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The On Campus Report: Clay Shreve

The On Campus Report provides Stark County football fans a chance to catch up with the stars they watched a few years back on Friday nights. WHBC’s Noah Hiles sits down and speaks with some of the former greats from local teams to find out how their playing experience is going at the next level. Week by week check in to see how some of the area’s best athletes are doing on the college gridiron.

Week 7: Ashland Linebacker, Clay Shreve (Lake)

ASHLAND (News Talk 1480 WHBC) – The word “dominant” would be a fair way to describe the high school career of former Lake linebacker, Clay Shreve.

The three year letter winner with the Blue Streaks showed up everywhere from the stat sheets, where he recorded 262 career tackles (including back to back 100 plus tackle seasons), to the award ceremonies, where he earned honors such as 2015 Northeast Inland District player of the year and first team All-Ohio.

A few years have gone by since Shreve competed under the friday night lights in Stark County. If you haven’t been keeping tabs on him, just know that he’s still “dominating” just about everything he does.

The now senior captain on the Ashland football team has strung together a college career that is perhaps even more impressive than what he accomplished during his time at Lake.

On the field, he is a two time all conference middle linebacker. He also earned all-region honors last season after helping lead the Eagles defense to become the fourth best overall in Division II (D2).

“I’ve been blessed with the ability to be a good football player” Shreve said when asked to reflect on some of his personal success. “I understand the game. I work hard at it and I am passionate about it.”

Shreve has had just as much, if not more success off the field. The past two years, he has earned a spot on the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) All-Academic Excellence Team, an honor that is awarded to football players with a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher.

As a Middle Grade Education Major with a focus in mathematics and social studies, he was also Ashland’s 2019 nominee for the American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team, an honor that highlights college football players who make excel athletically, academically and through community service.

His aggressive play on the gridiron and dedication for success in the classroom make him stand out from the rest, which makes him a perfect fit for the team he plays on.

Just last week, the Eagles completed one of the more exciting victories on the 2019 college football season, upsetting ninth ranked Grand Valley State on a last second 52 yard Hail Mary touchdown.

“It is something that I will never forget,” said Shreve. “It’s one of those moments that everyone talks about. You have ‘football moments’ that 50 years from now you and your buddies will talk about. That is one of them for sure.”

The win improved Ashland’s record to 3-2 on the season, keeping their postseason hopes alive. After upsetting Northwest Missouri State in the opening round of the 2017 D2 playoffs in 2017, Shreve and the Eagles missed out on the big dance last year. However, he believes his team is in a great position to get back after last week’s big win.

“We kind of control our own destiny here,” said Shreve. “We are really excited for where we are at right now. Last weekend put us where we need to be.”

Following the end of this season, Shreve already has an idea what will come next. With solid size and an impressive resume, he has a chance to compete at the next level.

Shreve admits that is something he isn’t completely ruling out. However, if 2019 ends up being his last season in shoulder pads, he says 2020 will be the start of his next football chapter.

“I really have a passion for coaching and I really love the game of football,” said Shreve. “I’d like to do that. That is the next phase at the moment.”

He continued saying, “I am very excited to be a teacher and to see football behind the coaching lens.”