Dispatch
Miami Trace’s Schlichter: awaiting a college offer
Sunday, December 25, 2005
The mental toughness Miles Schlichter (Aug. 10, Sports) has developed over the years came in handy this past football season.
Miami Trace High School lost two straight games to drop to 1-2, a shock considering that the Panthers had been 10-1 in 2004 and returned most of their starters.
‘‘Fans started doubting us and the community started talking," said Schlichter, the team’s senior quarterback.
The team was rattled, but he wasn’t. Schlichter had dealt with years of verbal abuse from fans and fellow students about his uncle Art, a former star quarterback at Trace and Ohio State who now sits in prison for problems related to a gambling addiction.
With the Panthers reeling, coach Jeff Conroy called a seniors-only meeting.
‘‘It got pretty emotional," Schlichter said. ‘‘We decided we were going to have fun — because we hadn’t been having much fun — and everything started clicking."
Trace won the last seven regular-season games and a first-round playoff game before losing in the Division II regional semifinals to finish 9-3.
Conroy said he asked Schlichter to run the ball more this season, and Schlichter willingly sacrificed personal statistics.
He ended with about 1,800 yards passing and 20 touchdowns, easily breaking Art’s school-record of 4,397 career passing yards. He added nearly 900 yards rushing and was named first-team All-Ohio.
Miles’ college plans remain unsettled. Conroy said he has heard from a number of Mid-American Conference and Division I-AA schools, but no offers have been extended.
‘‘It’s funny," Conroy said. ‘‘My experience is, when one offers, a number of other schools will offer, too."
Meanwhile, the Art-related catcalls and taunts haven’t stopped.
‘‘The day that stops is the day I don’t have a ball in my hands," Schlichter said.
— Ken Gordon
[email protected]
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