This year, Edamiyon Doggett produced one of the top seasons in the area for a high school quarterback, and the best news for Ewing is the future could be even better.
Doggett, a junior, threw for 1,165 yards and 11 touchdowns and also rushed for 670 yards and six more scores. His passing yardage was second best in the West Jersey Football League’s Patriot Division and he tied for the lead in TD tosses. His rushing yardage was third best in the division.
“I don’t really see him having a ceiling,” Ewing coach Drew Besler said. “The kid is extremely talented and he’s humble and he’s a hard worker. I know we had a disappointing year this year with some close losses, but I believe it’s really exciting moving forward that he’s going to be even better next year.”
Ewing finished this season with a 4-6 record. Two losses came by three points and another by seven.
“It was tough,” Besler said. “If we made three plays in those three games, they could have been wins and instead of talking about a disappointing season we’re talking about the state playoffs. It’s unfortunate, but at the end of the day, they’re kids. Kids are going to be kids and make mistakes. But I’m dealing with a very determined group and they’re disappointed that the year didn’t go as planned. They’re definitely hungry and positive.”
Count the soft-spoken Doggett among that group. Doggett, a two-year starter at quarterback, is looking forward to working hard to help the Blue Devils to a winning record in 2016.
“I think we did pretty good this year, but not making the playoffs is tough,” Doggett said. “I hope I can help the team stay on track, take every game seriously, every practice seriously, and work hard. I’m going to try to work harder. I’m a quiet guy, but I’m going to try to be a more vocal leader. We just need to come out strong all the time.”
Doggett’s personality and even-keel demeanor are strengths in the eyes of his coach.
“He’s not the loudest kid on the field, but he lets his play do the talking,” Besler said. “He never gets too high, never gets too low. As a coach, that’s like the best kid you can have at that position. He makes a ridiculous play with either his legs or his arm and he walks to the sideline like nothing happened.”
Last year, Doggett threw for 556 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 232 yards. He threw 10 interceptions last season but just seven this year, which also is an indication of his development at quarterback.
Besler said after the team took some graduation hits, Doggett was “thrust” into the QB role.
“It’s not often you want to start a sophomore,” he said. “Last year, he was just trying to get his legs under him. He was just trying to learn the offense. This year, he played with a lot more confidence. And he was noticeably stronger. We run a lot of read-option and he saw the field well and he was able to identify the weaknesses in defenses. He’s had a very good season and he’s matured a lot.”
Doggett, who has played football since the age of 4 but has only been at quarterback since heading to high school, believes there is still room to get better.
“I’d like to improve on making my reads quicker,” he said. “And stay in the pocket more when I do have time; to trust my line and make my right reads. I tend to force passes sometimes. But I think I’ve grown a lot since last year. I just have to work harder and stay motivated.”
Doggett led Ewing in rushing this year, followed by Dazmir Harper, with 556 yards and three touchdowns despite battling injuries. Juwan McKinney was next, with 340 yards and four touchdowns.
Aldo Uz was the team’s leading receiver, with 27 catches for 212 yards and one touchdown. Ri’quan Smalley had four TD receptions to lead the Blue Devils.
Defensively, Matt Petonic topped Ewing with 116 tackles, followed by Cameron Potts, Nyjeir Johnson and Howard Gammage, who had a team-best five sacks. Charles Heading had four sacks and Nestor Santiago had 3.5. Kyrie Turner had eight interceptions and Terrance Stokes came away with three.
Matthew Hunkele, a sophomore, handled the punting and kicking and was another bright spot.
Ewing will lose senior Josh Hughes on the offensive line, but returns the remainder of the group up front. Also boosting expectations for next season is the fact that the Blue Devils’ junior varsity and freshmen squads went a combined 11-1-1.
“We’re excited,” Besler said. “Every year is going to be different and every year is going to bring new challenges, but when we get to work again we’ll be ready.”
And although this year failed to produce a winning record, Besler was pleased with the way his seniors were leaders in the community and active in programs to help younger students at the middle school and elementary school levels.
“They were good kids in the building, they were good kids in the community, and they have aspirations to go to college,” Besler said. “I would love to say we’re going to win the state finals, but my goal has always been to protect these kids and make sure they go to college and go on to do bigger and better things. That’s what it’s about.
“Don’t get me wrong, there’s not a person in this township that hates losing more than I do. I am the worst loser known to man. But do I think this was a successful season? You better believe it, because that’s what I weigh our success on. My purpose is an educator first before anything. So I’m very proud of my guys. I’m trying to teach young men that you have to take a professional approach to anything you do. In that, I believe we were successful.”
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