GRANITE QUARRY ó East Rowan coach Brian Hinson briefly interrupts practice to wave senior Ben DeCelle to the sideline to handle a media request.
As DeCelle extends his right hand for shaking and sheds his helmet, he realizes the significance of the moment, and he flashes his trademark smile.
He understands this might be his last coffee break of the 2008 season.
DeCelle is a 48-minute man on the depth chart. He’ll be running routes, breaking up passes, charging up to make tackles and fearlessly returning kicks for the Mustangs.
“Ben’s an Arena League player,” Hinson said. “He’ll be out there all the time.”
There’s no reason for DeCelle to come out because even a weary DeCelle ó well, as tired as a tireless person gets ó is better than 99.9 percent of the population when it’s fresh.
There’s no situation that can arise in which East isn’t better with the 5-foot-10, 180-pound DeCelle on the field than without him.
“Yeah, I guess I probably won’t be coming out,” he said. “But that’s the way I like it.”
DeCelle, already a two-time all-county player, enters his final year on the early list of Rowan County Defensive Player of the Year candidates. The last Mustang to win the award was lineman Danny Misenheimer in 1999.
Since DeCelle is an All-NPC outfielder for the baseball team and may also run in track meets this spring to sharpen his speed for college football, he’s also on the short list of Rowan Athlete of the Year candidates.
DeCelle’s had perfectly good excuses not to be successful.
His father died from a heart attack when he was only a year old.
DeCelle’s grandfather, who was serious about athletics, especially football, was a huge influence on his early life and helped raise him.
“Then my grandfather died when I was 15,” DeCelle said. “It was like losing two dads. I like to think he’s still watching me now.”
Through the adversity, DeCelle has become the poster boy for everything right about Rowan County athletics.
Besides excelling in baseball and football (he was also a good wrestler as a freshman) and virtually eliminating body fat with his dedication to the weight room, DeCelle has found time to maintain a 4.2 GPA.
Hinson added that he’s also posted a 1300 on the two-part SAT.
A terrific transcript coupled with 4.52 speed in the 40 makes DeCelle highly recruitable. Coastal Carolina, Davidson, Wofford and the Ivy League schools are very interested.
DeCelle said he’s still “very open” about his choice of schools.
“Ben’s mother and stepfather, you have to commend them,” Hinson said. “He’s a baseball guy, he’s a football guy, he’s a workout guy, and he’s even a chorus guy. For him to be the athlete he is, the student he is and to have the work ethic he has, his family has done a great job.”
DeCelle started doing a great job for the East varsity as a sophomore. He ran back a kickoff for a touchdown against North Rowan. Another night, he caught a TD pass from Wayne Parker to beat North Davidson 7-3.
East’s head coach DeCelle’s sophomore year was Jim Crawley, and he said then, “Ben’s a head-hunter, but he’s also a smart kid. He’s got a shot to go real big-time.”
Crawley could be right.
DeCelle became one of the program’s leaders-by-example as a sophomore, seeing time as a receiver, tailback, free safety, strong safety and linebacker.
He continued to develop as a junior as Hinson piloted East to a 7-5 mark that included victories over Salisbury, West Iredell and North Rowan (the first for East since 1991).
DeCelle’s 26 catches for 408 yards and three TDs, plus a rushing TD, don’t sound like a huge deal, but then you have to take into account offense wasn’t his main responsibility.
On defense, DeCelle, who bench-pressed 305 pounds last spring, made three interceptions, one fumble recovery and countless tackles at safety.
On special teams, he made two game-changing kick returns in East’s breakout win at West Iredell.
“I like defense best, and I believe my college position will be free safety, but I also like to think I’m a pretty important part of our offense,” DeCelle said.
He is, and he may have the ball in his hands more often this season.
“We’ll line Ben up at some new positions, positions where people may be surprised to see him,” Hinson said. “He’ll be a wideout, and he’ll be a slot. He may be in the backfield some.”
On the other side of the ball, DeCelle will again be in the middle of the field, the last line of defense at free safety.
“When a guy is as smart as Ben is, you have to have him out there calling signals,” Hinson said. “He’d make any team better.”
East graduated a huge senior class, but it should still be competitive, probably a middle-of-the-pack team in a very tough league.
The defense, which returns good linemen ó Wesley Rivers, Alex Lawson, Chris Demitraszek ó could be the team’s strength.
“We do have more guys back on defense than offense,” DeCelle said. “The biggest thing is we’ve all got to keep working.”
A little work is something DeCelle has never been afraid of, even when it comes 48 minutes at a time.