SCA stars shed light on processes they went through

The referee flips the coin as Southern Columbia’s Julian Fleming, hidden left, makes the call next to teammates Preston Zachman, Cal Haladay, Max Tillett, Gaige Garcia and Lear Quinton before the start of a game against Hammond, South Carolina, in Columbia, South Carolina, earlier this year. At right is Hammond’s Jackson Muschamp. [Press Enterprise/Jimmy May]

By MARC MALKOSKIE

Press Enterprise Writer

FRANKLIN TWP. — Since so few athletes get a chance to play for Division I college football teams, I thought it would be interesting to get a unique perspective on what it’s like to live life in their shoes.

Normally, just one Division I recruit would suffice for this assignment, but since Southern Columbia features five players who are going on to play for Division I schools — Julian Fleming (Ohio State), Cal Haladay (Michigan State), Gaige Garcia (Michigan), Preston Zachman (Wisconsin) an Max Tillett (New Hampshire) — I thought it would be fun to get them all to answer the same questions.

Besides, how else would we know what their favorite foods are? Or that Miley Cyrus is involved in one recruit’s pre-game ritual?

Here’s what they had to say:

“What’s been the hardest part about being recruited to be a D1 athlete?”

Julian Fleming: The hardest part of being recruited is the recruiting itself. It’s a roller coaster and is very stressful. Coaches were texting and calling me daily pressuring a commitment.

Gaige Garcia: The hardest part was trying to get coaches to believe in me. I knew I could play at the next level, I was just trying to get them to believe that.

Preston Zachman: Trying to get noticed by college coaches.

Cal Haladay: The recruitment process isn’t all fun and games. It’s awesome to see schools show interest in you, but it’s difficult to narrow down which school has the right football program and staff to fit what I’m looking for.

Max Tillett: There’s a lot of pressure. There’s a lot of life-changing decisions.

“What’s your go-to pump-up song before a game?”

Fleming: I listen to a lot of music before games, so it’s hard to pick one song, but anything by YoungBoy is a go-to.

Garcia: “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus.

Zachman: “Goin Baby” by DaBaby.

Haladay: I don’t really have a favorite song. Whatever the team is listening to usually gets me fired up.

Tillett: “Take Me To The Top” by Mötley Crüe.

Southern Columbia's Preston Zachman runs through the Richland defense in the first quarter of last Friday night’s PIAA Class 2A semifinal at Selinsgrove. [Press Enterprise/Keith Haupt]

“What’s your favorite recruiting story?”

Fleming: My favorite story is when Texas A&M called and offered me to play outside linebacker, when I never played a snap there in my life.

Garcia: My favorite story, hands down, was the trip to Michigan when I received my offer.

Zachman: Getting invited on an official visit to Wisconsin a week after going to a camp there. I went on the visit and didn’t receive an offer until several weeks later. That’s recruiting summed up in a couple sentences.

Haladay: My favorite recruitment story was my official visit up to Michigan State. I got to spend some time after the game with some of my future teammates. Hearing advice from guys like Joe Bachie and other great players who are going to try to play at the next level after college was such an awesome experience.

Tillett: Colleges tell you to come to their camps and then you never hear from them again.

“Which state championship game was your favorite?”

Fleming: Last year’s state championship was the best. It was the most fun and we got tested for one of the first times that year. I think we responded well as a team.

Garcia: 2018 was my favorite. It was a close game for a while and that made the win so much better.

Zachman: Last year’s because we struggled a little in the first half and were able to make some changes and mercy rule (Wilmington) in the second half.

Haladay: My junior year was my favorite state championship because the game was tied at halftime, and then we came out in the third quarter ready to play. It was just a great game to be a part of.

Tillett: My sophomore year when we redeemed our loss from the year before.

“Which non-state championship game was your favorite?”

Fleming: Neumann-Goretti was the best non-state championship game. It was very competitive and they had a lot of high-rated D1 players. That game really put a lot of us on the recruiting map.

Garcia: The Neumann-Goretti game my sophomore year. We were underdogs in that game, so it was a great team win.

Zachman: This year’s district championship game, for sure.

Haladay: A local rivalry game like Mount Carmel is always fun. This year, being a senior and finishing off another district championship against them was an exciting game to be a part of.

Tillett: When we played Neumann-Goretti my sophomore year.

“You check your phone after an ordinary win. Who’s the first person who texted you ‘Congratulations?’”

Fleming: (Ohio State wide receivers) Coach (Brian) Hartline is usually right on it, along with members of my family.

Garcia: It varies from game to game, but my dad always texts me motivational quotes and different messages before games.

Zachman: My grandmother.

Haladay: My family members are always wishing me luck and texting me “congratulations” before and after each game.

Tillett: Honestly, not many people text me. I guess everyone just expects us to win. Barely anyone outside of our families congratulate us.

“What’s your favorite Coach Roth story?”

Fleming: He has a couple good stories, but my freshman year, I was trying to track down a punt and I ran him over by accident. I thought on the spot my football career was over.

Garcia: It’s hard to pick one story with him. I’d have to say my favorite Coach Roth story was my freshman year during the Ligonier Valley game. I broke my ankle early in the third quarter. When we called a timeout, Coach Roth told me I was going down easy…knowing my ankle was broken.

Zachman: When he called Thomas Manley a “clown.”

Haladay: Having Coach Roth call me “dumb-dumb” after I jumped offsides during a game made me and everyone else on the team laugh.

Tillett: When he calls people “clowns.” It’s the best.

Southern Columbia's Gaige Garcia looks for room to run during the second quarter of last Friday's PIAA Class 2A semifinal in Selinsgrove. Garcia scored a touchdown on the play. [Press Enterprise/Keith Haupt]

“What’s your favorite subject in school?”

Fleming: Definitely business.

Garcia: Ecology.

Zachman: Math.

Haladay: Definitely chemistry. I’m going to major in chemical engineering at Michigan State.

Tillett: History.

“What's your least favorite subject?”

Fleming: Psychology.

Garcia: English.

Zachman: English.

Haladay: English, not a fan.

Tillett: Math.

“Who’s the best player you’ve faced?”

Fleming: The best I’ve ever faced without pads was (IMG Academy’s) Elias Ricks. With pads, (Steel Valley’s) Paris Ford, easily.

Garcia: (Mount Carmel’s) John Ayres. He caused trouble for our offense a few times.

Zachman: Paris Ford.

Haladay: Paris Ford.

Tillett: Paris Ford.

“If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?”

Fleming: Steak. You can never go wrong with a steak.

Garcia: Steak.

Zachman: Steak.

Haladay: Don’t even have to think about this one — steak.

Tillett: Pizza, hands down.

Marc Malkoskie can be reached at marc.malkoskie@pressenterprise.net. Follow him on Twitter at @mmalkoskie.