Poland player leaving soon

Running back Brandon Beachum will enroll at Mooney next week. By JOE SCALZO VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF POLAND -- Brandon Beachum's final game in a Poland uniform didn't go as well as he wanted -- the Bulldogs lost 27-7 to archrival Canfield -- but it didn't end as badly as many expected. "All the players at Poland just gathered around Brandon and told them how much they'll miss him," said his father, Lock, an assistant coach for the Bulldogs this season. "It was such a sign of class. "He's had such an awesome relationship with the kids at Poland and I'm sure those relationships will last a lifetime," he said. Beachum, a standout sophomore running back and linebacker for the Bulldogs, will transfer to Cardinal Mooney next Monday, marking the second straight season a high-profile transfer will join the Cardinals. Previous player Senior quarterback Derrell Johnson transferred to Mooney from Campbell after the 2004 season. "He won't be enrolled until next week, but we've made sure that the coaches and the administrators at Poland were aware of the decision," said Lock, an Ursuline High graduate. "The one thing I want to make sure people know is, we have the utmost respect for the Poland program and the coaching staff. "This was just an opportunity Brandon was interested in and it gives him a chance to continue his success in the classroom and on the field. Obviously, as a father, I'm going to support him." Brandon, who rushed for close to 1,000 yards this season, will live with his mother in Youngstown, making him immediately eligible to play sports at Mooney. He likely will play basketball this winter. Brandon, who has declined interview requests, was in Boardman's school system before transferring to Poland in middle school. Mooney officials cannot comment on transfers until the student is officially enrolled. "The one thing I ask people to understand is that this is a family decision," Lock said. "This doesn't ensure success by any means. Mooney could go 4-6 next year but we would have no regrets." Invitations Brandon already has attracted interest from several Division I football programs, Lock said, and received an invitation from Cleveland Glenville coach Ted Ginn Sr. to attend an upcoming national high school combine. "Your junior and senior season are very important as far as the recruiting process is concerned," Lock said. "We want to make sure he's ready academically and athletically to have the best showing possible." The decision, however, won't be popular in Poland, which has lost several top athletes to Mooney over the years. "He's gotten some support and some backlash," Lock said. "When you make a decision like this, you're going to have some people behind you and some who don't say a lot of nice things. "He's just going to keep his head up. The one thing he understands is that his family supports him and it's a decision that was made as a family." Poland coach Mark Brungard was disappointed in the decision, but said he has no ill feelings toward the family. Description "He's a great kid," Brungard said. "He's worked very hard and he's earned everything he's been given. He's humble, he's a great team player and we're sad to lose him, but I wish him the best of luck." And despite losing his best player, Brungard has high hopes for next season. "We've got a lot of talented kids and a lot of starters returning," he said. "I couldn't be more excited about the future of Poland football." scalzo@vindy.com