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Ursuline seniors reflect
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Ursuline's Zach Conlan kisses the championship trophy as Corbin Adams looks on. The Ursuline Irish achieved their primary season goal: to win the state title for a record third-straight time. The Fighting Irish had an impressive end to their season with a 51-21 victory over Coldwater in the Division V State Championship game at Canton's Fawcett Stadium Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010.
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By Jon Moffett
YOUNGSTOWN
Standing outside of his team’s locker room, Ursuline senior offensive tackle Zach Conlan had only one wish after winning his third straight state championship with the Fighting Irish.
“I was talking to some of my friends last night, and we were watching Friday Night Lights before today to get ready,” he said. “And I told them I would give anything to be a freshman again.”
Conlan has been around Ursuline football almost his entire life. A fourth-generation Ursuline student, Conlan began his career at the school as a ball boy at 5 years old. He watched his older brothers play and knew he too would someday don the green and gold.
Conlan and nine other seniors did what no other team in school history — or Mahoning Valley history —had done. They achieved the illustrious “three-peat” of state championships. It was the seniors’ fourth state title game in their careers.
“I would give everything up if I could spend four more years with the Ursuline Irish,” Conlan said. “I’ve been around it my whole life. It’s going to be hard to give it up.”
The Ursuline seniors — Conlan, along with quarterback Paul Kempe, halfback Akise Teague, wide receiver Frank Dundee, offensive linemen Paul Wearsch, Michael Zappa and Corbin Adams, linebackers Jordan Markota and Keil’n Thurston and defensive back Jeff Podolsky — won a school-record 53 game in their four years. Head coach Dan Reardon said it will be tough to replace such a class.
“I’m so proud to have watched them grow up,” he said. “To have come in as young kids and leave as fine young men is rewarding. Our program is going to miss them.”
Kempe was one of the last seniors to leave the field. He stood on Fawcett Stadium’s turf and kind of soaked it all in before he went to a team press conference. He said he couldn’t put into words the things he and his classmates were able to accomplish.
“It’s the best feeling ever. As a senior class, you really couldn’t ask for anything more,” Kempe said. “We did something that very few senior classes in the history of Ohio football have been able to do.”
Only a handful of schools in Ohio have three state titles, let alone three in a row. Zappa said the full spectrum of feelings on the win hasn’t sunk in yet.
“I think, in retrospect, it’s going to hit me,” he said. “Right now, I’m just soaking in the moment. But this is something that we’re always going to remember.”
What gets lost in the shuffle is the Fighting Irish’s state championship game in 2007. When Kempe and Co. were freshmen, Ursuline was defeated by Marion Local in the title game.
Kempe said while the accomplishments are certainly unforgettable, he’s not going to forget the shot at No. 4 anytime soon.
“It’s hurting a little bit right now,” he admitted. “I have so much joy right now, but deep down I know that’s it. I wish I could come back and do it again. But it’s over.”
Reardon said he is satisfied, knowing that the seniors will leave the program much better than when they first got there.
“The thing I’m most proud of with these guys, and we’ve talked about it extensively over the past couple of days, is how far they’ve come over the past four years,” Reardon said. “As a group, and as individuals alike, every single one of these guys has improved dramatically, and every single one of these guys has worked extremely hard and bought into what we’ve tried to do as coaches.
“There have been ups and downs, and peaks and valleys,” he added, “but I’m so proud of them.”
While Kempe said he’ll have a hard time forgetting the chance for a “four-peat” the three rings will go a long way in helping him heal.
It hurts so good.