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FOOTBALL A.J. Musolino Struthers
A.J. Musolino’s defensive skills will allow him to play on Saturdays, but he was involved in all three phases of football as Struthers put together one of its best seasons in two decades.
With Musolino at safety, quarterback and punter, the Wildcats went 9-2, winning at least share of a conference title in 19 years.
“I just do whatever my team needs me to do, just to win,” Musolino said.
Struthers went down in the opening round of the playoffs in an 18-6 defeat against Woodridge. That playoff appearance was the Wildcats’ first since 2013.
“It’s about how you handle adversity,” Musolino said of those non-playoff years. “You have to stay calm and fight through it.”
Musolino led a defense that never allowed more than 21 points in a game. He compiled 77 tackles, including five-and-a-half for losses. He picked off two passes and forced five fumbles — recovering three.
The performance made him the Northeast Ohio Inland District Defensive Player of the Year for Division IV.
His offensive numbers were also impressive. Musolino rushed for 1,260 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns and threw for 550 yards and four scores. He also served as the Wildcats’ punter and averaged 37.1 yards per kick.
The senior said the proudest moment of his high school career was Struthers’ 28-21 victory against Poland.
Musolino rushed for 141 yards and three touchdowns in the win. The Wildcats trailed by a point in the final two minutes of the contest, but Musolino picked up the winning touchdown on a 2-yard run.
“We just couldn’t get over the hump, we haven’t beat them in 19 years and it was definitely something special this year,” Musolino said.
Musolino is committed to play at Kent State next fall.