Football Feature: Miami Trace Panthers
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Miami Trace Panthers have a wealth of seniors, and with Tyler Lower, John Phillips and Einn White being a part of that group, the Panthers are in good hands this coming fall.
Lower and Phillips are linemen, while White is a wide receiver, and they just want their team to continue to improve from last year's six-win season.
"People say that we have potential, and Coach (Bartlett) says that's the worst thing people can say about you," Lower said. "It means you haven't achieved anything. We feel that we have a lot to prove from last year … we have unfinished business, and we've got to finish games this year."
"The main goal is to win an SCOL title this year and make the playoffs," Phillips said. "We want to compete with Bishop Ready and the best of the best in Massie."
Before the season starts, each told a story about how they first began playing the game.
"I started playing football in eighth grade at East Clinton," White said. "One of the main reasons I wanted to play is because I was always told I was too small, and I wasn't strong enough to play the game, so I wanted to prove everyone wrong. I also heard about Miami Trace being serious [about] sports, so I moved up here so I'd have a better opportunity."
"I started playing football in third grade just for the love of the game," Phillips said. "It's my favorite sport. I also play baseball. I started in Chillicothe in the youth league down there, then played two years in pony league. I played junior high and all the way up."
"My first year in high school was my first year of football," Lower said. "Coach and I [were] talking, and he said with my size, and if I tried my best, I might be able to get a scholarship and go to school and play. That just made me want to come out here and try my hardest to do it."
[[In-content Ad]]
With all the work they've put in during their careers, each also took time to talk about why they continue to play.
"We do it so we can out-hustle and outhit the other teams we go to play against," White said.
"I think it proves a lot to ourselves, that we can achieve a lot as young men in our lives and persevere," Phillips said. "If we can persevere through this, we can persevere through anything in our life. It being hot out, it shows that we can persevere through about anything."
Lower spoke about being a senior.
"It kind of gives us a responsibility – be here on time, do your best, just give your best effort, pay attention and just do what you're told," Lower said. "For me, it's kind of a thrill, because the younger guys look up to me sometimes for advice or just what to do if they're doing something wrong. It's just fun for me to help them out."
Phillips and White also spoke about being seniors and the guys other players look up to.
"I like being a vocal leader out there," Phillips said. "I like to hit people. As Tyler said, a lot of the younger guys, freshmen, junior high, even elementary kids, they look up to us, and they kind of see us as role models."
"It teaches us that it's a lot of responsibility," White said. "The coach puts a lot on us too, like John and Tyler said, for the younger guys. He expects a lot out of us, to help and show them what we need to be doing if they mess up."
Playing for a storied tradition like Miami Trace is an honor for these three.
"For me, it's just kind of special, because you think of all the past people that have come through here," Lower said of playing at MT. "You've got Art Schlichter, Glen Cobb, just some of the guys coming through here. It just makes you kind of proud that they played on the same ball field you're playing on now."
"I see it as it's been a great tradition," Phillips said. "Like Tyler said, my uncle, Art Schlichter, played here, Glen Cobb, Greg Cobb, Scott Grooms, and it's a different atmosphere here. You don't see very many schools that have the stadium home side coming out of the side of the school. There's a lot of tradition out on that field, and we have a lot to live up to."
"I'd have to agree with what these two guys said," White said. "This is a really great district, outstanding in just about any other thing we do here, and it means a lot that I can come out here and hang out with them."
Lower and Phillips are linemen, while White is a wide receiver, and they just want their team to continue to improve from last year's six-win season.
"People say that we have potential, and Coach (Bartlett) says that's the worst thing people can say about you," Lower said. "It means you haven't achieved anything. We feel that we have a lot to prove from last year … we have unfinished business, and we've got to finish games this year."
"The main goal is to win an SCOL title this year and make the playoffs," Phillips said. "We want to compete with Bishop Ready and the best of the best in Massie."
Before the season starts, each told a story about how they first began playing the game.
"I started playing football in eighth grade at East Clinton," White said. "One of the main reasons I wanted to play is because I was always told I was too small, and I wasn't strong enough to play the game, so I wanted to prove everyone wrong. I also heard about Miami Trace being serious [about] sports, so I moved up here so I'd have a better opportunity."
"I started playing football in third grade just for the love of the game," Phillips said. "It's my favorite sport. I also play baseball. I started in Chillicothe in the youth league down there, then played two years in pony league. I played junior high and all the way up."
"My first year in high school was my first year of football," Lower said. "Coach and I [were] talking, and he said with my size, and if I tried my best, I might be able to get a scholarship and go to school and play. That just made me want to come out here and try my hardest to do it."
[[In-content Ad]]
With all the work they've put in during their careers, each also took time to talk about why they continue to play.
"We do it so we can out-hustle and outhit the other teams we go to play against," White said.
"I think it proves a lot to ourselves, that we can achieve a lot as young men in our lives and persevere," Phillips said. "If we can persevere through this, we can persevere through anything in our life. It being hot out, it shows that we can persevere through about anything."
Lower spoke about being a senior.
"It kind of gives us a responsibility – be here on time, do your best, just give your best effort, pay attention and just do what you're told," Lower said. "For me, it's kind of a thrill, because the younger guys look up to me sometimes for advice or just what to do if they're doing something wrong. It's just fun for me to help them out."
Phillips and White also spoke about being seniors and the guys other players look up to.
"I like being a vocal leader out there," Phillips said. "I like to hit people. As Tyler said, a lot of the younger guys, freshmen, junior high, even elementary kids, they look up to us, and they kind of see us as role models."
"It teaches us that it's a lot of responsibility," White said. "The coach puts a lot on us too, like John and Tyler said, for the younger guys. He expects a lot out of us, to help and show them what we need to be doing if they mess up."
Playing for a storied tradition like Miami Trace is an honor for these three.
"For me, it's just kind of special, because you think of all the past people that have come through here," Lower said of playing at MT. "You've got Art Schlichter, Glen Cobb, just some of the guys coming through here. It just makes you kind of proud that they played on the same ball field you're playing on now."
"I see it as it's been a great tradition," Phillips said. "Like Tyler said, my uncle, Art Schlichter, played here, Glen Cobb, Greg Cobb, Scott Grooms, and it's a different atmosphere here. You don't see very many schools that have the stadium home side coming out of the side of the school. There's a lot of tradition out on that field, and we have a lot to live up to."
"I'd have to agree with what these two guys said," White said. "This is a really great district, outstanding in just about any other thing we do here, and it means a lot that I can come out here and hang out with them."