CLEVELAND — Former Ashland University and North Royalton High School standout quarterback Travis Tarnowski will continue his football career in his home state.
Last week, Tarnowski agreed to a one-year contract with the Columbus Destroyers, who are making their return to the six-team Arena Football League for the 2019 season. Tarnowski was assigned to the Destroyers late in the evening on Thursday, March 7, 2019, a little more than one month before the start of the regular season.
Tarnowski ended his four-year career as the starting quarterback as Ashland’s school record-holder for the most passing yards, touchdown passes, attempts, completions and victories by a signal-caller.
Tarnowski completed 846 of his 1,385 attempts (61.1 percent) for 11,321 yards and 111 touchdowns on the way to 38 wins over four years with the Eagles.
And it appears that Tarnowski already has the full confidence of Destroyers coach Matthew Sauk.
During his first year as Ashland’s starter in 2014, Tarnowski completed 168 of his 288 attempts for 2,167 yards and 16 touchdowns against six interceptions and increased his productivity in every statistical category during the 2015 season.
In 11 games as a sophomore, Tarnowski completed 239 passes for 3,121 yards and 30 touchdowns, and followed it up with an efficient junior season. During the 2016 season, Tarnowski completed 212 of his 328 attempts (64.4 percent) for 2,989 yards and 34 touchdowns against only six interceptions.
The 34 touchdowns were a single-season personal best for Tarnowski.
Tarnowski rounded out his collegiate career with 227 completions for 3,044 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2017, where he earned Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year and first-team American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-American honors.
Tarnowski arrived at Ashland after a standout career for the North Royalton Bears, whom he helped lead to their first-ever win in the Ohio High School Athletic Association playoffs.
A three-time letter winner in football and four-year varsity basketball player, Tarnowski threw for 5,986 yards and 56 touchdowns in his career at North Royalton High School, and punctuated his prep days by rushing for 786 yards and 11 scores during his senior season.
The Destroyers open the regular season at Albany on Saturday, April 27, and after starting the year with three consecutive road games, they will host Albany in the home opener on Saturday, May 18.
