His Father's Son

St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati may be a Jesuit school, but on Friday nights, football reigns supreme.

Depending on the opponent, depending on the weather, up to 6,000 spectators pack into Ballaban Field—so named after a long-time coach—to watch their Bombers play. Blue-and-white battalions flash prepaid tickets, browse the in-stadium souvenir shop, juggle hot concessions, and finally settle in to root for a program that has captured two state titles in the last 11 years.

On the field, illuminated by enormous stadium lights, nearly 400 kids from St. Xavier shiver and sweat. They shoulder an enormous legacy, one that has produced at least 13 NFL players, including three-time Pro Bowler Luke Kuechly of the Carolina Panthers.

Here in southwest Ohio, football isn’t life-or-death. But it can be your life.

Sean Ahern, the 143rd captain of Harvard football, understands this fact. Put more simply: “Football is a big deal where I come from.”

Over the last two years, however, the converse has proven equally true—that where Sean Ahern comes from is a big deal for football. After all, it was Ballaban Field that shaped Ahern into who he is today, meaning a shutdown cornerback, a first-team All-Ivy selection for two straight years, and the bedrock of the Crimson’s defense.

“[I want to be] a high-energy guy,” Ahern said. “Someone who brings it every day. Someone who, once game day rolls around, is super-focused and locked in.”

Many of those ambitions took root at St. Xavier, a 184-year-old private school whose football program has enjoyed national prominence since the mid-2000s. In 2005, when the program claimed its first state championship, the city of Cincinnati established “St. Xavier High School Day.”

Part of St. Xavier’s success on the gridiron relates to pure size. Roughly a quarter of the 1,600-person, all-male student body joins the football team. About 120 players stick around as upperclassmen, making the high school squad one of the largest in the country.

Even before Ahern reached ninth grade, odds were that he’d join this army. His father played defensive back at Brown, coincidentally joining the Bears around the same time as Tim Murphy. Back then Murphy worked as a part-time assistant; now he’s the Harvard head coach.

College football left a real impact on Ahern’s father and, in turn, shaped his son.

“We bonded through [the sport] for many years,” Ahern said. “Still do. He’s definitely my number one fan.”

Despite his athletic lineage, however, Ahern didn’t think seriously about college football until recruiters started to call. The Crimson entered the fray during his junior year.

At that point, Ahern’s father adopted a new role. Previously a third-grade coach, constantly an enthusiastic supporter, he then evolved into a chief consultant.

“He’s been there throughout the whole process,” Ahern said. “He made me realize that there was a door out there to play football and get a good education.”

This, in short, was how Ahern ended up in a Harvard uniform. In 2012, he opened preseason at 175 pounds—20 pounds lighter than he is now.

College competition soon jolted to a stop, however. After appearing in the season opener, Ahern tore his pectoral muscle. Season over.

“It was definitely a challenging time being a freshman,” Ahern said. “The level of the game was just so much different, something I did not anticipate. And being hurt, I kind of felt separated from the team.”

Rehab relieved that sentiment. So did on-field success.

As a junior, Ahern started for the Crimson, leading the team with six pass break-ups as Harvard battled to an undefeated campaign. In the 2014 Game—yes, that epic 31-24 slugfest with the championship at stake—he had the best contest of his year, preventing two catches and recording seven tackles.

“Corners make their money, so to speak, by being great cover corners,” Murphy said. “He is that, but he’s a tough, physical guy. He plays physically like a safety with a corner’s ability.”

The next year, he returned as the top cover guy for a Crimson defense that allowed 13 points a game, the second-stingiest mark in the nation. On special teams, Ahern added another accolade: kick blocker par excellence. He rejected two boots to rank first in the Ancient Eight.

In both 2014 and 2015, postseason voters recognized this dominance, tapping Ahern for consecutive All-Ivy first teams.

These days, as a fifth-year senior, Ahern remains one of the few holdovers from last season’s overpowering unit. He mans a secondary short on experience, though not enthusiasm.

As of last fall, Ahern is also Harvard’s captain, the 11th straight defensive player to earn this post. (New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick ’05 was the last exception).

“He’s naturally taken to being the captain,” Murphy said. “He’s one of those guys that everyone respects…. He doesn’t mind holding his teammates accountable to the same high standards that he holds himself.”

As one might expect for a fifth-year player, these high standards reflect years of watching and playing alongside talented players. Ahern cited a number of defensive mates as role models, including linebacker Matt Koran ’16, defensive back Norman Hayes ’15, and defensive back D.J. Monroe ’13, who died last October.

Still, perhaps the most intense idol is the one who has accompanied Ahern during his entire journey, from Friday night epics at Ballaban Field to Saturday afternoon nail-biters at Harvard Stadium. Certainly Ahern’s father has seen a lot, including most Crimson contests over the past two seasons, and barring the intervention of injuries or fate, he stands to see nine more.

Much has passed between father and son in all these years, but at least one question remains unanswerable: Who’s the better player?

“Oh definitely me,” Ahern said. Then he paused, making sure that he got his words right. “He might’ve been a harder hitter.”

—Staff writer Sam Danello can be reached at sam.danello@thecrimson.com.