Potters show their pride
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GREENFORD -- Recent East Liverpool graduates Trent Davis and Dorian Burchett will be members of the Ohio All-Stars in the Penn-Ohio Stateline Classic on Thursday at Geneva College.
After having one winning season in the previous 12 years at East Liverpool, Davis and Burchett along with first-year head coach Paul Cusick put together a 6-5 winning season.
"It was for sure difficult for our first couple of years with different head coaches and everything," Davis said. "Once Cusick came, I think everything just clicked together very well. He was great leader and I think the team rallied around him and we bought in successfully."
"It was definitely hard at first," Burchett said. "We went through a lot of adversity as went through like four coaches in four years. I feel like when Cusick came we really understood what we had to do our final year and I think we really turned it around."
As a senior, Davis led the Potters in tackles for a second straight season, totaling 105 tackles with nine for losses, three sacks and three fumble recoveries.
Davis also had 48 rushes for 173 yards (3.6) and four touchdowns and was an honorable mention Division IV All-Ohio selection.
Burchett was the second-leading receiver with 28 catches for 630 yards (22.2) and eight receiving touchdowns. Burchett also had 15 tackles and one interception.
During their senior season, Davis and Burchett played important roles on and young team with a first-year head coach.
"We took more of a leaned back role," Davis said. "There was also times where we had to take a more stricter role, which happens to all teams."
"We were really young," Burchett said. "We had a lot of the minor issues like not focusing and stuff, but we tried to tell them that is just one win at a time and too push on and worry about next week."
Davis is committed to play football at Ohio Northern University for head coach Andy Fries, while Burchett will play for head coach Mike Sirianni at Washington & Jefferson University.
Fries and Sirianni were very lenient on letting Davis and Burchett play in the Penn-Ohio game.
"I came to the coach (Fries) with me asking to play in these games," Davis said. "He said 'Do want you want you are only young once.'"
"My coach ( Sirianni) really wants us to have our summer, really live our life and have fun, which we will." Burchett said. "
Davis will enjoy the opportunity to continue his family legacy of playing in the Stateline Classic after his father and uncle played in it, and also have Burchett, who will be the first in his family to play in it, alongside him once again.
"It's awesome," Burchett said. "I wasn't always here at East Liverpool, but I went the full four years of high school with him (Davis) and it was great."
"It's great," Davis said. "He (Burchett) keeps bugging me on what needs to be done and everything. We just have that chemistry already on the field."