Behind The Box Score

Being the first Columbus City League school to advance to the state championship since Brookhaven in 2002, head coach Jim Miranda’s team wants to improve on the runner up finish to Aurora a season ago and bring more pride to the city league, a league which seven of it’s 16 teams have never made the playoffs. After nearly missing the playoffs in 2007, going 9-1, the Warriors surged back in ’08, advancing all the way to the state championship game before being defeated 21-10.

Graduating 22 seniors, and losing the bulk of the offense, Miranda still feels confident for his team, a club that returns key players in QB/FS Ronald Tanner, a junior who recently received a scholarship offer from West Virginia, a system where he should fit just fine especially after QB Jarrette Brown graduates this season. Aside from Tanner, Eastmoor returns star running back Carl Washington, a senior who before being sidelined with a broken leg, rushed for 600 yards and 8 TD’s. With Touche Hopkins getting the carries after Washington’s injury a season ago, this Eastmoor rushing attack looks as good as ever as the schedule shapes out just fine for the Warriors.

Eastmoor opens up with a home game against Columbus East, a senior laden team that looks to make a playoff run after missing out on the postseason action the past several seasons. From East on, the Warriors play St. Charles, a talented team led by WR Vinny Spahr. The City League’s South Division is much improved from a season ago, as Marion-Franklin is the toughest opponent but teams such as Briggs, West and Independence are on the rise.

With a talented core set of position players, Eastmoor will likely be the class of the City League, as an undefeated regular season is on the horizon. Look for receivers Steven Mitchell and Kevin Tucker to make an impact and the running game will be balanced one again as backup Shawn Jackson is a blazer at 5’9″ 172 lbs. Returning for the 2009 season, the Warriors’ motto “Unfinished Business,” remains but the task at hand will be much more difficult.

Riding into the ’08 playoffs, many teams around the state didn’t know of Miranda’s team but this year will be much different. “Everybody knows who we are now so a lot of teams are looking forward to playing us,” said Miranda. “It is good to be put up there with some of those other teams but I think it is a lot for our guys to work for. But I think they are excited and motivated to do so.”* With a relatively easy schedule, the Warriors are set for an undefeated run in the regular season with the only possible blemish coming from Marion-Franklin. With Tanner and Washington running the offense, the sky is the limit for Eastmoor, a team with quality experience and a prolific offensive attack.

*-From JJ Huddle