Three members of Syracuse incoming football class will compete for USA Football’s 2009 Junior National Team, which will compete in the sport’s first junior world championship this summer. Linebacker Brandon Sharpe (Virginia Beach, Va.) and defensive backs Shamarko Thomas (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Phillip Thomas (Miami, Fla.) are among 45 graduating high school seniors who will soon to enter 32 college football programs who will play on America’s first national team in the sport.
“Brandon, Phillip and Shamarko all bring speed and toughness,” said Syracuse University defensive coordinator Scott Shafer. “They are athletic kids who are playmakers. USA Football’s Junior National Team will be proud to have them represent the program at the IFAF Junior World Championship. To have three of our incoming freshmen play for this team gives us an opportunity to have the future of Syracuse football represented and to showcase our future talent.”
USA Football, an independent non-profit and the sport’s national governing body on youth and amateur levels, has built America’s first junior national team in the sport to compete in the eight-nation, four-continent 2009 International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Junior World Championship in Canton, Ohio, from June 27-July 5. National football teams from Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Sweden have qualified to join the United States to pursue the sport’s first world championship on the international junior level (19 and under).
Sharpe and Shamarko Thomas both hail from Ocean Lakes (Va.) High School. As a senior, Sharpe had 70 tackles, including a school record 16.0 sacks, and forced three fumbles. Shamarko Thomas was a 2008 All-State First Team selection after recording a team-high 102 tackles, six interceptions, 11 pass breakups and a blocked field goal to help the team post a 12-1 record. Phillip Thomas, a third-team all-state selection, posted 85 tackles, had eight interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns.
The head coach for USA Football’s Junior National Team is Chuck Kyle, head coach of Cleveland St. Ignatius High School, who has led his Wildcats to 10 of Ohio’s past 21 state titles, including two USA TODAY national championships.
All eight national teams will live and practice at Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio, throughout the tournament (June 27-July 5). All-day general admission IFAF Junior World Championship tickets are $10; reserved tickets to all 12 tournament games are $50 and are available at www.jwcfootball.com and via phone at 1-800-574-5874.