Damarion Arrington has been a jack-of-all-trades for the Mount Carmel football team. And he has darn near mastered them all on both sides of the ball.
As a junior last spring, Arrington started five games at strong safety. He was set to resume that role this fall until a few injuries forced coach Jordan Lynch’s hand.
These days, Arrington is playing a bunch of downs at quarterback and running back. He starred Friday during a 28-16 CCL/ESCC Blue victory over host Marist in Chicago.
In a game featuring a 90-minute lightning delay at halftime, Arrington delivered a 5-yard touchdown as a running back midway through the second quarter to force a 7-7 tie.
His second rushing TD, on a 3-yard burst, was done from the quarterback position in the third quarter and put the Caravan up for good at 21-10.
How did Arrington handle the doubling of his workload for Mount Carmel (4-0, 1-0), which came into the game ranked second in Class 7A?
“I was shocked,” said Arrington, who finished with 48 yards on nine carries and also played most of the game at strong safety. “They said, ‘You’re going to be playing both sides of the ball … receiver, quarterback and safety.’
“And I said, ‘Any position. I’m ready.’ I have to step up for my team and shine for my brothers.”
But don’t get the impression it was all glamour. Having to process the deluge of information would be a challenge for any player.
“The kids that go both ways, they have to know the playbook, so we have to keep it simple,” Lynch said. “He’s doing a really good job picking up the playbook offensively and defensively.”
So, does Arrington prefer to play on offense or defense?
He’s pretty diplomatic about that answer, noting it’s not about where he wants to play but rather wherever he’s asked to play. There’s a big difference.
It was a tough night, meanwhile, for Marist (3-1, 0-1), which came in ranked second in 8A.
The RedHawks’ defensive line did put enough pressure on Mount Carmel, with junior quarterback Blainey Dowling being held to completing only 6 of 9 passes for 100 yards.
Marist also limited senior running back Darrion Dupree to a quiet 79 yards on 14 carries.
The vanguard of that group for the RedHawks are a pair of senior defensive ends in Jayson Harris-Woodard and Sam Colon.
Harris-Woodard is an interesting study because he plays end but can also easily pivot to the inside, perfect for stuffing the run.
“He’s stood out,” Marist coach Ron Dawczak said. “The fact that he has the ability to play inside and disrupt the game from the outside, it’s a unique combination.”
The RedHawks also have a host of juniors who are major contributors. That includes defensive tackle Matteo Filippo, who played offensive line his first two years at Marist.
Jamel Howard, another junior defensive tackle, plugs up the middle and is “athletic enough to get after the quarterback,” according to Dawczak.
Even though he’s a junior, Arrington has been showing superb leadership simply by showing up and working hard on both sides of the ball.
“He’s earning the seniors’ trust,” Lynch said.
Another reason Arrington believes he has been successful at Mount Carmel is the school’s rich football tradition, with 13 state titles under three different coaches.
“Every other school is not like Mount Carmel,” he said. “MC comes together as a family. We bond there. Nobody breaks us apart. We’ve got each other’s back.”
Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.