SPRINGFIELD — There’s a Box and a Stone, a Ring and a King, a Kelley, a Muncy and a Perry. All in all, there are 59 players in Wittenberg’s 2009 football recruiting class, and nine come from area schools.
Last year’s class numbered 40 players, but this class comes closer to Wittenberg’s usual haul.
“Thank God, it’s bigger than last year,” said Wittenberg coach Joe Fincham, whose Tigers went 6-4 last season, his 13th at the helm. “Last year, at least size-wise, hopefully that’s not something that becomes the norm.”
Despite its size, last year’s class contributed right away. Two Clark County graduates, Tecumseh’s Josh McKee and South’s Michael Cooper, finished as the team’s No. 2 and No. 3 wide receivers.
This year’s class includes the following local graduates: Jerell Ragland of Springfield; Ethan Sharpin of Kenton Ridge; Jeremy Perry and Garth Gilbert of Tecumseh; Josh Colbert of Urbana; Drew Clemons, Jimmy Muncy and Cole Sesslar of Southeastern; and Raphael Allen of Yellow Springs.
The strength of the class might be in the offensive linemen recruited, including Ragland, Ian McNeil of Chartiers Valley in Bridgeville, Pa., Jeremy Althouse of Columbus Whetstone and A.J. Owen of Vandalia Butler.
“You’re trying to improve yourself across the board,” Fincham said, “but we had a lot of concern about the offensive line. We need guys who are going to be able to play as sophomores.”
The Wittenberg coaching staff also targeted special-teams players, specifically kickers. Last year, the team found itself without an experienced place-kicker after Zack Harris hurt his knee in the second game of the season.
This year’s class includes four players listed as kickers — one of whom is Sean Williams, the younger brother of Wittenberg’s top receiver, Patrick Williams — and two more classified as wide receiver/kicker.
Some of the other top recruits are: running back Connor Warye, a transfer from Ohio Northern whose parents graduated from Wittenberg; Justin Bartlett, a defensive lineman from Washington, Pa.; Cory Cosby, a defensive lineman from Pickerington Central; Nick May, a defensive back from Bellefontaine; Jamal Everett, a wide receiver from Kettering Fairmont; and Matt Brustscher, a quarterback from St. Xavier in Louisville, Ky.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0351 or djablonski@coxohio.com.
