Both Edwardsville High School football coach Matt Martin and Tigers boys’ basketball coach Mike Waldo have one way to describe Dan Marinko – “a winner.”
Marinko, a senior quarterback in football and guard in basketball, had one of his biggest moments in continuing his winning ways on Wednesday as he signed a letter of intent to play football at Central Missouri.
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Central Missouri has captured eight Mid-America Intercollegiate Conference championships and finished 8-4 last year, so the Tigers quarterback is moving into a program used to triumphs.
“This is a great feeling,” Marinko said. “This was a long time coming. I am just proud of everybody who gets a chance to play in college.”
Marinko, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound quarterback, tossed 27 touchdowns and amassed 2,375 yards passing this past season as a senior. He also had 431 yards rushing, with 12 touchdowns. Marinko was a two-time all-state quarterback. He passed for 2,940 yards and 29 touchdowns as a junior. He ran for 793 yards as a junior with 17 rushing scores.
Martin described Marinko as a tremendous leader, offensive MVP and a team captain.
“He will be really appreciated when he is gone,” Martin said.
Marinko said a lot of times people don’t know the time athletes have to put in the off-season and how important that is to success.
“It all has an effect,” he said of the hard work of being a winner on the football field and hardwoods.
