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Five lettermen return from East’s dream season
By Tom Williams
YOUNGSTOWN
Brian Marrow’s East High School football team experienced roller-coaster thrills in 2018.
The Golden Bears, who hadn’t made the playoffs in more than a decade, started the season in Division II.
Midseason, the Ohio High School Athletic Association dropped East to Div. IV, ruling that Chaney’s enrollment should no longer be part of East’s total.
The Golden Bears had a season to remember, shedding the frustration of years of losing by winning six of their first eight games. Among their victims were Ursuline (34-7), Niles (27-12), Howland (42-10), Poland (10-0) and Canfield (12-7, the Cardinals’ only regular-season defeat).
In their final season in the All-American Conference Red Tier, the Bears (7-4) won the crown. A 26-21 win over then-undefeated Hubbard in Week 10 gave them the four seed in Region 13 and their first home playoff game.
Alas, heavy rains soaked Rayen Stadium and the first-round game against Girard was moved to Youngstown State University’s Stambaugh Stadium.
Girard led 27-6 at halftime then watched the Bears surge to a 30-27 lead in the third quarter. In the final seconds, the Indians rallied for a 34-30 victory and went on to win three more games before losing in the state championship game.
“The comeback, that was great,” Marrow said. “I put the loss on me. Players win games, coaches lose them.
“I felt I let us down.”
Marrow admits that making the postseason after several one-win seasons was important.
“It was great for the community, all the support that we had,” Marrow said. “We had a big year.
“But to lose in that first round is making us all hungry.”
This season, it’s back to the drawing board for Marrow and his staff. The Golden Bears have one returning starter and five lettermen.
OFFENSE
Five starters from last year’s team are now with Chaney: Marquan Herron, Marshall Herron, Deron Gilbert, Delshawn Petrosky and Darius Humbert.
Running back Eddie Bryant is the Golden Bears’ lone returning starter.
Senior Isaiah McBride, a wide receiver in 2018, will replace Petrosky at quarterback.
McBride said he admired how Petrosky “got out of the pocket and made good decisions to run.”
Robbie Sullivan, who was ineligible last season until the playoff game, will be one of McBride’s targets. The wide receiver who played at Ursuline as a sophomore said last year’s team success “pushes me to be even better.”
Marrow said, “We’re young up front and inexperienced, no senior linemen on the team.
”But we have some nice size and athleticism on the line.”
DEFENSE
Bryant, a starting linebacker in 2018, moves to defensive back.
Sullivan will start at cornerback, his preferred position.
“I like contact,” he said.
His memory from the postseason game was how the “intensity was great. The way we came back was unbelievable.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
Vincent Steele will be the Golden Bears’ kicker.
OUTLOOK
Marrow said East, Chaney, Ursuline and Cardinal Mooney eventually will be part of a resurrected Steel Valley Conference. Rick Shepas, Youngstown Schools chief of physical development and athletics, said an announcement about the SVC is expected soon.
“We have some outstanding skill players,” Marrow said. “We were champs last year, now we’re in a new conference — it’s great to have something in front of you to shoot for like a league title.
“I think it gives kids extra motivation.”