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'Air Raid' adds another weapon
Markell Boston the
latest in East Coweta's long line of college and pro prospects
By
Sammy Batten
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Recruiting Class of 2014 Thumbnail Sketches...
Take a stroll around the weight room
at East Coweta High School in Sharpsburg, GA,, and you'll see
photographs featuring the Indians' greatest football players hanging on
the walls.
There's Keith Brooking, Class of
1994, who went on to star as a linebacker for Georgia Tech between
1994-97 and later spent 13 years playing in the National Football
League.
Karsten Bailey, Class of 1995, played
wide receiver at Auburn from 1995-98 before moving on to the NFL's
Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers.
And there's Class of 1998 safety
Chris Young, the former team captain at Georgia Tech and former Denver
Bronco.
It's a prestigious Wall of Honor that
Clint Wade believes one day may also feature Markell Boston.
Wade has coached many of the greats
at East Coweta over a 22-year career, the last six of which he's been
the head coach. He announced his departure from that position in
December after a 5-6 finish, but not before helping develop Boston into
one of the area's premier players.
A wide receiver and free safety for
the Indians, Boston became a member of East Carolina's recruiting Class
of 2014 during an official visit to Greenville last weekend.
"I guess they (ECU) locked in on him
last summer,'' Wade said of Boston's pledge to the Pirates. "Then with
him going up there to see them play and for a visit, I just think he
felt comfortable. He and his Mom went a lot of other places, but felt
East Carolina was the best.''
Mississippi State, Liberty, N.C. A&T,
South Alabama, Texas Southern and Western Kentucky also offered
scholarships to the 6-foot-1, 198-pounder, who is expected to become a
full-time wide receiver with the Pirates.
That's the position where Boston
first made a name for himself after making the East Coweta varsity as a
sophomore. He caught 22 passes that season and made a single touchdown
reception, but that lone score propelled him into prominence in Coweta
County, which is situated just South of Atlanta.
The Indians had lost eight straight
games to county rival Newnan entering their regular-season finale in
2011. They trailed 19-0 at halftime, but mounted a second-half rally to
pull within 25-21 in the fourth period. Boston stepped up to haul in a
40-yard touchdown pass to beat Newnan, 28-25.
The play came as no surprise to Wade,
who had been watching Boston play since his middle school days.
"We knew he had talent and we knew
he'd grow into a pretty good football player,'' Wade said. "He played on
the varsity in the ninth grade, but he started as a sophomore. We
started him out at wide receiver and eventually worked him in at other
positions. We used him on both sides of the ball and on kickoff returns
and punt returns. He was well rounded in that regard.
"He absolutely didn't get much time
as a senior. We'd give him a shot of water and send him back out there.
When the ball was snapped, we wanted him on the field.''
Boston followed up with 29 catches
and another touchdown pass as a junior before blossoming into an
all-star player during his senior year. He was named the defensive
player of the year for Georgia's Region 3-AAAA after making 87 tackles
and returning two interceptions for touchdowns from his free safety
position.
The highlight of Boston's season may
have come against Lovejoy High when he caught two touchdown passes and
returned an interception for a touchdown. Boston also haunted Newnan for
a second straight year by forcing a fumble late that helped East Coweta
clinch a first-round playoff game at home.
"You know, I'm a defensive guy,''
Wade said. "I think he could be a really great free safety in college.
He's very similar as a wide receiver to Bailey and as a safety he's a
lot like Young. Both those guys played various positions for us and went
on to college and the pros.''
The Pirates, however, have recruited
Boston to play wide receiver, which is always a recruiting priority for
ECU's "Air Raid'' offense. He becomes the fifth potential receiver
prospect to make a verbal commitment to the Class of 2014, joining
Stephen
Baggett from Beaufort, SC,
Curtis
Burston of Apex, NC,
Quay Johnson
of Knightdale, NC, and
Dre Massey
from Mauldin, SC.
Wade is confident Boston has the
skills to make a quick impact at that position, too.
"It'll take a little grooming with
him, but he can make an impact quickly in my mind,'' Wade said. "He
doesn't have exceptional speed (4.5 in 40-yard dash), but he's good
enough to get open. And the thing about him is, after he makes the catch
he's going to make something happen. He excels at making yards after the
catch.
"I think one reason he chose East
Carolina is he felt like he'd have an opportunity to play there pretty
quick.''
Whether he plays early or not, Boston
will be wearing the same colors next fall. The school colors for East
Coweta are the same as East Carolina's — purple and gold.
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01/25/2014 02:19 AM |
