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MARSHALL SPORTS
Hargrave beats Herd reserves, 20-0
Hargrave Military Academy running back Onterio McCalebb gets past Marshall's Howard King during the sub-varsity football game on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Purchase this photoHUNTINGTON — -Joan C. Edwards Stadium’s scoreboard read “Hargrave 20, Marshall 0,” but not a loser was found on this brilliant, blue-sky Sunday afternoon.
Hargrave Military Academy, the Virginia-based perennial prep school football power, remained unbeaten at 6-0. Several Thundering Herd players clawing for depth chart spots received playing time opportunities.
Just as important, countless Division I-A prospects were introduced to Marshall University. From academics to facilities and good-to-meet-yous with coaches and players, Hargrave continued its long-standing relationship with Marshall, capped by Sunday’s sub-varsity matchup.
Veteran Hargrave head coach Robert Prunty rates his 2008 squad the best of his career, a telling statement, especially considering the BCS-laden roster of prospects that rolled past Marshall’s sub-varsity team in 2006. This season’s marquee player, four-star dual-threat quarterback Kevin Newsome, did not play because of a broken finger, but toured Marshall’s camp along with teammates.
Rivals.com rates the 6-foot-3, 220-pound standout as the nation’s No. 4 prep school quarterback. Among numerous offers include Penn State, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Maryland and North Carolina.
Offering a hint of modesty, Newsome politely declined to reveal his list of scholarship offers, saying he normally simply names conferences instead. When nudged to then name conference, Newsome hesitated before relenting.
“All of them,” he said.
Newsome and fellow Hargrave players praised Marshall’s one-on-one, enthused approach during the weekend visit. Feelings obviously were mutual. Upon the team’s return to Chatham, Va., up to five student-athletes were offered scholarships.
“Marshall coaches, all of them are great, all of them talked to me,” Newsome said. “All of them talked to me – even the baseball coach (Jeff Waggoner), so that was cool.
“Marshall is a homey place. They took time out of their day just to say ‘hey’ to me. That just shows me how much they’re interested.”
Newsome continued, adding that Marshall’s unique legacy essentially tells its own recruiting tale.
“What can you say? This school has a movie,” Newsome said, referring to “We Are Marshall.” “We know there’s a lot of pride here.
“A lot of (defensive backs) like it here. A lot of receivers like this school. And then we see that Marshall has a great chance of winning (Conference USA) this year.
“It’s a good school and then thinking into the future, NFL-wise, you see guys like Byron Leftwich and Randy Moss coming from here. It would be a great school to attend.”
A pair of Hargrave wide receivers, Devin Figaro and Ansel Ponder, agree. Each has been offered by Marshall and competed in Sunday’s game. Ponder caught a 49-yard touchdown pass and Figaro hauled in a 35-yard score.
“I just had a lot of fun, coming here and seeing people I knew,” said Ponder, a 6-3, 200-pound Bluefield, W.Va., native. “My family came up here and coming back to where I started at, it means a lot to me to come up here and have a better game and represent Hargrave.”
Ponder followed the Thundering Herd career of Bluefield, Va., native Ahmad Bradshaw, now with the New York Giants, and is friends with current Marshall fullback and fellow Bluefield, W.Va., native Robert Henry.
Figaro (6-2, 195) enrolled at Hargrave from Lafayette, La. Like Newsome, Figaro was thrown by the thoroughness of Marshall’s welcome.
“They gave us a tour of the college,” he said, “Most of the other colleges didn’t do that, so I think that’s a plus.”
Figaro has been offered by Marshall and East Carolina and said he’ll make an official visit to Huntington if invited. It’s hard to imagine that would be an issue and he likely will be joined by several Hargrave teammates.
“A lot of the guys I talked to said they like it and that they would like to come here,” Figaro said. “Talking with the coaches and walking around on the tour, they were really excited.”
