Ravenwood football’s Donovan Starr shines for Raptors
The two-way playmaker has helped lead the Raptors to the TSSAA 6A state semifinals.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - His name says it all. Donovan Starr is destined to shine, and he’s doing just that for Ravenwood football.
Starr received nearly 40 Division I football offers and has committed to Auburn University.
The Raptors senior starter plays defensive back and wide receiver. He makes his mark on both sides of the ball in just about every game for Ravenwood.
“Defensively, he’s probably helped us more by people staying away from him, not getting a whole lot of opportunities, but when he has, he’s done a lot with those,” Ravenwood head coach Will Hester said. “And then offensively, he’s made some huge plays in the passing game for us — catching balls that are short pass routes, and with his speed and agility, taking them all the way to the end zone for a touchdown. So, he’s been a huge part of our success this year. He can pretty much do whatever he sets his mind to.”
Starr’s abilities are that much more impressive given the fact that he only started playing football a few years ago.
“I didn’t start playing until my freshman year,” Starr said. “I had a few buddies, one of my friends, my best friend Ben Hubbard, he’s on the team, and he just convinced me to come out and play. I wasn’t the best.”
Now, Starr is a Mr. Football finalist, and undoubtedly one of the best football, and track and field, athletes in the state.
Starr won the 100-meter dash and high jump state titles in the spring, despite having limited training in sprinting specifically.
“The 100-meters, I wasn’t projected to win at all,” Starr said. “I kept progressing my time as the weeks went on because at the beginning of the season, I just prioritized high jump. After I won the high jump, I was like, ‘I got to come out and win the 100.’ I just knew I had to get it done, and when I went out there, I was just locked in the whole time.”
Starr hopes to lead Ravenwood football to a state title as he managed to do individually in track and field.
“I feel like we’re going to win it all,” Starr said. “I feel like, just the mindset and the type of guys that we got to come out here and get better every day, I feel like we can get it done. I don’t see anybody beating us.”
Ravenwood faces Houston in the 6A semifinals Friday night at 7 p.m.
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