Following a 10-3 season that saw them win their second straight State Championship and fifth in eight years, the Crusaders of Detroit Martin Luther King will look to run it back for a third year, but this time they will look to do it without Dante Moore under center. The Crusaders return eight starters, including Sr. Linebacker Marvell Eggleston and leading receiver Damon Stennis.
The person replacing Moore under center as the signal caller is still up for debate. The Crusaders are locked in a Quarterback battle between incoming freshman Darryl Flemister and Senior transfer Nate Edwards. Edwards comes to the Crusaders via Canada. According to head coach Ty Spencer, both players are getting challenged trying to pick up the offense but competing each day. He would add, “Flemister is a little more decisive and not afraid to make the big play,” Spencer would continue by saying, “Edwards just needs to be pushed a little more, and he will get better as time goes on” Both are still viable options as Spencer would say both would play early on with Flemister getting some opportunities all over the field.
A challenge for Edwards coming over is the few rule changes from Canadian football to the style of play we see here in the States, but Spencer said that’d been a nonfactor for Edwards, and it’s been more of what they do offensively and making decisions, but Edwards has improved each week.
On defense, the Crusaders are getting back Sr. Donte Dooley. Dooley was considered the top defensive back on the team before tearing his ACL and missing the entire 2022 season.
The Crusaders will open the season at the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic against St. Xavier(OH) on August 26 at 4 p.m. They will then open PSL play on September 8 vs Detroit Western. They will close the season at home on October 20 when they welcome in Cincinnati Moeller.