|  |
|
This is a saved page of Finch maximizes his impact (The Indianapolis Star) This is a copy we made of the page on 18-Aug-2006. The original page may or may not still be availible and pictures and text may have changed since then. Click Here to view the original page at the original website. |
|
 |
Customer Service | Subscribe Now | Pay Bill | Place an Ad | Contact Us |
|
 |
|
|
August 18, 2006
Finch maximizes his impact
Warren Central's versatile senior defensive back adds some offense -- wide receiver -- to his game
Even Jerimy Finch's name hints at the kind of football player he is.
Although he said he knows of no reason for the "I" in his first name, a case could be made that it stands for impact. Finch, a Warren Central High School senior who is Indiana's highest-rated prospect by multiple scouting services, without a doubt is an impact player. Literally. And figuratively. Ask any receiver who traverses into Finch's coverage area and considers catching a pass anywhere near the University of Michigan recruit. The 6-2, 210-pound safety's impact will be felt with a crushing hit. But more important, according to first-year Warriors coach Steve Tutsie, is Finch's presence. He has the ability to lift his entire team, which opens the 2006 season tonight at home against Franklin Central. "Jerimy Finch is just a difference maker," said Tutsie, who previously was Warren Central's defensive coordinator and responsible for putting together the packages to take advantage of his star's superior ability. "We play with 12 with Jerimy Finch. He's one of those special young men -- if there's a competition involved, he's going to win." Finch, 18, said he's been that way as long as he can remember. As a youngster, he recalled being involved in multiple sports with a variety of family members. "They all played sports, and I hung around them a lot," said Finch, who has lived with grandparents Charlotte Finch and James Flowers since the second grade. "Them seeing me come up, they told me I had potential." By middle school, Finch said he realized he had a chance to make it big in football. Then in high school, after seeing limited varsity duty as a freshman because seniors dominated the Warriors' 2003 Class 5A state champions, he burst on the scene as a sophomore as a defensive and special teams standout. In just his third game as a varsity starter, against arch-rival Ben Davis no less, Finch, who also is his team's punter, made a play that still has people talking. When an errant snap went over his head, Finch raced back into his own end zone to pick up the ball. Then, after running 20 yards to his right and still in the end zone, he heaved a pass to teammate Jason Stewart. Out-jumping two Giants at the 40, Stewart grabbed the ball, turned and ran 60 yards for what officially was recorded as a 75-yard touchdown pass. "Jerimy is the most athletic, best football player we've got on this team," said classmate Darren Evans, a star running back who has committed to Virginia Tech. "He makes plays that probably nobody else could make." By the end of that season, Finch grabbed seven interceptions, helped Warren Central to a second straight 5A title and earned first-team all-Marion County honors. Last season, he was awarded all-Marion County, Super Team and all-state accolades after a state-leading 10 interceptions and helping the Warriors to a third consecutive state crown -- his finest performance coming on the state's biggest stage in the 55-20 title-game victory over Hamilton Southeastern. "I'm very excited with the team, and I know people in the crowd are very excited for us," Finch said of his effort that included a 55-yard punt return for a touchdown, a 41-yard interception return that set up another TD and a team-high nine tackles. "It's a feed-feed situation; I feed off the crowd and the team, and they feed off me." Hot commodity Recruiters certainly noticed, and schools such as USC, Miami (Fla.) and Virginia Tech joined Michigan in pursuing Finch, whom they told Tutsie is a complete package of size, speed and approach. "Every recruiter I've met said he dominates a game," Tutsie said. "Normally they break (safeties) into run-support guys and pass (coverage) guys. But Jerimy can cover the pass and support the run. He's a true ball-hawking safety, and you just don't find guys like that." Added Jeremy Crabtree, a recruiting analyst for rivals.com: "He's got a college-ready body. He's someone who could play corner, and as a safety, he has exactly what you want. He's a truly special kid." Another who feels that way is Finch's grandmother. "He says I'm old-school, but it works," Charlotte Finch said, recalling how she made him repeat the sixth grade when his grades didn't meet her standards. "I wanted him to know the value of who he is. . . . Ever since, it's all been good." Noting how well Finch performs "when the lights are on," Tutsie plans to alter former coach Kevin Wright's strict two-platoon philosophy by using Finch in a third phase as a wide receiver. That will be in addition to his defensive, punting/return duties. "Coach Wright didn't like cross-training players if we didn't need to, but Jerimy Finch is going to play some offense," Tutsie said. "It's kind of similar to the James Banks deal (at Ben Davis) a few years ago when he (added) defense. "I know if I was (an opposing) defensive coordinator and I saw Jerimy Finch on the field, it commands your attention. You make a statement not only to your team but also to your opponents: We're going to use this guy because he's a great football player." Not that he needed it, Finch now has one more place to make an impact.
Call Star reporter Pat McKee at (317) 444-6182.
Copyright 2006 IndyStar.com. All rights reserved
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
