Team of the Year
Early Season Loss Kick-started Tigers’ Championship Season
By Steve Blackledge The Columbus Dispatch
Reminded that a 19-14 loss at Groveport on Sept. 20 marred what could have been an unblemished season for Pickerington Central’s football team, coach Jay Sharrett muttered a few remarks not fit for print.
But quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw and linebacker Ty Hamilton, two of the team’s senior standouts, agreed that the defeat served as a launching pad for the Tigers’ second Division I state championship in three seasons.
Central was selected as the team of the year for the 2019-20 season by The Dispatch as part of its annual Scholar-Athlete Awards program.
“No question, that turned the season around,” Crenshaw said. “We had coasted to that point and maybe we got a little big-headed. That loss at Groveport humbled us and brought us back to earth. We took care of business from that point on.”
Hamilton, an Ohio State signee, said the stunning defeat — which also served as a huge confidence-builder for Groveport — was season-defining.
“Don’t get me wrong: Groveport was really good, and it was a good game,” Hamilton said. “But that gave us a taste of humble pie. That was a game we always win, and it rattled us pretty badly. We got back to practice Monday and we recommitted ourselves.”
Central avenged that loss in a regional final with a 23-7 win over the Cruisers. It was part of a stirring postseason run that included wins over Associated Press poll champion Mentor (28-21) in a semifinal and Cincinnati Elder (21-14) in the title game.
In the come-from-behind win over Elder, Central converted each of its five attempts on fourth-down plays. Averaging nearly 36 points per game, Elder was limited to just 17 offensive plays after halftime.
“After the loss at Groveport, we dug our cleats into the ground and straightened things out,” Sharrett said. “The seniors really took ownership of the team and decided that we weren’t going to be stopped. Faced with a sudden-death situation in November, the guys really flipped the switch and thrived under those conditions. We seem to do that every year.”
All the extra games and practices from four prodigious seasons play an overlooked but significant role in the teams’ postseason success.
“As the season gets longer, we get better,” Hamilton said. “Other teams seem to be worn down, and we seem to be faster, stronger and more confident. Year after year, our teams are known for hitting another gear in the playoffs.”
With four straight final four appearances, Pickerington Central has asserted itself as a legitimate perennial state power. Sharrett boasts a 179-35 record in 17 seasons. The Tigers have won or shared 14 Ohio Capital Conference titles and made the playoffs 16 times during that span.
The Tigers’ championship teams of 2017 and ’19 were similar in some ways, most notably in Crenshaw’s magnificent play on the big stage. In 2017, he ran for 161 yards and a record six touchdowns in the title game. This past season, the Youngstown State-bound senior completed 14 of 16 passes for 197 yards and two TDs and also ran for 62 yards.
“When you have a quarterback with his talent, decision-making ability and leadership skills, you know you have a chance to be in any game,” Sharrett said. “I’d be lying if I said making another deep playoff run wasn’t in our minds.”
The 2017 team, also 14-1, scored 62 more points than the 2019 squad, but the 2019 team allowed 68 fewer.
The only other central Ohio team to win two big-school titles is Hilliard Davidson (2006 and ’09).
“In 2017, we had a monster offensive line and we were able to run the ball down people’s throats,” Crenshaw said. “The 2019 team was more diverse and creative. We could throw the ball more effectively and our defense really stepped up, too.”
The latest title may have placed an even larger bull’s-eye on Central, but the players and coaches view that as a positive.
“Winning championships and making deep playoff runs is an expectation here,” Hamilton said. “We’ve proven that we can beat anybody. Give us a challenge and we’ll thrive.”
sblackledge@dispatch.com