Each week the PennLive HS football team will feature an individual player, a group of players at one position or some facet of a team in our Spotlight.
A Quarterback making his initial varsity start is always one of the more entertaining positions to follow in Week 1. It’s the quarterback, and eyes always go to the guy under, or in most cases behind, the center.
Several first-time starters made a big splash right out of the gate. So in our initial PennLive Spotlight for 2013 we look at some of the signal callers that stood out in game No. 1.
Garrett Chestnut, Big Spring
Only a sophomore, but one of six sophomore starters on offense for the Bulldogs, Chestnut is definitely not big in stature at only 5-8 and 125 pounds. But those numbers are irrelevant to Big Spring rookie head coach Mike Berry.
“What he lacks in size he makes up for with fire and will. Even when I started working with him in January, the intangibles you look for in a QB he has them and then some,” Barry said. “He’s good friends with everybody on the team, but he doesn’t mind telling them what’s up if they need to hear it.
“He’s pretty small. We call him 5-8 but that’s probably with cleats and his helmet. And the 125 pounds is probably soaking wet. But he has that fire you’re looking for.”
In his first start, Chestnut threw a TD pass on his first attempt and finished 12 of 15 for 257 yards and tossed four touchdown passes without an interception.
For a guy smaller in stature, that’s a big first outing.
Nick Marsilio, Bishop McDevitt
Crusaders head coach Jeff Weachter was right when he asked after beating Harrisburg: “When was the last time we didn’t have a quarterback who could throw?”
When the game was on edge in the opening half, the junior was 13-of-15 for 160 yards and a touchdown as McDevitt took a 19-14 lead into intermission.
Marsilio, who has the luxury of a veteran line that gave him plenty of time Saturday, finished 15 of 19 for 171 yards with a pick and that lone TD pass. But it was the first half, when he spread the ball around to seven different receivers, that provided a peek into the potential of the passing game to go along with a high-end running game.
Luke Knouse, West Perry
Interesting to see a guy who started at LB last year switch over and play QB. You just don’t see that very often.
For two years the Mustangs’ offense was powered behind a signal caller that did a little bit of everything. Knouse certainly showed he has come chops by completing 26 of 38 passes for 281 yards with a pair of touchdowns and one pick.
Knouse has a couple veteran wideouts in Chase May and Nate Sites. And those two combined for 20 catches in the opening 31-21 loss to Red Land. Those two guys need the ball for West Perry’s offense to be on point. And Knouse showed he knows how to get them the ball.
Gage Ocker, Cedar Crest
The 6-2, 220-pound senior did not disappoint in his first game under center. On 12 keepers, Ocker rushed for a Week 1 L-L-best 161 yards and — more importantly — scored four second-half touchdowns, leading host Cedar Crest to a riveting 40-24 victory over rival Lebanon in the 42nd Cedar Bowl.
Ocker also completed 3-of-6 passes for 72 yards. But he did the most damage with his feet. In the second half, he had TD runs of 11, 8, 67 and 9 yards, respectively, helping the Falcons hold off the Cedars.
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