By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com
When a place feels right, it feels right.
Westfield football player Job Mavrick got that feeling when he took a visit to Ohio University this past spring. It didn’t take long for Mavrick to make the big decision: he committed to the Bobcats football team on June 9 with a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Mavrick, an incoming senior for the Shamrocks, had a good relationship with Ohio from the start.
“They’ve always liked me and always been super truthful to me and they always took the time to build up a close relationship, and that meant the world to me,” said Mavrick. “A lot of schools overlook me because of my size. They’re the first FBS school to believe in me and that meant a lot.”
The offensive lineman Mavrick is still a formidable size – he stands 6-2 and weighs 280 pounds. When he visited Ohio in the spring, he said “everything felt like it was the right thing to do to commit there.
“Once I set foot on campus, I knew it was home,” said Mavrick, who is considering studying business or sports management at Ohio. (He said the school has “the top sports management program in the nation.”)
“Coach Tavita (Thompson), the o-line coach, coach Izzy (Scott Isphording), the offensive coordinator, the program that those guys run out there is just phenomenal and I just knew I wanted to be a part of it,” said Mavrick.
Mavrick played his first two years of high school football at Culver Academies before transferring to Westfield in his junior year.
“Moving up to 6A, I just feel like I’ve been able to improve tremendously,” said Mavrick. “Just getting to play against high-level defensive linemen and defensive players every day, I’ve really been able to improve in every aspect.”
Mavrick fit into the Shamrocks’ program right away and helped contribute to its continued success. Westfield went 12-2 last season, winning its fifth consecutive sectional title and advancing to the Class 6A state finals.
As an offensive lineman, Mavrick is aware of that position’s responsibility, saying that “you can’t be a selfish player” when you’re on the line.
“You got to get five guys to work together as one mind,” said Mavrick. “It’s just a unit overall. We like to say it starts up front with us. Our offensive line is a huge part of our program. We’re the guys that have to set the tone for the quarterback, the running back. We got to build trust around the team. I feel like we carry a good amount of responsibility. I really enjoy it. I love my guys on the offensive line always playing as a unit.”
Mavrick earned the respect of his teammates as well. Westfield wide receiver Cato June said that Mavrick’s work ethic stands out.
“Even when he first got here, he would be one of the few people that stayed after practice,” said June. “It doesn’t have to be long, but 15 minutes a day makes a big difference. He would always be working on something to perfect his craft. He is a selfless person. He plays for his teammates. I don’t think he ever has played for himself once.”
In addition to playing football, Mavrick also wrestles for the Shamrocks. He made an immediate impact, qualifying for the IHSAA state meet last February.
“That was my first time going to state,” said Mavrick. “I’ve been wrestling since middle school. I really enjoyed it. I love my coaches on the wrestling team. All the guys, they helped me accomplish that. It felt really good.”