Succeeding school’s all-time greats, Ezekiel Marcelin aims to cement name in Central lore
The No. 4 isn’t just any jersey number at Miami Central High.
Some of the players who have worn it over the past two decades read like a who’s who of college and pro standouts.
Dalvin Cook and Najee Davenport made it to the NFL.
Tommy Shuler starred at Marshall.
Lexington Joseph is starting at FIU.
And most recently, Rueben Bain has become one of the best defensive players in the country at the University of Miami.
So two weeks ago when Rockets coach Jube Joseph surprised senior linebacker Ezekiel Marcelin with a new jersey donning that number, he didn’t need to be told the significance.
“It’s just an honor for me personally,” Marcelin said. “It’s been a long journey but it went by fast. I just want to cherish every moment this season and go out with a state championship.”
Marcelin knows that at Central, state titles are the standard by which your legacy is remembered.
As a sophomore, Marcelin forced a decisive fumble in the closing seconds of the Rockets’ victory over Plantation American Heritage, which was scooped up by Bain, one of his friends and mentors, to seal the school’s ninth state crown all-time.
But last season following Bain’s graduation and departure to UM, things didn’t go as planned for Marcelin and Central.
Although Marcelin, a 5-11, 208-pound, three-star recruit and verbal commit to Miami, put together another prolific season, the Rockets fell short of their annual goal following a deflating overtime loss to Miami Norland in the Region 4-2M final.
Marcelin’s sole focus these days before he joins Bain and Wesley Bissainthe, another mentor from his days wearing Central’s green and white, is to rectify that disappointing result this season.
“It’s more than a want, it’s a need this year. We’ve been working very hard for it,” Marcelin said. “Rueben still communicates with me a lot and with me committing to Miami, we’re even closer now. I’m excited to keep the Miami Central-to-UM pipeline going. We just have to finish every game.”
Marcelin enters the season ranked 53rd overall in the state by 247Sports regardless of position and the 33rd-highest prospect at his position.
Smaller in size than Bain was as a 275-pound edge rusher, Marcelin’s high-motor and skills when it comes to pass rush, pass coverage and run stopping have reminded Rockets fans of Bissainthe, a 6-1, 205-pound linebacker in high school.
Marcelin finished last season with 109 tackles including 19 for loss and 12 sacks.
But it’s the qualities off the field that have begun to emerge more over the past two seasons that remind Joseph of the two former defensive standouts he coached.
“It’s kind of like deja vu because we saw that same growth with Rueben as he grew into that role,” Joseph said. “(Marcelin) has exemplified behaviors of a leader that deserves that honor of wearing that (No. 4) jersey. He looked up to Wesley and Rueben, but it’s his time now to be ‘Ezekiel Marcelin.’ The sky’s the limit for him and he can go as far as he wants to go.”
Marcelin is the captain of a defense which hopes to restore Central to its recent glory when it won four consecutive titles from 2019-2022, a task which became harder after defensive back Amari Wallace, another UM commit, suffered a knee injury during a recent 7-on-7 event. It’s unclear if Wallace will be able to return this season.
Senior defensive back Tony Williams (UCF commit), senior cornerback Zion Paret (FAU commit) and senior safety Sekou Smith Jr. (Mississippi State commit), will look to pick up the slack in the secondary. Senior lineman Randy Adrika (11 sacks last season), a Penn State commit, and Oklahoma commit Floyd Boucard will bolster things up front. Marcelin will line up opposite Karon Maycock, a 6-1, 185-pound junior linebacker.
“The summer has been amazing,” Joseph said. “Guys have bonded and focused on the culture. Since that round 3 loss, we’ve been working.
“I think if you look at me over the years, people say I’m such a good motivator and I give good speeches. I haven’t had to say much this offseason. These guys are kinda self-directed and they’re motivated. They know what’s expected. It’s going to be a sight to see this year because you could see it in their eyes and the commitment they’re putting in.”
On offense, Central returns multiple top performers including junior running back Jayden Ford and senior wide receivers Khaleal Sterling, Neshaun Montgomery and Anjuan Coleman.
The biggest change will be at quarterback where senior Bekkem Kritza, a Penn State commit, is back with the Rockets and is the planned starter. Kritza (6-5, 200 pounds) vied for the starting role last season in the preseason, but transferred back to Fairview High in Boulder, Colorado, the school he played for as a sophomore. Kritza transferred back to Central this offseason.
“He’s driving the car. He’s been learning a lot since he got here and learning the offense,” Joseph said. “But not just that, he’s learning to be a real locker room guy. He may shock some people down here. Some people have had questions and he’s got some answers.”
Central will not play Norland this season as the teams are no longer in the same classification after the FHSAA realigned its district format to eight classes. The Rockets were placed in Class 3A where their biggest obstacle figures to be longtime neighborhood rival Miami Northwestern, which has been revitalized under first-year coach and former Miami Dolphins quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
Regardless of who Central will encounter on a potential road back to state, Joseph said his team learned to take nothing for granted after suffering all four of its losses last season by four points or fewer.
“When you’re at a high level for so long, you’re the hunted,” Joseph said. “We’re refocused on the standard of that and the standard of excellence that comes with being a Rocket. They take that with a lot of pride. They’re focused and they’re grinding together and they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with when the season comes.”
