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GIRARD —
Girard senior Jalen Merrell has signed with Independence Community College to play football.
“They showed a lot of interest in me and it was one of those things I feel like I have a good chance of stepping on the field,” Merrell said on Friday. “The biggest thing was they kept at it and they showed they truly wanted me.”
“He’ll do a great job,” Girard head coach Leon Miller said. “I think it’s a good fit for him right now and I think it’s a place he can continue to grow as a player and as a person. He’ll do nothing but improve the program and I think they’ll improve his opportunities down the line.”
Merrell — who transferred from Southeast to Girard halfway through his freshman year and played football for the Trojans his last three years of high school — played a central role in the trenches for a Girard team which went undefeated in Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League play this past season.
“Great season,” Merrell said. “The biggest thing that clicked was we all came together throughout the summer. We spent some time together and bonded as more than teammates. We became a band of brothers, a brotherhood on the field and it all clicked for us.”
Over consecutive weeks, Girard shut out high-powered offenses Southeast (42-0) and St. Mary’s Colgan (29-0). This was the first win over Colgan since 1999, also the last year Girard won the CNC football title.
“Huge momentum boosters,” Merrell said. “We went into those games just hoping to come out with a win, a good solid win. Coming out with shutouts meant more to us. A real good boost for the rest of the season.”
Merrell said that he will be slated to play linebacker at the next level.
“He did a great job for us on the d-line and he was one of our leaders on the offensive line,” Miller said. “He’s the type of kid that’s put in a tremendous amount of work and physically, he’s done everything he could to improve himself, as well as mentally and learning the game. He’s turned into a great football player. He was a good leader for us and he was the one who set the tone and the attitude for us this year.”
Girard became a team known for its physical, smash mouth football.
“Coach Miller had us hard-nosed from the very get-go,” Merrell said. “That was huge for us because we all loved to lay down the smack on somebody.”
Girard senior Jalen Merrell has signed with Independence Community College to play football.
“They showed a lot of interest in me and it was one of those things I feel like I have a good chance of stepping on the field,” Merrell said on Friday. “The biggest thing was they kept at it and they showed they truly wanted me.”
“He’ll do a great job,” Girard head coach Leon Miller said. “I think it’s a good fit for him right now and I think it’s a place he can continue to grow as a player and as a person. He’ll do nothing but improve the program and I think they’ll improve his opportunities down the line.”
Merrell — who transferred from Southeast to Girard halfway through his freshman year and played football for the Trojans his last three years of high school — played a central role in the trenches for a Girard team which went undefeated in Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League play this past season.
“Great season,” Merrell said. “The biggest thing that clicked was we all came together throughout the summer. We spent some time together and bonded as more than teammates. We became a band of brothers, a brotherhood on the field and it all clicked for us.”
Over consecutive weeks, Girard shut out high-powered offenses Southeast (42-0) and St. Mary’s Colgan (29-0). This was the first win over Colgan since 1999, also the last year Girard won the CNC football title.
“Huge momentum boosters,” Merrell said. “We went into those games just hoping to come out with a win, a good solid win. Coming out with shutouts meant more to us. A real good boost for the rest of the season.”
Merrell said that he will be slated to play linebacker at the next level.
“He did a great job for us on the d-line and he was one of our leaders on the offensive line,” Miller said. “He’s the type of kid that’s put in a tremendous amount of work and physically, he’s done everything he could to improve himself, as well as mentally and learning the game. He’s turned into a great football player. He was a good leader for us and he was the one who set the tone and the attitude for us this year.”
Girard became a team known for its physical, smash mouth football.
“Coach Miller had us hard-nosed from the very get-go,” Merrell said. “That was huge for us because we all loved to lay down the smack on somebody.”
