NEWARK — Whether Jaxon Holman starts with the ball or eventually receives it, the Newark Catholic football coaching staff just wants to make sure its standout junior ends up with it.
Holman enjoyed a breakout sophomore season at receiver a year ago before moving to quarterback because of injury. He now is making an impact at running back after injury again left the Green Wave scrambling.
“I have always been used to running back, so it’s just been like picking up an old book,” said Holman, who noted his football journey began at running back at the youth level.
Holman rushed for 101 yards on just 12 attempts, highlighted by a 76-yard burst, during NC’s 55-13 loss at West Jefferson in Week 2.
Holman’s dash down the sideline set up a 4-yard TD connection between classmates Malone Hutchison and Carter Chupka to answer West Jefferson’s first score. He made a 26-yard catch down the seam out of the slot to set up Hutchison’s 3-yard TD pass to freshman Jace Johnson to answer the Roughriders’ second score later in the first quarter.
“(The 76-yard run) definitely got us motivated for at least that drive. We scored on it, and we scored on our next drive, too,” Holman said. “It definitely got us up.”
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NC coach Josh Hendershot said it did not take long to identify the need to get Holman the ball in anyway possible. His versatility has been a Godsend for a team already short on players that has been bitten by the injury bug the last two seasons.
“I don’t know if a ton of things changed for Jaxon because he always has been a real team player, but moving positions and giving unbelievable effort really showed his teammates what’s expected of everyone,” said Hendershot, whose team currently is without junior Max Childers, necessitating Holman’s move back into the backfield.
“It did open up his ability to see the field,” Hendershot added. “Anytime you can line up at quarterback, you are forced to see everything through everyone’s eyes, but he has done a good job of expanding his knowledge of the game."
Holman’s success on the ground comes behind a unit where NC is most experienced. Senior Carmine Annarino and returning juniors Max Moore, Jack Gossett and Jack Lohri are joined by freshman Chance King with senior Billy Staneart also rotating in.
“They are firing off the ball,” Holman said. “They don’t get any of the credit at all, and they just do it for the love of the game. I just love those guys for sure.”
NC was unable to keep pace the rest of the way with West Jefferson’s explosive offense as three turnovers were a culprit.
“We definitely have the ability to respond, but we just have to keep our poise,” said Holman, who also led the Green Wave with nine solo tackles out of the secondary. “We just have to keep pushing through whatever adversity we are going through and not get tired and never give up.”
NC (0-2) hits the road yet again, visiting Buckeye Trail (0-2) in Week 3. The Warriors have scored just six points following an August season-ending leg injury to standout quarterback Drew McGlumphy.
“The growth is there right now to get off the mat when anything bad happens,” Hendershot said. “It was obviously evident in Week 1, and there are things we have to clean up from last week. Early on, our defense was on the field for 20-plus plays, and the kids were just battling.”
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