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Davis set to take over as Bearcats quarterback


It would have been easy for new William Penn coach Shawn Heinold to stick with Kelvin Parker at quarterback. In five games during his injury-shortened season last fall, Parker proved himself to be one of the biggest game-changers in the area at that position.

But in his efforts to best-utilize Parker -- who at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, still possesses 4.39 speed -- Heinold has transitioned the senior to a sort of "slash" sole. Parker will move all over to field on offense, although he'll operate primarily as a wide receiver.

That meant Heinold had to find a new quarterback.

Bearcats fans, meet Dontae Davis.

Davis, a 6-foot senior, did not play football last year, but came to Heinold this past March to express his interest in trying out.

"I kind of took him under my wing," Heinold said. "I started working with him. He put on 10-15 pounds in the weight room.

"He basically took control of that position, and earned the respect of his teammates at that position."

At first glance, Davis looks to be a solid athlete with a decent arm. He also has at least one other thing going for him: Good genes. His brother, Jordan Davis, was a former William Penn quarterback, and earned Division I tri-player of the year honors as a senior in 2008 (when he threw for 2,234 yards and 26 touchdowns). Jordan is now a redshirt freshman quarterback at Hampton University.

Davis saw sporadic time for the Bearcats' boys' basketball team this fall. I first found out Davis was interested in playing football at York Area Sports Night last January. He was competing in a quarterback competition that night against a few other signal callers from the area, and actually won the event.

When Davis told me afterward he was interested in playing quarterback for the Bearcats this fall, I was, I have to admit, a bit skeptical. But it looks like Davis will get a shot, after all.