2023 Post-season interview with highly recruited Elijah King TE/DEF END Gahanna Lincoln High School

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2023 Post-season interview with highly recruited Elijah King TE/DEF END Gahanna Lincoln High School

Post by LICKING COUNTY FAN »

Name: Elijah King

Class: 2024

School: Gahanna Lincoln High School

Positions played: DE, TE

What goals did you set for yourself entering the 2022 season? Did you achieve those goals?

The goals I had set were to make sure I got three tackles a quarter and work on my technique and play since I missed out on it my sophomore year. I feel as if I did, I would make the big plays when they came, and I would push myself to finish not just for myself but for my team and coaches.

What were the high and low points of the season?

The highs of the season were the beginning of working for greatness and grinding for it, knowing no one was going to give it to us. I feel like that's what brought us together as a team, as a brotherhood. The low was the game we’d lose to St. Ed’s in the final four. Yes, we lost to Centerville, but I feel as if we hadn’t lost to Centerville in week 3, we wouldn’t have been as good as we were. It was like a lesson. Against St. Edward's, it was different. Yes, they were good, but we were good too; our offense just wasn’t clicking, and we weren’t in the right mindset. I’d love to play them one more time just to see how different it would play out.

Who was the best team Gahanna faced last season, and what made them so good?

I feel like the best team we played last year was New Albany in that regional title game. Man, those boys never quit or gave up on that game; they always finished the plays, had great pad level, always ran through our thighs, and just kept going no matter what we did back—they hit us back. I personally respected that as a man I made sure to dip every one of them up for never losing hope, and when they lost, they held their heads very high.

Who was the best player you guys faced last season?
In my opinion, the best player we played was that St. Edwards running back (Marvin Bell). Wherever he goes, he will always run hard, and if you don’t run through him, he will run through you!

Looking back at all of the road games you played, which stadium did you enjoy playing at the most? Explain.

The stadium I enjoyed playing at the most was Whitehall Stadium. It seemed just right to me. I loved the way the turf would feel and the way the sun would fall on it. It had great sunset views and felt like euphoria.

Of the positions, you played last season, which one was the hardest? Explain.

The hardest position I probably played was tight end because I never really had experience with it until week 10 and the playoffs. But trust me, when I got in, coach just told me to run through someone, and I did. That was the only part I loved about it: getting to destroy someone!

Which position did you enjoy playing the most last season? Why?
The position I enjoyed the most was definitely my defensive end position. I loved getting rid of the ball, making the o line look stupid, getting around them, or faking them, making them stutter step, and sacking that QB, or smacking the running back in the back, which would just get me going and it wouldn’t stop going!

Which game from last season will you remember the most? Explain
The game I will remember the most is probably the last home game we had before they took the stadium down for good. It felt like we were playing for all the players who had played there before. I felt honored to send that legendary field out for good with my brothers.

What was it like having to play all your games away from Gananna?

It felt like we were the underdogs and we had a disadvantage every time we played, but I loved that it drove me to do better for the team and for Gahanna, where we were called the road warriors.

Can you share with the readers any colleges that have been recruiting you?

The schools that have been recruiting me are Indiana, Purdue, Ohio State, Iowa State, Rutgers, Kentucky, Virginia Tech, Minnesota, Cincinnati, Iowa, West Virginia, Toledo, and Akron.


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Re: 2023 Post-season interview with highly recruited Elijah King TE/DEF END Gahanna Lincoln High School

Post by VetteMan »

Playing all of their games on the road this past season could not have been easy. Not sure that I agree with Elijah as far as playing Lakewood St Edward in the playoffs. It just might be the fact that you were playing one of the powerhouse Division-1 programs in the State of Ohio, rather than you not having the right mindset.


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