For Garvin Brothers, Senior Night Marks a Season Worth Sharing

MARS — When Kellan Garvin reaches the end zone, he knows who he wants to find first.

His older brother.

“My big brother being on the team, you know, I look up to him a lot,” the Mars sophomore receiver said. “He’s the first one I’m looking for when I get in the end zone.”

For senior Jameson Garvin, a running back and linebacker, those celebrations have become some of the most meaningful moments of his final high school football season.

As Mars prepares for its final home game of the season and Senior Night, Jameson and his sophomore brother, Kellan, are appreciating their remaining opportunities to share the field. For their parents, Leslie and Joe, it is a chance to celebrate how much football has brought their sons together.

The brothers first became teammates last year. This is their final high school football season together.

Joe said the brothers have grown much closer over the past year or so, with football helping strengthen their relationship.

Jameson’s friends welcomed Kellan, Joe said, and the younger brother’s friends became part of the circle, too.

“They include everybody,” he said. “It’s been great.”

The brothers still describe a relationship with the usual disagreements and teasing. They push each other during summer workouts and have plenty to say about a dropped pass.

Their father has a simple way of settling the brothers’ debates: Jameson has the edge in strength, while Kellan has the edge in speed.

But when asked about their favorite parts of playing together, their answers reached beyond football.

For Kellan, it is the morning drives to practice with Jameson behind the wheel.

“They’re always very fun,” Kellan said. “He’s always great energy in the car and he’s good to be around.”

For Jameson, simply sharing the field has been enough.

“Just getting to share a field with him, I never thought I’d really do in any sport,” he said. “Just getting to share one with him for once is really cool.”

One moment that stands out came against Chartiers Valley, when both brothers scored touchdowns.

“After his first touchdown, I mean, it was one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced,” Jameson said.

Coach Zachery Benedek remembers a little sibling competition leading into that game. After a junior varsity game the previous Saturday, he teased Jameson that Kellan had more touchdowns.

Jameson’s response: It only counted if it happened in a varsity game.

The following Friday, both brothers scored.

“So, it was pretty funny how it happened,” Benedek said.

The coach sees different personalities in the Garvins, but a shared commitment.

“Both of those guys are very hard workers and great athletes,” he said.

Against Blackhawk last week, the family had more reasons to celebrate: Jameson returned an interception for a touchdown, and Kellan scored twice.

Asked about his favorite play by his older brother, Kellan quickly picked the interception return.

“That was sick,” he said.

Jameson pointed to Kellan’s two-touchdown performance as a memorable achievement for a sophomore.

Their mother enjoyed watching, too, although she said neither son would put individual success ahead of the team.

“Even though they had a great football week last week, they would have given all that up to get a win,” Leslie said.

For her, watching both sons play brings excitement and worry in almost equal measure.

“We’re always very excited for them when they’re out on the field, but we hold our breath the entire game, hoping everybody gets up off the ground,” she said.

The family has been part of the Mars football program since Jameson was in fifth grade. Now he hopes to continue playing in college, with visits planned to Wheeling University and Duquesne.

Kellan is proud to see those opportunities developing. Jameson, in turn, is proud of how far his younger brother has come.

“When he was younger, I didn’t really think that football would be for him,” Jameson said. “But just seeing him now, seeing him succeed is really cool.”

“I’m definitely going to miss him being the leader on the field for sure,” Kellan said. “He sets a really good example for everyone out there.”

Jameson believes his younger brother can become a leader himself, pointing to the way younger students already look up to him.

For Joe, watching them challenge and support each other has brought “a different type of pride.”

“They know, they recognize that it’s special,” he said.

Jameson also knows he will miss playing for Mars, where he said the community’s support has remained steady through wins and losses.

“It’s really special to play here,” he said.

As for walking across the field on Senior Night, he suspects the moment might catch up with him.

“I keep saying I won’t get emotional about it,” Jameson said, “but I’m pretty sure I’ll be pretty emotional about it once I’m walking across the field.”