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LB Dante Booker (Official Thread)

Dante seemed faster and more aggressive last night. There were a few times he ran right past the play. He would lock in on the QB and miss the handoff to the RB. Not sure if it was excitement from it being the first game or the fact he was getting through the Garfield o-line so fast. The physical skills are definitely there. He just needs to get his mind to slow down some. Like Parris, he has taken his game up a notch this senior season.
 
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Vote for Dante Booker as POW

BOOKER.jpg

Dante Booker, St. Vincent-St. Mary:
Had nine tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks in the Irish's 41-0 win over Barberton.
http://highschoolsports.cleveland.c...rmers-from-friday-night-game-balls-2013-poll/
 
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Dante had a ~70 yard fumble recovery for a TD tonight in a win against Massillon. He has some big-time speed, that much is for sure. He added a few good tackles, but other than that, a pretty quiet night.
 
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STVM senior Dante Booker Jr. among candidates for Butkus Award
By Michael Beaven Published: October 28, 2013
CHICAGO– (October 28, 2013) – Leading candidates for football’s prestigious Butkus Award® honoring the nation’s top football linebackers were announced today by the Butkus Foundation, and Akron resident Dante Booker Jr. is on the list.

The 12 collegiate semi-finalists include returning finalist C.J. Mosley of Alabama. The 12 high school finalists are from eight states, with three each from Ohio and Florida. Booker is a senior at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School and is an Ohio State University recruit. Finalists will be announced November 26 and winners will be announced by December 10. The pro winner will be announced in early 2014.

The Butkus Award honors outstanding linebackers at three levels of play, while spreading the word about the I Play Clean™ initiative, which encourages teens to eat well, train hard, and play smart, instead of resorting to performance-enhancing drugs. More information is available at www.iplayclean.orgor at www.facebook.com/i.play.clean.

“This Award is about honoring linebackers at all levels, and reminding them that they have a responsibility to serve as role models and to give back to society,” said Dick Butkus, the legendary Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker.

High School 2013 Butkus Award Semi-Finalists:

Dante Booker Jr. St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron, OH

Kyle Berger St. Ignatius High School, Cleveland, OH

Christian Miller Spring Valley High School, Columbia, SC

Nyles Morgan Crete-Monee High School, Crete, IL

Dwight Williams Junipero Serra High School, Gardena, CA

Raekwon McMillan Liberty County High School, Hinesville, GA

Kain Daub Sandalwood High School, Jacksonville, FL

Tre Williams St. Paul's Episcopal High School, Mobile, AL

Connor Strachan St. Sebastians School, Needham, MA

Dillon Bates Ponte Vedra High School, Ponte Vedra, FL

Michael Ferns St. Clairsville High School, St. Clairsville, OH

Jacob Pugh Godby High School, Tallahassee, FL

http://www.ohio.com/blogs/varsity-l...jr-among-candidates-for-butkus-award-1.440576
 
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Though his dad played at Auburn, St. Vincent-St. Mary LB Dante Booker 'wants to beat the SEC' at Ohio State: Buckeyes recruiting

St. Vincent-St. Mary coach Dan Boarman St. Vincent-St. Mary coach Dan Boarman discusses linebacker Dante Booker's recruitment, why the four-star linebacker is special and adds in his viewpoint on Ohio State defensive line coach Mike Vrabel. By Ari Wasserman, Northeast Ohio Media Group
on November 28, 2013

AKRON, Ohio – College football's trendy one-loss team this week is Auburn.

The Tigers face top-ranked Alabama on Saturday in the famous Iron Bowl rivalry game, and in some people’s minds there’s a chance, from the No. 4 spot in the BCS, that a win could mean Auburn controls its own destiny for a spot in the national title game.

“But we don’t talk about it at home,” said St. Vincent-St. Mary linebacker Dante Booker, an oral commitment in Ohio State’s 2014 recruiting class. “The focus is all on Ohio State.”

Booker’s father, Dante Booker Sr., is a former Auburn football player. But when the linebacker talks to his dad, there is no SEC trash talk and no suggestions about maybe taking a closer look at the Tigers.

It’s all about Ohio State.

“I want to beat those SEC teams instead of always talking about them,” Booker said. "My dad is all for me going to Ohio State. He was going to be supportive whatever decision I chose, and I was really grateful for that."

It's not that Auburn wasn't interested. The Tigers coaching staff reached out to Booker to create a relationship, but the four-star linebacker had already made up his mind in favor of Ohio State and decided not to pursue it further.

Rated by Rivals.com the No. 4 inside linebacker in the 2014 class, Booker had a scholarship offer from every top program in the Midwest. In all, Illinois, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State, West Virginia and many others all hoped to land him.

Booker also had an offer from Tennessee and Auburn expressed real interest, but by the time the SEC could gain ground in his recruitment, it was over. It was Ohio State all the way, and it is because that was the program Booker grew up watching.

“I obviously rooted for Auburn and my dad when I was younger,” Booker said. “But being in Ohio and always watching Ohio State with the family and everything, I was always a fan. I’ll always root for my dad, but I was always an Ohio State fan.”

cont...

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2013/11/despite_having_a_father_who_pl.html
 
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Beacon Journal 2013 football player of year: Dante Booker Jr. of St. Vincent-St. Mary

By Michael Beaven
Beacon Journal sports writer


November 28, 2013
booker28cut-1.jpg

Dante Booker of the St. Vincent St. Mary High School football team is the Akron Beacon Journal Player of the Year. He is standing in front of photographs in the team locker room of St. Vincent St. Mary alumni who have been named to Ohio All-State teams. (Karen Schiely/Akron Beacon Journal)

The quiet and shy kid of a couple of years ago is more chatty and outgoing these days as he roams the football field wearing No. 47 for St. Vincent-St. Mary.

Dante Booker Jr. has always been nice and pleasant, but St. V-M coach Dan Boarman is noticing a mature and more comfortable 18-year-old player who is a vital linebacker in a Fighting Irish defense full of speed and strength.

“The thing that I have wanted [Booker] to do is to become not just a player, but also a leader,” St. V-M defensive coordinator Marcus Wattley said. “He has earned captain the past two years. I think a lot of people respect the way he carries himself. He is not a very vocal person. He cares about his team and he cares about everybody in a way where he doesn’t put himself in front of other people.”

Booker displayed his skills quickly at St. V-M as an underclassman and attracted college scouts from all over the country.

Now, as a senior he is two wins away from helping St. V-M win a second consecutive Division III state championship and is looking forward to a bright future at Ohio State University on a football scholarship.

Booker’s talent has gotten him selected for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 4 in the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, and it has earned him the title of 2013 Akron Beacon Journal Football Player of the Year. The Akron Beacon Journal high school sports staff that has covered nearly 50 games this season selected Booker and the 25-man all-star team.

“This senior season has been a real good season,” Booker said. “I feel like we have a real chance to top it off and it end it right with a second state championship. It has been a truly changing experience to spend this season with all of my brothers.

“I have built a really good relationship with these guys. Our whole team has been solid, and in particular the seniors. Parris Campbell Jr. is awesome, and my defensive teammates Newman Williams, the Adkins brothers [Aaron and Tony], Travonte Junius, Dr’ek Brumley and Vince Lockett have been great to play with.”

Booker accepted the player of the year honor but added that his friend Campbell is a worthy candidate.

“I know it was a hard decision for all of the guys to make with the player of the year thing, but I think Parris is equally deserving for this honor,” Booker said. “All these awards that I get, I think he should know that he is just as good. I am really looking forward to finishing this season right with Parris and all of my teammates.”

Boarman and Wattley smile when they talk about Booker’s unselfishness and growth.

“A lot of kids with the recognition and accolades that Dante has are often big-headed. Dante is one of the more humble kids you will find,” Wattley said. “He takes everything well and doesn’t brag about anything. He just smiles and says ‘That’s cool’ and goes on about his business.”
cont...

http://www.ohio.com/sports/high-sch...ante-booker-jr-of-st-vincent-st-mary-1.448232
 
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