FOOTBALL: EDISON'S BENNETT SIGNS TO PLAY SPRINT FOOTBALL AT MANSFIELD (March 3, 2022)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
Last Spring Edison football coach Kyle Erickson was driving by the snow-covered football field when he saw his star player, Noah Bennett, out with s shovel clearing the field to practice.

That’s the type of dedication that Bennett had as a player for the Spartans, and that’s the type of player that Mansfield University will now be getting as he signed to play sprint football for the Mountaineers on Thursday.

“This is exciting,” Erickson said of watching Bennett sign. “The end of a lot of hard work, I mean it’s still going to be a lot of hard work, but just the dedication that he’s put in knowing the kid for as many years as I have. Meeting him as a seventh grader and seeing him come all the way through his senior year and just the hard work and dedication he has.

“He eats, sleeps and breaths football. I just look back to the spring season, two weeks before the spring season our football field had two foot of snow on it and I drive by one day and he’s shoveling it off so he can run routes. Just the dedication. It’s exciting. It’s exciting for the program. It’s kind of hard to put into words. Good for the program, good for the school and I’m really excited for the young man.”

For Bennett it was a special moment on Thursday as he signed to play in college.

“I can’t really put it into words,” he said. “Probably the best moment of my life so far. I’m excited for the next four years of my life.”

When Bennett went to Mansfield he just knew it was the right fit for him.

“For starters, coach (John) Evans, especially, was very welcoming and came to me first. I went on my overnight visit the guys were a great group of guys and it’s going to be nice to spend the next four years with. Just felt right being there.”

The Mountaineers are coming off a strong season and Bennett is excited to be a part of it.

“It’s going to be great,” he said. “Yes, they are great athletes and a great group of guys and I’m going to be able to be a big contributor to them.”

For Bennett at the end of the day sprint football is a chance to keep playing the sport he loves.

“I think it’s going to be pretty much the same,” Bennett said. “It’s football, it’s college level and I’m excited.”

Erickson knows that Mansfield is getting a special player, and person.

“They are getting a kid that gives you 100%,” Erickson said. “His heart is 100 times bigger than his size. That’s the one thing people always say is he’s a little guy, short on stature, but he’ll give you everything he’s got and then some.

“He doesn’t give up at all, he’ll give you 140% for four quarters and then he’ll still be just grinding afterward, wanting to watch film, weight room. He’ll be that quiet leadership and he’ll bring hard work and intensity.”

For Bennett it’s special to see that his hard work has paid off.

Between now and the fall he plans to just keep working.

“Just stay working out and conditioning and prove I can play at the next level,” he said.

As Bennett signed his letter of intent his whole team was there with him, and Erickson knows that just shows what kind of leader Bennett is and how much he can inspire younger kids to strive to be able to playin college as well.

“I think this is a big deal for our program,” Erickson said. “I think just by the show of support by his teammates who are here today. I think it’s exciting and I think it brings excitement to our younger players that this is something they can do and move onto the next level. I think it’s going to be a big step for our program and I think it shows with the support today.”

For Bennett it’s special to be able to show the younger kids what is possible and make it to the college level coming from a smaller school like Edison.

“That’s one of the biggest things, to be able to prove to everyone else, and show that people that look up to you that you can do great things,” Bennett said.
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IN TOP PHOTO: Edison’s Noah Bennett. . . PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES