Youngstown Christian retired Anthony Harris Jr.’s No. 54 at halftime of a game on Oct. 4 against Bellaire St. John.

Harris Jr., the nephew of Eagles coach Bryan Marrow, and his father Anthony Sr. drowned during a fishing trip in July.

While this season hasn’t been what Marrow hoped it would be on the field — the Eagles are 1-6 — the eighth-year coach has been able to teach his players about more than just football.

Q. What did the decision to retire Harris Jr.’s number mean to you?

A. All year, it’s been that I could never get over what happened. I couldn’t get over it, but God has helped us get through it and this was just another way of doing that. He was just such a special kid and even when the tragedy happened, we were talking about doing something. The administration was all for it, just because of the type of kid he was. He was a leader in the school. He was a leader on the football field. He was an example of what we try to do and teach here.

Q. What was that moment at halftime like for you and your family?

A. It was pretty hard. It was pretty weird, to be honest with you. First off, it was great to honor him in that way. I mean we had been talking about it all week with the team that we were going to do that at halftime and then I was pretty upset with them for the way they had come out and played. Then, for our kids to respond the way they did — down 24-7 to start the second half — and score 33 straight points made it a really special night for all of us. When we talked at halftime, we just kept saying, ‘Play like Anthony would play.’ He dedicated his time in the weight room and in practice. He was just a special player. Then they came out and kept saying, ‘Play like Anthony would play,’ and they did.

Q. Have you been able to use moments like that one to teach your players about life off the field, in addition to football?

A. We always talk about facing adversity. Now we were not thinking it’s going to be this tough, but our kids have been amazing. Our school, and I always say there’s no place like Youngstown Christian, has gone through so much in terms of deaths this year. It’s just unbelievable the support from each other and hanging our hats on Christ. Through all the calling hours, for instance, Christian [Carson]’s mother passed the day of a game and the football team came to support him at the funeral. The school let the team out early to go and be there for their teammate. And each time, players and their families have said how much that meant to them. If anything, it made us closer as a family.

Q. Is this the closest team you’ve had at Youngstown Christian?

A. I would say so. Even before everything happened, I could see it in this team. It started in two-a-days and we would preach to them that you have to love each other and play for each other. I saw it come together, teammates started to say it and then in the season it hasn’t been any different. They rally around each other each week. It’s one of those things where it doesn’t look like we’re winning, but we’re getting so much more in terms of being a family and learning what it really means to care about somebody.

— Kevin Connelly, The Vindicator