Sports
MIDDLETOWN — The first time Jalin Marshall touched the ball as a varsity football player, he ran 56 yards for a touchdown.
That play came a year ago in the Middletown High School football team’s season-opening 48-6 win over Aiken at Barnitz Stadium.
“I told him not to worry about what the defender does,” Middletown coach Jason Krause said of that play. “I told him ‘just pull the ball to you and run. I want to see what you can do.’ He showed me.”
Marshall has been showing his teammates, coaches, Middie fans, opposing teams and anyone else that has been watching what he can do this entire season.
The 15-year-old sophomore quarterback has completed 51 of 101 passes for 659 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s also rushed 159 times for 1,405 yards and 17 touchdowns. He even has four receptions for 107 yards and two more scores.
He hasn’t been the only reason the Middies just completed their first 10-0 season in 76 years, but he has certainly been one of its shining stars.
“All the credit goes to my teammates,” Marshall said. “They build me up and have my back whenever I make a mistake.”
Marshall has been nothing short of amazing when he touches the ball. If scrambling in the backfield or running from sideline to sideline to elude would-be tacklers counted toward his yardage totals, he’d be a lot closer to 2,000 yards rushing.
“Our receivers catch, our runners run and our line blocks,” Marshall said. “Everyone around me is successful and that gives me the confidence to do what I do.”
Marshall’s counterpart on Saturday night is Wayne senior quarterback Braxton Miller, an Ohio State recruit.
Miller is a bit more of a thrower, completing 100 of 187 passes for 1,370 yards and nine touchdowns. His rushing numbers are 69 carries, 419 yards and 10 touchdowns.
“He is a great player,” Marshall said. “We have to keep focused and not look past this team. We did that before (against Mason) and it almost hurt us.”
Marshall has been getting plenty of attention from colleges. He already has a scholarship offer from the University of Cincinnati. Ohio State, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama are among some of the schools that have expressed an early interest.
“I try not to let the attention go to my head,” Marshall said. “I’ve got to keep my head on right, otherwise it takes you out of your game.
“It’s good to have the attention,” he continued. “But I just can’t let it affect me or the team. Right now, my focus is on doing whatever I can to help this team get to another week of football.”
Marshall’s father Richard, who is a football, basketball and track coach at Vail Middle School, said his son only has one picture on his bedroom wall and it is of the team celebrating the 10-0 season.
“He’s handled the attention a lot better than I would have,” Richard Marshall said. “I was waiting to see if he would let it all start going to his head, but it really hasn’t.”
Krause agreed.
“I knew what kind of athlete and what kind of person he was,” Krause said. “But I did not expect this kind of season.
“Athletically, we knew he was gifted. But I didn’t know he’d be ready mentally,” he continued. “To compete the way he has against this level of competition has surprised me.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852 or sweaver@coxohio.com.
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