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05/21/2015 12:01 AMEssex resident Tanner Kern and the Xavier football team owned a record of 6-3 heading into the home stretch of the 2014 season and would have missed the playoffs if they took another loss. The senior didn’t want his high school career to end that way and so Tanner propelled his offensive line to produce a victory over Fairfield Prep and ultimately secured the final seed in the Class LL Small Division State Playoffs. When the Falcons got there, they showed they belonged as Tanner and company defeated Newtown in the semis and then earned a dramatic victory versus Shelton in the championship game.
“Winning the state championship in Class LL was the best moment of my life,” says Tanner, the three-year letterman who played center during his senior season. “We were able to come back from being down late in the game and win the title in overtime. It was and always will be a great feeling.”
Tanner made a key block when Xavier scored the game-tying overtime touchdown on a 5-yard run by teammate Michael Scherer. Andrew Verre kicked the extra point and the Falcons won the program’s fourth championship in the past five seasons by the count of 28-27 over the Gaels. Tanner had also won a state title as a long snapper in his sophomore season.
“It was an incredible way to win a championship. It’s just one of those moments where you look back at it and go, ‘Wow. Did we just do it? Yes we did!’ and it’s unreal,” Tanner says.
Tanner grew up living and breathing football ever since he was a child under the guidance of his father James, who played football at the University of Connecticut as a defensive end and middle linebacker. The knowledge from his father aided Tanner in his battles on the gridiron. Tanner played youth football for Tri-Town in Deep River alongside some of the athletes who helped the Valley/Old Lyme football squad win a state title on that same day as Xavier.
“My father taught me a lot. He coached me throughout all of my youth years. In 7th grade, he helped out when we won the championship that year and we came close to winning it in 8th grade, but lost in the finals,” says Tanner, who also saw some time on defense at Xavier. “He’s been helpful with my skills, leadership, and overall how to be a better person on and off the field. He’d always keep pushing me to work hard and do better and that’s what I aim for in everything I do on and off the field. I liked offense more because I knew was good at blocking and was better suited there to help out the team.”
Tanner earned his playing time with the Falcons by working hard through the offseason in the weight room and then going through preseason conditioning to get ready for the fall campaign. Tanner’s powerful playing on the field led to him receiving distinctions such as New Haven Register All-State and All-Area, First Team All-State honors from the Hartford Courant and Connecticut High School Coaches Association, First Team All-SCC Division I accolades, as well as a spot in the Walter Camp All-Connecticut and USA Today All-Connecticut teams.
Xavier Head Coach Sean Marinan says that Tanner’s skill level grew with experience and that he was always pleased with how his athlete carried himself in the trenches.
“Tanner’s been a pleasure to have and he’s helped out in many positions for us on the line,” says Marinan. “He was our signal caller on the line and he loved it. He was loud and authoritative in his actions. He has great character and I wish him the best.”
In addition to his success on the gridiron, Tanner has thrived in the academic arena, as well. He’s earned honors or high honors in every marking period at Xavier and is a member of the National, Spanish, and Science honor societies.
“To get to where I am was from working hard in the classroom first,” he says. “Without that, you can’t get out on the field and play.”
Tanner also competed for a season with the baseball and wrestling teams at Xavier, but focused on football to hone in his skills and become the best in the sport he loves. The specialization of his techniques led to eight colleges expressing an interest to have Tanner play for their team. One school, in particular, grabbed Tanner’s attention the most in Division I Lafayette College in Pennsylvania. Tanner will study economics at Lafayette with an aim to one day work on Wall Street.
“The facilities of [Lafayette] are amazing. It’s a great school. When I went to visit the school, I was amazed with what they had to offer. $33 million in new football facilities. They’re so cool looking and unbelievable,” says Tanner, who thanks his parents, James and Katherine, as well as Coach Marinan. “I was also pleased with the coaches there and the family atmosphere. A lot of schools say that they have that kind of atmosphere, but nothing compared to what I felt at Lafayette.”