Position. Just my IQ of the game has gone up from being on that team.”. ... Grafton High School » Athletics » Boy's Sports » Football. “So I’m honestly excited to get there and learn the playbook, get to know my teammates and my coaches more,” Melifonwu said. The Big Foot School Board voted to hire Welden at a board meeting April 15. Learn how this Grafton High School student is connecting with coaches in VA and nationwide. Like I said, our kids are in much better shape than they were a year ago, both physically, and I think mentally,” said Grafton head coach Rich Bord. Learn how this Grafton High School student is connecting with coaches in WI and nationwide. He earned a Super Bowl ring in New England, but only appeared in two games over the course of two seasons before being waived April 27. Show full articles without "Continue Reading" button for {0} hours. Box Score Tournament Bracket. Learn how this Grafton High School student is connecting with coaches in WI and nationwide. He succeeds Kevin Montini, who guided the Clippers to an 18-12 mark in three seasons, before resigning after the 2009 season to spend more time with his family. Still, that time in New England was immensely educational, Melifonwu receiving guidance from veterans like Devin McCourty, Matthew Slater and James White while taking advanced football classes from coach Bill Belichick. —Contact Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com. In 36 years of coaching at the High School and Collegiate levels Kehoe has accumulated 205 wins and 99 losses. VARSITY COACH PHIL TROTTIER ptrottier@grafton.k12.wi.us (W) 262-376-5857 ASSISTANT VARSITY COACH HELEN KUNICK hkunick@grafton.k12.wi.us (W) 262-376-5573 JUNIOR VARSITY COACH (1) DAYNE BONJEAN dbonjean@grafton.k12.wi.us (W) 262-376-5856 JUNIOR VARSITY COACH (2) NATE PABST napabst@grafton.k12.wi.us – We continue our 2020 high school football previews as we take a look at the Grafton Bearcats. Grafton High School » Athletics Athletics GHS welcomed Milwaukee Buck and USA Basketball member, Pat Connaughton, as a special guest speaker at the 2019 Fall Athletic Code meeting! Box Score Watch Game Recap Posted Fri, Oct 23 2020 Van Acker spent the past three seasons as head coach at Galax High in southwestern Virginia, guiding the Group A Division 1 school to an 11-19 mark. (Courtesy of Errold Cobbins) Errold Cobbins, the head football coach at Tabb Middle School the past two seasons, is the new head football coach … So I really do appreciate everything they did for me.”. Melifonwu was waived by the Raiders as the preseason drew to a close the following year and signed with the Patriots two months later. “They really did bring out the best in me, on and off the field. Yes, as the months passed, Melifonwu woke up some days wondering what the point was in continuing to work out as offers of NFL employment never materialized. He said that when he resigned, shortly after the 2009 season, there were 62 boys in the football program and two weight-lifting sessions daily in a refurbished weight room. Van Acker said he likely will employ a 4-3 defense in the run-happy Bay Rivers. But, no, his passion for the game and confidence in himself never wavered. Evaluate Tavaris Noel's football recruiting profile. YORK – As a husband, father, devout Christian and teacher, Jared Van Acker says family, faith and education come before football. It took a while, but Melifonwu has gone from one fabled franchise to another. “I can’t even explain to you the gratitude I have for being on that team. More + ... Midview High School 38199 Capel Road Grafton, OH 44044 P: 440-748-2124 | F: 440-748-5277. "We went 5-5 my first season, the first non-losing sesaon in four years," he said. The Grafton varsity football team lost Friday's away playoff game against West De Pere (De Pere, WI) by a score of 7-3. "I'm leaving Galax High School a much better football program all-in-all. They have a 15-month-old son, Caleb. Van Acker, selected from a pool of 12 applicants, will teach social studies and possibly art at Grafton. Assistant Coach: Donovan: McMillian: Assistant Coach: Jaime: Villarreal: Assistant Coach: Roster # First. Top 10 high school sports movies to watch News - Published on 3/20/2020 5:15 PM. Van Acker, 29, was announced Wednesday, as the new head football coach at Grafton. Coincidentally, he’ll only be two hours away from his brother, Ifeatu, a redshirt junior cornerback at Syracuse who is training in Tampa in preparation for the upcoming NFL Draft. Prior to that, Van Acker served as defensive coordinator at Group A William Campbell, whom he helped win the 2005 Division 1 state title. Click HERE, Become a fan of HRVarsity. Beal hired to lead Midview Football Former head coach of three programs was most recently the Defensive Coordinator at Buckeye. Last. Read Article. Posted Fri, Mar 20 2020; Clippers Football 2020. Last. wdtv.comHead Coach Rich Bord enters year three at the helm of Grafton football. "Our mentality was that we were going to hit you, but do it the right way, and help you up after the play.". 1950 Washington Street, Grafton, Wisconsin 53024; Call Us. The 2020 Grafton football season is … “And those two people helped push me to become the player I am today. This game was part of the 2020 Wisconsin High School Football Playoff Brackets: WIAA - Division 2 tournament. Evaluate Zach Weir's football recruiting profile. “I definitely want to say thank you to them because I’m the type of player who doesn’t forget where he came from and the people who helped me,” Melifonwu said. A great history.”. Football. "My linebacker corps in college was called `The Hit Squad,' " Van Acker said of his playing days at then Division II Quincy University in Illinois. Midview Middle School 12865 Grafton Road Grafton, Oh 44044 Learn how this Grafton High School student is connecting with coaches in MA and nationwide. Box Score. “I learned so much about the game,” Melifonwu said. With talent returning… the Bearcats look to take the next steps this year. Assistant Coach: Sam: Preble: Assistant Coach: Marty : Tetrault: Assistant Coach: Roster # First. March 2018; 2018 JV Football Season. Michael Welden, an assistant coach at Grafton High School, will succeed Greg Enz as Big Foot’s head coach starting with the 2019-2020 school year. Posted Fri, Nov 13 2020 Coaches. Evaluate Brady Ward's football recruiting profile. Contact Us Grafton High School. VIP Ordering; U.S. News - Best High Schools; School Report Card; NAMM Award; Niche 2020 Best School Districts; Top School Districts Supporting Teachers Van Acker is married to Kimberly Van Acker. In … Evaluate Maxim Kogan's football recruiting profile. Learn how this Grafton High School student is connecting with coaches in VA and nationwide. Unless something happens quickly, Grafton High will start without a head coach. Phone:(262) 376-5500; Fax: (262) 376-5510; Connect With Us. Justin Gumm was named head coach of the Hamilton High School Chargers football team. Grade. Practice for Virginia High School League football begins July 27. Grafton's Obi Melifonwu prepares for next NFL chapter, with 49ers, © File Photo/TheGrafton News/Steve Balestrieri, © File Photo/Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports. (Ariel Cobbert / Daily Press) Grafton High’s football … Become a fan of Daily Press sports. “If 2020 taught me one thing, it’s if you have a goal, if you have a dream, no matter the good days or the bad days, if you stay persistent and believe in what you’re doing and believe in yourself it goes a long way,” Melifonwu, 26, said Wednesday via phone after training at the Boston Sports Performance Center in Wellesley under the guidance of director Joe Van Allen. He’s grown accustomed to taking in and dishing out punishing hits and … Patriots and Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, now the team's executive director of community affairs, visited the Grafton players and coaching staff Tuesday afternoon to present the Spartans football program with a $1,000 donation on behalf of the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, in honor of Coach McMahon. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. Grafton High School » Athletics » Boy's Sports » Football » Coaches. Connect with friends faster than ever with the new Facebook app. All the stuff it taught me about not only being a person, but being a great teammate, a great role model, a leader, holding yourself accountable. Follow him on Twitter @RichGarvenTG. So while 2020 is, thankfully, in the rearview mirror for Melifonwu, there’s already a lot to like about 2021. Posted Mon, Sep 24 2018. Head Coach Brandon Jarvis calls a play during a summer practice at Grafton High School Wednesday August 8, 2018. "But it was time for me to move on and seek out a great opportunity like Grafton High School.". He will also continue to focus heavily on special teams. GRAFTON -- When the legendary Kip Cramer was running the show back in the 1980s and 90s, Grafton was a perennial high school football power -- winning a … The 49ers reached the Super Bowl last season, and while they finished 6-10 this year, in part to a massive number of injuries, they’re an organization with excellent management and coaching and a talented roster. The 2012 Grafton High graduate, who excelled in football, basketball and track for the then-Indians while on his way to earning an athletic scholarship to UConn, spent the year out of football after being released by the Patriots in late April. Gumm, a 2009 graduate of Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo., is the physical education and strength-conditioning teacher and assistant head football coach at Grafton High School. In between coaching stints at Concordia, Kehoe coached at West Bend West, Cedarburg and came back to Grafton under Head Coach Mike Bortolotti. Grafton School District officials placed him on paid administrative leave. "But it was time for me to move on and seek out a great opportunity like Grafton High School." In January, American Football Monthly published Van Acker's article on the "Loco" spread punt formation, out of which a team has the option to run one of seven fakes or simply kick the ball if they choose. [08/12/18] The GHS football team will scrimmage Richwood on Friday (8/17) at 6pm at McKinney Field. “And then obviously in terms of Bill, actual football, situational football, my awareness of situational football. While at a recruiting showcase last weekened, Van Acker observed Joe Cibrin, the Clippers returning starting quarterback, and was impressed with his arm. He'll look, now, to instill it at Grafton High. Van Acker says he's brought that hit-em-hard mentality with him during six seasons coaching high school football. GRAFTON -- After 40 years on the job, a popular teacher and coach was removed from the classroom in Grafton. The Grafton varsity football team lost Friday's away conference game against Robert C. Byrd (Clarksburg, WV) by a score of 21-14. He said that after coaching at Galax, with about 360 students, he is excited about molding the talent in Grafton's student body of almost 1,300. The most current information will appear at the top of the wall dating back to prior seasons. Van Acker, selected from a pool of 12 applicants, will teach social studies and possibly art at Grafton. Grafton High School; John Long Middle School; Kennedy Elementary School; Woodview Elementary School; Parents. Head Coach: Jim Norris 1st Day of Practice: August 2, 2021 . GRAFTON, W.Va. – We continue our 2019 high school football previews with the Grafton Bearcats. Grafton High School To prepare all students to be life-long learners and responsible citizens But, as a former high school and college linebacker in Illinois, one who idolized Chicago Bears linebackers Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary and Brian Urlacher, Van Acker's priorities shifted on the field. Welcome to the Grafton JV football team wall. He describes Galax's program as "in shambles" when he took over in 2007, with only 30 players in grades 9-12 , no weight-lifting program and no 7-on-7 activities. “And on top of that, the organization, being a 49er, that just comes with history. One area player who understands this phenomenon all too well is Grafton High School’s Leif Charbonneau who plays on the offensive and defensive lines for varsity head coach Chris McMahon. Contact Us Grafton High School. Like the majority of folks, 2020 had its ups and downs, ebbs and flows, and starts and stops for Obi Melifonwu. Patience and perseverance paid off when the San Francisco 49ers signed the third-year safety to a reserve/future contract Monday. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Grafton's Obi Melifonwu prepares for next NFL chapter, with 49ers, Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, Neil Sheehan, Pentagon Papers reporter, Vietnam author, dies, A day after inciting a mob, Trump attempts his version of normalcy. Grafton Football (Photo: Kim McCaffrey/recruit757) Grafton finally has their football coach as Ryan Wenner steps in by John Harvey, recruit757 High school football practice began at Grafton High School last week as equipment was distributed and tryouts held for prospective players for the 2016-17 season. Van Acker met with Grafton's assistant coaches on Wednesday and will meet with the players for the first time next week. "The last two years I've had to start seven freshman and sophomores, and we've struggled. From 'Remember the Titans' to 'Wildcats,' here are some flicks while we wait for high school sports to return. Big Foot Athletic Director Tim Collins said the district had between 16 and 20 applicants for the job. Grafton stumbled at the end of last season after getting off to a good start, narrowly missing out on the postseason. Before he left the area, Melifonwu wanted to publicly acknowledge all the support he received at Grafton, especially from then-football coach Mike Ross and current coach Chris McMahon. GRAFTON — Grafton High School’s student-athlete Ethan McInerny didn’t author the well-known phrase "if you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way to get it," but he could have. The 6-foot-4, 224-pound Melifonwu was drafted in the second round (56th overall) by the Raiders in 2017 following a senior year in which he was an All-American Athletic Conference first-team selection and earned degrees in sociology and human development/family studies. Evaluate Reed King's football recruiting profile. Like the majority of folks, 2020 had its ups and downs, ebbs and flows, and starts and stops for Obi Melifonwu. Galax can't be considered a pushover any longer. The one thing missing from a typical first day of… Under Van Acker, the Clippers, 4-6 in 2009, will play a combination of Wing-T and spread offenses. It’s a great school with great program, great players, and a great coaching staff. Click HERE TWITTER, Pictures from the Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot. The Grafton JV football team lost Monday's home non-conference game against Liberty (Clarksburg, WV) by a score of 12-7. Melifonwu has been living in an apartment in Foxboro, but his lease is up, and he’s relocating to the Fort Myers, Florida, area next week — along with his two cockapoos, Spade and Shye. 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