Harrisburg’s Ronald Kent Jr., Donte Kent excited to continue ‘special’ season with Central Michigan at Penn State

Dont Kent

Former Harrisburg star Donte Kent and his brother, Ronald Kent Jr., both to play big roles at cornerback for Central Michigan today at Penn Stat.

Donte Kent and Ronald Kent Jr. grew up in a house with two other brothers, and when you start doing that math — four athletic boys, one house — you expect the rough and tumble stories to follow.

Backyard battles. Living room wrestling matches. Mischief. Typical stuff. And, sure, there was some of that, but not too much.

“Because I was the rough and tough one,” their mom, Kathy Kent-Graves, told PennLive Thursday. “I had a whole bunch of energy before I had the cancer, and I was like a tom boy. I was rough and tough, and I didn’t take no mess.

“They knew not to do certain things as they were coming up.”

Ronald Kent Jr.

Ronald Kent Jr. has put together a strong season with Central Michigan after transferring in as a grad student from Western Carolina. (Photo courtesy of Central Michigan)

What ever the formula, it clearly worked.

And that will be on display in a big way at noon Saturday when the former Harrisburg High stars take the field for Central Michigan (1-2) as it tries to upset Penn State (3-0) at Beaver Stadium.

Both Donte and Ronald Jr. are cornerbacks who figure to play significant roles in the game. They each have 10 tackles, tied for fourth on the Chippewas, and Donte has three pass breakups while Ronald Jr. has one.

But this isn’t just a football story. It’s a family story and community story, too. It is a story of success — win, lose or draw — come Saturday.

“It really is,” Kent-Graves said. “The support … seeing the way the city has been supportive … hey, we are all Penn State proud because we are Pennsylvanians. I get that but seeing the support for my sons from old friends, family, church folk … they are all planning to come out to support them.

“It’s a feeling that I can’t even explain.”

Donte Kent

Donte Kent battles LSU receiver Deion Smith for a pass during their game last season. (AP Photo/Derick Hingle)AP

Credit where credit is due

Credit is due to Kathy and Ronald Kent Sr. and the community, too, on this one.

Kathy and Ronald Sr. are separated — that happened some time ago — and Kent-Graves said that was tough on the boys, early on. Her illness — she had breast cancer — wasn’t easy, either. But she is strong in her faith in God, and that is something she believes helped bring them through it all. It is also something that has obviously been passed down to her sons.

Ronald Jr. and Donte have always been well-spoken and thoughtful with a purpose.

“We are a very close family,” Ronald Sr. said. “We worked together, stayed in communication, and I don’t think they ever felt like they were by themselves.”

Ronald Jr. said the separation did “take a toll” on he and Donte, but he credited his parents, too, with making it right.

“They both have been very supportive and not just great parents but great leaders, too,” he said. “They’re so important to me and Donte because we know they have our backs no matter the circumstance and they guide us in the right direction.”

Ronald Jr. and Dont

Ronald Kent Jr. and Dont Kent during their younger days. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Kent-Graves)

“It takes a village sometimes,” Kent Sr. said. “And I think the people around them, the coaches and the community played a big role … some of their youth coaches are still involved in their lives today. And I know we appreciate it and Junior and Donte do, too. They still go see a lot of them when they come home.”

Those are many of the same folks who, on Saturday, will be going to see them play when they come home — at least as close to home as they will ever truly play — to face the Nittany Lions.

Ronald Jr. and Donte said they have had around 70 family members and friends reach out to them to say they are making the trek to State College for the game.

The brothers are playing it just how their coach — Jim McElwain — likely likes.

They are appreciative of the support, but Ronald Jr. said he is trying to “not get too high or too low,” and Donte said he has tried to tune out social media heading into this game altogether.

But the buzz has been unavoidable — and, heck, they are rightfully soaking it up — for Kathy and Ronald Sr.

“Everywhere I go, the barbershop … just everywhere, people say they have been waiting on this game, and they are trying to get there,” Ronald Sr. said.

“I’m just super excited,” Kent-Graves said. “Super excited! My siblings are coming. We have neighbors coming. Everywhere I go, ‘I’m going to be at the game! I’m going to be at the game!’ So, I’m just excited to see the support for my kids.”

Ronald Kent Jr.

Ronald Kent. Jr. (2) makes a tackle for Central Michigan. (Photo courtesy of Central Michigan)

‘We could not be prouder’

Jaylen was the “real beast” of the athletic brothers, Kent-Graves said earlier this week. Desmond was pretty, good in his own right. But, she said, these young fellas — Donte and Ronald Jr. — always wanted to top their older brothers.

And, with all due respect to Jaylen and Desmond, it’s kind of hard to beat their resumes right now.

How is this for a fact? Ronald Jr. and Donte were both freshmen All-American picks by different publications. Ronald Jr. made Hero Sports’ list while he was with Western Carolina in 2018, and Donte made the Football Writers Association of America team after last season.

Donte still has a few seasons to continue to add to his accolades, but for Ronald Jr., this is it. He transferred to Central Michigan in January as a grad student after a standout run with the Catamounts. He is second in that program’s history, trailing only former Pittsburgh Steelers and longtime NFL player Willie Williams, in pass breakups with 28.

He said he wanted to fulfill his four-year commitment to Western Carolina, but when the opportunity to join Donte one final time arose, it was too good to pass up.

Kent Sr. said the family would spend time trying to juggle between trips to Ronald Jr.’s games or Donte’s games and figuring out how to watch them all in years past. Things are much simpler now.

And the brothers? Well, they seemed more excited about this opportunity to play a college football season side-by-side than stepping foot inside Beaver Stadium.

“This has all been fun,” Donte said. “I feel like I made the right decision coming here, and having my brother here, just knowing he is by my side in practice and for every rep, has been special.”

So, they said, there will probably be some emotion as it all winds down later this year. But this week, there’s a big game, and while they are trying to keep their cool, there’s no doubt they would love to come back home and help their team pull off the big upset.

Ronald Sr. remembered earlier this week the time he took Donte to a Penn State game for a recruiting visit. Going back in that stadium to watch both sons play, he said, is a bit “surreal.”

Donte Kent

Donte Kent makes a tackle for Central Michigan. (Photo courtesy of Central Michigan)

“I know Donte has had this one circled on the calendar a long time,” he said. “I know he wants to win this game.”

And Ronald Jr. has worked just about every channel outside of the coaching and film sessions at Central Michigan he could think of to gain an advantage. That includes dialing up an old teammate.

“I got Micah (Parsons) earlier in the week and had a chance to talk to him about them,” he said. “I was trying to get the inside scoop and stuff like that.

“All he told me was, ‘They are really good.’”

Donte has a bright football future. Ronald Jr. wants to keep playing as long as he can, and whenever that ends, he imagines himself an educator, athletic director and football coach.

A win would be incredible, but the scoreboard Saturday doesn’t matter all that much in the grand scheme of this story.

No more rough and tough Kathy. Just a number-one fan of a mom and a dad, family and community that could not be prouder of two brilliantly talented and accomplished young men.

“I just can’t stop smiling from ear-to-ear,” Kent-Graves said. “I’m just so proud of who they are and where they are going.”

“I’m super-proud of them,” Kent Sr. said. “Junior has graduated. Donte has another year until he graduates. I just wanted them to get their education and they did that. So, with that, and them playing in this football game … it’s just unreal.

“This all started out at Sunshine Park so to see them running out there Saturday against Penn State … we really could not be prouder.”

-- Follow Brian Linder on Twitter @SportsByBLinder

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