By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
Perhaps Peebles High School Athletic Director Chris Reed said it best, “He’s the kind of guy you’d want to be in a foxhole with”. Reed was speaking of PHS senior Zane Knechtly, one of the finest all-around athletes in Adams County. Knechtly. Destined to be a leader, Knechtly’s family and friends gathered at PHS on the morning of May 18 as Zane officially signed the paperwork to enlist in the United States Marines.
Being a Marine is something I’ve thought about for a long time now,” said Knechtly after the enlistment ceremony. “It was always in the back of my mind and as I got older and got some sense, joining the Marines made its way to the top pretty quickly.”
Anyone who has seen Knechtly perform on the football field for the last four years not only saw him lead the Peebles program to three consecutive Southern Ohio Independent League football championships, but saw him dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. His leadership abilities were never more evident than when he was under center as the two-time SOIL Player of the Year.
“I think being able to work with people but also being able to take outside information at the same time is a big part of being a leader,” said Knechtly. “You have to be able to take charge when you need to and be able to step back when someone else has a better course of action to get done whatever you need to do.”
“Playing quarterback, being able to see everything around you and being able to take care of your teammates were big lessons I learned. I feel like being a Marine is very similar.”
“I called Zane’s parents one day and his Mom seemed really interested that he wanted to join,” said Marine recruiter SSG Dakotah Miller, who was also on hand for the enlistment ceremony. “She mentioned that two of his friends had previously joined the Marine Corps so I called him, set up the appointment and he was all for it. He told me that he had essentially made his decision even before he even came in to talk to me. He’ll being his career at Parris Island, South Carolina.”
Knechtly is joining the Marines with hopes of someday being part of Special Forces.
“That’s my end goal,” he says.
No one in Adams County who has seen Knechtly perform should have any doubts that he will reach his goal.