ALL-AREA FOOTBALL: Small Schools Defensive Player of the Year: Robert Way, Glades Central

Thursday, January 07, 2010
by Jason Lieser

Photo by Ray Graham / The Palm Beach Post

Robert Way believes the 2009 football season changed his life.

A year ago, he was unknown as an athlete and on the brink of slipping into a lifestyle marked by delinquency. But after his mother and the Glades Central coaching staff staged an intervention, Way recommitted himself to football and delivered one of the greatest defensive seasons in school history.

Way was a fierce, uncontainable defensive end who set the Raiders' single-season record with 24 sacks.

"I didn't even expect myself to do the stuff I did," Way said. "If I didn't have this season, I'd probably play football just to play it. Now I really want to have this as my career."

Way, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior, had 146 tackles, 39 for negative yardage, but breaking the sack record was his proudest achievement of the year.

Most of the school records at Glades Central are held by players who went into major-college football and the NFL. San Francisco 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald, a former Florida Gator, previously held the sack record with 22 in 2001.

"The whole tradition of the school is football," Way said. "In the trophy room, you see all these jerseys and awards and you'd love for your name to be in there, too, with all the greats."

Way's presence at defensive end transcended beyond his own gaudy statistics.

Because of the attention Way drew, Glades Central defensive linemen Isiah Corbett and Michael Smith combined for 18 sacks.

Nobody had a more intrusive pass rush than Glades Central and the Raiders' secondary capitalized on it with 25 interceptions.

"He's the reason we get all the interceptions," safety Travis Bell said of Way. "Quarterbacks can't sit back there when he's coming."

Way is relatively undersized for his position and has yet to pick up any scholarship offers, but vowed to come back stronger next season, which is a terrifying thought for anyone playing quarterback this fall.

SMALL SCHOOLS FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

Isiah Corbett, Glades Central, DL

Senior. Ht., Wt.: 6-1, 250. Had 85 tackles, including 10 sacks, during the regular season for the Raiders.

Michael Smith, Glades Central, DL

Senior. Ht., Wt.: 6-3, 230. Including the post-season, Smith registered 112 tackles, 18 of which were for loss.

Marcus Bean, Boynton Beach, DL

Senior. Ht., Wt.: 6-3, 215. Teamed with Johnathan Harris to form a formidable pass rush duo. Had 21 tackles for loss.

Joe Grosso, Pope John Paul II, LB

Senior. Ht., Wt.: 6-1, 215. Had 103 tackles, eight sacks and three forced fumbles for the Eagles.

Jamarious Rowley, Glades Central, LB

Junior. Ht., Wt.: 5-9, 185. Led a run defense that allowed less than 90 yards per game. He had 77 tackles and four interceptions.

Will Powers, Jupiter Christian, LB

Senior. Ht., Wt.: 5-8, 190. Had 134 tackles, including 14 for loss. Rushed for 938 yards and had 13 total touchdowns.

Zachary Allen, Pahokee, LB

Senior. Ht., Wt.: 6-1, 190. Had 53 tackles, six sacks and two interceptions for the Blue Devils. Committed to Wake Forest.

Travis Bell, Glades Central, DB

Senior. Ht., Wt.: 6-2, 190. Had 10 interceptions and 62 tackles in 14 games. Committed to West Virginia.

Merrill Noel, Pahokee, DB

Senior. Ht., Wt.: 5-10, 165. Had 65 tackles, six sacks and four interceptions for the Blue Devils. Committed to Wake Forest.

Isaiah Howard, American Heritage, DB

Senior. Ht., Wt.: 5-11, 180. Had five interceptions this season and went entire games without a pass thrown his way.

Ian Williams, King's Academy, DB

Senior. Ht., Wt.: 6-0, 170. Returned two of his three interceptions for TDs, broke up nine passes and had eight offensive TDs.

Justin Haig, American Heritage, K/P

Senior. Ht., Wt.: 5-8, 175. Hit three field goals, including a 42-yarder, had 40 kickoffs for touchbacks and was an accurate punter.

SMALL SCHOOLS SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

Pos., Name, Ht., Wt., School, Year

DL — Casey Shoemaker, 6-3, 190, American Heritage, senior

DL — Eric Rares, 6-3, 200, American Heritage, senior

DL — Todd Jackowitz, 5-10, 190, Glades Day, junior

DL — Danny Meyer, 6-2, 200, Jupiter Christian, senior

LB — Trevor Davis, 6-0, 175, Boynton Beach, senior

LB — Reginald Napier, 5-10, 180, Suncoast, junior

LB — Dominic Gibson, 5-10, 185, Glades Central, sophomore

DB — Ricky Christmas, 5-11, 170, Glades Day, senior

DB — Charley Schooley, 6-1, 180, Benjamin, junior

DB — J.M. Calabria, 6-0, 175, Cardinal Newman, senior

DB — Raheam Buxton, 6-1, 175, Pahokee, senior

K/P — Andrew Ortiz, 5-10, 160, King's Academy, junior