Sometimes you work and work and then all of a sudden you watch one of your students grow up right in front of your eyes. NATE BARKO has done just that. I have never had a QB continue to get better faster during one season. He started off and you knew he was a good one, but not quite sure how good.
In game one against New Albany Nate lead his team to a 3 overtime victory and you saw the start of that unusual “will to win“ that only a few players have. I felt certain at that point we were going to be impressive during this Junior year of his, but it was the 4th game of the season when I knew for sure we were ready for the big time. As anyone who saw that game will remember, it looked as though the US Air Force had attacked the Raider field at Reynoldsburg Ohio with missiles of all types disguised as footballs flying around and many of them ended up in the end zones at both ends of the field. The passing game and Nate were rollin.
Coach White and his staff had bought in that they now had both ways to attack a defense, from the ground and the air. From that point on his 4 WRs, Martee Morse, Jordan Hay, Jay Jay Cooper, and Justice Landers all were excitedly getting better right along with Nate and the ground game and running backs were pretty potent themselves. It wasn’t always easy but you could see a state playoff team coming and sure enough they made it.
It all ended in 2015 by losing to one of the best teams in the state, last Friday night, in Huber Heights Wayne HS, and I for one who saw the game don’t believe they are quite finished yet and don’t doubt they may be ones in the last game of the year playing for a State title. Now, the reason I mention them, is because after playing Reynoldsburg their comments by their coaches and players were, “Nate Barko is the best Quarterback  we have faced all year, and Martee Morse, one of the best receivers we saw as wellâ€. There is nothing like your peers to asses you correctly, as I agree.   Great job from a humble beginning 2 years ago when my good friend Butler B’Note’ of Ohio State and NFL success called me and asked me if I would work Nate Barko at Reynoldsburg. I said,†For you, sure , but what does he have going for him?â€Â He said he has a tremendous will to win the rest is up to you.   Thanks Butler, you were right.
Here is what he has done, thrown for 1937 yards, 16 TDs passing and 3 rushing and only 7 INTs. Good enough to be the All-Time passing Quarterback in Reynoldsburg history. If you want to watch it, click here for his 2015 Junior year highlight film. Right along with this is his number one receiver Martee Morse who had a total of 880 of those passing yards, 5 TDs and an average catch of 16.4 yards per catch. To view Martee’s film click here.
I am so proud of what all of you have accomplished and what a bright future you are making for Coach White’s  Reynoldsburg Raiders. Can’t wait to see Nate and the rest of the Raiders next year and in college as the continue to pursue their dreams.
NATE BARKO HIGHLIGHTS
MARTEE MORSE HIGHLIGHTS