Dunbar football makes history on signing day

Josh Fedd didn’t expect a global pandemic to turn his high school football career upside down when he arrived in Dunbar in the fall of 2019. Dunbar High’s linemen also didn’t expect him to attend Harvard, arguably the most prestigious university in the country.

But there was Fedd, wearing a crimson Harvard sweatshirt with matching hat, taking photos with family members in Dunbar’s auditorium on Wednesday afternoon. Fedd was one of 10 poets to complete their college plans.

Tavis Brown (Virginia State), Kelby Carter (Morgan State), Tony Hart (Elon),David Jones (Bethany College), Tristen Kenan (Maine), Shantron Monroe (Seton Hill), Ebubedike Nnbugwu (Delaware State), Devin Page ( Lafayette), Devin Roche (Old Dominion) and Donald Smith (Morgan State) were honored along with Fedd.

“It’s pretty amazing. We didn’t know if we were going to have a high school career,” Fedd said.

Fedd starred at junior poets’ varsity in the fall of 2019. In the summer of 2020, Fedd and his teammates met Zoom when the COVID-19 pandemic turned off-season training into virtual events.

The fall 2020 football season has been canceled in Baltimore City. The Poets returned to the field in 2021 and started a historic run.

East Baltimore School had consecutive undefeated seasons, culminating in a Class 2A/1A state championship in 2021 (13-0) and 2022 (14-0). The consecutive unbeaten seasons is a first in the history of the Dunbar program.

What was more impressive was what they did off the field, with a 3.2 GPA.

“This is how Dunbar football should be,” said Poets coach Lawrence Smith. “We want student athletes who take being a student just as seriously as playing football. These guys have set a bar that we aim to surpass every year.”

Baltimore County champion and Class 4A/3A semifinalist Dundalk had six players announce their college plans, led by Chimdy Omoh, a star offensive linemen who signed with Penn State. Running back Jordan Fiorenza heads to Wheeling University along with Dajuan Jones (defensive line) and Dale Martin (linebacker). Jullian Haddix (offensive line) and Kevaun Briscoe (linebacker) committed to Charleston and Bowie State, respectively.

St. Frances, the region’s No. 1 soccer team, signed two players with Delaware State last fall: wide receiver Kyree Benton and defenseman Christian Garrett. Kino Glover (offensive lineman) will play for North Carolina Central.

Gilman had 21 of his student-athletes announce their college plans Wednesday. Greyhound footballers Ahmir Crawley (Lafayette), Allan Gushue (Washington & Lee), Miles Roberts (Amherst) and Marcus Walker (Oberlin College) have confirmed.

Ten Lacrosse Players – Jackson Barnhill (Franklin & Marshall), Warry Calhoun (Johns Hopkins), Hayden Carpenter (Connecticut College), Ian Evans (Union), George Hardy (Franklin & Marshall), Carson Mingo (Randolph-Macon), Matt Morelli (Lafayette), Wally Radebaugh (St. Joseph’s), Patrick Rodgers (Washington College) and Bo Webster (Holy Cross) – signed. Baseball players Jalen Dockett and Adam Hicks travel to Clafin and Gettysburg, respectively.

Elijah Brijbasi (Louisville, soccer), Tim Brooks (Colgate, swimming), Ryan Capodanno (Franklin & Marshall, soccer), Tommy Soltanian (Columbia, squash) and Luke Woodworth (Stanford, sailing) also signed for the Greyhounds.