BY MATTHEW PEASLEE
BLACKSVILLE — Best friends Drew Boczek and Carson Shriver accounted for more than 3,700 yards of total offense and 37 touchdowns over the past two seasons.
Boczek played at Trinity, while Shriver was at Clay-Battelle. This year, they are teaming up as Cee-Bees quarterbacks to lead what could be one of the most-dynamic offenses in Class A football.
“I’m really excited for a full season with 10 games and hopefully more with the playoffs,” Shriver said. “We’re looking good so far. We’ve got our offensive scheme in a good place and it’s been really fun to see it all come together.”
Head coach Ryan Wilson’s unique dual-threat system has been in place for several years.
When Shriver was a freshman, he watched Seth Casino and Levi Carrico handle the quarterback duties. Last year, Shriver joined Cooper Watson and took advantage of the opportunity as a sophomore QB.
“Getting the touches that I did will help me coming into this year, personally,” Shriver said. “But we also have an experienced and bigger line — it made me realize that this really could be our year. (Last year) developed me better as an all-around athlete and a football player. Since I was a younger player, I saw what it takes to move the ball and ultimately win games. Beyond that, I put on a lot of muscle and strength which was a great feeling and better prepared me for this year.”
Boczek led Trinity to a winning record as a sophomore quarterback in the COVID-shortened campaign. As a freshman, he went 2-2 as the starting QB before suffering a broken foot. He brings to Clay-Battelle a 90.2 quarterback rating from last season. He completed 87 of 152 passes for 993 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, including a 20-of-32 passing performance for 313 yards and three touchdowns in a game against Wahama.
He earned First-Team All-OVAC Mason-Dixon Conference and Honorable-Mention All-State honors last season.
“I’ve done a lot of elbow workouts and throwing mechanics to get my arm stronger,” Boczek said. “I needed to get the ball further down the field so I really worked on the deep ball so I can get it out there for my receivers.”
Boczek and Shriver have been close friends since playing basketball together in elementary school. They played against each other and even together on some travel teams. They’ve kept in touch in the years since and are now teaming up together on the football field.
“We click really well,” Boczek said. “We’ve always clicked really well.”
Boczek was welcomed in by the rest of his C-B teammates right away.
“I’ve known some of the other guys, like Tate Elliot, for a long time, too,” Boczek said. “Even meeting new guys for the first time, they’ve treated me like one of their own. They’ve treated me like a friend right away. I feel really proud to be part of this community.”
Boczek tends to be the traditional pro-style quarterback who is comfortable under center, in shotgun formations and in the pocket. Shriver has quick feet and can scramble to make a decision under duress to run or throw the ball.
Both Boczek — 5-10, 165 pounds — and Shriver — 5-11, 175 pounds, will see action on nearly every snap for Clay-Battelle this season. When they’re not at quarterback, they’ll line up as a receiver or running back.
“Anything that helps my team win,” Boczek said. “I’ll play wherever. If I’m needed to throw in a big situation, I will, and if I’m called upon to catch a game-winning pass, that would be awesome, too. I just want to get wins and make it to the playoffs.”
Like Boczek, Shriver was named First-Team All OVAC Mason-Dixon Conference and Honorable-Mention All-State. He had 600 rushing yards and scampered to the end zone eight times in four games last season, with two games over more than 200 yards each. Shriver also threw for 250 yards and six touchdowns.
Clay-Battelle first unleashed its new offense in the first scrimmage on Aug. 14 against Zanesville (Ohio) Bishop Rosecrans. Boczek and Shriver split the quarterback duties, with Boczek getting more used to the system. He looked comfortable right away as the Cee-Bees found the end zone four times, put up more than 300 offensive yards, and the defense stepped up to only allow 56 yards of total offense, en route to a shut out.
“We excelled in our passing game and in our run game,” Boczek said. “It was big for our confidence.”
“We really came to play,” Shriver said.
Now, the tandem will look to harken back to their early days on the hardwood, where they first developed their lifelong companionship. Their childhood innocence began a friendship that would last for the next 10 years.
“We can both rely on each other to throw the ball or run the ball,” Shriver said. “More importantly, we have each other’s back no matter what. We keep each other up even when we make a mistake. I’m so glad Drew’s on my team now.
“With him here, we can go far.”
One of the first things Shriver told Boczek when he joined the Cee-Bees was that the school was such a close-knit community.
“Now we just want to make the community proud,” Boczek said.
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