Mike Carroll, a mammoth 6-foot-7, 310-pound offensive guard, announced on Wednesday that he will be transferring from Central Bucks East to IMG Academy, the athletic-based boarding school in Bradenton, Florida, along with his brother, Liam, a rising sophomore receiver. It came as a shock to many associated with the Central Bucks East football program.
“We are extremely proud of the outstanding education, coaching, guidance and support that was provided to Mike and Liam Carroll by our teachers, coaching staff, guidance counselors, and booster club,” in a prepared statement by Patriots’ coach John Donnelly, who will be entering his 14th season as head coach. “What an incredible job they did and have always done supporting our student athletes in the football program.
“We are grateful for our former players, current players, and future players for their understanding of the value and experience earned by playing for their community in their hometown with their friends. We are proud of the high number of players who have been developed in our program, earned scholarships, and have gone on to play at all levels of college football from our football tree. Our players are homegrown, not handpicked.
“Many non-boundary schools have long tentacles and deep pockets. Handpicked. What is impressive about schools who assemble a collection of athletes pulled from several different area codes or even states? Will the powers that be ever steel their spine? There is nothing like hometown pride and honing qualities like grit, hard work, and loyalty rather than clicks or stars.
“We just returned from a successful team camp at ESU where we competed against top notch competition. It was and always is a great barometer for our team. We came out of it with high spirits about where we are as a team and look forward to playing Ridley on August 23rd!”
Mike Carroll transferred last season into CB East from La Salle, where he had one scholarship offer. After his junior year, doing some growing and under Pats’ offensive line coach Mike Moosbrugger, who played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Carroll saw that number grow to 40.
Early last month, Carroll chose Alabama, which projects him to play offensive tackle, over Michigan, Penn State and Georgia.
IMG has had a history of swooping in on area talent. Three years ago, IMG plucked two-way Pennridge star Phil Picciotti. The 6-foot-3, 239-pound linebacker is currently at Oklahoma on the Sooners’ roster, although not on their depth chart.
CB East returns some quality players in 6-2, 235-pound senior twins Logan and Connor Simkiss, the team’s leading tacklers, and 6-3, 275-pound senior offensive tackle Christian Taromina.
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito.
