Newton brothers a fierce four-some for Clearwater Central Catholic

CLEARWATER — It is hard for announcers and statisticians to determine which Clearwater Central Catholic player comes up with a tackle on most plays.There are four Newtons. They all have first names starting with the letter J.Their first names, fully pronounced, are similar. There is Jerquan, Jervon, Jerjuan and Jerzahn. About the only way to distinguish them is by their jersey numbers.It is a remarkable brother act. Four siblings, all playing varsity at the same time. All starting on defense.This season is special for the foursome because it also marks the first time they have all played together on the same team.Football is the Newton family business. Their father, Jervon, played at Boca Ciega.Jerquan and Jervon, who are identical twins, first started playing football in pickup games at Gladden Park in St. Petersburg. They graduated to youth leagues and both started out as offensive linemen for the St. Petersburg Lil' Devils.By middle school, Jervon was playing quarterback and Jerquan was a receiver.Born minutes apart (Jervon was first), they became a pair. They played video games together, did their homework side by side. They played all the same sports, too. When one was picked for a sandlot team, the other came with him.It was the brother rule.The twins, now seniors, had to amend those rules to include their younger brothers. Jerjuan is a sophomore and Jerzahn is a freshman. They all played football, but were split up in youth leagues because of their age differences."We're competitive in just about everything," Jerquan said.In the hallways, the brothers will often bump into each other — on purpose."Then we'll just start arguing," Jerzahn said.The brotherly competition is even worse on the field."I get on them because I want to see everyone get better," Jerquan said. "It starts at practice. If you're not competitive in practice, you will not be in games."The competition extends to the games, especially when it comes to making tackles. Each keeps a running total and they go over the tally on the car ride home.Jerquan leads the Newton household in tackles (22) and sacks this season. Jerzahn is not far behind with 20 tackles. Jervon's numbers are more impressive on offense with a team-high 359 yards rushing and six touchdowns; he also starts at defensive back. Jerjuan is coming off an ankle injury and is now fully healthy.They all have helped the Marauders start 4-0 as they travel to Tampa Catholic on Friday night for a showdown between private school powers in the bay area.Competing against each other has helped the Newtons gain confidence, all while creating confusion for everyone else.They have created their own identities through nicknames. The twins often shorten their first names to Quan and Von. Jerjuan goes by Tic, a name given to him by his father. Jerzahn likes to be called Johnny.This season, the Newtons are trying to extend the season as long as possible. They want to play in the Class 3A state championship game. CCC, ranked No. 1 in the latest Class 3A state poll, is favored to get there."We're trying to make this season as memorable as possible because it is the only time we'll be able to play together on the same team," Jervon said. "We might as well go out and try to win it all." Contact Bob Putnam at bputnam@tampabay.com. Follow @BobbyHomeTeam.

Newton brothers a fierce four-some for Clearwater Central Catholic

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