The DeSales football team has been honoring Xavier Quinn, who died in 2019 before his freshman season.
The father of Xavier and Quintell is Kenny Quinn, a 1996 Brookhaven graduate who made it to state in track and field as a senior in four events.Because of a relationship between the families that goes back more than two decades, Asher Hayles got permission to wear No. 29 for the Stallions’ first two games, which were both on the road.
According to Hayles, the senior class also has been raising money to buy a plaque for Xavier Quinn that will be placed along the walkway to DeSales’ football stadium. Hayles and junior Cameron Gwinn are linemen and senior Omarion Conteh and junior Max Shulaw are linebackers who have led the defense. Recently added to the schedule is a game Oct. 14 at home against Cincinnati Dohn Community, but that is not an OHSAA-sanctioned program so a win wouldn’t provide playoff computer points.“I feel like our team is at a good place,” Gwinn said. “If we just play together and play like we should, we’ll be pretty good together. We just have to keep our consistency and our energy up.”