year.
"He's a great junior player," McDaniels said. "He's very coachable, very physical and capable of doing a lot of things. He's gonna leave this place and play big time college football somewhere."
For now, Burgess is focused on Saturday's game.
"I love to hear the big crowds yelling at you and getting the chance to show what you can do," he said. "I'm not going to be satisfied until we win state."