New Castle adds Wells to football-basketball list
The story is a familiar one at New Castle High School over the past decade. Basketball standout leads team to championships, finally realizes that football gives him a better future and goes on to football success at big-time levels after high school.
That’s the story of Malik Hooker, Geno Stone and Marcus Hooker. Malik Hooker and Stone were leaders of WPIAL championship basketball teams at New Castle and are now in the NFL. Marcus Hooker ( Malik’s brother) won WPIAL basketball championships and is now a defensive back at Ohio State.
But there’s a possible sequel being worked on at New Castle right now. Michael Wells is playing the starring role.
No one is ready to predict the NFL for Wells or even future major-college success. But so far, he’s doing a swell imitation of the Hookers and Stone. It’s a job Wells done.
“It’s certainly similar when you just look at the trajectory of the storyline,” New Castle football coach Joe Cowart said.
Malik Hooker didn’t even play football as a freshman and sophomore at New Castle, ended up being heavily recruited, went to Ohio State and was a first-round NFL draft choice at defensive back. He is now with the Dallas Cowboys. Stone wasn’t all that heavily recruited in football, ended up with a late scholarship to Iowa and was drafted in the seventh round. He is trying to keep a roster spot with the Baltimore Ravens. Marcus Hooker is in line to possibly be a starting DB at Ohio State.
Now there is Wells, who didn’t play football as a freshman at New Castle. He might not have the jaw-dropping athletic ability that Malik Hooker had in high school, but you look at Wells’ 6-foot-3, 220-pound body, his barrellike chest and thick legs, watch how well he moves and wonder how he doesn’t have more college scholarship offers? Youngstown State has offered and Bucknell recently offered.
“This has been a strange past year with COVID-19 and recruiting and I think it’s a strange cycle that Mike got caught in,” Cowart said. “I think he will still have more college opportunities as this season goes along.”
Wells will be a starting linebacker on defense and play both quarterback and receiver on offense.
“Guys like Malik, Marcus or Geno were great athletes, but they just happened to be 6-1 or 6-foot,” Cowart said. “Mike’s almost 6- 4. He’s also 220 pounds. That size puts you into the recruiting world. It does open some doors for you in basketball, but it opens a zillion doors for you in football. He’s really good at both sports, but his ceiling might be in football.”
By the way, Wells prefers to be called Michael. But no matter what, just call him one of the WPIAL’s best two-sport athletes. The 2020 football season was rough for New Castle. COVID-19 cases shut down the Red Hurricanes a few times, hurt their continuity and they finished 1-5. Wells, though, still had some good moments.
In basketball, Wells was an all-section performer and averaged 17 points a game for the WPIAL Class 5A champion.
“There’s no question I believe Mike can play basketball in college,” New Castle basketball coach Ralph Blundo said. “But like Mailik and Geno, his future is probably in football. His body is second-tonone as far as people I’ve coached. He’s all of 6-3, 220. He’s thick, strong from head to toe and athletic. I think what Mike has working against him is he has the body of a 22-year-old, but he just turned 17 (Aug. 14). He’ll be one of the youngest kids in his class when he goes to college. That’s a year younger physically, mentally and emotionally. But I think you’ll see the best Mike Wells, for sure, this year in football.”
Cowart believes Wells’ football recruiting was hurt some because he didn’t go to many college camps to be seen by coaches. He played AAU basketball part of the summer. Wells did go to Youngstown State and Bucknell camps and both offered scholarships. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds at Youngstown State.
A few FBS colleges are interested in Wells, but some want to see how he plays this season.
“Personally, I think I do have something to prove this year, just to show that I’m a multi-sport athlete, but someone who worked to set himself apart,” Wells said. “I’m not just relying on being athletic. I’ve put in the work and extra work to put myself past others. … I’m not expecting them to hand me a scholarship. But I think if I do what I’m supposed to do, play every snap like it’s my last, I think I’ll get a few more offers.”
Wells decided a while ago that football would be his future sport. He said it has been his favorite sport since he was a youngster. And the many ways New Castle uses Wells in both sports shows his athletic ability. He’s a threat as a quarterback and receiver and can be disruptive on defense. In basketball, he can knock down 3-pointers with regularity, but yet use size and strength to score on post ups in the lane.
“Do the measurables on Mike and his numbers are amazing,” Cowart said. “He’s going to run a good 40, he’s almost 6-4, 220 and his ability to change directions is elite. He’s getting recruited more on the defensive side of the ball, but his ball skills on offense are excellent. He has incredible hands and an incredible way to use his body to catch the ball. It’s Travis Kelcelike (of the Kansas City Chiefs). Does he have room to get better? No doubt. But he has all the tools in the shed to be an excellent player for us.”
Wells knows the Hookers and Stone. He said Hooker used to date his best friend’s sister. Wells said he regularly talks to Stone.
“I used to look up to them,” Wells said.
Now kids in New Castle look up to Wells. After basketball season, Wells will run track again for New Castle in the spring. And get this: He also is seriously considering playing baseball again, because he was talented in that sport as a youngster.
“When you look at a great athlete like Mike, the next thing they need to do is have good players around them. I think he has that in both sports,” Blundo said. “But he knows to be considered great, you have to win. When it comes to God-given ability, he’s right up there with some of the great ones we’ve had here. His complete story will be told after he graduates.”
But it’s already sounding a little familiar.