TKA eighth-grader Marshaun Bowers (24). (Photo: Dallas Swaggerty/contributed)
The King’s Academy football coach Jonathan Sellers was worried about a matchup last summer when his 7-on-7 team went up against Powell.
Sellers was discussing with defensive coordinator Aaron Kirby how their eighth grader, Marshaun Bowers, would fare against the host Panthers in their tournament.
“We started him out there against some really good competition that day,” Sellers recalls. “He went against Adarius Redmond (of Powell) a couple of times and he actually did a really good job against him and got a lot of confidence going from there.
“Then we watched him go against some kids from Catholic and some kids from South-Doyle (in the 7-on-7s) that are very high-level players and kind of hold his own, so we felt really good about his ability to cover kids.”
Bowers didn’t disappoint, earning a starting job in preseason and starting the 2019 season opener against Seymour.
And it didn’t take Bowers long to come up with a big play.
Seymour had the lead and the football early in the game, eventually won by Seymour 24-17.
Bowers was defending one of the Eagles’ top receivers in man-to-man coverage when he left his man just in time to intercept a pass intended for another receiver.
“I’ve probably watched that play 100 times on tape because it’s just not a play that’s supposed to happen,” Sellers said. “We knew then, that’s a play that high-level upperclassmen are making, and this kid made it as an eighth-grader, and he just continuously got better.
“I think going into game five, every game he forced a turnover. One game he had a pick, and one game he stripped a kid and recovered it. He was just a kid that all throughout the season had an ability to be around the football and come away with takeaways.”
TKA eighth-grader Marshaun Bowers. (Photo: Dallas Swaggerty/contributed)
Bowers (5-foot-9, 165 pounds), the 5Star Preps Defensive Underclassman of the Year, finished the season with five interceptions.
Not bad for a guy who played the 2018 season for Grace Christian in the Knoxville Youth Metro League for 14-year-olds.
Bowers, who turned 14 last March 28, grew up playing football and basketball, idolizing the high school players he watched.
Football is his favorite sport, although he likes basketball and plays point guard for TKA Middle School.
When he got on the football field with the Lions’ 7-on-7 varsity starters last summer, Bowers had an idea what to expect.
“It was fun, but it was hard,” he said. “I’ve been playing against older guys my whole life, and I play better when I play against guys that are good.”
Still, becoming a varsity starter as an eighth grader is a rarity.
And Bowers knew it.
“It surprised me a little bit,” he said. “When I first got started playing (at TKA), I didn’t think I’d be starting. I thought I’d be coming off the bench. It was a big jump because of my weight, my size, and how physical the game is.”
Sellers said Bowers had enough talent to adapt to the high school game.
“He moves extremely well, he’s got really good feet and hips, which is a necessity to be able to play the DB position,” Sellers said. “Even though he’s about 160, as the season progressed, he became a really good tackler as well, someone who helped us out there setting the edge.”
After basketball season ends, Bowers will begin offseason work in TKA’s strength and conditioning program.
Sellers sees loads of potential in Bowers, who hopes to play college football.
“The kid’s only 14. He’s a very young kid, and the sky’s the limit for him,” Sellers said. “This will be his first year spending a full year in the weight room.
“I think he’s going to continue to grow exponentially year in and year out. He’s already gained a lot of experience, which should help him going forward as well.”