Star football player Justus Ross-Simmons leaves East High, Section V for California

While there has been talk all summer that Justus Ross-Simmons was long gone from Rochester, his move to California became one-way last weekend.

Ross-Simmons, a candidate to win Democrat and Chronicle All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year status in Section V high school football and basketball at East High, played his first game with Inglewood High School on Aug. 20.

"He had an interception for a touchdown, he picked off one of those swing passes," East High co-coach Steve Flagler said. 

Even if Ross-Simmons, a senior, were to return to Rochester as some high school players who declared they were leaving Section V have done in the past, he would be ineligible to play football in this state.

"I just had a conversation with a counselor (at Inglewood), just to make sure he has everything he needs (for high school and college playing eligibility)," East High athletic director Eric Robinson said. "With the work that he did this summer, he is an NCAA eligible athlete, he basically has everything he needs.

"(Inglewood) has eight other kids on the team who are Division I recruits. New York State is not really a football hot bed (for college football recruiting). Basically, he made the decision based on playing football (instead of basketball in college)." 

Flagler, the football co-coach at East High with James Vann, and Robinson said the decision by Ross-Simmons was expected. The real surprise would have been Ross-Simmons joining the Eagles on Aug. 23, the first day that practices count toward playing eligibility, according to New York State Public High School Athletic Association rules. Section V is a part of the NYSPHSAA. 

"It’s an opportunity," Robinson said. "Sort of bittersweet, but we're for the kids. He worked hard here, and we are going to support him. He’s still one of our kids.

"I watched his game the other night. His mom shared a link. He had a pick-six, caught a couple of two-point conversions on fade routes, the same things we used to throw to him." 

Robinson and Flagler said Ross-Simmons is about 6 feet-3 inches tall, and while weighing in at 225 pounds, can run a 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds. 

"He's just a good kid, quiet and unassuming," Flagler said. "He has a quiet confidence about him, he knows that he's good.

"A lot of kids like to tell you how good they are. He just goes out there and puts on a show." 

Ross-Simmons debated whether to reach for a scholarship to play football or basketball at a Division I school. He played at receiver, quarterback and outside linebacker with the East High football team. 

"(Inglewood) has a quarterback going to Cal, a running back going to USC, a lineman going into the Pac-12," Robinson said. "Mom moved out there with him and they are trying to make it work, which is a heck of a commitment (by her). 

"Here, he hadn't had a solid, legitimate offer from a school that he said that's where he wanted to be. He wants to play major college football. The move made sense. If he decided to play basketball in college, he probably would've stayed." 

Ross-Simmons has at least two teammates at Inglewood, who were at Section V schools. Jamari Johnson was on track for his second season as the quarterback at Rush-Henrietta. Makhi Connor, who was at Monroe and then with Johnson at University Prep, also is a junior.

"You'd be surprised about the connections to Section V who are there (and at schools in other states)," Monroe coach Terrell Cunningham said. "There are more guys, younger guys, who didn't play a varsity down." 

Coaches in Section V selected Ross-Simmons to the 2021 AGR football and basketball teams, impressed with how he could dominate play. Ross-Simmons also played significant minutes with the McQuaid varsity basketball team as a freshman, before transferring to East High. 

"He was our security blanket out there on the field," Flagler said. "If we needed something done, we knew to get him the ball. 

"He's a little raw, but when he gets fine-tuned, you may get to see him on Sundays. In a college program, he’ll put on weight, we just don’t know where he will play on the field. He’s a freak athlete for sure.”

JAMESJ@Gannett.com

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