East can fight for respectability

I still remember the crowd. I can still hear the cheers.

I still remember the heat. I can still feel the sunburn.

I was lucky enough to cover three games during Week 1 of the prep football season. A dozen games later, I still come back to Saturday, Aug. 25 on Jack Antonucci Field at the new Rayen Stadium.

It was a rebirth of the north side and a fresh start for the East High football program with new digs, new uniforms and a new coach.

And with the 18-0 Panthers halftime lead, it was a new feeling for the visiting Ursuline Fighting Irish.

Then Ursuline scored 34 points in the second half to catch and pass the Panthers as the promise of an upset disappeared. But the promise of a proud season was still there for East.

“That’s the kind of thing that in the process of building a program,” coach Jim Vivo said, “it takes a long time.”

East responded with a 48-6 win over Cleveland Lincoln West and picked up road wins over Barberton and Canfield. It replicated a 3-7 season from 2011.

“We knew we had the talent to go 10-0,” senior Rayfield Bell said.

A bold statement, but really, they did.

The Panthers averaged 18.1 points per game, the highest since their 8-win season in 2007.

Jamir Humphrey, who started the year at quarterback but moved to receiver later, was getting looks from Mid-American Conference schools and Derrick Tensley, a shifty running back, finished just shy of 900 yards on the season. There was Bell, too, who assumed Humphrey’s QB role. With a quick release and keen eyes, Bell averaged over 100 passing yards in his four games as QB.

“In the beginning of the year, everybody wasn’t always together,” Bell said.

While Bell said that a few wins helped in the middle of the year and the team came together as more of a family, there were still problems.

Six turnovers, all fumbles, cost the Panthers in what was a winnable game at Poland; and an early lead at Niles went south in the second half.

Not to mention a near-melee after the game.

Every team has its bumps in the road and East is no exception. There are struggles, mental lapses and discipline issues.

But there’s also talent.

Its one team-one city mantra is true, the Division I East program can draw from the entire city. Which, in turn, might not be the best thing. There’s a handful of leagues and teams in Youngstown, whereas in Canfield, Poland or Austintown — you’re the little Cardinals, Bulldogs or Falcons.

It can still start then. A youth movement can breed the city’s youngsters into aspiring Panthers. Success can start young.

With Fitch, Ursuline and Cardinal Mooney as independents, and with Warren Harding and Boardman having to travel at least an hour for their games, it’s easy to dream of a Steel Valley Conference resurrection.

East would be a perfect fit, not now, but in the near future.

Vivo wants to build a strong program at East and he has the means to do it. The Panthers can be a team for Youngstown to be proud of. Let’s just hope it doesn’t take the time that it took to play football at Rayen again.

Matthew Peasless is a sports writer for The Vindicator. Email him at mpeaslee@vindy.com.