Watch the athleticism of Mikale Clark and you can clearly picture the Harrisburg senior toiling at shortstop or centerfield. Baseball was Clark's first love, after all, and that's always a difficult to let go.
“Especially baseball. That was the first sport I ever played,” said Clark, a jack-of-all-trades ball player and wrestler in his early high school career. “When I was younger I chose to miss football season to play baseball all year round. Things sort of changed.”
Lucky for charismatic football coach Calvin Everett and the Cougars it did.
Clark will enter the 2014 season next month as one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in District 3. And he'll take his first snap knowing that his future in football is on solid ground after Tuesday's announcement that he'll join Football Championship Subdivision side St. Francis next year.
Clark relayed his verbal commitment to the Red Flash via Twitter.
“When I went to St. Francis for a camp, I talked to the coaches almost every day. We had a special connection,” Clark said. “St. Francis was my only offer. I had a couple of other teams interested but they were worried about my height.”
Clark said Toledo and fellow FCS programs James Madison and Old Dominion showed interest but failed to offer the now 6-0, 200-pounder, who packed on nearly 30 pounds of muscle through a rededication to the game. Everett has seen that work first hand.
“Really going into his junior year he has made such a turnaround. That stems from hard work. He hasn't let up one bit,” said Everett Tuesday night.
“He started getting people's attention by working his tail off. He's had to make sacrifices and dedicate himself to become the player he has. He gave up wrestling and baseball, two things he put a lot of time into, to be focused all winter.”
Following a staggered sophomore season, Clark was again thrust into a leading role on what seemed like a Cougar powerhouse. But a rash of injuries, starting with Rutgers recruit Rob Martin's ACL tear in week 1, added a mountain of responsibility on Clark's shoulders.
Battling through his own aches and pains, Clark still delivered outstanding numbers, completing 130 of 217 pass attempts for 1,812 yards and 16 touchdowns. The dynamic talent also rushed for 258 yards and chipped in six addition scores in hoisting the Cougars to a District 3-AAAA first-round date with Cumberland Valley.
For the player who now squats nearly 500 pounds with a 300-pound bench press, Clark has established a new set of goals for his final season.
“Obviously to win a district championship, and I want the Cougars to be known as the most disciplined team they've ever seen,” Clark said. “I'd like to get over 2,000 passing yards and over 20 touchdown passes, too. Over 300 rushing yards and maybe 10 rushing TDs sounds right.”
Clark, who said he may attempt to play football and baseball at St. Francis, becomes the second Harrisburg product to announce his decision in as many months. Top-target Amechie Walker, who fielded offers from Fordham, N.C. State and Toledo, among others, committed to Temple on June 25.
Epler on Twitter: @threejacker