Grace Barton ’21 | Giles Elliot ’21
Photo courtesy of The Philadelphia Inquirer
As co-captain of the football team, quarterback Maurcus McDaniel has led his team 8-0 thus far in his final season. As coaches Fairlee and Yespelkis speak of him as a “great leader,” “a vital part of the teams success,” and “really tough player, mentally and physically,” his crucial role in rushing, passing and touchdowns greatly contributes to the teams undefeated record.
Beginning as a running back in seventh grade for the Springfield Youth Club, McDaniel began to play football eventually transitioning into the quarterback position. Starting as quarterback since his sophomore year, McDaniel plays a large part in Episcopal’s offense as well as contributing to the defense as a defensive back. Coach Fairlee adds to this by saying, “He is a very well rounded player.” Billy Adams ’21 says “ You can tell he is a three-year starter because he is so smart, smooth, and comfortable while playing with the ball.”
His most memorable moment with the team was last year’s game against Haverford. He especially highlights beating the Fords for the second year in a row and Deewill Barlee becoming the leading rusher in EA football history. McDaniel says, “I loved seeing the energy that the thunderdome brought and smiles after the victory. The energy in the locker room after the game is a picture I can never forget.”
McDaniel goes on to speak of his “most memorable game” in his high school career, describing it as “a shift that grew in [his] attitude”. The game took place at Salesianum in Delaware his sophomore year where he says, “We were against the opponent, the atmosphere, and the refs, EA gave it everything we had and unfortunately we still fell short, leaving me with a chip on my shoulder that I have played with ever since.”
In a good spot to win the Inter-Ac as well as beat Haverford for the third year in a row, McDaniel, his teammates, and his coaches are hopeful for the rest of the season as his co-capitan. Coach Yespelkis adds by saying, “Maurcus has set himself and our team up to have a great Inter-Ac performance. We have grown as a team each game and have some really solid wins.”
Matt Bush ’20 says, “I’m very excited for the rest of the season. I feel like we are in a very good spot right now and we’ve worked really hard to be in the position that we’re in. We have the potential to do something really special and I’m excited to see what happens. I know that everyone on this team is happy with what we’ve accomplished so far but we’re also hungry for more.”
Coach Yespelkis describes McDaniel’s best quality as a “great leader”. He says, “The way our team performs in practice and in games is reflective of the way Maurcus is playing. He might not be the loudest player on the field, but he always brings good energy to the team.” McDaniel’s energy and positive influence on others inspires all the younger players.
Coach Fairlie says “He stays calm and is a great decision maker. He is confident and competes at everything he does. Maurcus is a tremendous teammate who always has the best interest of the team in the front of his mind.”